Lisa Rogers ePortfolio Narrative Reflection

I entered this program thinking that I would learn a lot, but I learned
more than that. Over the past two years, I have been exposed to new ideas,
concepts, and theories that have stretched my thinking and my imagination
beyond where I thought it could go. I have been challenged to apply what I
am learning to real life experiences in my assistantship and beyond, or as we
like to say: apply theory to practice. As I reflect on my time in this program,
it is evident that this experience has prepared me for a professional career in
higher education. I am excited to start applying my education to my first
professional position.
Reflection on Content
The most important and relevant content I have learned in this
program are from my Critical Social Theory and Organization and
Governance classes. I have a tendency to believe what I read and take it at
face value. This had been a major flaw of mine throughout my
undergraduate studies, but coming into this program and being in Critical
Social Theory (as well as Leadership in Higher Education) helped to pull me
out of that. In Critical Social Theory we spent time deconstructing theories
and arguments for why the world is the way it is. This experience helped me
be more critical of even the most reputable sources. This class was also
particularly challenging for me because of my identity. I appreciated learning
about how we must lift the veil on peoples stories; how we must be critical
of stories we are told and how we need to provide space for those who do
not have opportunities to share their voice. I realize now that the reason I

Lisa Rogers ePortfolio Narrative Reflection

have historically trusted what I read is because most often the stories are
reflecting my experiences because of my identity (to be explored later in this
reflection). This course challenged me in very personal ways.
The second most important class has been one that I am wrapping up
right now: Organization and Governance. I appreciated this class for
opposite reasons. Because an adjunct professor taught our class, we were
exposed to the true nature of organizations from someone who is in it.
Because of this class, I have a better understanding of organizational theory
and why institutions operate the way they do. As a result, I am able to
identify the institutional structures I am presented with and what strategies
might be most applicable to making change. Additionally, this class afforded
me the opportunity to interview a current upper-level administrator and to
learn about budgets. The practical nature of this course is what I
appreciated the most. I feel better equipped to enter a new institution with
the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate it. This class gave me the
skills to handle organizational issues, where Critical Social Theory gave me
ability to analyze and deconstruct those issues. Overall, I am immensely
appreciative for all of the content I have learned throughout this program.
Reflection on Assistantship and Internship Work
In addition to the educational experiences I had in the classroom, I also
learned a great deal from outside work experiences. The most meaningful
experience was my graduate assistantship as an Assistant Resident Director
in the Department of Residence at Loyola. This position allowed me to learn

Lisa Rogers ePortfolio Narrative Reflection

and grow in incredible ways. Like many others, I pursued a career in Student
Affairs because I enjoyed my experiences as a Resident Advisor during my
undergraduate studies. Looking back, I thought I knew a lot then, but I did
not. Since joining the Department of Residence Life, I have been exposed to
the inner-workings of offices and departments at universities, most notably I
have observed the political nature of decision making. This probably sounds
negative, but I promise it is not. As I learned in my Organization and
Governance class mentioned above, political organizations are based on
relationships and leveraging those relationships for decision making.
Through my work on departmental initiatives, including training and
selection, I have realized why change is slow to occur. Through applying
coursework and observations, I can see that power through leadership makes
a difference. I have learned how to appeal to those with more power in order
to initiate change, even if it is simply a change in mindset.
My internship with AccessibleNU at Northwestern University taught me
about the influence we can have as student affairs professionals. During an
informal conversation with a student, I talked about my partner and the
student asked me why I chose to use the word partner to describe my
male significant other. I told him why and he proceeded to tell me that he
identified as bisexual and how he had not told many people to that point. In
this moment I realized that we have influence over a students experience
and sense of safety simply by changing the language we use. This was one
of the most powerful experiences I had during this program.

Lisa Rogers ePortfolio Narrative Reflection

Reflection on Social Justice

Prior to coming into this program I had a decent amount of exposure to
topics of social justice, particularly in talking about my own White identity.
My time in this program has continued my social justice education. I think
the most important things I have learned about social justice is that it is
important to be aware of group dynamics, and that it is okay to mess up as
long as you learn from it. One of the most profound social justice
experiences I had during these two years was with a close colleague of mine
who held me accountable for not being a better ally. While we are the
shuttle downtown, he experienced a microaggression by someone we did not
know. In the moment I was uncomfortable, but could not identify why I felt
that way. I did not do anything to contribute to the microaggression, but I
did not do anything to stop it either. A couple days later, my friend
approached me with such care and understanding. He explained to me how
he felt and what I could do to be a better ally next time. I will never forget
this experience and I have certainly learned from my mistake.
Another critical experience that shaped my understanding of social
justice was becoming aware of a racial divide that was occurring amongst
the group of Assistant Resident Directors. I brought up the tension in the
space and though the conversation was uncomfortable, everyone proceeded
to get along as they had been, but were more aware that others in the
department were noticing a divide. These experiences shaped how I engage
in topics of social justice; as I enter into professional work, I am aware of how

Lisa Rogers ePortfolio Narrative Reflection

to interrupt identity-based stratification and will provide opportunities for

individuals and staffs to reflect on their own privileged and oppressed
identities. I will continue to challenge myself when I make mistakes related
to social justice and will confront others with care when they make mistakes
as well. I am excited to continue educating students and colleagues about
the importance and relevance of social justice topics.
Reflection on Personal Growth
I came into this program in a very rough place personally. The
personal struggles I dealt with affected how I engaged with others in the
program and how I saw myself. Though I made friends quickly, I found it
difficult to make connections at a deeper level. I found myself oversharing
information and getting overly emotional when the situation did not call for
it. Through the supervision and friendships I have formed in this program, I
rediscovered who I am. The immense amount of reflection encouraged in
this program, allowed me to redefine myself as an individual. My two years
at Loyola has given me plenty of time to reflect on my life goals and desires
and I am ever so grateful for the opportunity for the safe space to explore
my thoughts and feelings.
In a more practical sense, I have grown immensely in my abilities and
skills over the course of the last two years. At the beginning of the program,
I was very timid; I did not want to speak up and share my voice. I jumped
into my position as an Assistant Resident Director right away, but it took me
a while to figure out how I could be myself and do the job. As my confidence

Lisa Rogers ePortfolio Narrative Reflection

grew, so did my ability to participate in meetings regularly or initiate tasks of

my own creation. As the two years progressed more and more of my
personality came out and I was able to build more genuine connections with
my colleagues and classmates. Throughout my multiple experiences, I have
learned so much. This program has helped me develop confidence in my
ability to be in this profession.
Conclusion
Overall, I am extremely grateful for the personal, professional, and
academic opportunities this program has given me. My biggest takeaway
from my two-year experience is that it is important to be critically reflective
of our actions, because without reflection, our actions have little meaning to
us and to others. As I look forward to my next venture, I am excited to apply
what I have learned here and will remember fondly the experiences and
people that made it possible for me to succeed.