Testing 123 and Just a Little Bit About Me

Hi! I'm excited to start this blog. It will certainly be a useful tool for me to reflect on my experiences in student affairs, past, present, and future. More importantly, I hope that others, even if just one person, can gain useful information, insight, or lessons from my own challenges and successes.

 

I must admit, I do feel a bit foolish thinking that other people could benefit from me simply sharing my thoughts, but I try to keep that sentiment to a minimum. I know that in my search for the right profession, and graduate program, it would have been helpful for me to read personal blogs from those already pursuing advancement in the field.

I can't believe it was only a little more than a year ago that I was so confused about what career I wanted to pursue. During the six month span before I had the "ah-ha" moment that led me to pursue student affairs I went from thinking I would be an English teacher, to an ESL teacher, to a counselor, and a Chinese teacher (no I didn't speak Chinese fluently....yet). Needless to say, I felt a little lost and I often joked to friends, though I sincerely felt, that I was going through a "quarter life crisis." It was already a couple of years after I graduated with my bachelors, and I was baffled that I still had no feeling of certainty about what I would be doing in 5 years, let alone for my whole life.

 

So what was my "Ah-ha" moment that proved student affairs was for me? Well, funny enough it happened at UConn over a year ago. I was at the Rainbow Center to network with students, and the director Fleurette King. As individuals interested and engaged in GLBT student services it was an important connection to make. At the time I was working as a program coordinator, which I am still doing until the end of July, but I also was a part time nanny. One of the UConn students (I wish I could remember his name) asked me what I do. After I explained my nanny job to him, he said,

 

"...but what about your work at the Center?" My response was,

"Oh right! I always forget to talk about that when people ask me about my job, because it NEVER feels like a job."

 

He looked at me a little puzzled, and continued to tell me about the HESA program, and that a job serving students was actually a career path. Now I know this is crazy, considering by this point I had already been a program coordinator for a year, but I had NEVER thought this was a profession I could pursue. It's a classic example of missing something right under my nose! Prior to this, I always conceived of College Student Personnel programs, and those like them, to only relate to residential life. This is an area of student affairs that beyond living learning communities is of little interest to me. Though I recognize its importance, it does not draw me as of yet (who knows where the future may lead!). Up until this very point in my life's narrative my work at the GLBT Center was just a really amazing, yet temporary interlude. Well, realizing I could dedicate my life to serving students in a way that allowed me to focus on equity transformed the interlude into the melody. I soon discovered so many people already in my life that were ready to play in my band!

 

All musical metaphors aside, after I chose student affairs as a career path my reliance on colleagues and community members deepened. They gave me support, offered to be receiving ears, wrote me references, and reflected on my strengths, further confirming to me that people in student affairs are by and large simply incredible! Because of this, I feel indebted and compelled to offer recognition to these folks right from the get go. So thank you to Andrew Winters, my supervisor, and the director of the GLBT Center for giving me opportunities to take ownership of so many great programs, and for always taking time to help me process my future plans, and also being supportive of my choices even though one of them, my decision to go to UConn, means me leaving the Center. Also, thank you to Annemarie Vaccaro, a professor in the College Student Personnel program, and someone with research interests that practically mirror my own. She took the initiative to offer advice and become a mentor, and role model. Thank you to Eva Jones, an English and Women's Studies professor, summer staff at the Center, and supportive friend who never hesitates to lend a helping hand and who was a key player in making this year at the Center the best one yet! I also owe gratitude to Amy Olson, director of Hillel, Trip Hutchinson, Director of the Diversity House, Carolyn Souvet, Director of the Women's Center, Melvin Wade, Director of the Multicultural Center, and Bobbi Koppel, Director of Career Services. You each took segments out of your day multiple times to talk with me and each expressed interest in being available should I need help. I also can't forget to thank Katrina Dorsey, Coordinator of Student Life, who just recently advised me on the logistics of a blogging as a young professional. There is one group of people I simply cannot forget, that is the students I work with at the Center. Each of you is so uniquely great, and it means so much to me that you've all invested time and energy into the Center. You are by far, the most important element to the Center! It's impossible to give credit to every person that deserves it, so if you've set aside a moment to give me encouragement, thank you, and I hope I can return the favor sometime soon! I realize that all of my successes are not just my own, and they are, in no small way, attributed to those around me who offer support.

 

So this is my blog, and this post in particular is very personal. Some posts in the future will be like this, but others will be written around a theme. I have already generated a list of topics to cover. My aim is to provide access to useful resources and ideas for other professionals, graduate students in the field, and those possibly considering college personnel as a career path. So far I hope to cover the following topics:

Finding the Right Graduate Program

Networking in Student Affairs

How to Use Virtual Environments to Deepen Your Student Affairs Knowledge

I'm not an expert, in fact quite the opposite. I'm in my late twenties, probably nieve in many ways, and navigating through my nascent professional experience sometimes lead me down dead ends and wrong turns. Despite this, I've found things that work for me, and I also know that I am a member of the up and coming generation of student affairs professionals. Our lives and work 20 years from now will be significantly different from those currently seasoned in the profession. We have, as young minds, much to teach, as well as much to learn.

 

Thank you for reading this post. I hope you found it at least mildly entertaining, and good enough hopefully to stay tuned for the next one!

I'm interested to know, when did you decide to choose student affairs as a profession? What role did colleagues play? If you haven't chosen yet, what's holding you back? Post your comments on my blog, and let's get a discussion going!