Exploring the Differential Effects of Service-Learning on Students’ Sense of Belonging: Does Social Class Matter?

The purpose of the study discussed in this article was to investigate the differential effects of service- learning experiences on students’ sense of belonging based on students’ social-class background. We utilized Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey data from eight large public research universities and propensity score matching to construct matched pairs of students who did (and did not) complete service-learning. The results suggest that service-learning courses had significant positive effects on lower/working-class students’ sense of belonging but no effects on middle-/upper-class students’ sense of belonging.