Having a sense of belonging to class affects learning. Belonging allows the student to focus better on learning. This paper shows the result of a communication experiment in an online environment. For six consecutive terms, the instructor taught Introduction to Statistics using the same set of learning strategies. The instructor added a more direct communication strategy during three of those six terms. She used weekly communications that linked course material with current events and a personal message tailored to each student. The results were improved learning, measured by better grades, and more enjoyment of the course, measured by student comments.