Learn About Belonging
Belonging at BYU Computer Science is for everyone — students, faculty, and staff. This is a place to learn about belonging and to find tools for helping create it.
Learn About Belonging
These materials are curated with care. We prioritize sources grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the voices of BYU and Church leaders.
Foundational Statements & Reports
BYU Statement on Belonging — Statement
Read the BYU Statement on Belonging
Why this: The university’s own scripturally grounded definition of belonging — the foundation our mission is built on.
Report and Recommendations of the BYU Committee on Race, Equity, and Belonging (February 2021) — Report
Read the report (PDF)
Why this: Commissioned by President Worthen in response to the prophetic call to root out racism; presents findings and recommendations from BYU leadership.
BYU Antiracism Digests — Digest series
Visit the BYU Antiracism Database Project
Why this: Compiled by the BYU Antiracism Database Project; institutionally grounded and widely trusted on campus.
Teachings from Church Leaders on Unity & Belonging
D. Todd Christofferson, “The Doctrine of Belonging” (October 2022) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Why this: A modern apostolic address devoted entirely to belonging — an ideal starting point.
Gerrit W. Gong, “Covenant Belonging” (October 2019) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Why this: Introduces the idea of “covenant belonging” that anchors much of BYU’s approach.
Reyna I. Aburto, “With One Accord” (April 2018) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Why this: A tender message on unity across differences — that we each bring something distinct yet journey together, and miracles come when God’s children work as one.
Ulisses Soares, “Brothers and Sisters in Christ” (October 2023) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Why this: On our shared identity as children of God and the call to overcome prejudice and division.
Sharon Eubank, “By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God” (October 2020) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Why this: On the real work of unity — that it takes effort, can be uncomfortable, and grows as we show mercy and keep one another’s names safe.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “By This All Will Know That You Are My Disciples” (April 2025) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Why this: “If you’re different from people around you, that doesn’t make you a misfit — it makes you a needed part of the body of Christ.”
M. Russell Ballard, “The Doctrine of Inclusion” (October 2001) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Why this: The foundational address on inclusion as a core doctrine — reaching out with love to all.
Ministering to the One
At the heart of belonging is the individual. These leaders teach the Savior’s way of seeing, welcoming, and caring for each person, one by one.
Peter M. Johnson, “The Power of Ministering to the One” (October 2025) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Ministering in the Savior’s way means showing love without judgment, compassion, and patience — seeing and lifting each individual as Christ did.
Gerrit W. Gong, “No One Sits Alone” (October 2025) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
A call to do more than accommodate or tolerate — to genuinely welcome, acknowledge, minister to, and love, so that no one sits alone.
Kristin M. Yee, “Ministering — ‘That Ye Love One Another; as I Have Loved You’” (April 2026) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Ministering is truly loving and caring for others as the Savior would — focusing on the one, in personal, Christlike ways.
Standing Against Prejudice
These leaders teach that every person is a child of God, and that prejudice of any kind — toward any group — has no place among His people.
Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail” (October 2020) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
The prophet’s direct and unambiguous charge: “God does not love one race more than another.” A plea to every member to lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice and to promote respect for all of God’s children.
Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier, “We Are His Children” (October 2023) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
A former BYU computer science professor teaches that whatever our differences — nationality, background, or circumstance — we are all His children, without exception, and are called to eliminate our prejudices and biases toward others.
Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Need for Greater Kindness” (April 2006) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
A prophet’s unflinching word on racial prejudice: no one who makes disparaging remarks about another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ.
J. Anette Dennis, “His Yoke Is Easy and His Burden Is Light” (October 2022) — General Conference talk
Read or watch
Each person on this earth is a child of God whom He loves. We are commanded to love others, not to judge them — so that all can feel they truly belong.
BYU Devotionals & Addresses
Spencer W. Kimball, “The Second Century of Brigham Young University” (1975) — BYU address
Read or watch
Why this: President Kimball’s landmark address on BYU’s mission and destiny; featured in the Office of Belonging’s own readings.
Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity” (May 2022) — Worldwide devotional for young adults
Read or watch
Why this: On our identity as children of God, children of the covenant, and disciples of Jesus Christ — the foundation of belonging.
Videos
Ben Schilaty, “Bridging Unnecessary Divides” (BYUMS) — Video
Watch on YouTube
Why this: A BYU-hosted talk on reaching across differences with love and understanding.
Kevin Friesen, “The Secret to Connecting with Your Audience” (TEDxBYU) — Video
Watch on YouTube
Why this: On genuine human connection — a foundation for building belonging.
Kelly Terbasket, “Recognizing Our Implicit Bias Towards Indigenous Peoples” (TEDxBYU) — Video
Watch on YouTube
Why this: A BYU-hosted talk on recognizing bias and seeing one another more fully.
Understanding Belonging: Research & Scholarship
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). “The need to belong.” Psychological Bulletin, 117(3). — Journal article
View article
Why this: The foundational, most-cited paper establishing belonging as a fundamental human need.
Allen, K. A., et al. (2021). “Belonging: A review of conceptual issues.” Australian Journal of Psychology, 73(1). — Journal article
View article
Why this: A recent, comprehensive framework for understanding belonging and directions for future research.
Gopalan, M., & Brady, S. T. (2020). “College students’ sense of belonging: A national perspective.” Educational Researcher, 49(2). — Journal article
View article
Why this: A national look at students’ sense of belonging in higher education and why it matters.
Nunn, L. M. (2021). College Belonging: How First-Year and First-Generation Students Navigate Campus Life. University of Chicago Press. — Book
View in BYU Library
Why this: How first-year and first-generation students navigate campus belonging (available via BYU Library).
A note on curation: aim for a few excellent, well-sourced items per group rather than a long list. Lead with the most institutional sources, and add a short “why this” to each so the collection reads as a guide, not a link dump.
See also: for the university’s own curated collection, visit the BYU Office of Belonging Readings.