Student Affairs Philosophy
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There are three core values at the heart of my Philosophy of Student Affairs: holistic development, relationship development, and inclusivity, all of which influence my role as a future student affairs educator/career advisor. Enjoy the excerpts below from my Student Affairs Philosophy Statement. The full version can be found by clicking here.
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Holistic Development:
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From my experiences, holistic development is an all-encompassing and collaborative approach to student development. I wholeheartedly believe it’s vital to care about all aspects of a student’s growth and development. A college experience is more than sitting in classes and memorizing content. In order for students to reach their full potential, they need to be encouraged to participate in co-curricular activities and experiential learning opportunities.
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As a future career advisor, it’s not only about providing the resources and technical skills of how to create a resume/cover letter; but digging deeper and helping students make the connections between the content they have learned and how they have utilized it through internship or experiential learning opportunities. If students haven’t yet participated in an internship or experiential learning, as a career advisor, I would tell them about my own personal experiences or attempt to connect them with another student willing to share their story. As a whole, the value of holistic development is influential in my approach and my values as it relates to the field of Student Affairs and the work I will be doing as a career advisor.
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Relationship Development:
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The positive impact relationship development had on my career trajectory is what makes it an important value to my philosophy of student affairs. When I become a career advisor, I know I will be doing more than helping the students who schedule an appointment with me, I will also be around student workers in the office. Through those interactions, I aspire to help guide and collaborate with students who are passionate in learning about the field of career advising. If I am lucky enough, I hope to one day pay forward the wonderful mentorship I was given to another aspiring student affairs educator.
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Inclusivity:
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In order to utilize my values of holistic and relationship development, I first have to create a space in which students feel comfortable sharing and growing. Creating an inclusive environment is a building block for the previous values mentioned, which is why inclusivity is the cornerstone value in my student affairs philosophy.
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While I can take certain actions to create a safe space for students, it’s harder to ensure a safe space beyond an office-setting.
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Given the concepts of brave spaces and the theory of challenge and support, to truly create inclusion, it takes more than just being aware of your own privilege; a person needs to be open to understanding the perspectives of those different from themselves.
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The Future:
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The values I have discussed relate to the experiences I have had up to this point in time. As I think about my future, I look forward to the experiences that will cultivate new values and add to the philosophy that undergirds my work as a student affairs educator/career advisor.