The Men’s Project is an eleven-week training that begins in the spring semester. The day and time will be determined by participant availability.
The program is supported by the UConn Women’s Center and the Asian American Cultural Center, whose staff serve as advisors and support for this initiative. The goal of the Men’s Project is to train students who identify as men to positively influence their peers by challenging social norms that promote gender-based violence; understanding their connection to survivors of gender-based violence; and role modeling effective bystander interventions. The weekly meetings will focus on topics related to gender socialization, masculinities, social justice and gender-based violence. Previous year’s participants shared that the program was transformative, challenging, and that after the program their implementation of bystander intervention strategies greatly increased (see below).
We will select approximately 20 students for this initiative. The purpose of the project is to identify and train individuals who may be seen as having influence with their peers. We are looking for a diverse group of participants with unique experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. Ideal candidates are students who relate well to other's who identify as men; who are sensitive to issues of gender-based violence; and are open to collective and collaborative learning.
Meet Our Facilitators!
Archit Joshi
Hello! My name is Archit Joshi, I'm a Junior Finance major and this is my first semester as a Men's project facilitator. I'm interested in exploring the impact that our behaviors as men have on society. Being a facilitator has taught me more about countless subjects around sexuality, socialization, and communication. I hope to continue to create a place where then men of UConn feel safe, welcome, and comfortable in learning more about how to become the best versions of ourselves.
Kyler Christina
Hello, I'm Kyler Christina and I use He/Him/His pronouns. I am a second-year student majoring in Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies with a minor in English. I have been the co-facilitator for the Men's Project since the start of the Spring 2024 semester and in the time I have been here, it has been one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had the pleasure to be involved in. As a facilitator, I work to foster conversations between male-identifying individuals. My goals are to break down the restricting ideas and structures that have become so entrenched in the ideas of masculinity and male identities. Through this cohort, My co-facilitator and I hope to work towards a world free from gender-based violence and redefine what it means to be a man within society.
Join the Men's Project!
Interested candidates can fill out the application through the link below.
If you know of men who may be interested, please forward potential candidates’ names and all known contact information to the Men's Project Facilitators