About Belong
Designed in partnership with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), Belong provides faculty and staff with evidence-based skills and knowledge that can increase student belonging and advance campus retention efforts. Belong provides both individual-level support and institution-wide reach, working in concert with Reed's distinctive mission and values. Members of the Belong community gain access to nationally recognized credentials, live webinars for all employees, on-demand engagement resources, and a community of practice.
Council of Independent Colleges' Belong Community
Belong in Action
The impact of the Belong community extends beyond individual institutions, creating a nationwide network of inclusive learning environments.
- Over 65 institutions participate, with more than 366 credentials earned in inclusive pedagogy.
- More than 1,800 faculty and staff attended the first two webinars, and 10,000 faculty and staff have access to Belong’s Push Library.
- Altogether, the initiative benefits over 108,000 students, reinforcing community-wide commitments to fostering belonging.
Belong at Reed
This initiative is supported by the Office for Institutional Diversity (OID), the Office of Human Resources (HR), and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).
Belong is facilitated by a campus lead at each institution. At Reed, Jennifer Whetham (Educational Developer, Office for Institutional Diversity) and Cypress Williams (Assistant Director of Human Resources) serve as campus co-leads and primary contacts, helping to connect faculty and staff with the resources and opportunities provided through Belong.
Jen and Cypress will host two informational sessions for faculty and staff, covering the structure of Communities of Practice, key Belong resources, and engagement opportunities. These sessions will also provide space for questions, comments, concerns, and suggestions to shape how Reed implements Belong.