Men Valuing Professionalism (MVP) - established by EOP in 2012 - is dedicated to developing leadership skills, teaching professionalism, and encouraging positive campus and community engagement. MVP has been designed to address the needs of our EOP male students and positively reinforces the desire for young men to pursue leadership positions on campus, while building the skills required to effectively do so. While the focus of the program is on male student leadership development, many of the initiatives and programs offered by MVP are open to all students.
In recent years, we have noticed a decline in the number of male EOP students gaining on-campus leadership positions here at New Paltz. Our young men are not pursing these positions at the same rate as their female counterparts. MVP works to identify how young men can develop the character and the skills which would help our members be competitive in an interview process and to establish a positive lasting reputation.
MVP develops leadership, communication, collaboration, management/organizational skills as well as ethical and moral decision making amongst its members by carefully selecting initiatives/workshops, guest speakers, community service activities, and other relevant events which meet the vision, mission, and goals of the program.
Examples include:
• Leadership qualities initiative by the Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. David L. Rooney
• An initiative on budgeting and personal finance by Alumni Pascal Guirma
• Event planning workshop by Brendan O'Brien
• A comparison initiative of good vs. not so good public leaders by Aaron Hines
• Attendance at various Career Resource Center Workshop Wednesdays career development workshops
• Participating in New Paltz Clean Sweep
• Volunteering for Graduate School Open House & Accepted Students Day
• Attending EOP initiatives
• Attending a dining etiquette event through the School of Business
• Professional attire workshops
• Participating in internal team building exercises
Vision Statement:
Men Valuing Professionalism (M.V.P.) offers all EOP male students purposeful community engagement, and a cohesive, supportive network founded on topics relevant to male student development, including leadership, civic engagement, and active citizenship in higher education and beyond.
Mission Statement:
Through continual improvement and assessment, the program connects males from diverse backgrounds to one another and the campus community, advancing individual self-efficacy, self-awareness, and collective broadening of perspective via civil, productive, and positive program initiatives.
Goals include:
• Consistent communication amongst members, and involvement in decision-making with EOP Staff who provide guidance and feedback throughout the semester.
• Fostering connections amongst students, and between students, the university, and campus community.
• Making informed decisions in challenging academic, social, and personal circumstances.
• Defining personal values, short and long-term goals, and standards of conduct congruent with campus rules and regulations.
Membership Highlights:
This program is currently open to EOP students who identify as male at SUNY New Paltz. Any of these students can attend MVP events, however if they want to get the full MVP experience they can join the Leadership Development Committee.
Leadership Development Committee Model & Requirements:
The Leadership Development Committee model provides both structure and flexibility. Each member of the committee holds equal authority and therefor equal responsibility. Members do not apply for a position that limits them to one role or another but instead rotate responsibilities from one event to the next for a broader and more encompassing experience. This model also helps build teamwork. We often pair up students to accomplish a task so that they can learn from and help keep each other accountable.
• Students seeking LDC membership must present a written statement of commitment to the mission of MVP, typically at the beginning of a semester.
• Members must attend bi-weekly committee meetings and events. They must also meet with an advisor one on one every other week opposite the committee meetings to discuss personal goals.
• They must conduct themselves in an honorable fashion. If there is documented evidence to the contrary their membership can be revoked.
The program was originally modeled after the M.A.L.E.S. program at Eastern Connecticut State University. In late fall 2012 the constitution was modified to meet the needs of our students and to fit with the structure of EOP and SUNY New Paltz, thus through extensive research and collaboration between EOP and then current students MVP was established. If you would like any further information about the program please call Robert Hancock at 845-257-3226.
Executive Officers & Positions Spring 2014:
President: Joel Almanzar
Vice President: Akeem Samuels
Finance Chair: Jesus Silvestre
Secretary: Andrew Caceres
Public Relations Media Manager: Roniel Urena
Community Service Coordinator: Thierno Balde
Sergeant of Arms: Jeffrey Noboa
Historian: Dany Ramdhanie
Advisers:
Antonio Bonilla EOP Director
Robert Hancock EOP Adviser
Carlos Aponte Graduate Administrative Assistant
Brendan O'Brian Events Coordinator
