SELT Presentation

SELT Presentation Mary Geller and Gar Kellom Student Development November 19, 2003

Leadership in Student Work Positions • History of SELT from the Kellogg Leadership Initiative: to educate women and men in student work positions in non-positional or transformative leadership • SELT is the most outstanding aspect of that grant and the program has exceeded the expectations of Kellogg and CSB/SJU and this is why we are here today.

Focus on Men • I’d like to update you on some of the latest from the Men’s Center research that might inform your work and help explain what we are thinking about • Let’s put our heads together to talk about how to collectively educate students in these positions in leadership skills

Last two weeks in the center • Morehouse delegation visited • Michael Kimmel spoke in the Men’s Lives Series • Alan Berkowitz consulted in our four research projects • New data from SJU Experience III • My synthesis of what might be happening

Male students at SJU have high levels of intellectual self-confidence. Males at SJU have high levels of social self-confidence Women have higher high school grades Women are performing better in high school Astin Survey of First Year Students

I do not like to show my emotions to other people (1-60 scale) SJU men agreement score 30.9 Perception of friends agreement 36.8 Hugging other men is difficult for me SJU men agreement score 21.8 Perception of friends agreement 35.5 New SJU Experience III data

Hugging other men is difficult

Winning is a measure of my worth

“Valuing others by the level of their achievement and success” SJU men agreement score low Perception of friends agreement much higher “I define my personal value by my career success” SJU men agreement score low Perception of friends agreement score much higher SJU Experience III cont.

What do we think it tells us • Previous research shows that men value being open with other men but don’t think other men are willing • Late night talks • Misperceived norms reinforce this • We are running small groups to engineer ways for men to talk openly about who they are

Men’s Spirituality groups create safe places for men to talk about their inner life without having to wear the mask of masculinity or play the role The Men’s Center is a safe place for men to first explore who they really are as men It becomes also a place for men to realize their privilege and power A place for men to commit themselves to service and justice Other findings

Michael Kimmel’s Study of School Shootings Men standing up for those who are marginalized or disenfranchised

Alan Berkowitz • Men need to recognize male privilege and power • Understand racism and sexism • Men can become allies • To become allies is to ask what is needed and how to be an ally • That is leadership development

So what does it have to do with SELT? • Men need to discover who they are under the socially constructed gender role • It is the liberal arts process to help students figure out who they really are and what they are good at - passion and purpose • The student job can be a key place that happens with the mentoring

Supervisors can be key to this process • We are caring adults in the lives of young people • We can model how to work across the campuses • We can refrain from shaming and blaming men and support them in their self-discovery of who they really are • They can use their power and privilege for the good of all

Morehouse takes the lead in men’s issues Recruitment and retention Men’s development Men’s spirituality Working with Spelman SJU invited to participate with them SJU shares what is does Partnership emerges They ask for help A common agenda Morehouse example

Applications in student jobs • Men’s research jobs in the men’s center • Grant writing • Book research – disengagement of men • Are men engaged in your work positions • Is it a safe place – no shaming/blaming? • Are they able to be who they really are? • Do they see the inequities? • Are they empowered to work for change?

What is the supervisor role with college men as employees? With women? This model may not be applicable but the question may still be relevant.

SELT Presentation