52080

 There seem to be two major themes at the core of Kent State’s Higher Education Administration and Student Personnel program: leadership and the importance of application of classroom knowledge in the professional setting.  To a somewhat lesser extent, the topic of diversity and the need for financial prudency were also recurring themes.  The impetus placed upon these topics has molded me into an individual who is prepared to handle a variety of situations with competence and poise.   As I was informed upon my application to the program, it is designed to produce future leaders in higher education.  This was evident in the quality of my fellow students and the coursework which was required for the program.  Courses in law, organization and governance, college and university curriculum, and business administration provided me with the knowledge a leader must possess to execute his or her job effectively.  <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">Additionally, I took a course dedicated specifically to the topic of leadership—Leadership in Educational Organizations. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">The primary focus of this course was on development of a personal philosophy of leadership. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">To prepare students for this endeavor, organizational theory was covered as were the various styles of leadership. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">I came to understand my preferred style of leadership integrated the transformative and team/relational models. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">Having an awareness of these theories and my own personal approach will serve me well as I further my career. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">In addition to leadership, theory to practice was another theme that permeated the program. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">To emphasis the fact that students were true professionals in training, we were often referred to as student practitioners. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">Considering the vast majority of students in the program had graduate assistantships, we had the opportunity to apply and observe what had been learned in class. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">To ensure, however, that all students received exposure to the professional environment, most students completed two 150 hours practica. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">This afforded students the opportunity to work in a variety of college settings and functional areas. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">Another topic that was covered in most classes was commitment to diversity and multicultural awareness. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">Considering the increasing diversity of our country which has, thankfully, become evident at many colleges and universities, it is vital for the professionals in the field to have an awareness and sensitivity to the issues associated with individuals who have a background different from their own. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">To that end, multicultural competence was a subject the program stressed. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">The law courses made students aware of the prohibitions against discrimination in its various forms. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">Women in Leadership gave students knowledge not just of feminism, but of queer theory and all forms of hegemony. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">Additionally, the Administration of Multiculturalism and Diversity in Higher Education class was the centerpiece of our education regarding diversity. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">An awareness of privilege, power, and marginalization was instilled in students. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">This knowledge, for me, has led to increased competency when dealing with issues relating to cultural, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">The fourth overarching theme was the importance of financial prudence. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">The Business Administration class gave students the opportunity to take a hard look at the realities of maintaining a budget for a large unit under a number of scenarios, some of which required difficult decisions to be made. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">Several other courses stressed the economic realities many of us will likely have to face as our careers advance and the concept of “doing more with less” was often referenced. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">The mantra of increased efficiency, adaptability, and the ability to multitask were values not lost on the students in the program. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">The emphasis placed on the four themes has given me the theoretical and practical skills necessary to succeed in the post-secondary education setting. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123);">I am certain I will call upon them time and again as I further develop as a professional. <span style="color: rgb(82,26,123); mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;">