Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
Yale Launches New Tool to Instantly Estimate Costs for Prospective Students
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, Oct. 15 -- Yale University issued the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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Yale launches new tool to instantly estimate costs for prospective students
The Instant Net Price Estimator showcases the university's commitment to accessibility - and to the affordability of a Yale education.
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This month Yale College introduced the Instant Net Price Estimator, a new tool designed to help prospective undergraduate students and their families get a clearer picture -- in just seconds -- of their expected cost to attend Yale.
The interactive online estimator invites
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NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, Oct. 15 -- Yale University issued the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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Yale launches new tool to instantly estimate costs for prospective students
The Instant Net Price Estimator showcases the university's commitment to accessibility - and to the affordability of a Yale education.
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This month Yale College introduced the Instant Net Price Estimator, a new tool designed to help prospective undergraduate students and their families get a clearer picture -- in just seconds -- of their expected cost to attend Yale.
The interactive online estimator invitesprospective students to scroll across a dynamic graphic to view a range of estimates for the family's net price to attend Yale, based on their family's annual income and the number of the family's children enrolled in college. Yale is one of 20 colleges and universities initially offering the tool.
The tool's data are drawn from the anonymized financial aid awards of current undergraduate students and reflect Yale's longstanding commitment to affordability.
"I am excited that Yale is among the first to offer the Instant Net Price Estimator," said Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid. "Misperceptions about cost remain one of the biggest barriers for high-achieving students and their families when considering their college options. This new tool makes an immediate impression and can change those perceptions quicker than ever."
The average need-based scholarship for Yale College students receiving aid is almost $73,000, a figure that exceeds the cost of tuition by nearly $6,000. Yale does not expect parents earning less than $75,000 annually to make any contribution toward the cost of their child's education, and Yale meets 100% of every family's financial need with an aid package that does not require loans.
Kari DiFonzo, director of undergraduate financial aid, said online tools like the Instant Net Price Estimator make her office's mission of making a Yale College education affordable more visible and accessible.
"I am proud that Yale commits all its undergraduate financial aid to providing need-based grants and that our policies make Yale one of the most affordable colleges in America for most families," she said. "This tool helps drive home the message that if you are admitted to Yale, you will be able to afford it."
The new Instant Net Price Estimator was created by Phil Levine, a professor of economics at Wellesley College, and is one of three digital tools Yale makes available to families seeking to estimate the cost of attending Yale College. Each provides a personalized estimate with different degrees of precision. The new tool requires the least time and information from prospective students and provides the widest range of possible estimates.
Among the other schools using the new estimator are Amherst, Cornell, Dartmouth, Notre Dame, Washington & Lee, and Wellesley.
Since 2018, Yale has offered another easy-to-use online tool: the MyinTuition Quick Cost Estimator, also created by Levine. That tool provides a personalized net cost estimate in response to answers to six short questions about a family's finances. MyinTuition takes less than three minutes to complete and does not store any personalized data.
Over the past seven years, Yale's MyinTuition Quick Cost Estimator has generated hundreds of thousands of cost estimates and regularly draws hundreds of users each day. Mark Dunn, the admissions office's director of outreach and recruitment, described the tool as a "game-changer" in communicating with families about costs.
"Applying for admissions and financial aid involves a huge amount of uncertainty, and, understandably, that uncertainty generates anxiety," said Dunn. "MyinTuition has helped us reduce that uncertainty around the question of cost. Over the past seven years our messaging campaigns that invite families to estimate their cost in three minutes have generated more engagement than any others."
Dunn said the office features the MyinTuition Quick Cost Estimator on its website, in email campaigns, through a targeted postcard campaign, on posters mailed to thousands of high schools across the country, and in a series of short videos.
Dunn and Quinlan credited the availability of MyinTuition as one important factor that has helped drive the increase in students from lower-income households who enroll at Yale. Since 2013, the number of Yale undergraduates who received a federal Pell Grant for lower-income students has more than doubled.
In addition to the two quick estimators, Yale offers a Net Price Calculator, which provides a more exact estimate for a student's cost to attend Yale, using the same types of data families submit when completing an official financial aid application, such as tax returns and W2 forms.
When determining a family's financial need, Yale considers income, assets, family size, and expenses, including other children attending college. Prospective students applying for undergraduate admission can submit financial documents to the office of undergraduate financial aid and receive an official financial aid offer at the same time they receive an admissions decision.
Last year, more than 55% of Yale students received a need-based Yale scholarship, and nearly two-thirds received financial support from Yale or an outside organization; 88% of Yale College graduates completed their undergraduate degree with no loan debt.
Since 1966, Yale has admitted students without regard to financial need and has not included loans in financial aid offers since 2008. Yale's Financial Aid Working Group made more than a half-dozen enhancements to undergraduate financial aid policies since then.
"Yale's financial aid program is a cornerstone of delivering its mission," said Quinlan. "Showing a family that a Yale education really is affordable can change the course of a young person's life."
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Original text here: https://news.yale.edu/2025/10/14/yale-launches-new-tool-instantly-estimate-costs-prospective-students
University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering: Click Here for Confusion - State of Privacy Settings
LOS ANGELES, California, Oct. 15 -- The University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering issued the following news:
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Click Here for Confusion: The State of Privacy Settings
Finding a privacy setting on social media should be simple. But a new study from USC's Information Sciences Institute (ISI) shows it's anything but.
By Julia Cohen
How hard is it to find a privacy setting on social media? For participants in a new study from USC Viterbi's Information Sciences Institute (ISI), the answer was often: too hard. Researchers measured how difficult it was for people to locate
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LOS ANGELES, California, Oct. 15 -- The University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering issued the following news:
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Click Here for Confusion: The State of Privacy Settings
Finding a privacy setting on social media should be simple. But a new study from USC's Information Sciences Institute (ISI) shows it's anything but.
By Julia Cohen
How hard is it to find a privacy setting on social media? For participants in a new study from USC Viterbi's Information Sciences Institute (ISI), the answer was often: too hard. Researchers measured how difficult it was for people to locatespecific privacy controls, settings that determine who sees their friend list or activity, and paired that data with two other key metrics: what level of privacy users actually wanted, and whether they knew these options existed in the first place. "It is not just about whether the settings exist, it is about how easily and clearly users can get to them," said lead author and ISI research assistant Pithayuth (Will) Charnsethikul.
The findings painted a troubling picture. Across Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Snapchat, people wanted more privacy than platforms provided by default, many had never seen the available options, and even when they had, they struggled to use them.
"We found an industry-wide misalignment between default privacy settings and user preferences," said Charnsethikul, a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. "Many users are unfamiliar with common privacy settings and many, especially older users, struggle to locate them."
Despite broad shortcomings, the study revealed some platform-specific bright spots. On LinkedIn, for example, participants were often comfortable with visibility settings such as allowing profiles or connections to be seen by others. Although the defaults were just as exposed as on other platforms, users were less likely to object given the site's professional focus. And TikTok stood out for its usability; participants found its menus and navigation made privacy controls easy to locate.
The paper, Navigating Social Media Privacy: Awareness, Preferences, and Discoverability, was presented at the 2025 Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium (PETS), where it was selected as a runner-up for the PETS2025 Artifact Award.
For ISI principal scientist, co-author, and advisor to Charnsethikul Jelena Mirkovic, the findings point to a systemic challenge that goes far beyond individual platforms. "The issue around social media defaults being set too permissively is not new and our study reiterates that it still hasn't been resolved," she said. "Much worse, it is prevalent across the whole social media industry, which benefits when users share more on their platforms. That's why we believe policy and regulation need to step in to protect user interests."
Building on Venmo
This work builds on earlier research that Charnsethikul and Mirkovic conducted together on Venmo, the popular social payments app. That study, I Know What You Did on Venmo: Discovering Privacy Leaks In Mobile Social Payments, analyzed 389 million transactions over eight years and found that more than 40 million contained sensitive information, affecting nearly 8.5 million users.
The Venmo project revealed how public-by-default settings exposed deeply personal details, from health conditions and political views to passwords and phone numbers. It showed how friend lists could unmask private affiliations, such as membership in Alcoholics Anonymous, and even exposed high-profile figures, including President Joe Biden, whose account and social network were uncovered because his contacts were public.
While the Venmo research demonstrated how one app's design could put millions at risk, this new study shows the problem extends across the social media landscape.
What's Next
The team hopes their findings will encourage platforms to redesign privacy tools and prompt policymakers to set stronger protections. "Our finding highlights the tussle between what platforms want (i.e., more exposure) and what users want (i.e., more privacy)," said Charnsethikul.
Looking ahead, the researchers are broadening their scope once again. Their next project will investigate how privacy and usability challenges appear in large language models (LLMs), which are increasingly integrated into everyday applications. By identifying issues early, they aim to guide both design and policy so that privacy protections keep pace with emerging technologies.
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URL: Information Sciences Institute
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Original text here: https://viterbischool.usc.edu/news/2025/10/click-here-for-confusion-the-state-of-privacy-settings/
University of Dayton Issues UD in the News Wrap Up for Oct. 4-10
DAYTON, Ohio, Oct. 15 -- The University of Dayton issued the following news:
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UD in the News Oct. 4-10
Local and regional media featured UD's "dream school status," a gift to bolster human rights studies, the Flyer Pitch competition, a partnership to improve mental health services for college students, lung cancer research and development at onMain.
University of Dayton recognized as a 'new' dream school in college admissions expert's new book
Catholic Telegraph
Eric F. Spina, president
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Developer onMain reveals plans for Think Dayton building
WDTN-TV
Brian Heitkamp, onMain
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DAYTON, Ohio, Oct. 15 -- The University of Dayton issued the following news:
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UD in the News Oct. 4-10
Local and regional media featured UD's "dream school status," a gift to bolster human rights studies, the Flyer Pitch competition, a partnership to improve mental health services for college students, lung cancer research and development at onMain.
University of Dayton recognized as a 'new' dream school in college admissions expert's new book
Catholic Telegraph
Eric F. Spina, president
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Developer onMain reveals plans for Think Dayton building
WDTN-TV
Brian Heitkamp, onMain
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UD receives $1.72M gift to establish professorship in justice, human rights studies
WDTN-TV and WHIO-TV
Jack Meagher, alumnus and donor
Natalie Hudson, Human Rights Center
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University of Dayton Flyer Pitch introduces new two-round format
WDTN-TV and WHIO.com
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How area hospitals, colleges are joining forces for young adult mental health
Dayton Daily News and WDTN-TV
Anthony Grant, athletics
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Ohio researchers work to improve lung nodule detection
Spectrum News 1 Ohio
Russ Hardie, electrical and computer engineering
Barath Narayanan, University of Dayton Research Institute
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Reading romance as an act of resistance
The Academic Minute
Amy Krug, English
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A woman of hope
The Priest
Neomi De Anda, International Marian Research Institute
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Discussing mixed results in religious freedom cases around the United States
Alabama Catholic Radio
Charles Russo, School of Law and School of Education and Health Sciences
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Original text here: https://udayton.edu/news/articles/2025/10/ud-news-oct-4-10.php
UM Miller School of Medicine: Second Annual CREW Research Symposium Showcases Future Health Care Leaders in the U.S. Virgin Islands
MIAMI, Florida, Oct. 15 -- The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine issued the following news:
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Second Annual CREW Research Symposium Showcases Future Health Care Leaders in the U.S. Virgin Islands
The eight-week summer program is designed to inspire interest in cardiovascular science and promote research as a career path among USVI undergraduate students.
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The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Health, hosted its second annual Cardiovascular Research Empowerment Workforce (CREW) program research symposium on July
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MIAMI, Florida, Oct. 15 -- The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine issued the following news:
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Second Annual CREW Research Symposium Showcases Future Health Care Leaders in the U.S. Virgin Islands
The eight-week summer program is designed to inspire interest in cardiovascular science and promote research as a career path among USVI undergraduate students.
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The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Health, hosted its second annual Cardiovascular Research Empowerment Workforce (CREW) program research symposium on July22. It marked the culmination of an intensive, eight-week summer program designed to prepare the next generation of health care professionals in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"Today we're here to celebrate the scientific accomplishments of our 2025 cohort of the Cardiovascular Research Empowerment Workforce program," said Sonjia Kenya, Ph.D., CREW program director and a professor of medicine at the Miller School. "It is only our second year of training the future health care leaders in the territory and, already, CREW is becoming part of the academic fabric that shines a light on our brightest minds."
Student-Led Cardiovascular Research Projects
Eight outstanding USVI college students with health-related majors successfully completed the 2025 CREW program. The program included a two-week residency at the University of Miami followed by immersive research and training at the University of the Virgin Islands' St. Thomas campus.
The 2025 CREW graduates are:
* Uchenna Ferris, University of the Virgin Islands
* Cy Taylor, University of Central Florida
* Josue Lima II, Georgia State University
* Jada Dickerson, Georgetown University
* Nefertari Henry, Lincoln University
* V'Kesha Adams, Howard University
* Keziah Wattley, University of the Virgin Islands
* Reem Mohamad, University of the Virgin Islands
Student mentors Chaenelle Ravariere and Kendra Calpano Butler, who were part of the inaugural 2024 CREW program, also played vital roles in guiding the cohort throughout their research journey.
During the symposium, scholars presented their original, student-led research projects to Miller School officials, local public health officials, government leaders and community members. The research projects addressed diverse aspects of cardiovascular disease in the Virgin Islands.
Dr. Kenya emphasized the importance of tackling the territory's critical health disparities.
"Death by cardiovascular disease is 10 percent higher here than on the mainland," she said. "These students are learning to confront those challenges head-on with research, data and a deep-rooted commitment to community. Every project you hear today was conceptualized 100 percent by the scholars presenting them."
Topics included:
* How parenting styles impact heart health
* The cardiovascular risks associated with job-related stress
* The association between health care access barriers and hypertension screening
* Cardiovascular risks in women who use cannabis
* Links between anxiety and hypertension in adults
* Hidden cardiovascular risk in the usvi related to BMI, diagnosis and access to care
Nicole Craigwell-Syms, Ph.D., assistant commissioner of health with the Virgin Islands Department of Health, speaking on behalf of the Department's Health Commissioner, Justa Encarnacion, praised the cohort's dedication.
"This day marks a significant milestone in the growth of cardiovascular research in the Virgin Islands. These bright minds have delved into complex research while committing themselves to the most pressing public health challenges of our time," Dr. Craigwell-Syms said.
Virgin Islands Department of Health's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tai Hunte-Ceasar, who was instrumental in launching the program in the USVI, encouraged the students to serve their home communities.
"Your islands need you--not just your degrees, but your cultural fluency, your commitment and your lived understanding of what it means to call these islands home," Dr. Hunte-Caesar said.
Lt. Governor Tregenza Roach applauded the students' curiosity and commitment to inquiry.
"Your curiosity, I welcome it and encourage you to apply it across every area of your life," Lt. Governor Roach said. "As our population and environment continue to change, it will be your questions -- and your research -- that help us understand and respond to these shifts."
CREW Program Awards
* Academic Excellence Award: Reem Mohamad
* Leadership Award: Keziah Wattley
* Academic Persistence Award: Josue Lima II
* Community Engagement Award: Cy Taylor
* Best Research Project Award: Uchenna Ferris
The symposium was moderated by Lashonette Schjang, the Virgin Islands Department of Health's director of health advancement and USVI CREW program manager. Schjang coordinated the cohort's curriculum, which included presentations from various health care professionals, tours of the health network institutions and facilitation of project completion. Assistant Commissioner Reuben Molloy closed the symposium with a note of congratulations to the future health care leaders.
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Original text here: https://news.med.miami.edu/second-annual-crew-research-symposium-showcases-future-health-care-leaders-in-the-u-s-virgin-islands/
Texas A&M AgriLife: It's Science - Why a Pumpkin is Actually a Fruit
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 15 -- Texas A&M University, a component of the public university system in Texas, issued the following news from its agriculture program:
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It's science: Why a pumpkin is actually a fruit
AgriLife Extension horticulturist explains what sets fruits and vegetables apart
By Adam Russell
Every fall, pumpkins steal the spotlight with multiple purposes: as decorations, for soups and in pies. But here's a fun fact backed by science: this seasonal favorite is actually a fruit.
Joe Masabni, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service vegetable specialist and professor in the
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AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 15 -- Texas A&M University, a component of the public university system in Texas, issued the following news from its agriculture program:
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It's science: Why a pumpkin is actually a fruit
AgriLife Extension horticulturist explains what sets fruits and vegetables apart
By Adam Russell
Every fall, pumpkins steal the spotlight with multiple purposes: as decorations, for soups and in pies. But here's a fun fact backed by science: this seasonal favorite is actually a fruit.
Joe Masabni, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service vegetable specialist and professor in theTexas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, said pumpkins are scientifically classified as fruits because of how they grow. Anything that starts from a flower is classified botanically as a fruit.
Why do people mistake pumpkins for vegetables?
People typically consider something as either a fruit or a vegetable based on how they eat it rather than how it grows.
"We see them as to whether we eat them as a dessert, salad or as part of a meal," Masabni said.
For example, consider cucumbers or tomatoes. People typically don't eat them as desserts, he said. They often eat cucumbers and tomatoes in salads or cooked meals, so they may think of them as vegetables, even though they're fruits.
"The pumpkin is a tricky one, though," he said, "because some people make soups or stews from pumpkins, which is a meal, while others make pies, which is a dessert. So that can lead to confusion."
What's the difference between a fruit and a vegetable?
The difference between a fruit and a vegetable lies in whether the produce starts as a flower.
"All plants start from a seed," Masabni said. "Let's take the example of lettuce as a vegetable. It makes more and more leaves, and then you harvest them and eat those leaves. If you let it go even longer, it will eventually make a flower stalk and make seeds that we harvest and store for next year's crop."
A pumpkin plant starts the same. However, its flowers eventually turn into the fruit we eat - in this case, the pumpkin itself.
"A pumpkin starts as a small plant with a few leaves, and as the leaves grow and more branches develop, flowers will start to bloom on the plant," he said. "Those flowers then need to be pollinated by bees or other pollinators. Once a flower is pollinated, it develops into a fruit that we consume. So ultimately, fruit relies on pollination of the flower to become the thing we eat."
What other 'vegetables' are actually fruits?
Besides pumpkins, some other fruits that are typically confused with vegetables are:
* Cucumbers
* Tomatoes
* Eggplants
* Corn
* Zucchini
* Okra
* String beans
* Squash
* Peppers
So, does it matter?
Maybe not at the dinner table, but it's a fun fact to share at your next fall gathering.
"The fruit and vegetable debate is a fun one that hangs on the technical, scientific view of these plants that we consume," Masabni said. "At the end of the day, we want to inform people, but we also want them to enjoy these plants as gardeners and at the dinner table."
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Original text here: https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2025/10/14/is-a-pumpkin-a-fruit-or-a-vegetable/
Grayson College and University of North Texas Partner to Strengthen Transfer Pathways for Students
DENTON, Texas, Oct. 15 -- The University of North Texas issued the following news release:
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Grayson College and University of North Texas partner to strengthen transfer pathways for students
Grayson College and the University of North Texas (UNT) have partnered to simplify the transfer process and support students as they pursue their educational and career goals.
The agreement, signed by Grayson College President Dr. Jeremy McMillen and UNT President Dr. Harrison Keller, formalizes a shared commitment to student success and seamless academic transition between the two institutions.
"This
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DENTON, Texas, Oct. 15 -- The University of North Texas issued the following news release:
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Grayson College and University of North Texas partner to strengthen transfer pathways for students
Grayson College and the University of North Texas (UNT) have partnered to simplify the transfer process and support students as they pursue their educational and career goals.
The agreement, signed by Grayson College President Dr. Jeremy McMillen and UNT President Dr. Harrison Keller, formalizes a shared commitment to student success and seamless academic transition between the two institutions.
"Thispartnership with UNT allows Grayson College students to take the next step in their academic journey with confidence, knowing their hard work here directly connects to their future goals," Dr. McMillen said. "Together, we're helping students turn their vision for the future into reality."
Through the agreement, Grayson College students who complete an associate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and transfer to UNT are eligible for a $500 transfer bonus award. The partnership also enhances engagement opportunities through the UNT Eagle Bound Program, which provides advising, outreach and transfer support for students preparing to continue their studies at UNT.
"As we advance our bold vision at UNT for pursuing excellence, innovation, and access to a transformational education, we know this is only possible with partners like Grayson College," Dr. Keller said. "This partnership will expand educational and economic opportunities for individual students and help provide the talent our North Texas region needs."
Grayson College and UNT share a mission centered on student achievement, workforce readiness and educational access. By creating clear and intentional pathways, the institutions aim to ensure that every student, whether entering the workforce or pursuing advanced degrees, has the guidance, resources and support needed to succeed.
To kick off the transfer partnership, UNT will be hosting Transfer Express at Grayson College Nov. 11. At this event, Grayson students can connect with UNT admissions counselors, learn more about Eagle Bound, submit their admissions applications onsite, as well as receive an application fee waiver.
This event as well as the partnership reflects Grayson College's ongoing effort to strengthen transfer and workforce pathways, ensuring that every student has a clear next step after graduation.
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About Grayson College
Founded in 1965 to serve Grayson and Fannin counties, Grayson College is a student-centered institution dedicated to preparing learners for success in higher education and the workforce. Serving more than 5,200 students annually, the College offers a broad range of academic and workforce programs that align with the region's economy and evolving training needs.
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About the University of North Texas (UNT)
Ranked a Tier One research university by the Carnegie Classification, UNT is the flagship of the UNT System and is located in Denton. Boasting 242 degree programs and a thriving community of nearly 44,000 students, UNT serves the North Texas region and helps drive the state's economy through innovative research, educational excellence focused on career readiness, and a spirit of entrepreneurship. Together, with its branch campus in Frisco, UNT students earned more than 13,000 degrees last year.
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Original text here: https://news.unt.edu/news/2025/grayson-college-and-unt-partner-to-strengthen-transfer-pathways-for-students.html
Cardiff University: Marginalized Young Men and 'Lad Culture' From an Insider Perspective - 'Our Futures are Not a Done Deal'
CARDIFF, Wales, Oct. 15 -- Cardiff University issued the following news:
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Marginalised young men and "lad culture" from an insider perspective: "Our futures are not a done deal"
A history of deprivation in the South Wales Valleys has shaped its young men's aspirations and views of masculinity, Cardiff University research shows.
Dr Richard Gater conducted in-depth interviews with young men aged 13-21 who were living in the Aber Valley, in the borough of Caerphilly. The study explored their transition from school to work - and the influences that affected their job choices as they moved
... Show Full Article
CARDIFF, Wales, Oct. 15 -- Cardiff University issued the following news:
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Marginalised young men and "lad culture" from an insider perspective: "Our futures are not a done deal"
A history of deprivation in the South Wales Valleys has shaped its young men's aspirations and views of masculinity, Cardiff University research shows.
Dr Richard Gater conducted in-depth interviews with young men aged 13-21 who were living in the Aber Valley, in the borough of Caerphilly. The study explored their transition from school to work - and the influences that affected their job choices as they movedinto adulthood. He based himself at a youth centre for the research, where the young men would visit.
The research was conducted for Dr Gater's PhD, with the book being commissioned while he was a researcher at the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD).
He said: "There has been a lot of discussion recently about 'toxic masculinity' and the negative ways in which young men engage with the world,but not enough is being done to understand and combat the drivers behind these outcomes. . This research offers insights into the experiences of marginalised young men living in a deprived community in South Wales, conducted by someone who himself used to be one of those 'lads'.
"It's clear that the system is failing this group. Rather than condemning this group of individuals, I believe more needs to be done to nurture their talents and raise aspirations from an early age."
Role models were a key influence in the views of the young men he interviewed, Dr Gater says.
"Lots of the young men I spoke to were involved in crime, including acts of aggression and violence, often fuelled by their peers," he explained.
"In terms of their career aspirations, most preferred the idea of a manual job, rejecting higher education or what they viewed as boring office jobs. This stemmed from the fact that family members were in similar jobs. One of the lads wanted to become a chef, based on the fact his Nan had taught him to cook from a young age.
"And there are other stereotypes that are being rejected; in the past, hugging each other might have been frowned upon in these circles - but this group were comfortable doing so. This came from the fact that they saw football players hugging each other and that there had been a rise in cultural discussions around men's mental health.
"It is clear that continuities and changes in masculine stereotypes are shaping the young men's identities and attitudes towards education and employment. Like my own, their futures are certainly not a 'done deal'."
Unemployment rates for men in the Aber Valley are significantly above the national average, standing at 9.4% compared with the UK average of 5%. Nearly 35 per cent of Aber Valley residents have no academic qualifications.
As Dr Gater details in his book, The 21st Century Ladz, Continuity and Changes among Marginalised Young Men from the South Wales Valleys, he describes himself as an "insider" in the community, having lived there all his life. He too rejected education at an early age - leaving school with no GCSEs.
"My resistance to education quickly escalated into early teenage smoking, drinking alcohol, drug-taking and 'petty' crime, intensified by my youthful admiration of a group of boys in my village," he said. "During my twenties, I worked all sorts of jobs, some of them precarious. In the end, I decided I had nothing to lose and took the leap into higher education."
Now working as a research assistant at the Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE), Dr Gater added: "It is vital that discussions around opportunities for young people are driven by their lived experiences and viewpoints."
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"I'm really grateful to the young men who shared their stories with me and hope this study will inform and improve policies aimed at reaching this often-overlooked demographic."
- Dr Richard Gater, Research Assistant
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Original text here: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/2971134-marginalised-young-men-and-lad-culture-from-an-insider-perspective-our-futures-are-not-a-done-deal
