"Providing a Space for Vulnerability": Institutional Needs of Men of Color in a Rural Context

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: (Re)Claiming Space: Critical Approaches to Race, Capitalism, and Inequities in Rural Spaces (Table 21)

Abstract

This study aims to understand the experiences of men of color at a rural state university through a sense of belonging and qualitative methods. Data from 23 interviews with males of color were analyzed to understand how students identified their social needs at their campus. Findings highlight the absence of peer groups and the need for spaces to explore gender identity. While their needs for peer support and developmental opportunities are not novel, the rural context poses restrictions on how student affairs educators might support this population. We provide recommendations for rural universities to help this population.

Authors

• Adrian H. Huerta, University of Southern California

• Maritza Elizabeth Salazar, University of Southern California

• Jude Paul Matias Dizon, California State University - Stanislaus