Healing and Men(ding): Second Degree Program Outpaces National Trend for Male Nursing Majors

The popular accelerated BSN program designed for non-nursing degree holders enrolled male undergraduate students across two campuses at one-and-a-half times the national rate in 2024.

When Navy corpsman Christopher Mangram ‘25 deployed to Southeast Asia to provide humanitarian assistance, he was prepared to conduct endless health screenings. But during his mission on the tiny and newly independent island country of Timor-Leste, Mangram delivered a baby. “At that moment,” he said, “I found my calling.”

Now, nearly five years after his honorable discharge from the military, Mangram is enrolled in the Second Degree Nursing (SNDU) program at Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies. He is one of seven men in the program at the Austin, Texas campus.

Michael Willis ’07 ‘25 discovered his calling in circumstances less exhilarating but equally profound. After nearly a decade in the culinary industry, where he struggled to manage the realities of restaurant work, Willis was hospitalized with alcohol-induced pancreatitis. In the hospital and then recovery center, the Fairfield psychology major turned sous chef who holds a master’s degree from Boston College experienced the life-changing impact of care providers.

“The nurses who cared for me were amazing,” Willis recalled. “I wanted to be one of them, to give back and to help other people.”

Today, Willis is five years sober and in his second semester of the SDNU program at the Egan School. He is one of 18 men in the program at the Fairfield, Conn. campus.

Mangram, Willis, and their fellow male classmates represent 20 percent of current SDNU enrollment across both campuses. That figure well exceeds the 12.8 percent national average for men in undergraduate nursing programs.

Christopher Lacerenza, DNP, FNP-BC, director of the SDNU program at the Fairfield, Conn. campus and faculty sponsor of the Egan School Chapter of the American Association of Men in Nursing (AAMN), is not surprised by the relatively high number of men in the program

“People who seek out second degree programs are typically older and have more life experience than traditional undergraduates,” he said. “Those experiences often include greater exposure to medical situations and increased awareness of the value of care providers.”

Such was certainly the case for Willis. It was also the case for Marco Acevedo ’25. After graduating with double majors in biology and psychology, he began working as a medical assistant at an orthopedic group. During the pandemic, he took greater notice of the invaluable role that nurses serve in society and wondered if he should be doing more. As he watched his parents’ health decline in more recent years, he continued to wonder.

Eventually, his experiences and observations compelled him to enroll in Fairfield's SDNU program to become a nurse. "Since I started this program, I have never felt more in the right place," Acevedo said.

In addition to healthcare exposure, adults with more life experience may also be less susceptible to stereotypical thinking about gendered occupational roles. For example, it never occurred to Mangram that caregiving was not a gender-appropriate vocation for men, for in the military, men comprise roughly 70 percent of hospital corpsmen and 35 percent of nurses.

Outside of the military, the percentage of men in nursing is lower; however, the numbers have steadily climbed over the past decade. Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that men represent 12 percent of registered nurses in the workforce.

Though men represent but a fraction of the nursing workforce, their contributions are nevertheless invaluable, for they bring a unique presence and perspective to the field. As Lacerenza explains, “Backgrounds and experiences of all varieties benefit the profession by providing diverse points of view.”

Recognizing the value of diversity in nursing, the Egan School launched an initiative in 2014 to recruit and retain men in its nursing programs. The Men in Nursing Club at Fairfield grew directly out of that initiative and became an official chapter of the AAMN in 2019.

Steven Belmont, DNP, CRNA, APRN, FAANA, director of the nurse anesthesia program, was the inaugural faculty advisor for the club. “The Egan School Chapter of the AAMN,” he said, “was established with the vision of creating a supportive and empowering environment for men in the nursing profession.”

By all accounts, the chapter is fulfilling its ambitions. In the decade since its inception, the Men in Nursing Club has experienced remarkable growth. Dr. Belmont attributes the success to the hard work and commitment of its members and to the strong support of his colleagues and leadership in the Egan School.

Dr. Belmont proudly touts the chapter’s many accomplishments: “Our members have actively contributed to enhancing the visibility of men in nursing, engaging in meaningful community outreach, and fostering an environment to create future providers and leaders within our healthcare system.”

Such outreach helps shift dominant perceptions about nurses and nursing. It challenges the outdated and gendered stereotype that nursing is a female occupation and promotes, instead, the view that it is a rewarding profession that offers career advancement, job security, and a competitive salary.

Between the support and advocacy of the Egan School Chapter of the AAMN and the enrollment of non-traditional and age-diverse students in the SDNU programs in Texas and Connecticut, Fairfield is situated to continue to outpace national trends for male undergraduate nursing majors.

Fairfield’s SDNU program is an accelerated 15-month program. It is designed for baccalaureate degree holders in non-nursing fields and confers a bachelor of science degree in nursing. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam to become registered nurses.

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