The past two years in the College Student Affairs graduate program have been challenging and rewarding. Through this program, combined with my professional experience working at UC Riverside, I have gained a deeper understanding of the student affairs profession and the student experience. I have been challenged to grow professionally and personally. You can read more about my journey below.
My decision to enter the field of student affairs was greatly influenced by my leadership experience as an undergraduate at the University of California, Riverside. If I were to be candid, a large part of my motivation to enter the College Student Affairs program was to figure out my college experience and growth during this time. Upon entering the program, I remember reading Astin’s (1999) theory of involvement and being able to relate it to my undergraduate experience as an involved student. I heard Parks' (2000) shipwreck theory and recalled my numerous trials and tribulations I went through during the time I was a curious undergrad. It did not take long until my “aha” moment came and I understood the reason why my leadership supervisors challenged me the way they did but provided me with the support I needed to grow (Sanford, 1966). Aside from reflecting on my experience as an undergraduate, the two years I spent in this program has given me a deeper understanding of the student experience and the important role student affairs professionals play in the lives of students and at the institution.
One of the most important classes I took was Pathways to College. This class helped me gain a better understanding of various student experiences and college access. I realized how cultural capital and socio-economic status greatly impacts one’s ability to enter college (Bourdieu, 1973). I learned about students who are considered first-generation, of low-economic status, foster youth, undocumented and homeless and the various challenges they face. I learned about the importance of having services and programs such as GEAR UP which provides services to high poverty middle and high schools so they are better prepared for college.
College affordability continues to be a great concern to families and students nationwide. Federal policy regarding student financial aid is a critical issue to college access. The recent American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009 will put billions of dollars into programs related to access in higher education. Although this should help many families and students, more policies should be enacted to make college more affordable.
Student identity development theories have become an important part of my understanding of the student experience. I appreciated Watson’s (1994, 1996) conceptual framework on learning that takes into consideration students’ prior beliefs and knowledge to make sense of their experiences. I believe it is critical to know a student’s background because it can impact their college experience and how they deal with the challenges they face. Student affairs professionals need to have an understanding of the various student experiences including minority students. For example, I learned how students who are Native American face challenges different from other ethnic minorities. Jackson, et al (2003) found that many students experience a college approach to education and development while growing up on a reservation as opposed to the European American value of autonomy. These findings have implications for the way in which student affairs provide support for these students and the way classes are taught by faculty. Although student affairs professionals must have an understanding of various student and group experiences, they must also understand the student as an individual, in which a textbook or one-size fits all approach does not always work.
Diversity and multi-culturalism is something that I learned to value more as a result of my experiences over the past two years. For a class assignment, I had the privilege of interviewing Chinese American Students at the University of California, Riverside. As a result, I learned the many things that UCR was doing right to support these students, which included having an Asian, and Pacific Islander office, acknowledging Chinese holidays and traditions through dining services, and providing opportunities for involvement that encompassed Chinese culture. This assignment also allowed me to examine my own biases about the Chinese culture and learn about ideas other than my own. Chavez, Guido-DiBrito, and Mallory (2003) emphasize the importance of healthy individual diversity development among campus community members in order to value differences in others and us. This idea holds true for students as well. The diversity students face upon entering college challenges them to see things from another perspective and broadens their understanding and worldviews. This is essential to their growth and development.
One area of diversity that I gained more knowledge of is disabilities and how it impacts higher education. During the legal issues class, I learned about federal laws such as the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination and provides reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities (American with Disabilities Homepage, 2005). My interest in student disabilities increased and I was able the many types of disabilities and support services available to students with disabilities.
In Today’s College Students course, two students and I performed a program evaluation at a community colleges Disability Services office on its accommodations to deaf and hard of hearing students. We found common concerns among students using interpreter and closed captioning accommodations as well as implications for this office to improve this service. My experience doing this project made me realize the importance of assessing and evaluating services in order to find out if they are effectively serving the students. Of course, Upcraft and Shuh (1996) advocate the importance of assessment in programs and services, but it became more salient when I was able to have a hands on experience with it and provid suggestions in order to improve a program.
During my time at UCR as the Programs Manager, I came to understand the importance of collaboration at the institution. Learning Reconsidered 2 reinforces the ideas of collaboration with faculty in order to provide transformative learning opportunities (ACPA, et al, 2006). I was able to identify one program in which faculty could participate titled Tunnel of Oppression, which is a museum of tolerance like experience that touched on various types of oppression through skits, media, and posted information. Several faculty members made this program a part of their curriculum and assisted with the debriefing process of the event. Offering the program as part of the curriculum allowed more students to experience and take something away from the event.
Collaboration with other departments on campus also became critical to the campus vitality initiative at UC Riverside. As a member of the Homecoming Committee I was able to collaborate with over 10 different offices to create events for the 2009 Homecoming week. This collaboration allowed me to meet new people and learn about the roles and responsibilities of other departments. My relationships with campus departments strengthened and other initiatives that would contribute to the UCR students’ experience were created.
In my graduate program application, I stated that my goal was to use my gifts and abilities to its fullest potential in any student affairs position I hold. I still feel the same way and know that the knowledge and skills I have gained these past two years have made me a more effective student affairs professional. Helping students through institutional programs and services have become areas that I would like to explore professionally. I can see myself working in the area of college access whether it be in a financial aid department or as an outreach coordinator. Through this graduate program, my desire to assess programs and services has increased and I plan to use this skill I have gained in any positions I acquire. The issues that are currently affecting higher education and the future of higher education must not be overlooked. Therefore, I will continually seek development opportunities so that I can become a more knowledgeable and student affairs professional that can work to address these issues in higher education in any way I can.
According to Kevin Cashman of Leadership from the Inside Out, we lead from who we are. Therefore, my personal goals are extremely important in order to succeed in my professional goals. I will continue to challenge myself to learn about differences in others and become aware of the biases and stereotypes I hold. I will also strive to be an advocate to others who do not have a voice. I strongly believe in the idea of giving back what you have been given. Therefore, I would like to become more involved in my community through community service initiatives. I strongly believe in education and I will commit myself to life-long learning even after I leave the graduate program. Lastly, my hope is to be a positive example and impact those around me, one person or student at a time.
Bibliography
ACPA, ACUHO-I, ACUI, NACA, NACADA, NASPA, and NIRSA. (2006). Learning Reconsidered 2: Implementing a campus- wide focus on the student experience.
Americans with Disabilities Homepage. (2005). US Department of Justice: A Guide to Disability Laws. Retrieved October 30, 2008, fro http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm
Astin, A.W. (1999). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40, 518-519.
Bourdieu, P. (1973). Cultural reproduction and social reproduction. In R. Brown (Ed.), Knowledge, education, and cultural change (pp.189-207). London: Collier Macmillan.
Cashman, K. (2008). Leadership from the inside out: Becoming a leader for life (2nd ed). San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Chávez, A., Guido-DiBrito, F. & Mallory, S. (2003). Learning to value the "other": A model of diversity development. Journal of College Student Development, Vol. 44(4), 1-17.
Jackson, A.P., Smith, S.A. & Hill, C.L. (2003). Academic persistence among Native American college students. Journal of College Student Development, 44(4), 548-565.
Parks, S.D. (2000). Big questions worthy dreams: Mentoring youth adults in their search for meaning, purpose, and faith. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Sanford, N. (1966). Self and society: Social change and individual development. New York: Atherton.
Shuh, J.H. and Upcraft, M.L. (1996). Assessment in student affairs. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Watson, L.W. (1994). An analysis of Black and White students’ perceptions, involvement, and educational gains in private historically Black and White liberal arts institutions. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.
Watson, L.W. (1996). A collaborative approach to student learning: A model for administrators in higher education. Planning and Changing: An Educational Leadership and Policy Journal.
