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The Kent State University’s Higher Education Administration and Student Personnel program revolves around three major themes: 1) student affairs theories & applicable laws and 2) practical experience, and 3) international and multicultural. By focusing on these three themes, the program believes that its graduates will be well-prepared for the job market and successful in their futures within the profession.  The first theme, Student Affairs Theories and Applicable Laws, is an important theme to the program. This can be assumed because almost every class addresses theories or applicable laws to some degree. For example, there is a whole class devoted to student development theories. These theories are important because a student’s time at a university is used to define their identity and develop a set of morals. However, there are many theories that deal with a student’s development. There are theories that suggest a pattern amongst women, men, African-Americans, Caucasians, etc. With these theories, professionals can realize that students develop differently, at different rates, and due to the different experiences they have had throughout their lives, but the purpose of these theories is to help professionals advise and interact with their students, and provide them with the resources they need to succeed in life. Environmental and leadership theories are also important to the student affairs profession. Environmental theories are important to higher education because it deals with the atmosphere that the university is creating for their students. These theories help student affairs professionals and administrators create an environment that is conducive to learning and development. Leadership theories are important to student affairs because different leadership styles are appropriate for handling different situations. For example, for extreme changes to a university’s culture, a transformational leader is necessary. Ohio State University is currently going through such a change. Prior to the installation of the new president, research had been the focus of the institution, but now, the institution has shifted to student affairs. This large-scale cultural change at an institution needs to be executed by a transformational leader according to the theories.  The law is also important to student affairs. Public and private institutions are required to abide by the law, but some need to abide by more than others. If an institution is public, then the institution and its students are required to follow all of the laws. Private institutions, on the other hand, only have to abide by certain laws and only if they receive federal aid (i.e. government funded programs, student financial aid, etc.). For the field of student affairs, it is important to also know how to create contracts, how and when to accommodate students with disabilities, the appropriate number of female and male sports, and what FERPA means. All of these laws can cause serious problems for an institution and if the professionals do not know them, they can be subject to a lawsuit and their job could be put in jeopardy. The student affairs theories and applicable laws are an appropriate theme to address throughout the Kent State Higher Education Administration and Student Personnel program, because without this theme, student affairs professionals would not be able to address the issues on campus and the needs of their students.  Practical experience is another theme that is seen throughout the program. Practical experience is important when preparing students for their careers. In this field, theories can suggest a certain progression or image, but practical experience can show the theories in action or even how some theories do not apply. Additionally, practical experience can give the students a first hand look at what they will possibly encounter when they have a job. For example, if a student is pursuing a career in an international student advising office, a course can teach its students about the different issues that international students may face or discuss intercultural competence. However, a course cannot teach its students how to properly use SEVIS, apply for CPT and OPT, and/or apply for a social security number for international students. For this reason Kent State’s program promotes practical experience in the field. It does so by requiring students to complete a minimum of two practicum experiences and encouraging students to apply for graduate assistantships at institutions in the Northeast Ohio region.  The third and final theme of the program is international and multicultural. In this day and age, there are increasing numbers of underrepresented students attending higher education institutions and a large number of international students have crossed international waters to obtain an American degree. At the same time, there is an increasing demand for students that can function in the global community. Because of this, the program has created a certificate on international higher education. The requirements of this certificate involve four international/multicultural courses as well as a third practicum in international higher education. Additionally, one of the courses is a week-long course to the university’s Florence campus. With the certificate program in place, it is obvious that the third and final theme of the program focuses on international and multicultural.  The three themes of the program are essential when preparing students for the field. Student affairs theories and applicable laws provide students with an understanding of students, environments, and the laws that protect the rights of the students and the institution. Practical experience gives students the opportunity to learn essential skills outside of the classroom and to see theory in action. The theme of international and multicultural addresses the need for students to function in the global community and also the large number of international and underrepresented students at higher education institutions. With these themes in mind, it is likely that graduates of the program will excel in the field.