First Year Programming & An Introduction to Men & Masculinities Research, August 19th, 2013. Boston College Peer Minister Training Presentation. Office of Campus Ministry & Office of Residential Life

1. Peer Minister Presentation
Daniel A. Zepp, First Year Experience

2. Theoretical Understanding of
First-Year (Keys to Persistence)
! Tinto’s Student Departure Theory
! Academic integration (academic performance)
! Social integration (participation in college life)
! Students who are unable to connect with either
academic or social subsystems are more likely to leave
! Astin’s “I-E-O” (Input-Environment-Output) or Student
Integration Model
! Assesses the impact of the various institutional
environments and experiences by determining whether
students grow or change

3. Theoretical Understanding of
First-Year (Keys to Persistence)
! Pascarella and Terenzini’s focus of the institutions quality of
effort to involve students with the resources of the
institution
! Bean and Eaton’s Psychological Model of college student
retention on four psychological theories: Attitude-behavior,
coping behavior (approach-avoidance), self-efficacy, and
attribution (locus of control)
! Factors affecting retention are ultimately individual and form
the foundation for retention decisions
! Given the understanding of these processes involved in
developing academic and social integration, an institution can
create programs and environments that increase academic and
social integration and increase student success

4. Academic Convocation
Thursday, September 12th Bill Strickland, author of
Make the Impossible Possible

6. 48HOURS(
(The(Freshman(Weekend(Experience(
November(8*10(
November(22*24(
February(7*9!
February(21*23(
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Challenge Yourself.
Register(on(Agora!Portal(Today!(
Office(of(First(Year(Experience(((617.552.3281(((48hours@bc.edu(

7. 48HOURS Talk Themes
! Freedom & Responsibility
! Challenge of Academics
! Importance of Co-Curriculars
! Unexpected Social Pressures
! Friends & Relationships

8. 48HOURS Outcomes
! The “oh, you too” moment
! Builds self-reliance
! Builds comfort and confidence in articulating feelings
! Builds listening skills and reflective capabilities
! Chance to verbalize goals and receive feedback
! Aids in branching out
! Breaks down façade and superficiality of relationships
! 48HOURS = subtle but powerful impact

9. Model Gender Majority Myth
(Harper & Harris, 2010)
! Five flawed assumptions about college men:
! 1) Every male student benefits similarly from gender privilege
! 2) Gender initiatives need not include men unless they are
focused on reducing violence and sexual assault against
women
! 3) Undergraduate men do not encounter harmful stereotypes,
social and academic challenges, and differential treatment in
college environments because of their gender
! 4) Male students do not require gender-specific resources and
support
! 5) Historical dominance and structural determinism ensure
success for the overwhelming majority of contemporary
college men

10. Men’s Issues
! “If I was to say what is the major emotion of American
masculinity, it is anxiety. Why? Because you have to
prove your masculinity all the time.” – Michael Kimmel
! The Mask You Live In

11. Discussion

12. Relevant Themes
! Gender as social construction
! Gender as performative
! Rooted in insecurity
! In opposition to femininity
! The Mask of Masculinity
! Devalues relational desires, caring, empathy, etc.
! Importance of Permission
! To show wide range of feelings and emotion
! To be genuine and authentic

13. A Conceptual Model of the Meanings College
Men Make of Masculinities (Harris, 2010)

14. Grounded Theory of College Men’s Gender
Identity Development (Edwards, 2009)
! Social Context: External Expectations of What It Means To
Be a Man
! Dominant society’s expectations
! Subordinated cultural group expectations
! Performing Masculinity According to External Expectations
! Phase 1: Feeling a Need to Put On a Mask
! Phase 2: Wearing a Mask
! Phase 3: Experiencing and Recognizing Consequences of
Wearing a Mask
! Beginning to Transcend External Expectations

15. Implications for Ministry?