As promised, here is Jason’s article on “Advice and a Slice.” “Advice & a Slice: A Barbershop Roundtable” was a program I began as a pilot program in the Spring of 2012, funded through the MU Diversity Grant. In the US, the barbershop is a microcosm of many black communities and a place where you can be yourself. There, a barber is just not a barber; he often becomes a friend, confidant, psychologist, oracle, mind-reader, and anything that you need him to be that particular day. The barbershop is a place where people who feel they have no voice can usually find one. The barbershop, in many urban communities, has also been used as an outreach station to help make the black community aware of available services that may save their lives. The barber is the creator of the look a man presents to the world. Most special event preparation starts with a haircut. A haircut can literally change how a man feels and can also do wonders for his confidence. Kuh and Love (2004) found that students who made cultural connections through social groups that reflect their culture of origin are more likely to persist in higher education. This program provides students with the opportunity to engage in a broad range of conversations, from education, politics, to sports, and with particular emphasis on various issues specifically affecting the African American community. Being a proud alumnus of Mansfield University, at both graduate and undergraduate levels, and now a MU faculty member, I have experienced some of the same obstacles that our African American male students deal with on a daily basis, in rural Tioga County. Having participated in the University Visitation Days and assisting with the recruitment and retention of minority students, including student athletes of color, the first questions that many minority students will ask is “where can I get my hair cut around here?” I inform the students that the closest place is located in Williamsport. According to Tinto (2004), persistence occurs when a student successfully integrates into the institution academically and socially. Integration, in turn, is influenced by pre-college characteristics and goals, interactions with peers and faculty, and out-of-classroom factors. The implementation of “Advice & A Slice: A Barbershop Roundtable” has proved to be a significant addition to the Mansfield University student support services, particularly in relation to the recruitment and retention of minority students. This program serves as a learning community where minority students will have the opportunity to fellowship, develop lasting friendships with peers, and experience a genuine sense of “belonging” at Mansfield University. The haircuts are provided by a personal friend of mine, Mr. Jerome Jackson, who is a licensed barber in the State of Pennsylvania. Mr. Jackson is owner of “Hold the Phone Cuts,” 844 Diamond Street in Williamsport, PA. (“Like” them on Facebook: https://facebook/pages/Hold-the-Phone-Cuts-J-Jackson/123532711167070!) References. Kuh, G., & Love, P. (2004). A cultural perspective on student departure. In J. M. Braxton (Ed.), Reworking the student departure puzzle (pp.196-212). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press. Tinto, V. (2004). Linking learning and leaving: Exploring the role of the college classroom in student departure. In J. M. Braxton (Ed.), Reworking the student departure puzzle (pp. 81-94). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:18:03 +0000
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