Running head: STRENGTHS

Strengths
Thad Teo
Seattle University

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2
Strengths
Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 8; Artifacts C1, C2, C3, D, G, H, J

My overarching narrative theme that highlights the strengths acquired through the
Student Development Administration (SDA) program is trusting my internal voice, an element
of Baxter Magoldas (2009) theory of self-authorship that has been my basis for learning and
growth. This theory truly resonates with me as I have personally witnessed intellectual growth
and personal identity development through being in the program, and this theme will continue to
be important to me as I further my development as a higher education professional. I believe that
it is through various experiences and opportunities that I can truly analyze and understand my
history, identities, privileges, interests, goals, and what truly makes me happy. By developing
better self-awareness and efficacy both personally and professionally, I have become better
equipped to authentically tell my story and concurrently empower students and other educators
to find satisfaction, happiness and meaning in their own unique stories.
Lifelong Learning
My passion for lifelong learning provides me with the motivation to constantly challenge
the status quo and question what I think I know in order to expand my knowledge of society and
the role of higher education. This area addresses Learning Outcomes (LO) one and two.
Learning Outcome 1: Understanding the foundations and emerging nature of the Student
Affairs profession and higher education
My key dimensions for this LO are origin, purpose, and best practices, or in other words,
understanding the history, the hows, and the whys of higher education student affairs and then
looking to be most effective. I strongly believe that it is through learning from past successes
and failures that guides future practice, especially since this profession is one that is constantly

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evolving. It is lifelong learning and professional development that allows educators to stay
aware and up to date on how to best serve students.
I began my journey in the SDA program with a fresh perspective and an immediate
introduction to the origins and history of the profession through my coursework in SDAD 5300
Foundations of the Student Affairs Profession. This course served as the catalyst for which I
began to question the purpose and nature of education that I was taught to believe while growing
up that a good education would lead to a good job and consequently a high salary and
happiness. My nave understanding has since changed dramatically as I reached the crossroads
that began my journey to self-authorship (Baxter Magolda, 2001), which began when I produced
my first piece of writing as a student of students. I was given the autonomy to develop my own
philosophy of higher education and the student affairs profession (Artifact C2) that kickstarted
my personal beliefs and purpose as I searched to uncover more knowledge through critical
pedagogy about best practices in every aspect of the field. The philosophy I authored
highlighted my belief in creating supportive campus environments and a safe space for diverse
students. It represents my first exposure to the profession, but it was never meant to be static
because continuous learning and improvement will undoubtedly continue to mold and shape it.
Furthermore, it was also during this course that I got my first opportunity to review the
ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Practitioners (Artifact H). I
became aware of different competency areas that I needed to address in order to be successful in
this profession, and I have since grown in most of these areas throughout the SDA program. The
evidence presented in my most recently updated version shows a thorough reflection and account
of my dedication to learn and experience more of the field at every possible opportunity. Most
significantly, I have utilized various experiences to significantly develop my leadership ability.

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Despite entering the SDA program with little background in student affairs, I feel strongly about
my growth and understanding of this profession and the field of higher education now.
Learning Outcome 2: Understanding students and student issues
My key dimensions of this learning outcome are holistic support, student development
theory, and empathy. Regardless of the functional area I work in, I believe that my role as a
higher education professional involves putting students at the forefront of my work and
supporting them throughout their educational journey. This is not meant to be a prescriptive
approach, but one that involves the desire to learn about students and what their specific needs
are from a holistic point of view, or in other words, looking at the whole person. This learning
outcome is extremely essential to the profession, and although student development theory helps
provide frameworks to understand students and issues, being empathetic to specific individual
needs provides a much better understanding of how to best support students.
Understanding students and student issues have been a strong sentiment that I have
carried with me in my professional role working in advancement at the University of Washington
(UW). My professional experience has allowed me to view higher education more broadly as it
relates to students, and the importance of collaboration between student affairs and alumni
relations and engagement. This is evident in my program development of NetWork: Social
Sciences Student-Alumni Networking Night (Artifact G) whereby I provided a platform for
helping students develop professionally by utilizing the wealth of experience and knowledge that
alumni possess. One of the rationales and goals for developing this annual event was for
students to see how alumni who were once in their positions are able to pursue a wide range of
careers regardless of what they had majored in. It provided an opportunity for students to make
meaning of their own choice of majors and realize that it does not confine them to any specific

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job post-graduation. In the context of student development theory, Perrys (1981) theory of
intellectual and ethical development was the framework utilized in framing this particular goal of
the program as I had hoped to empower students participating to think more critically about their
college to career transition (Evans et al., 2010). Nevertheless, as useful as student development
theories are to helping guide the development of student programs, it is essential to remain
careful not to over-generalize theories across different student populations and identities. In the
absence of substantial theories, the value of empathy in understanding different student
backgrounds, experiences, and issues is key for all educators.
Emotional Intelligence
In the spring of 2014, I received the opportunity to undergo a daylong professional
development training in emotional intelligence through my job. I became exposed to an area of
development that is non-cognitive, but instead encompasses social, emotional, behavioral,
attitudinal, and personality growth that would become a guide to better self-awareness and how I
would lead my life personally and professionally. This area addresses LOs three and six.
Learning Outcome 3: Exhibiting professional integrity and ethical leadership in
professional practice
My key dimensions for this LO are critical and honest reflection, identity development,
and appreciating differences, which are all important steps in becoming honest and true with my
personal and professional self. Knowing the real me is very important in developing
professional integrity, and ethical leadership starts with understanding my values first before
leading others. In the SDA program, I am constantly reminded to critically reflect on who I am
as a person and understand myself and my privileges before attempting to understand others.

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Part of my coursework for SDAD 5590 The American Community College involved
understanding the issue of higher education access and diversity, and it was through my college
access autoethnography (Artifact C1) that I got to truly analyze and deeply reflect on my
personal journey to where I am today. I got to take a comparative look at how the education
system in Singapore, where I grew up, contrasted with the values of open access that American
community colleges are about. More importantly, I got the opportunity to further reflect on my
privilege of having my access to college readily within means and constantly reinforced
throughout my childhood growing up in a private school. My predisposition for getting a postsecondary education occurred before birth, and I have learned to recognize how fortunate I am to
come from a family with that expectation and financial means.
Nevertheless, I have developed awareness and understanding that many students of color
and first-generation students face barriers in college access, retention, and completion. I strongly
believe in equitable support for these students and am professionally dedicated to this belief.
Utilizing my leadership appointment as Co-Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA)
Faculty & Staff Association at the UW, I have taken the initiative to host and participate in
meetings with faculty and staff to promote awareness for our Southeast Asian and Pacific
Islander students, many of whom are first-generation. As the APIA representative for the UW, I
proactively attend community events hosted by various government and nonprofit organizations
like the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) and the
Southeast Asian American Access in Education (SEAeD) Coalition. It is essential for me to play
an active role as an ethical leader and representative of the UW by showing support for
underrepresented students, regardless of the differences in my own background.
Learning Outcome 6: Developing and demonstrating skills in leadership and collaboration

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My key dimensions for this LO are dialogue, teamwork, and personal values, because
communicating with others to know the shared values are of utmost importance to demonstrating
leadership. As illustrated in my leadership philosophy (Artifact C3) that I developed in EDAD
5700 Leadership in Education, I acknowledge my ability to lead through having strong
interpersonal and communication skills as well as a personal and professional belief in
teamwork, all of which are components of emotional intelligence. I have come to understand my
own leadership framework as being a mix between political and human resource (Bolman &
Gallos, 2011), the essence of both are being able to work effectively with a mix of personalities.
Story Telling
Throughout my time in the SDA program, I have been empowered to feel more confident
and comfortable with my lifes journey. I have become more willing to open up and be
vulnerable by sharing my story with an external audience, an aspect that I hope will empower
others to do the same. It is this strength that reaffirms my internal voice as I continue pursuing
my passions. This area addresses LO eight.
Learning Outcome 8: Communicating effectively in speech and in writing
The key dimensions for this LO are confidence, authenticity, and leaning into discomfort.
Effective communication is essential to sharing my story and being a leader in the field, but it
also requires me to take risks by becoming vulnerable and being open to critique because I view
effective communication as bidirectional. My very first student affairs presentation was one that
was extremely nerve wracking because I had lacked the confidence to deliver the content on
supporting diverse students (Artifact D). Nevertheless, I was authentic in my genuine desire to
learn and to grow as a young professional in the field which required taking that discomfort in
stride and seeing it as a learning opportunity. Im proud of that moment, and Im proud of my

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ability to pick myself up and gain confidence for future presentations. The opportunity to
dialogue with peers and faculty in class has benefited my ability to communicate effectively.
A distinctive contribution that I am most proud of is publishing an article on the impact of
advancement in higher education in the Magis Student Development Journal (Artifact J). I
wrote this paper with the goal of providing student affairs professionals more awareness and
understanding of advancement and the financial situation of higher education. This is an area
that I believe is becoming more and more a part of student affairs and Im glad and proud that it
was accepted for publication. Utilizing this article, I hope to engage in more dialogue with other
students who might not have had the opportunity to take SDAD 5850 Higher Education Finance,
an optional course in the SDA program.

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References

Baxter Magolda, M.B. (2001). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher
education to promote self-development. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2009) Authoring your life: Developing an internal voice to navigate
lifes challenges. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Bolman, L. G., & Gallos, J. V. (2011). Reframing academic leadership. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student
development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Kuh, G. (2009). Understanding campus environments. In McClellan and Stringer (Eds.) The
handbook of student affairs administration (pp. 59-80). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Perry, William G. (1981), Cognitive and Ethical Growth: The Making of Meaning. In
Arthur Chickering and Associates. The modern American college. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.