DEVELOPING AND RESEARCHING

THE ROLE OF A BLACK MALE

LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (BMLP)

American College Personnel AssociationNational Conference

Baltimore, MD Jared Avery Marco Barker Chaunda AllenLouisiana State University

OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION

I. Introductions

II. Open Discussion on BMLPs

III. Introduction of the Study

IV. Findings

V. Developing a BMLP

VI. Open Dialogue and Questions

VII. Information Exchange

INTRODUCTIONSChaunda Allen, MPA, BMLI Co-CoordinatorDirectorOffice of Multicultural Affairscalle18@lsu.edu

Marco Barker, PhD, BMLI Co-CoordinatorAsst to the VP & Director of Educational EquityEquity, Diversity & Community Outreachmbarke1@lsu.edu

Jared Avery, MA, BMLI Graduate AssistantEquity, Diversity & Community Outreachjavery2@tigers.lsu.edu

OPEN DISCUSSION ON BMLPS

What institutions have BMLPs?

What have been some of your successes challenges?

What do you hope to gain from this presentation?

LSU BMLI: FELLOWS PROGRAM

Cohort Model (Freshman to Sophomore Transition)

Program Areas

Academic

Leadership

Citizenship

Social

Program Components

Workshops and Seminars

Leadership Conferences

Cultural Activities

Brother-to-Brother Retreat and Lecture Series

Community Service Project

One-on-One Advising

INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY

Central QuestionHow does a Black male leadership program impact the self-efficacy and persistence of Black male students during and beyond the first-year?

Participants13 Black male students ( 6 sophomores and 7 juniors )

Methodology Mixed-Methods Approach

Data Collection

Central FrameworkAstin‟s Theory of Involvement (Astin, 1999)

METHODOLOGY

This is a mixed method phenomenological study that consisted of focus group interviews and a self-efficacy assessment, which examined the ways in which a Black male leadership program (BMLP) promotes self-efficacy and persistence among Black male participants of the program.

Data Collection:For the quantitative approach, participants completed the College Self-Efficacy Inventory or CSEI (Solbert, O‟Brien, Villareal, 1993), Perceived Social Self-Efficacy or PSEE (Smith & Betz, 2000), and Self-Efficacy Scale (Sherer et al., 1982) during the fall 2010 semester. Collectively, these three scales have been found to have alpha values above 0.86 (DeWitz & Walsh, 2002).

For the qualitative approach, the research team conducted two semi-structured focus group interviews with sophomore (Group A) and junior students (Group B) during the spring 2011 semester.

FINDINGS: SELF-EFFICACYFor Survey 1, which measured general and social self-efficacy (1 – 5 point scale), we learned: – 3.96 was the average general self-efficacy (GSE) for Fellows– 7 out 13 Fellows scored below the average (the lowest being 2.94, the highest being 4.59)– 4.69 (highest score) was the average for their confidence in not giving up easily

– 3.53 was the average social self-efficacy (SSE) for Fellows– 5 out of 13 Fellows scored below the average (the lowest being 1.00, the highest being 4.33)– 4.23 (highest score) was the average for their confidence in making new friends

For Survey 2, which measured social self-efficacy (through a different 1 – 5 point scale), we learned:– 3.75 was the average score (higher than the sub-score of self-efficacy)– 7 out 13 Fellows scored below the average (the lowest being 2.00, the highest being 4.68)– 4.38 (the highest score) was the average for their confidence in expressing their opinion to a group of

people when the subject is of interest to them

FINDINGS: SELF-EFFICACYFor Survey 3, which measured college self-efficacy (through a 8 point scale), we learned:

– 6.02 was the average score for Fellows – 6 out 13 Fellows scored below the average (the lowest being 4.00, the highest being 7.55)– 6.77 (the highest score) was the average for their confidence in joining a student organization and

socializing with others you live with.

FINDINGS: FOCUS GROUP 1 (SOPHOMORES) Advising

“…BMLI has given us coaching on the other aspects of our life so we can be more effective leaders, you know, time management…academics…and they really have given us a lot of resources.”

“We do workshops that help us. Like in other organizations, they don‟t even talk resumes and stuff like that. But this program, we talk about resumes, we talk about portfolios and things like that. And we have speakers come to us, and a lot of students on campus don‟t have that opportunity.”

Networking“…I‟m glad I‟m in an organization that, like the [BMLI] staff, they know other people on campus, other Black people, Black leaders on campus that us, as students, we can reach out to.”

“…I made new friends, have a mentor, and get to network [by participating in BMLI].”

FINDINGS: FOCUS GROUP 1 (SOPHOMORES) Social Support System

“Us being [African American] males…I was like, we should just like stay together and stick together because that‟s a better way for us to be successful [at LSU]. And this program is really helpful.”

“I see it as a positive thing, seeing Black males on campus and having to compete in our classroom. I feel like if we, BMLI, [work] together we can prove certain people wrong.”

FINDINGS: FOCUS GROUP 2 (JUNIORS) Accountability

“You can‟t really lie because you have more , like, intimate settings like this. You can‟t really say I‟m fine. Well, [because a staff member would say,] „look at your grades.‟”

“Here, it‟s more, „What can I do to help you? What can I do to help you get better,‟ instead of just, Oh, this is the bottom line. You have to make this GPA or you‟re out type of thing. It‟s no money being held over your head. It‟s more of your motivation [and theirs].”

Role Modeling “I kind of like that [BMLI] shows you where you can be. [For instance], Jared and Marco, [and] the whole grad school thing. It shows you that you can make it...”

FINDINGS: FOCUS GROUP 2 (JUNIORS) Institutional Neglect

“[My] first semester was incredible. I enjoyed my classes, I enjoyed the people, the experiences all semester at LSU. Um, however, then the spring semester came. The socialness crashed cause there‟s no more football. The classes got harder, and [my] GPA plummeted from a 3.5 to like, I don‟t [know], barely a 3.0? So in that aspect, the first semester was incredible. It seems like LSU loves freshmen, I don‟t know if that‟s just cause they want to pitch the idea to the parents, they make the parents feel they care about it, then after you get acclimated to the school, it seems like everybody drops you.”

Social Support System “I can really say that [BMLI] reaffirms the motivation that you already have…[It] backs up your motivation.”

“[BMLI] gives you a place to come if you need information, whereas before, I didn‟t have that source. ”

DEVELOPING A BMLP Conducting a Campus Assessment

Identifying Existing Services and Partners

Developing Goals, Objectives, and a Strategic Plan

Securing Funding

Implementing and Reimplementing

Sustaining and Branding

CAMPUS ASSESSMENT Developing a BMLP

CAMPUS ASSESSMENT What programs are currently being offered on campus for Black

males?

Which campus departments/campus partners would be interested in partnering in establishing a BMLP? Greek Life First Year Experience Higher Education Athletics Others?

What BMLP would best suit Black male students on our campus? Academics Leadership Engagement Mentoring Others?

SECURING FUNDING

Building Sustainability in a BMLP

EXTERNAL VS. INTERNAL FUNDING Internal

Support from other departments (e.g., FYE, University College)

Departments with external funding that address your BMLP (e.g., Career Services’ Diversity Grant)

External Corporate and non-profit foundations (focus on education)

Development: Fundraising

Development: Friendraising Debuting the program (Branding via THE PRESS RELEASE)

Creating a database: Identifying Black male faculty and staff, alumni, and community members – directing them to press release (Power of people and social media: On-campus contacts, Facebook, LinkedIn)

Connecting with other “interested” communities (e.g., 100 Black Men, NPHC Organizations, etc.)

Communicating efforts (reconnecting to the press release)

FUNDRAISING 101 FOR BMLP Develop your “Dream” budget

Connect with your development officer or an ally in your foundation who can provide advice

Identify the key area(s) of funding (e.g., program support and award) and fundraising goal

Identify alumni, including alums who may provide major gifts

Develop a brand, slogan, and/or annual fund: (e.g., POWER OF 50 Campaign)

Formulate an event (e.g., Power of 50 Annual Kick-Off Breakfast) that prompts giving

Next….the re-ask and potentially an advisory group to maintain momentum

Kerry Pourciau and Kirt Bennett Student Leadership Award: Only two Black student government presidents in LSU history

BRANDING Building Sustainability in a BMLP

BRANDING THROUGH THE WORLD WIDE WEB

BRANDING THROUGH PROGRAMMING

OPEN DIALOGUE AND QUESTIONS

INFORMATION EXCHANGE

REFERENCES Astin, A.W. (1999, September/October). Student Involvement: A

Developmental Theory for Higher Education. Journal of College Student Development, 40 (5), pp.518-529.

DeWitz, S. J., & Walsh, B. W. (2002). Self-efficacy and college student satisfaction. Journal of Career Assessment, 10, 315-326.

Sherer, M., Maddux, J. E., Mercandante, B., Prentice-Dunn, S., Jacobs, B., & Rogers, R. W. (1982). The Self-Efficacy Scale: Construction and validation. Psychological Reports, 51, 663-671.

Smith, H. M., & Betz, N. E. (2000). Development and validation of a scale of perceived social selfefficacy. Journal of Career Assessment, 8, 283-301.

Solberg, V. S., O‟Brien, K., Villareal, P., Kennel, R., & Davis, B. (1993). Self-efficacy and Hispanic college students: Validation of the College Self-Efficacy Instrument. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 15, 80-95.