News & Insights

Pride Month Spotlight

Students with a strong sense of connection more likely to be successful upon graduation

As public discourse around inclusion is shifting, research shows that students who have a strong sense of connection are more likely to be successful.

According to a Gallup poll, graduates who strongly agreed a professor personally cared about them were 1.9 times more likely to be engaged at work, 1.7 times more likely to be thriving in their well-being, and 6.2 times more likely to be emotionally attached to their alma mater.

“When we design LGBTQ+ spaces, women’s resource centers, cultural centers – centers intended for community – we think about the lived experience of the people using these spaces,” said Matt Bohannon, vice president at Brailsford & Dunlavey.

According to Bohannon, the success of these centers is all in the details.

“Sometimes, we’ll include private entrances and exits that are less visible from the main pathway. Sometimes, we’ll design places that include the distribution of menstrual products. It just depends on what need the space is meeting in the campus community,” said Bohannon.

And by creating spaces where students can safely connect with like-minded people, universities can fuel student success.

“Designing spaces intended for connection is an exercise in listening and understanding what the perceived barriers might be to a space,” said Bohannon. “It’s about understanding the students’ lived experience and planning the environment to best support their lived experience.”