Giving Compass' Take:

• A report indicates that minority and first-generation students feel more of a sense of belonging at two-year colleges, and further explains the underlying reasons. 

• What are the ways that four-year colleges and universities can make more of an effort with these student populations? What can donors do to support this effort?

• Here are three ways that schools are helping underrepresented students graduate college. 

First-generation and underrepresented minority students attending community colleges report they feel a greater sense of belonging at those institutions than their peers, according to a recent analysis of federal data. The researchers found the opposite at four-year colleges. Students who were not first-generation or from underrepresented minority groups were more likely to report a higher sense of belonging there than other students.

The report's authors have several theories why underrepresented minority and first-generation students attending community colleges feel a greater sense of belonging at those institutions compared to other students. It could be partly that because of the wide range of students at two-year colleges, feeling a sense of belonging in a certain program or class is more important than whether they fit in with the institution as a whole.

Colleges can take steps to "build students' sense of belonging," Shannon Brady, an assistant professor of psychology at Wake Forest University who co-authored the report, said in an interview with Education Dive.

The study backs previous research that found underrepresented minority and first-generation students at four-year colleges tend to have a lower sense of belonging than their peers.

Many colleges are trying to reverse that trend to improve student outcomes. A greater sense of belonging may prompt students to seek out more campus resources and have better mental health.

Read the full article about minority and first-generation students in college by Natalie Schwartz at Education Dive.