7285Phil

Education has always been a personal, academic and professional goal of mine. I knew from early on that I would use education to advance myself and that education would be apart of all of my professional endeavors. My family instilled a value in education that I have carried with me my whole life knowing that in or outside the walls of the classroom, there is always an opportunity to learn. With this concept in mind, education has shaped all of my experiences and my philosophy of student affairs. This paper explores my personal philosophy of student affairs as well as my role within student affairs.

The main objective of attending a university is to obtain an education and to learn. While what we learn in the classroom is important, our experiences outside of the classroom are equally important and sometimes mean much more. I believe that an integral part of student development is a strong connection to the institution which involves feeling a sense of belonging and a desire to contribute. When a prospective student first walks on to campus, he or she knows if this institution will be their home for the next four years. The initial message a campus sends to a student through a student's personal perception of the social climate, campus events and traditions greatly impacts a student's college experience. It is important to guide students in making decisions where they can find the best fit for themselves.

I believe that a persons fit with the environment is often the biggest factor a students academic and personal success while in college (Strange & Banning, 2001). By feeling comfortable, safe and belonging, students have the opportunity to flourish. When students feel this connection, they are able to contribute back to the university community and make their mark. Involvement in student organizations and the university community is how students learn outside of the classroom. I believe that as a student affairs professional, it may not be my responsibility to create involvement opportunities but to encourage involvement and guide students to make healthy decisions.

In the last few years as I have grown as a person and professional, I have come to realize how important diversity truly is in my life. I have had several opportunities to serve as an advocate and educator for different disadvantaged or minority groups. These opportunities have allowed me to develop various facets of my personal identity. I am passionate about encouraging others to discover and embrace their own identity as well as educate others. Diversity awareness programming is very important to a students development to learn about themselves and be exposed to cultures, religions, ethnicities, practices and customs that they were previously unaware of (Pope, Reynolds, & Mueller, 2004).

I most see myself as an educator within student affairs. I entered the field of student affairs because I wanted to guide students through their college experience. I have never intended to plan activities or programs but would rather educate through first year experience programs, orientation, career and academic advising. I was fortunate to find a perfect college fit where I was guided by experienced student affairs practitioners, involved in student organizations and felt that I made a dedicated contribution to campus life. It is my hope to have this same impact on college students.

Pope, R., Reynolds, A., & Mueller, J. (2004). Multicultural competence in student affairs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Strange & Banning. (2001). Educating by design: Creating campus environments. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.