Women and Self Esteem “Women who have leadership experiences in college develop greater self esteem, therefore, if women are to emerge from college feeling strong, dependent, self assured and well prepared they must be given leadership experiences as students. Astin and Kent, 1983

Senior Survey Women have higher high school grades coming into CSB/SJU Women have higher high school grades coming into CSB/SJU Women perform better in high school Women perform better in high school Women rate themselves lower in achievement Women rate themselves lower in achievement Women rate themselves lower on almost every “ability” category. (Men rated themselves above average or higher.) Women rate themselves lower on almost every “ability” category. (Men rated themselves above average or higher.)

Important legacies for a Campus for Women  Role models Women are seen as decision makers, working mothers, managers and experts. Role models are a young woman’s “possibilities.”  Belief in Students Capacity to succeed Women can succeed in serious pursuits whether academic or professional.  Tangible and environmental support that facilitates student success Create environments that help students overcome limited skills, low expectations for high achievement, and a tendency to blame themselves for failure.

Institutional Characteristics Related to Taking Women Seriously Essential  Visionary leadership committed to the education of women  Critical mass of women in all constituencies  Belief in women’s capacities and high expectations  Places and spaces for women’s leadership in all aspects of institutional life  Celebration of traditions and institutional history  High degree of trust and responsibility  Active and empowering alumnae association Nonessential  High selectivity in admissions  Large endowment  High faculty compensation  High proportion of faculty Ph.D.s  Extensive library holdings  Conformist student behaviors

CSB’s Commitment to Education for Women Identify and express her own voice Identify and express her own voice Expect to be listened to and will be heard Expect to be listened to and will be heard Develop self-confidence and esteem Develop self-confidence and esteem Develop a capacity for leadership and become an agent for social change Develop a capacity for leadership and become an agent for social change Know herself within community Know herself within community Challenge, process, and practice her values Challenge, process, and practice her values Enhance her passion for learning Enhance her passion for learning Become autonomous and live interdependently Become autonomous and live interdependently Understand the wholeness of life Understand the wholeness of life Express her faith and deepen her spirituality Express her faith and deepen her spirituality Learn through risk-taking Learn through risk-taking Understand and expect equity Understand and expect equity Demonstrate compassion and humility towards herself and others Demonstrate compassion and humility towards herself and others

So What Does This Have To Do With SELT? We all need to recognize that socially constructed gender roles affect who we are and how we interact in the workplace. We all need to recognize that socially constructed gender roles affect who we are and how we interact in the workplace. When we see gender we are more able to proactively address the issues it may raise (e.g. “the valid voice). When we see gender we are more able to proactively address the issues it may raise (e.g. “the valid voice). Student employment is a perfect “lab” to test some of these discoveries. We all should provide a safe place for all of us to explore the dynamics of gender. Student employment is a perfect “lab” to test some of these discoveries. We all should provide a safe place for all of us to explore the dynamics of gender. The founding premise of Kellogg was based on a collaborative leadership model, a model that was developed primarily from women’s ways of leading. The founding premise of Kellogg was based on a collaborative leadership model, a model that was developed primarily from women’s ways of leading.

Supervisors can be key to this process We are caring adults in the lives of young people. We are caring adults in the lives of young people. We can model how to work among and between gender across the campuses. We can model how to work among and between gender across the campuses. We can recognize the data in regard to the struggles some women report regarding the perceptions of her achievement. We can recognize the data in regard to the struggles some women report regarding the perceptions of her achievement. We can help women achieve successive or incremental success, believe in her ability to succeed and promote her belief in her own abilities. We can help women achieve successive or incremental success, believe in her ability to succeed and promote her belief in her own abilities. Provide an “encouraging” work atmosphere, avoid the “null environment.” Provide an “encouraging” work atmosphere, avoid the “null environment.”

Applications in Student Jobs Is the work environment equalitarian? Is the work environment equalitarian? Is the work environment horizontally structured? Is the work environment horizontally structured? Is the work environment participatory? Is the work environment participatory? Does the work environment promote concern for the individual while still holding each member accountable to the staff goals? Does the work environment promote concern for the individual while still holding each member accountable to the staff goals? Is the task balanced with relationships? Is the task balanced with relationships?

How do we affirm or reinforce gender stereotypes? How do we affirm or reinforce gender stereotypes? How do we break gender barriers and stereotypes? How do we break gender barriers and stereotypes?