9385

When I choose the Higher Education program at Kent State University, I choose it because it was based in practical application. When looking at graduate schools, most had a heavy emphasis on theory and little emphasis on how to apply that theory to real life. Kent for me was different; it was all about how to take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to my future career. My expectations coming into the program were high. There was a lot I wanted to learn in a short amount of time. When looking back at my course work and program experience over the past two semesters, I have found that Kent not only met my expectations, but exceeded them. In almost every class I took, I not only learned the material, but was also challenged to apply my learning to the profession. In many of my classes I was expected to think as a student affairs practitioner and complete my work from that same standpoint. I was challenged to think beyond the normal, and was held to higher standard. My professors expected excellence from their students and in return we learned to expect more from ourselves. I started this program with a good undergraduate background in student affairs. I thought I knew a lot about what student affairs was all about, but I now realize that I have grown and learned so much since that time. I believe I will be well prepared and motivated student affairs professional because of this program. Throughout this program I have learned a lot about the profession of student affairs and feel very prepared to begin my job search knowing that I am qualified and ready to take on a position within the field. Through my practicum experience I have learned how to work in a professional environment along side other student affairs professionals, and how to interact in a professional manner on a daily basis. I have learned a lot from my supervisor and the other professionals in the office and I have watched what I have learned in class be demonstrated to me by these professionals. I believe that this program does an excellent job of preparing its candidates to go out into the work force and thrive in their careers. I feel that I am better prepared to job search, interview, and get a job, then many other people I know who are also in Higher Education programs at different universities. When I think about this program, I see three major themes, the first being emphasis on putting theory into practice. In many of my courses I was expected to read and analyze the course material, then apply the theories and methods I have learned to real situations or case studies. This has helped me to feel prepared and confident to apply this same course material to my job in the future. The next overarching theme I see in this program is analysis of ones own self. In many of my courses I was asked to not just study a theory, method, or style, but I was also asked to analyze myself based upon what I had learned. This self-analysis has helped me to learn about my strengths and weakness and what I must do to over come them. It has also helped me to see who I am and how I respond to certain situations. Lastly, the self analysis has helped me to gain a better understanding of my ability to react to and advise students based on my own individual attributes as a student affairs practitioner. The last major theme I see in this program is the ability to look at Higher Education from a broader, more global spectrum. Most of my courses have not only looked at Higher Education from within the university, but have also looked at Higher Education in context to the current conditions of the community, state, country, and world. I have spent a lot of time in class listening about and discussing the effects of Higher Education on the world and vice versa, and have found that there are many links between Higher Education and many state and world issues. In my classes this semester and throughout the duration of the program, I hope to learn about Higher Education from a different perspective. I want to learn how to be prepared for every situation that could occur on my campus, and how to best react to those situations. I think that with today changing college students and the onset of mental illness on campuses, it is important to expect the unexpected and be prepared for everything. I would like to learn techniques on how to best deal with many different situations on campus, and I would like to learn from my professors and peers about how they would handle situations so I may can gain perspectives different from my own. This semester I would also like to look at the major issues that are affecting Higher Education right now and how these issues may affect Higher Education in the short term and long term future. There are very little things that I wanted to learn in this program that I have not, but the one thing I wish I would have learned more about, is how to advise and counsel a student who is experiencing a problem or situation out of the realm of your control. I know that in many cases you should refer the student to someone else, but as an advisor and confidant to a student it is hard to pass them off on someone else when they turn to you. If I could change one thing about this program, it would be to learn more techniques about advising students like this, and handling their situations which do not directly or indirectly involve you. All in all, this program has met and exceeds my expectations. I may not have enjoyed every moment of the program, but I have learned so much, and I value all the experiences I have had because of the program. I hope some day to be able to look back at my graduate work and refer to how well Kent State University prepared me.