Monday, 16 September 2013 - 5:49pm

Why did you choose a career in student affairs?

Choosing to be a Student Affairs professional was a very purposeful process for me. The process began when starting on a career path after completing my undergraduate degree in which I quickly found myself not satisfied professionally or happy personally. I started talking with my mentors, who happened to be Student Affairs professionals and the recurring theme I heard (and this was before Strengths-Finders!) was; “ you were really a terrific student leader, what do you think about Student Affairs?” Like so many other professionals I have talked to, Student Affairs was not on my radar as a career path. I took their advice and followed one of my mentors (thank you Paulette Curkin!) to graduate school, obtained a terrific graduate assistantship and education (thank you Southern Illinois University – Carbondale!). I have been truly on a career path that resonates with me today as it did over 30 years ago.

What is your advice for students interested in student affairs?

Coincidently I am working with an undergraduate currently who is actively considering Student Affairs as a career path. The advice and direction I am providing Liz is to set up interviews with people who hold positions she is intrigued by on our campus, conduct the interviews and learn from their success, mistakes and passion for their work. And like my mentors did for me, discuss, process and reflect about your findings. What Liz is finding is that there is no set tried and true path to a successful career in Student Affairs. What is consistent is the core value they share; a commitment to student success and all that that means for all of our students.

In your opinion, what are the top 3 attributes of an outstanding student affairs professional?

  1. Possess a sense of hope for the future and that deeply believe the work matters.
  2. The ability to work well with others in a variety of contexts who are similar, different and at times challenging. See those challenges (students and leadership) for the opportunities they are.
  3. The ability to understand, and apply theoretical constructs and have a vision for their own successful work with students.