Values, Philosophy
& History
This competency area connects the history, philosophy, and values of the student affairs profession to practice.
This competency area embodies the foundations of the profession from which current and future research, scholarship, and practice will change and grow.
The commitment to demonstrating this competency area ensures that present and future practices are informed by an understanding of the profession’s history, philosophy, and values.
Introduction to College Student Affairs:
Philosophy Reflection
The final assignment for our Introduction to College Student Affairs course greatly challenged me in discovering for the first time, my personal philosophy within student affairs. As I reflected and wrote about past impactful experiences that have led me to pursue this field, I incorporated my knowledge of major theories and philosophies within the practice of student affairs and higher education. Philosophies such as the Holistic Approach urges professionals to view students as a product of their environment and not merely intellectual aptitudes (Student Personnel Point of View, 1937). Additionally, the Intentional Approach emphasizes the need for professionals to engage students in the learning outcome and action planning process (Evans & Reason, 2001, p. 373). Both have greatly influenced my own personal philosophy. This discovery process, though it was difficult, greatly supported my ability to recognize both the importance of establishing one’s philosophy when entering this profession and the importance of having an adaptable philosophy as I interact with the changing world of higher education and its diverse students.
Core Values and Ethical Framework within Student Affairs & Higher Education
Our Legal and Ethical Issues course challenged us in identifying our core values and ethical perspectives by creating a one-word acronym consisting of four identified core values. Throughout this assignment, I reflect on each core value and describe their influence on my student affairs practice. Specifically, my core values acronym is ABLE: Achieve - Redefining success for myself and my students, Balance - Designing a life that makes sense, Learn - The never-ending journey towards empathy and understanding, and Empower - Servant leadership in action. This phrase acts as my guide as I change and grow as a professional. This exercise was instrumental in helping me recognize how I must adapt in the ways I serve my students, which is a vital competency when working with impressionable students beginning to explore and redefine themselves (Parks, 2011).
My Family's Historical Biography
within Higher Education
This reflective paper, assigned in our Foundations of Higher Education course, compares my own family’s historical bibliography in regards to the pursuit of higher education, to historical events that have influenced the foundation of higher education. This assignment guided me in developing my competencies in higher education history as I learned of my family's unique experiences while pursuing higher education during specific eras that have forever shaped the American higher education system. Events like the passing of the GI Bill of 1944 (Paulsen, 2014), the surge of women on college campuses in the 1950’s (Thelin, 2019), The Great Recession (Brown & Hoxby, 2015), and many more. This assignment has left me feeling more appreciative of the part my family played in the legacy of higher education. I am as so more aware of the privileges that come with such a legacy. With this awareness, I am more able to reshape my understanding of the “traditional” college experience, and remain open-minded of the unique experiences and legacies each student brings with them to their campus.