How to Make a Student Feel They Belong

I recently got a question about how I would suggest making students feel like they belong (at my university teaching position). I thought I'd share my answer:

4.Nurture mentoring behaviors and professional development: How do we develop a sense of belonging for both faculty and students?

I am not a big fan of always having to "feel" a certain way: Feelings come and go, and I like them when they are good feelings, but life is made of both good and bad feelings. My concern as a professor is not to make people "feel" good; it is to challenge them to become better than what they are, and hopefully in a way that will keep them game-fully employed. I think the student who has a professor that is helping them learn, sharpen skills and begin them on a journey towards mastery will have a student that will be grateful for their entire life. At times, this may make them feel growing pains, but are those pains worth it? I hope so. I think that is how you make some feel like they belong for a lifetime.