LGBTQ+ collegians experience of campus can be shaped by affirmation, exclusion, and the interplay of various environments that make up higher education institutions. Campus ecology constitutes the physical, human aggregate, organizational, and constructed social, which provides a lens for examining these dynamics. Within this framework, belonging is not as a static outcome, but a process continually shaped by institutional context, peer interactions, and identity affirmation. This study was guided by two research questions: 1) How does campus ecology influence LGBTQ+ collegians' sense of belonging? And 2) How does institutional context influence LGBTQ+ students experience of space and the development of a sense of belonging? Guided by these questions, the research employed qualitative methods, including a two-series interview process with 20 LGBTQ+ students across two campuses. Narrative and photo-elicitation strategies captured participants lived experiences, while data analysis illuminated how ecological contexts shape belonging.

Findings revealed that belonging was most deeply fostered in human aggregate environments through faculty, staff, and peer affirmations rather than through physical spaces alone. At Metropolitan Public University (MPU), students reported greater visibility of LGBTQ+ resources and a climate of affirmation that extended across multiple environments. At the Central State University (CSU), students encountered more frequent hostility and relied on smaller affinity-based connections or trusted individuals to sustain belonging. Across both institutions, affirming interactions, inclusive policies, and identity-validating spaces proved critical, particularly for transgender and nonbinary students. The implications of this study underscore the importance of institutional responsibility for supporting belonging. Practical implications include investing in programs and services faculty and staff as supports for LGBTQ+ students, and inclusive organizational practices. Policy implications highlight the need for equity-driven leadership and accountability measures to ensure campus environments support all students. Finally, the study contributes to scholarship on belonging by demonstrating the interdependence of ecological environments and interpersonal relationships in shaping LGBTQ+ student experiences. By centering LGBTQ+ voices, this research provides new insights into how higher education can better foster belonging through intentional attention to both ecology and human connection.