Degree Name
MA in International Education
First Advisor
Linda Gobbo
Abstract
Males and NCAA athletes are two major underrepresented constituencies in study abroad. One way to alleviate this is by sending entire teams abroad. This study starts with a review of literature that encompasses Division III athletes, males as minority in study abroad, the benefits of study abroad and international competition, and concludes with the hegemonic masculinity present in the male college sports arena. The question directing this study is: How was an experience abroad beneficial for an entire male Division III team? The researcher surveyed nineteen males attending four small, private, and liberal arts colleges throughout the United States. All participants were involved in team-varsity athletics. Players took a survey which consisted of multiple questions that consisted of both open and closed-ended questions. The head coaches of these four teams participated in telephone interviews regarding their trips abroad. The results revealed that entire teams who go abroad experience higher levels of camaraderie and better communication between players and coaches. Various participants indicated that they gained maturity, leadership skills, and an enhanced ability to reveal intimate information with their male peers as result of their trip abroad. By using this data, more schools will have the required information to send their varsity teams abroad.
Disciplines
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | International and Area Studies | International and Comparative Education
Recommended Citation
Renze, Jacob, "Male Student-Athletes: What Happens When An Entire NCAA Division III Varsity Team From A Small Private Liberal Arts Institution Participates In A Trip Abroad Together?" (2011). Capstone Collection. 2447.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/2447