Gar E. Kellom PhDDirector, Student Support Services, Winona State University, Winona,

MN Editor: Designing Effective Programs and Services for College Men,

Jossey-Bass New Directions Series – 107 -2004Editor: Engaging College Men, Men’s Studies Press, 2010

Our Purpose TodayThis presentation will highlight several

strategies and different types of programming that have been successful for increasing engagement in male students in order for participants to apply these to their campuses.

Outline For the SeminarWhy aren’t men involved? National data on

lack of male involvement in college

What research tells us men need, tools, mentors, etc.

Examples and strategies from Saint John’s University, Augustana College, Luther College and eleven other schools

Your Campus NeedsWho would you like to target (some men, all

men)?

What type of service volunteering?

What type of barriers/challenges do your men face?

How does this relate to the institutional mission?

Measureable Outcomes What assessment instruments can help you find

some of these campus needs? NSSE, CSEQ, CIRP, etc—which questions to look at Other internal tools Qualitative measure (particularly finding out key

campus culture challenges) Focus groups, etc. 

The Situation: National DataVolunteering/Service (Campus Compact): 35% maleStudy Abroad (Institute for International Ed): 35% maleTRIO – Talent Search, Upward Bound, etc,: 36% maleSpending 6 or more hours/week studying: 26%Use of Career Services: no gender data even collectedUse of Health Services: ample data to show fewer menHealth Promotion Activities: ample data – fewer menDiscipline Cases: more men (eg. 900 SJU, 300 CSB)Disturbing: 3 our of 4 completed college suicides: men

Male/Female Participation in Programs on Theological Exploration of Vocation  Research by Catherine Brooks of Brooks Research Group, Feb. 2008

 

PTEV Participation by Gender

04

15

27

42

26

05

1015202530354045

Overall gender balancein PTEV programs

Gender balance relativeto overall enrollment

More often male thanfemale

About equally distributedbetween male and female

More often female thanmale

Why Aren’t Men Involved?Gender imbalance on many campusesCampus culture: not a man’s placeOther Choices: sports, video gamingSocial Construction of Masculinity?

1. Be a “Big Wheel” – in charge2. Be a “Sturdy Oak” – self-sufficient3. “Give ‘em Hell” – risk taking, take it to the limit4. No “Sissy Stuff” – no “girl’s” activities

What Research Tells UsMen need mentors

(“Pied Pipers”):Example:

Trinidad/Tobago Service and Study Trip to work with HIV Infected orphans and study at University of the West Indies

Design Activities They SeekOsborne Study: College Men Teaching Children

Add adventure? India/Nepal/Tibet

Mentors/Intergenerational Connections

Annual Conference on the College Male

Father/Son Luncheon

Spirituality GroupsLilly Grant to

Increase College Men’s Involvement in the Common Good

14 Pilot Schools and ProjectsAugustanaDavidsonDukeGeorgetownGustavus AdolphusHope HastingsLuther

MorehouseSienaWabashWagnerUniversity of

PortlandSaint John’s

University

Two Sample Pilot ProjectsAugustana CollegeBob Haak

Luther CollegeStu Johnston

Augustana CollegeFraternity Alumni Network

http://www.augustana.edu/fan

Robert D Haak, Director Center for Vocational ReflectionBecca Poock, FAN Coordinator

Kevin Conte, Student Leader

Where did we start?Questions from earlier work

College Students’ Beliefs and Values Survey (2004-07) M FParticipated in religion organization 2.5 28.0Participated in volunteer work < 1 hr/wk 61.5 52.8Think community action important 30.0 40.5Integrating spirituality important 30.8 54.8

FAN Overview

WHY?Foster mentoring relationshipsEncourage vocational reflectionEquip younger & older generation

WHO?140 alumni from 6 active fraternitiesJunior/Senior fraternity studentsProgram coordinatorStudent leader

WHAT?Mentoring relationshipsNetworking with fraternity alumni for studentsRe-connection to Augustana CollegeConnection to “real world”

WHEN?Monthly – at least two contacts Mid-year eventEnd of year event

The WHYs & The HOWsMatched alumni & students from respective

fraternities – 15 matchesMatched careers & majorsTrained alumni in mentoring skills and

objectives

Connecting with Students

CommunicationPhone Calls and Face to FaceStarting Early and Talking to Greek CouncilEmailingFraternity Meeting Visits

CommitmentNetworking Is AttractiveStudent-Initiated Professional NetworkFAN Chairs Did Not Commit

Working with AlumniCommunicationReflectionCommitmentSchedulingMatches

•Liberal arts college, ELCA•Majority of students from Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois•2500 students, 2000 living on campus•42% male, 58% female

Focus Group: Football TeamApproached new coach in December 2007Large number of menLow participation in Lilly (vocational

discernment) activitiesStrong interest from coachesIntegrated into new coaching philosophy

“developing the whole player”

Summer Read: Season of LifeDiscussion of masculinity before vocational

discernment“False Masculinity”“Strategic Masculinity”Group discussions with the team

Luther Athletes Serving Others

Started at Augustana CollegeProvide service opportunities for student-

athletesCompetition between teamsCollaboration between Counseling, AD

office, Career CenterPoster campaign483 community services hours in 9 weeks

(fall semester)

Vocational Discernment Through FilmPTEV web site“Fight Club”“Good Will Hunting”25 football players at each event

Spring Vocation Dinners5 captains, 5 invited underclassmenInvited guestFocused on leadership and serving othersGuest provided reflection questionsSpeakers include: local community leaders,

successful football alums

Feedback From StudentsSummer ReadLASOVocational Discernment through filmVocational dinners

What We Are LearningCollaboration across campusGo where the men areCommon ground & peer supportSafe space

Hastings College – ResearchMen and Service Women and ServiceMen more externally

motivatedMen spent less time

(CIRP data) is this developmental?

Men more rational and analytical in their descriptions of service

So the picture becomes more complex

Women more intrinsically motivated

Women spent more timeWomen more emotional

and subjective in their descriptions of service

Linda Sax, Ron Chesborough and I do spring forum on men and women service

Georgetown – Micro-grantsSolicited student ideas for increasing male

service#1 – Trip to a Bolivian Orphanage

#2 Camp “No More Deaths” in Arizona working with migrants from Mexico

#3 Homeless Project in Lexington , KentuckyAll three showed passion and engagement –

their ideas

Road Trips and Sky DivingDavidson chose Road

Trip Nation as a modelFunded students to

visit alumni they admired

Did filming of the tripsThe actual trip was

often more impactful but they met dedicated men working for the common good

Duke University used a more ritualistic approach

Dinners together with reflection

To bring out each man’s inner commitments and passions

Sky diving together helped

University of PortlandThe League of Extraordinary GentlemenMet regularly and actually formed a men’s

group that did serviceAt each meeting they would ask each

member to make a pledge to do an “extraordinary action” between meetings

Membership went from 0 to 70 in three yearsNow active in continuing their group past the

grant

Gustavus and Larry DalozDeep M-Pact was their groupRetreats and breaking bread around the fireLarry Daloz as a consultant – mythological

approachFour traditional pillars: procreation, provide

and protectTimes are making those obsoleteHow do we harness the “heroic imagination” of

Peter Pan and “knights” or “Jedi” or “iron man”Transforming outer strength to inner strength

Wagner College – Staten IslandFormed the “Core Four”Men’s group that had as one of its four founding

principles the expectation of serviceWorked with United Activities Limited in New

York City that provided mentors for middle school boys

Student writing in our book shows reasons like “changing the image of men to a positive one”

Understanding and changing traditional masculinity

Mentors are key – now expanding men’s centers

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen at the University of Portland

The Siena College Men’s Spirituality Groups

Wagner College

Forming Men’s Groups: Big News

Men’s Groups are part of the culture Maybe it is just exploring deeper levelsOr addressing specific issues in groupsChanging women’s rolesChanging men’s rolesHow to adjustDomestic abuse – men’s role

Might This Not Be a Good Approach at Your School?

1st Conference of College Men’s Groups Working to Stop Violence

Working to Stop Gender Based Violence in California

Byron Hurt and Shyam Sriram

4 themes from this workKnowledge or Empathy is a reason to do this

work

Guidance and encouragement from a mentor or someone admired (Don McPherson)

Self-improvement and altruism – a “calling”

Social/peer support and exploration of masculinity

Winona State UniversityFathers who are student formed Dedicated

Academic Dads (DAD) and meet twice a week

Sharing stories of their lives and parenthood

How to balance school and raising children

Forming a student organization for fathers and mothers and developing activities for both

Voices from DADBronson

Peter

Chris

Craig

Best Practices for Engaging College Men

Summary

 

Conclusions and New Directions

#4 Best Practice: themes, process Creating safe spaces, sacred spaces Confidentiality and building trust are essential Facilitating disclosure, deeper sharing – reflection, allowing us to

“go deeper” Allowing bonding to occur – bonding is what displays authenticity

Men are socialized not to be in touch with emotions and affections – this is the challenge

Bringing men together to struggle to overcome racism, sexism, etc. A “pilgrimage out of our comfort zone”, expanding men’s roles Empowering student ideas Mentors and mentoring – intergenerational communication,

acknowledgement (affirmation, validation) of younger men by older men. We see a hunger for interaction. Yoda, Gandolf, Darth Vader,

Themes continuedFellowship/brotherhood (the art of treating a non-

biologically related person as if he were biologically related). Holy-ethical friendship

Discipline and responsibility to avoid abuse of power/privilege, turning the outer armor into inner strength to work for good.

Generating energy and hopeConnecting to othernessEmploying support/challenge/inspire

Working through homo-phobia – fear of other men Becoming part of something bigger – Obama

Key on - Your Campus NeedsWho would you like to target your outreach to?What type of programming/outreach does your

campus need?What type of cultural challenges do your men

face?How to find this informationHow will you measure engagement so you

know you are successfulThere is no right way – many paths to

increasing male engagement in service