The first TCU Men’s Summit would spark a dialogue about different aspects of manhood in today’s society, according to the summit program.

Andoni Irazola, the summit committee marketing chair, said several guest speakers will speak at the summit today, including Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns and Bill Moncrief, senior associate dean of the Neeley School of Business.

Audience participation is the focus of the entire summit, Irazola, a sophomore finance and accounting major said.

“What we didn’t want is a three hour lecture of what it means to be a man because we believe most men already have an idea,” Irazola said. “But we wanted to offer several different perspectives on approaching male identity.”

Rachel Wagner, the associate director for Housing and Residence Life at the University of Dayton, will be the keynote speaker for the summit and will bring her perspective to the conversation, Irazola said.

“We decided as a committee that it is unfair to have these conversations without a woman’s perspective,” he said.

According to the summit program, Wagner has presented more than thirty workshops on gender, anti-racist and social justice education at numerous professional conferences, colleges and universities.

Anthony Hernandez, a committee member, said Wagner’s view added multiple dimensions to the topics discussed.

“It really is a testament to the increasing importance women influence in developing men’s identities,” Hernandez said.

The goal is not to answer every question about 21st century manhood, but to start the dialogue that would lead to answers, Hernandez said.

When: 3-8 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Brown-Lupton University Union Auditorium

All are welcome to attend.

Dinner provided. Casual dress attire.

RSVP at [email protected].