In the land of women
A student researcher organized volunteering and leadership participation data, and postulated that societal norms deter male involvement. Females are categorically the nurturers and men are the workers, and volunteer work, for men, contradicts those norms. He also found 92 percent of females consider volunteering to be somewhat important, while only 70 percent of males feel that way.
The Leadership Institute has had around 25 percent male involvement for the past 11 years, mostly because its applications have a 4-to-1 women to men ratio.
CMU does have more females than males, but this ratio is disproportionate.
At the high school level, men should be encouraged to participate in leadership activities rather than be passive bystanders.
Men need to put aside the generalizations and look outside the box. Setting aside the norms can do great things for the university and surrounding community. If as many males participated in volunteer work as females did, the Volunteer Center and others could give much more back to the community.
Diversity among volunteers benefits everyone.
In addition, males may hope someday to take leadership roles in corporations and government. Males may not wish to participate at the high-school and university level, but because of authority or pay may choose to do so as adults.
Males should be preparing for leadership roles they may have in their future careers - or sit back and watch all the future women leaders who will be climbing the fiscal ladders.
The CMU Leadership Institute is doing the right thing by recognizing that males are lacking in their program. Hosting "No Men Left Behind" programs is the first step in incorporating more men into leadership roles.
