Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Trent R. Green
Format: APA
2 MY PHILOSOPHY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Abstract
Reflecting on my time here at Indiana Wesleyan University I would have to say I have a
combination of two philosophies. One philosophy focuses on higher education as a system for
psychological development and counseling, and the other philosophy focuses on higher
education as a system for the purpose of educating. These are the Student Development Model
The Student Development Model places higher education in the light of developing
students minds psychologically and focuses on mental health. It can be seen in areas based on
the psychological welfare of students and is evident in areas such as counseling, tutoring, and
other forms of student success (i.e. specialized tests). These developmental programs allow
students to figure out whom they are in order to move through emotional or traumatizing
situations.
The Student Learning Model puts higher education in the light of education. Being at a
university, education needs to be key. Students and parents are paying a lot of money for an
education and the university should be expected to deliver. Education is a developmental model
that allows students to dig deeper into the world around them to find knowledge and information
that can help them in the future or even explains why things are the way they are. Education
Combining the two philosophies and developmental models we can allow students to be
educated in areas of their own mental welfare. Being educated on why one feels or thinks a
certain way allows him or her to get in touch with who they are in the grand scheme of life. Once
he or she figures out bits and pieces of themselves, they are able to tear down mental barriers to
open doors to more knowledge, and the ability to help those around them.
MY PHILOSOPHY OF HIGHER EDUCATION 3
Further Explanation and Stories
I became passionate about the Student Development Model just recently. I was hired on
as the Community Coordinator of the Lodges for my senior year here at Indiana Wesleyan
University. I was so excited to train with my staff members and get to know each of them on a
deeper level. I moved into my lodge, got comfortable, and was finally building relationships with
members on my staff. We won competitions together, laughed together, and even cried together.
I was able to be so vulnerable and transparent with them in a way that was unfamiliar for me. It
was so amazing. I told them my testimony. How I struggled with body image, depression, and
identity confusion. When I saw shame in my testimony, they saw strength. They pointed out all
that God had done for me and how strong I was to get through.
We only had two weeks of training together before the rest of the IWU student body
arrived. Two weeks was all we needed to become a close team. We loved each other and knew
we could rely on each other. A few weeks into the school year, I lost my best friend to a car
accident. We were not as close as were when we went to high school together, but we had the
type of friendship that would always be there. I knew if I needed anything he would be the first
to be there. Death is a weird and mysterious thing. It can be expected or totally knock you off
your seat in shock. For Vinny, it was the latter. He rode his bike every single day. Why was this
time different? No matter how hard I searched for the answer, I could not find it. Vinny was gone
Now, Indiana Wesleyan University has a policy about drinking alcohol. We, as students
at IWU, are not to consume or be in the presence of alcohol while in session. For me, it was an
even stricter policy because I was on leadership as the Community Coordinator. However, I
4 MY PHILOSOPHY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
drank wine, and lost my position, and I lost my team. When I was caught, I lied to my Resident
Director because I was scared of losing my job. However, shortly after (like seconds after) I
realized the huge mistake I had made. She and I walked to my room and talked with my
roommate. We gave her the empty bottles of wine, and I was told that we would discuss the
consequences with student conduct the next day. I was at a loss. As we met with student conduct,
tears were shed and I accepted my consequence of being released from my position as
Community Coordinator of the Lodges. I lost so much in such a small amount of time. I lost my
job, I lost my team, and I lost my best friend. Due to constant questioning of Why did you do
Counseling is an amazing piece of art and allows you to dig into deeper parts of yourself
that you had covered up in the past or that you did not even know it was there. It helps you
discover why you are you. When I met with my counselor for our first meeting, I dropped my
whole life story on her. Nothing was guarded, held back, or even censored. I wanted help, and I
needed answers. When I got to the spot of losing my position of Community Coordinator, she
stopped me. She asked why I did not express feelings of anger or bitterness. I told her it was
because I understood that I broke the rules and needed to be taken out of my position as
consequence. However, she allowed me to realize things within me that I felt deserved to be
expressed. I had never experience grief to this extent before. Losing my best friend was new to
me. Besides Vinny, the closest person that I had experienced death with was my grandpa when I
was really young. Through counseling I discovered that I do not know how to handle big
emotions such as grief or anger. I drank wine to refocus and stay focused on schoolwork rather
than the death of my friend. I did not know what to do with those emotions or how to express
them. My counselor was worried about me for a while because of my history with depression
MY PHILOSOPHY OF HIGHER EDUCATION 5
and attempted suicides. Losing two huge things in my life could have caused me to go into a
deep depression, and she expected that of me. It became true, but not to the extent that it was
before. My counselor allowed me to realize my feelings and emotions are warranted, and she
Community Coordinator. However, I did not feel as though everything was brought to the table.
My life went from losing Vinny and everyone comforting me, to losing my job and feeling
disconnected and alone. When I put this story of mine in light of my philosophy of the Student
Development Model, I realize the importance and strength that comes with counseling. I
recommend counseling to everyone even when you think you do not need it. It allows you to
break down those walls that keep you from meeting your full potential.
Education has always been an interesting idea for me. When I was younger, I would
babysit my little cousins and put them through school. I would teach them about the important
issues like the Bible and dogs. Throughout high school, I would sit in my classes analyzing the
teaching styles of my teachers. I would think to myself, I would teach it this way or Why did
he/she put it like that? I thoroughly enjoyed learning and thought highly of the blessing that is
an education.
Going into college, I decided to major in Biology pre-vet. I was going through the classes
not know exactly what I was learning, but trying to learn it anyway. I realized something was not
right, and I felt out of place. So I changed my major to Biology Education. I started to excel on
the education side, but still received mediocre grades on the science side. However, my mind
6 MY PHILOSOPHY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
thought it was the education that was pulling me down. So I dropped education and accepted
Biology as my major.
Eventually my mind caught up with reality and I realized that my brain just does not
work with science and math. I wanted to teach, but I did not know what I wanted to teach. I
wanted to be with people and help them learn and gain knowledge, but I did not know how to get
there. I discovered the major of Communication and decided to give it a twirl. I struck gold with
this major. It came naturally to me and everything made sense. I wanted to learn more and get
However, I continued to hunger for education and tried to figure out ways I could teach
and still use my skills in communication. I accepted the fact that I most likely would not be able
to teach Communication in a high school unless I taught Speech, but that would be it. So I gave
up on the teaching passion and pursued my passion of working with people. Which lead me to
Student Development. After talking with my cousin whom is a Professor of Law at the Ohio
State University, I realized the obvious formula of meeting both of my passions of education and
people. Teaching at a collegiate level. Communication is a widely known major in most colleges
Education is such a powerful tool. Yes, we are able to develop street smarts just from
being normal human beings and working our way through life, but education allows us to dig
While taking my education courses here at Indiana Wesleyan University, I was deeply
influenced by the blessing and absolute honor we have to be able to have an education. Children
in Africa, and other third world countries, have such a strong desire for education, but most of
the time do not receive it due to lack of education and money, or resources.
MY PHILOSOPHY OF HIGHER EDUCATION 7
We have such a blessing here in the United States of America. We have opportunities for
education all around us. I believe we have all become too accepting of education and have
therefor become numb to the blessing that it is in our lives. We must educate for the blessing and
opportunity that it is. We must stop the younger generations from saying things like, I hate
I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I believe they are
three in one, and one in three. I believe God created the earth and all that is in it, and sent His son
to carry the sins of the world in the hopes that we would desire a relationship with him in
eternity. I believe He sent the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us in the way we should go, once
we have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives. I believe Christ will come back again,
and take to heaven all those who belong to the Kingdom of God, and those left behind will go
My core values in life are Faith, Family, and People. God is so important to me. I would
not be who I am today without His impact on my life. When I look at my testimony, I truly see
His hand guiding me, and His voice directing and comforting me. He is all that I am, and I want
to continue to pursue the Trent Green that He has created me to be. Secondly, I value my family
so much. They have pushed me and taught me in ways that I could never repay them for. They
do this out of love. The life decisions I chose to make shook the grounds of my relationship with
them, but they grabbed onto me and got down on their knees in prayer. These actions by my
family caused me to turn my past life story into a testimony of Gods glory. Lastly, people are
valuable to me. I believe God has created each person individually and uniquely. Every person
has a story, and every person has a purpose. If God allows me to assist people in finding their
God given purpose, or be able to journey with them through their lives and stories, I will be truly
blessed. These values, I hope to continue to feed into and grow stronger and deeper in. They
make me who I am, and God has placed each value on my heart for a reason. It is my job to use
my passions and pursuits for His glory, and to use his purpose in my life in every aspect of my
life.