1869Phil

Professional Philosophy I believe that my personal philosophy of where I fit in student affairs is to help students to develop into well-rounded human beings by the time they graduate. No matter where I am in a university setting, from Residence Life to Student Activities, to Career Services, helping students to develop[ is at the core of everything I do. I make sure that the activities that I am helping students to put on are beneficial to them in someway, even if that is just making sure they know how to take a break and relax. Along with helping students to develop I will always strive to make sure students are safe while traveling along their own developmental journey. There are certain areas where in order to develop, the students must stumble, mess up, or even fail at something they attempt. While this is part of developing, I will always make sure that students are safe when they are going through these learning moments. As a student affairs professional I feel extremely blessed that I get to work with college students every single day, watching them as they mature and move through their four years of college. With this great honor, I must make sure that I am always being a good role model for the students. Part of my helping to them to develop is modeling the way for them. While I would never want a student to come out the other side of the college exactly like me, I beleive that having strong role-models is essential to becoming a mature adult. College administrators always have to remember someone is watching them and they are constantly a role model, whether they actively realize it or not. I believe that the best way for me to be an effective administrator is to really get to know the students I am working with and the college I work at. In order to do this I try to go to as many student events as I can. Not only does this help me to understand what the students enjoy, so that I can put on better events for them, but it helps me maintain at least a visual presence with the students. Students by seeing me at events will really understand that this is more than just a job for me. By seeing me at events hopefully they will recognize that I am here for them whenever they need me, and will be more approachable to them in the tough times because I shared a good time with them. I know that students already recognize me as one of the few administrators who goes to events not because they are putting them on or were personally invited by the administrator who is helping to organize the event, but because I want to share in the experience with the students. It has helped me gain an understanding of the specific student population by engulfing myself in it. This is something that I will continue throughout my professional career so that I am able to make deep connection with the students I am working with. I also believe that as an administrator it is my duty to be encouraging to students. While as a advisor or supervisor to students it will eventually be my job to place limits on what students are able to do, I strive to say yes to students as often as possible, and have them discover the limits for themselves. It is much more beneficial for students to try something and realize it will not work the way they had planned, than to be turned off of the idea before they have ever had a chance to try it. This also can be beneficial for me, as some ideas that I would not have thought feasible based on budget or time, through student ingenuity they have successfully implemented.