March 10 to 12, 2027.
The program begins with a Wednesday evening reception, continues with a full day Thursday, and concludes with a half day Friday.
Loyola University Chicago.
LearningMan is hosted by HEMAC at Loyola University Chicago’s
Water Tower Campus.
Registration.
Registration is now open. HEMAC partners receive three complimentary registrations, while non-partner seats are limited and paid.
Agenda & Speakers
The full agenda and speakers will be announced as the convening approaches. Click below for details.
Welcome
We look forward to seeing you in Chicago
On behalf of HEMAC and our co-host, Loyola University Chicago, we invite you to LearningMan 2027, where our network gathers each year to learn from one another. Following our first two convenings at Belmont University and Arizona State University, this year we shift from shared understanding to action. Keynotes and speakers from across the country will share the latest research on supporting college men. Sessions are collaborative, and attendees leave with new insights and ways to put them into practice on campus.
This is our first convening in Chicago, and we welcome both longtime partners and institutions new to our network. Whether you lead a campus, run a program, or study these questions, there is a seat for you at the table.
See you soon!
Saúl Valdez, Director, HEMAC
Greg Thornton, Engagement Manager, HEMAC
Why LearningMan, and why now
LearningMan brings higher education leaders together to share research, advance field-wide strategies, and build the cross-institutional relationships that close enrollment, persistence, and completion gaps for men in college. Our Chicago convening will explore two central questions: what experiences and institutional conditions support Black men in higher education, and what broader conditions support boys and men overall.
Men now enroll in college at approximately nine percentage points below women and graduate at a rate approximately eleven points lower, with the widest gaps among Black and Latino men. Closing these gaps requires evidence-based strategies that serve all men, because progress for men and progress for women are not in competition. In today’s climate, a nonpartisan, research-grounded convening matters more than ever.
WHO’S IN THE ROOM
College and university presidents, vice presidents, and chancellors
Provosts and chief academic officers
Academic researchers and scholars
Program directors and diversity and inclusion staff
Nonprofit and philanthropic partners working on male student success
What to expect
Collaborative working sessions
Small-group discussions and breakout sessions focused on moving evidence into practice, designed so you work alongside peers rather than only listen.
Keynotes and expert panels
Leading researchers and practitioners frame each day and share what the evidence says about what works for men in college.
Campus action commitments
A simple commitment mechanism sends every attendee home with one or two concrete campus actions, and HEMAC follows up through the year.
Register for LearningMan 2027
Registration is now open. HEMAC partner institutions receive priority access and complimentary registrations as part of their partnership benefits. A limited number of registrations are available to non-partners at $450 per person.
Thinking about sending two or three people? HEMAC partner institutions join through annual partnership, and up to three complimentary LearningMan registrations are one of the benefits, along with year-round access to the network and our work. For partnership pricing and details, email hemac@aibm.org.
Prospective partners in the Chicago area who would like to attend the March 10 welcome reception are invited to contact hemac@aibm.org.
Frequently asked questions
Sponsor LearningMan 2027
Sponsors make LearningMan possible and help HEMAC expand its work. To explore sponsorship opportunities, please email hemac@aibm.org.
Thank you to our first confirmed sponsor:
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