2020Phil

After progressing though this program, my philosophy of student affairs has transformed from virtually non-existent, to a philosophy of balance. Through courses on finance, leadership, college student development, business administration, law, international and intercultural education, I have developed a philosophy of student affairs that is based upon the principal of balance. The role of student affairs professionals in higher education is facilitate a holistic approach to developing competent and educated citizens in a global society. Within the university, student affairs professionals play a key role in the actualization of a university’s mission statement. Inside of the classroom, faculty bring to life the core of an academic education and experience. Outside of the classroom, I have had the opportunity to experience lessons in life ranging from personal development and the development of relationships with others, to career development and how my personality can compliment or conflict with another person’s typology. It is in this environment of curricular and co-curricular initiatives that theory becomes practice. In the classroom and in the residences halls, students progress through multiple developmental models including but not limited to, Chickering’s (1969) Seven Vectors, Cross (1995), Helms (1993) and Phinney’s (1990) models of racial and ethnic identity development, Josselson’s (1987) theory of women’s development and D’Augelli’s (1994) model of LGBT identity development. Understanding these models gives me a window into the framework of the personal development that our students undergo while in college. While utilizing these theories to become an affective practitioner it is important to recognize several things with relevance to student and my own identity development. First, students are not usually aware of the fact that they are progressing through these models of change and it is my responsibility to understand where the student is developmentally and also, where I am developmentally in order for both to grow, develop and succeed. Second, models of development are not one size fits all and it is important to understand these theories to increase my own awareness, but it is equally as important to not be prescriptive with students, but to understand students on an individual basis. Third, students do not posses a single developmental identity but rather multiple identities that intersect to contribute to their holistic identity development. Finally, students do not only develop identity based on race or gender, but rather they develop on multiple levels of spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental development. Understanding these caveats make it easier for me as a professional to understand theory while becoming a strong and affective practitioner for students. As a student affairs professional, I also need to be able to step back away from the individual student and see the larger organizational structure and picture of the university and its leadership. Kezar, Carducci, and Contreras-McGavin (2006) offer a multitude of constructs through which institutional leadership can be analyzed and shaped into institutional practice. I think the most powerful leadership style discussed is the style of transformational leadership which calls on leaders to empower and believe in the ability of others in order to create stronger, transformational institutions. Leaders in student affairs need to understand different organizational structures such as Weick’s (1976) model of loosely coupled systems, which contradicts the common assumption that individual units and departments are tightly linked by a shared mission and vision. Through three practicum experiences in athletics, fiscal affairs, and international affairs, I have learned the value of these principles of leadership and organizational culture. One aspect of transformational leadership theory is collaboration. Through these practicum experiences, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with multiple departments all working to achieve the university mission, but not collaborating to achieve the mission. Imploring transformational leadership theory, I used each of these experiences to develop strong interdepartmental relationships between myself and other professionals in order to better help students succeed. One specific example of this is working with Jennifer Kulics and Pete Mahoney, two associate athletics directors who I worked with during my athletics practicum. I formed great relationships with these two leaders, and as an assistant hall director I had the opportunity to utilize these relationships in better assisting the needs of my predominately athlete population in the residence hall. Rather than calling an athletes’ coach each time a violation was committed in the residence hall, I worked with the student to develop relationships and educational opportunities that spanned both their role as athletes as well as their roles as community members in the residence hall. My personal passion for the field of student affairs stems from the potential for social justice and equitable outcomes. Within the realm of higher education, institutions represent a miniature societies, only the individuals participating in these societies, are at a crucial nexus of personal development. As a student affairs professional, I have the potential to shape the future leaders of the world into transformational and culturally competent leaders. My core beliefs about this work revolve around leadership and the ability to make changes. Through the empowerment, encouragement, and a belief in students and professionals, higher education becomes the beacon of opportunity for enlightenment for all individuals. Few things are as gratifying in this life as giving someone hope, and seeing the expression on a student’s face when the realization dawns that they have hope of becoming something more than they ever imagined, a doctor, a scientist, a social work, or whatever their dream is, that this dream could potentially come true. Whether it is a student who is coming from a legacy of doctors and is carrying on the family tradition, or a first generation student who is clueless, as a student affairs professional, assisting with the success of these students with an open mind and open heart is what student affairs is all about. Student affairs is more than listening to one more “hard luck story”, it is about taking that story and giving it an ending in which any individual could feel proud. Everything I have learned in this program has confirmed this vision. Without theory, there is no basis for practice. Without action, there is nothing to assess, refine, and improve. Without leadership, there is not direction and without followers, nothing is accomplished. Without open-mindedness and cultural understanding, individuals who deviate from the majority are left behind. Without equal educational outcomes for all students, our world will not succeed. Balance needs to exist between these elements of student affairs. Student affairs practitioners face a variety of battles ranging from the allocation of appropriate resources, to dealing with crisis on campus; therefore, a balance needs to exist between these core principles, between funding and resources, law and practice, theory and action, leadership and follow-ship in order for student affairs actors to be successful and in turn, for students to succeed.  References Kezar, A.A., Carducci, R., & McGavin-Contreras, M. (2006). //Rethinking the "L" word in higher education: The revolution of research on leadership. //Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Stage, F. & M. Dannells (Eds.) (2000). //Linking theory to practice: Case Studies for working with college students //, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis Group. 