By Carroll College hosted its 11th annual Spring Fever Week from Feb. 23-27, bringing students, faculty and staff together for programming on masculinity, sexuality and cultural expectations.
The weeklong series is tied to the capstone theme “American Masculinity,” offering space for campuswide conversations.
“This is important to me. This is an important issue and I’m just grateful that we have the opportunity to explore things that are uncomfortable,” said Margo Demello, an anthrozoology assistant professor, who helped organize the week’s programming.
Events included a Safe Sex Seminar, a MindTap session on sex positivity and mental health, a panel on international perspectives on masculinity, a film called “The Mask You Live In,” a panel on religious perspectives, and a Sex Trivia night.
Jon Smith, a junior from Walla Walla, Washington, double majoring in psychology and sociology who served as one of the panelists during the movie night, said the event stood out to him for the conversations it opened.
“As a college football player, I see how masculinity gets treated as something you have to perform,” Smith said. “You can tell when guys are struggling, but they won’t talk about it because it’s seen as ‘unmasculine’.”
Guest speakers, students and faculty contributed a range of viewpoints, and several sessions prompted extended discussion among attendees.
Organizers said the programming helped create space for conversations that students often find difficult to initiate.
“I hope this leads to more discussion, more people talking to each other, more connection,” Demello said. “We’re in this world together.”
