Journal of College & University Student Housing "Housing While Black" Theme Issue - 37

Residential Mattering for Black College Students
Roselyn also discussed the importance of involvement as a way to strengthen mattering.
In her experience, mattering was found in academically connected clubs and
organizations, specifically those that provided connection through shared racial identity.
In comparison, of the six students living in ILLCs, only one discussed involvement
as a key factor, indicating that the ILLC environment provided shared identity and
therefore did not require students to seek it out for themselves.
The Power of Mentorship
Shared identity involves a direct connection to fellow peers. When identity was shared
through mentorship within the housing community, mattering was deepened even
more greatly. Resident assistants (RAs) were specifically referenced as critical to this
shared mattering. Nine out of twelve students interviewed (all six students living in the
ILLC and three students living in traditional housing) mentioned the importance of
having a shared identity within residential leadership.
Thomas, a student living in the ILLC, discussed the powerful influence of RAs in
his residential experience: " It was just amazing that I could talk to someone that had
gone through a similar background for the past 4 years as me and helped me navigate
all the things that I may face as a Black man. " For Ace, access to a shared race and ethnicity
with his RA was critical to his sense of mattering in housing. " I think for a person
of culture or a person of a different ethnicity, finding a space where they can talk
about that difference is important. " Roselyn, a student living in traditional housing,
discussed being the only Black-identifying student in her housing community, except
for her RA. This shared identity was critical to her, not only in not feeling alone within
her residential community, but also in having an advocate within her community. As
she noted,
I think as a Black student just to have someone that you know who acknowledges race
and creates a space so that you can talk is so important. I don't know if the people in my
residence hall are cool with me being here, but my RA isn't going to take that if it does
happen. I like that we are straight to the point where we don't stand for that here and
that's not what our school is about.
In Roselyn's example, having an RA on staff who shared the same racial identity was
critical. This need for shared identity was present even though her housing community
was reportedly quite ethnically diverse, indicating that diversity alone cannot substitute
for the power of shared racial identity.
Additional interviews included many references to the importance of having housing
staff of shared identity serve as their mentors, support systems, advocates, and
resources. In each example, the shared identity of race, ethnicity, and experience was
highlighted as being key to mattering, in addition to institutional commitment. Of the
three students who did not refer to shared identity within housing leadership, none reported
having access to this within their housing community due to a lack of diversity
in leadership.
34 The Journal of College and University Student Housing

Journal of College & University Student Housing "Housing While Black" Theme Issue

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