Renison recognized for innovation excellence in student affairs
Students know that Renison University College is a great place to belong, but now, this sentiment is being recognized across the country.
Renison University College has been recognized by the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS) with an Innovation Award for the college’s Belonging Project. Built on student voices, this project was created to strengthen belonging, connection, and support for equity-deserving students—bringing initiatives like the Link Inclusion Lounge, more than 100 student-led events, and peer support programs to life.
This recognition reflects the impact of a community that shows up, listens, and grows together. Renison launched its Belonging Project in Winter 2024 as an innovative student affairs program to address gaps in student belonging experienced by equity-deserving students. Renison’s Student Experience and Housing (SEAH) department tackled questions surrounding how students feel they belong at the college in terms of its physical environment, opportunities to connect with peers from similar equity-deserving backgrounds, and the ability to access peer mentorship or support.
Following a series of consultation sessions with equity-deserving students as well as a feedback survey, SEAH published its report, “Renison: A Road Map for Student Belonging”. The report issued several action items for immediate action, culminating in the introduction of the college’s Link Inclusion Lounge: a welcoming, inclusive space for all students. To facilitate opportunities for connection, more than 100 student-facilitated events have since been facilitated in the lounge space for equity-deserving students.
Innovation Award inside the Link Inclusion Lounge
This achievement is a true community effort. Our students continue to share their lived experiences with us, which allows us to better understand what our student community needs in order to truly thrive.
“This achievement is a true community effort,” shared Ryan Connell, Assistant Director, Student Experience and Housing. “Our students continue to share their lived experiences with us, which allows us to better understand what our student community needs in order to truly thrive.”
Renison looked to its ability to build collaborations across its college community to develop a truly innovative program that values the unique voices of equity-deserving students. The Belonging Project’s involvement in the Moose Hide Campaign invited an innovative approach to ensure Indigeneity was prioritized in the Belonging Project’s work while combatting gender-based violence on campus.
Most unique to the success of Renison’s Belonging Project, however, was the development of a renewed relationship between the college’s School of Social Work (SSW) and SEAH. Through partnership, Renison introduced Inclusion Coordinator practicum positions, providing field placement experience for students annually in the college’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program. These roles maintain office hours three days a week in a dedicated space within the Link Inclusion Lounge. Inclusion Coordinators lead a team of student facilitators with lived experience to facilitate event programming, as well as provide peer support for students navigating life as an equity-deserving student.
Since the roll-out of the Belonging Project, student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The college’s end-of-year student residence survey in March 2025 helped to point to increased feelings of inclusion and belonging because of the Belonging Project’s outreach, with 86%of survey respondents reporting feeling a sense of belonging to the college, and 95%of respondents reporting the college to be a safe place to live and learn. Recent survey results for 2026 have highlighted increases: 88%of respondents report feeling a sense of belonging, and 96% of surveyed residents feel safe at Renison.
Ultimately, the Belonging Project’s innovative approach to building student belonging while building meaningful cross-college collaborations, have all been incredibly powerful for the students who live, learn, and feel a connection to the college. As a result, Renison has been able to strengthen student belonging and inclusion on one of Canada’s most innovative campuses.
