  {"id":189,"date":"2018-05-03T14:56:41","date_gmt":"2018-05-03T14:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/center-for-engagement-and-leadership\/?page_id=11"},"modified":"2025-06-23T10:09:37","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T14:09:37","slug":"center-for-engagement-and-leadership","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/","title":{"rendered":"Office of Student Belonging"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"prpl-homepage-hero mlt-background-cover\"><div class=\"image-wrapper\" style=\"background-image: url(/office-of-student-belonging/wp-json/wp/v2/pages/189/responsive-media/cache/office-of-student-belonging/wp-content/uploads/sites/127/2023/09/081823_13203_Orientation-Fair.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg);\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-background\" data-original-image=\"\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2023\/09\/081823_13203_Orientation-Fair.jpg\" src=\"/office-of-student-belonging/wp-json/wp/v2/pages/189/responsive-media/cache/office-of-student-belonging/wp-content/uploads/sites/127/2023/09/081823_13203_Orientation-Fair.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Orientation Leaders taking a selfie\"\/><h1 id=\"content-start\">Office of Student Belonging<\/h1><\/div><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us.&#8221;<\/strong> &#8211; Brene Brown<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"prpl-band red no-margin\"><div class=\"text-content\">\n<div class=\"prpl-row\"><div class=\"prpl-column one-half\">\n<h3>Our Mission<\/h3>\n<p>The Office of Student Belonging (OSB) is dedicated to creating a welcoming and supportive environment where all students\u2014first-year, transfer, first-generation, international, military-affiliated, and those in cultural or community groups\u2014feel valued and empowered to succeed. Through cohort-based programming, advocacy, and partnerships, OSB fosters belonging, student success, and retention.<\/p>\n<p>OSB provides holistic support through programs such as Queer Community, Cultural Communities, Faith and Belief Communities, and Advocacy and Empowerment, open to all students. Additionally, OSB offers basic needs support through The Red Hawk Pantry and Rocky\u2019s Closet to ensure students have access to essential resources for academic and personal well-being.<\/p>\n<p>By promoting leadership, civic engagement, and celebrating the lived experiences, OSB strengthens student success and cultivates a sense of belonging at ÌÇÐÄvlog.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"prpl-column one-half\">\n<h3>Our Vision<\/h3>\n<p>The Office of Student Belonging envisions a student-centered environment where every individual is welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive. OSB strives to recognize and support the unique needs of students, particularly new, international, first-generation, and military-affiliated students, in achieving their immediate and long-term educational and personal goals. OSB fosters meaningful relationships and connections between students, staff, faculty, and alumni, creating a sense of belonging and community.<\/p>\n<p>Through Queer Community Programs, Cultural Communities, Faith and Belief Communities, and Advocacy and Empowerment Programs, OSB provides opportunities for students to engage in dialogue, develop leadership skills, and participate in initiatives that promote cross-cultural understanding, social responsibility, and human rights.<\/p>\n<p>Recognizing that meeting students\u2019 basic needs is essential to their success, OSB offers support through The Red Hawk Pantry and Rocky\u2019s Closet, ensuring students have access to resources that promote stability and well-being. By collaborating with campus and community partners, OSB ensures that every student has the tools, support, and resources they need to succeed academically, socially, and personally.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-band scalable image-right\"><div class=\"image-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2025\/03\/092024_14844_Students-on-Campus-1.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2025\/03\/092024_14844_Students-on-Campus-1.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"photo of the hawk statue outside Cole Hall\"\/><\/div><div class=\"text-content\">\n<h2>Advocacy &amp; Outreach<\/h2>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">All students are invited to to explore identity, build community and celebrate culture through events, peer discussions and workshops. From heritage month celebrations to leadership programs, Advocacy &amp; Outreach (A&amp;O) supports queer, cultural, interfaith and gender-based communities, while also providing resources like the Red Hawk Pantry and Rocky\u2019s Closet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"prpl-button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/advocacy-outreach\/\">Learn More!<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-band red scalable image-right\"><div class=\"image-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2018\/05\/engagement-homepage.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2018\/05\/engagement-homepage.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Students attending an event in the Student Center Quad.\"\/><\/div><div class=\"text-content\">\n<h2>Orientation for Students<\/h2>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Whether you are a freshman, transfer, adult, international, first-generation, or veteran and military-affiliated student, our orientation program is designed to foster a strong sense of connection and belonging to the university. We connect<\/span><span class=\"OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> all incoming new students with their peers through an immersive and engaging Orientation Experience! We are excited to help you with your transition to ÌÇÐÄvlog!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"prpl-button ghost-white\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/orientation\/?wp_logged_in=true\">Get More Information<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-band scalable image-right\"><div class=\"image-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2019\/06\/38.-Fun.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2019\/06\/38.-Fun.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"The Orientation Leaders posing for a photo on the front steps of the Student Center\"\/><\/div><div class=\"text-content\">\n<h2>International Students<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Our office provides experiences and support for international students. During orientation and throughout the first semester, our office will provide a variety of support services, programs, and initiatives designed to foster a strong connection to their \u2018home away from home\u2019, ÌÇÐÄvlog. Through these various experiences, we hope to enhance our entire campus community globally, culturally and intellectually.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-band red scalable image-right\"><div class=\"image-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2018\/05\/leadership-homepage-2.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2018\/05\/leadership-homepage-2.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Three students standing and talking outside of a building on campus.\"\/><\/div><div class=\"text-content\">\n<h2>First-Generation Initiatives<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Our office provides support services and resources to our First-Generation College Students (First-Gen) and campus partners. A First-Gen is considered to be the first in their immediate family to attend and complete a bachelor\u2019s degree. Our initiatives include: academic support, financial literacy, engagement and mentorship programs aimed at creating a supportive environment for students (and their families).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"prpl-button ghost-white\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/first-gen\"><strong>Get More Information<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-band scalable image-right\"><div class=\"image-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2025\/04\/IMG_1232.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2025\/04\/IMG_1232.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"photo of a group wearing tie dye\"\/><\/div><div class=\"text-content\">\n<h2>Queer Community Program<\/h2>\n<p>Our office provides a welcoming space that fosters connection, learning and support for all students, promoting inclusivity, mutual respect and engagement around topics related to queer student (LGBTQ+) experiences while ensuring that everyone, including allies, feels valued and included.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"prpl-button\"><a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/queer-community-program\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Learn More!<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-band red scalable image-right\"><div class=\"image-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2024\/07\/110722_2632_Veterans.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/127\/2024\/07\/110722_2632_Veterans.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"American Flag in Hand\"\/><\/div><div class=\"text-content\">\n<h2>Veteran and Military Services<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Our office provides veterans and military-affiliated individuals with the tools they need to succeed. We assist students in their transition to the university from the point of application to graduation. In addition to helping students connect with the necessary on-campus and off-campus resources, we help create spaces where you can meet and interact with other military affiliated students.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"prpl-button ghost-white\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/military-affiliated\">Information on Veteran and Military Services<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us.&#8221; &#8211; Brene Brown<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1257,"parent":0,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"advanced-page.php","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-189","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=189"}],"version-history":[{"count":90,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/189\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1530,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/189\/revisions\/1530"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/office-of-student-belonging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}