Signals of Identity Safety: How Relational and Curricular Cues Shape Belonging for Graduate Students of Color

This study examines how identity safety cues—features of an environment or social context that signal to members of marginalized groups that they are valued and less likely to face discrimination—shape institutional belonging among graduate students of color. Drawing on data from the 2023 administration of the National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates Graduate Student Survey at a large research-intensive university, we examine how relational cues from faculty and curricular signals relate to students’ overall sense of belonging. Using multiple linear regression with a sample restricted to students of color ( N = 1,309), we find that all three identity-safety cue variables—relational cues from White faculty, relational cues from faculty of color, and curricular cues—significantly predict institutional belonging. Relational cues from White faculty emerged as the strongest predictor. Our findings underscore the importance of identity-affirming interactions and inclusive pedagogy in fostering a sense of belonging among graduate students of color. Implications for graduate education, faculty development, and institutional policy are discussed.