Reflecting on an Experience: The Culmination

The Experiences

With my graduate assistantship in Residence Life, there has definitely been a variety of

experiences that have prepared me for a lot. One, of the first experiences was the committee

work that I was able to be a part of. This work taught me about teaching diversity, ethical hiring

standards, how to effectively present, serve as a devil’s advocate, and even how to find meaning

when others just see busy work. For me, the greatest lesson of this all was to work with those

who have very different perspectives on the work we do, and where the value is in it all. Every

tiny piece of work, every extra hour preparing a presentation, and every student is the driving

force in the work we do; and getting to work with people who lose value in the little things

taught me a lot about my motivation.

In the program, the stand out point was working with transition. Class material put a lot

of words to the work that was happening in my assistantship, but with the ever-changing

program, a unique lesson was how to find stability. The HESA program is still in its early steps

so many experiences, from the first time a class is taught a certain way to the first full-time

professor, are chances to experiment and be part of the foundation of something new as a

student. For me, I took root in the sameness of experiences; knowing how to accomplish a task,

how to be part of a discussion, and how to educate others, as the rocks that calmed the seas of

change.

Another major experience were the two practicum experiences that took me out of my

comfort zone. Working at Colby was a unique educational experience with an incredibly

different culture that meant change happened almost instantly (including sometimes without

thought of repercussion) and the departments were incredibly connected. Title IX was an
experience that got the train of thought running in the direction of understanding the many

different factors that go into things like a risk management plan or an educational experience.

A final experience that stood out was the coursework (not all of which was required

under the program) which earned me the Title IX certificate. This was an important set of

experiences as Title IX is currently going through some revisions and this program helped to

keep up with what those looked like, which is incredibly useful as Title IX plays out in every

department on every university in some way. This was also vital as it talked about the

investigation side, which was often missed as staff member not in Title IX. As a student who

wants to become more well-rounded and gain experience outside of their focus area, this was a

major step forward.

Growth and Improvement

The greatest aspects of growth have been the soft skills, and the things that are not quite

as easily measured by a survey instrument. The classroom has been an amazing opportunity to

see processes and why put into action, but it the working with students and staff that have been

driving forces on the skill of a good professional. A major lesson is how to have intentional

conversations, particularly when the other person is not interested. Discussing buy-in is vital, and

doing the work was the main thing. These experiences are difficult to discuss in terms of specific

contributions as each experience was more holistic in its education then it was focused on a

single objective (e.g. While each practicum had four learning objectives, each taught me those

and so much more through their experience.)

Additional education options both in the classroom and out have also been key driving

points in growth as a professional. While there are set classes and job expectations, I have grown
most in the some of the extra environments, e.g. fully advising hall council. This has been a

chance to challenge myself above and beyond the initial scope of the program.

In regard to addressing issues, the biggest stride would come in settling down and

focusing on a uniform structure. While the ever-changing program seeks to mirror the evolving

area of student affairs, a major hold-up is confusion about expectations of what a student’s role

looks like and how to go about working through these processes. When it comes to things like

assistantships, practicums, and even the culminating demonstration, the information and

expectations are widely varied based on who provides the information. While the program is

driven by the NASPA/ACPA competencies, bringing uniformity (or at least an element as close

to this as possible) would help ensure everyone can leave with a similar level of experience with

area.

Observations and Conclusions

Overall, it has been a truly amazing experience that prepares students to not just be

experts on a subject or area, but on how to be wholly effective professionals. This is truly

beneficial, as someone beginning a career in a specific area of student affairs may find passion

elsewhere, and it is nice to start that type of journey early. With the various challenges it is

important to recognize, that they did not stop someone from getting the experience and instead

forced more creative methods for moving forward and through those challenges. Additionally, by

presenting additional opportunities on top of the classroom and work environment, there are

unique opportunities for everyone to challenge their growth and get experience in areas they may

not have envisioned at first.

The biggest conclusions I have drawn have been in regard to the evolution of the

profession. The student affairs of five years ago is already vastly different from the student
affairs of now, and as an incoming professional I have the knowledge and skillset to not just keep

up but to thrive in that environment. Another conclusion has been to understand varied demands.

Not every area of student affairs or institution has the same expectations of their staff and being

flexible and ready to take every challenge head on has been a lesson to prepare for.