When thinking about what morals, values, and past experiences have driven my passion for student affairs, I came up with three main beliefs that shape my philosophy. These beliefs have been formed through various learning opportunities, mentors that have shared their philosophies with me, and practical experiences I’ve had working with students. I believe that, although I have many ideas about the kind of professional I want to be, these three beliefs are what guide these ideas and shape my interests within the field of student affairs.

            The first of these is that a college or university’s main job is to prepare students to be functioning and active members of society. For me, this is rooted in my experience at my undergraduate institution, where I was expected not only to be a part of my school, but also the community and city in which I resided. Being an urban campus, it was encouraged of us, as students, to take advantage of opportunities outside the classroom- beginning with our very first class in which student affairs professionals took us out into the city to study an aspect of the culture or history as it related to our class’s theme. Because of this, I am a firm believer that students should be exposed to activities and learning opportunities outside of the classroom. This will prepare them for the real world by seamlessly fusing theories and concepts they are learning with real-life practice, ensuring the smooth transition after graduation with the application of these acquired skills.

            My second belief is that each student has unique background experiences, values, and morals that can help shape their college experience, and that, as professionals, our job is to help empower them by guiding the realization of this knowledge so they can best use it throughout their career. Appreciating and exploring the many facets of diversity among student populations is something that is very important to me and one that I believe is essential to effectively working with these students. While serving as an advisor for the Global Pathways Certificate, I have made it a point to get to know my students personally in order to tailor my style to each student and their individual needs. This knowledge has also helped me to be an advocate for my students- knowing what resources they may need or how best to work with them in different situations.

            Lastly, I believe that in order to be effective practitioners, we must continue to grow and adapt to our environments as students’ needs change. Just as our profession’s principles and philosophies have changed, our own need to be flexible to accommodate the current trends in higher education. Adaptability is one of my strengths, and I believe it will be invaluable in a world where new ideas and information travel at lightning speed. Our students’ interests and needs will not be the same fifteen years from now, and I am prepared to continue to study the latest developments in the field so that I can stay current on the best practices to most effectively help my students. As I delve deeper into the profession, my understanding of the need for assessment increases, as I am finding that in order to adapt, we need to have data to quantify the changes in our student populations. This is why I believe ongoing professional development is so important, as this will enable us to learn from each other and bring ideas back to our own campuses.

            All of these beliefs come together to form my philosophy that my own student affairs practice will be student centered. It is this knowledge that will drive my focus on the holistic development of students, using what I know to empower, advise, and mentor my students. I will strive to work with my students, not just for them, creating a partnership between the institution and the student body. I will create an environment of mutual learning and respect that will help students problem solve and make decisions that will shape their own experiences. And I will take my beliefs, past experience, and prior knowledge, and mold them through continuous professional development and lifelong learning to become an effective educator, resource, and role model in the student affairs profession.