Jazzmine Wierzbicki-McMickle

Jazzmine Wierzbicki-McMickle
Now What? Being a Scholar-practitioner
HIED 66655 Case Studies in Higher Education

Jazzmine Wierzbicki-McMickle

One thing that I have learned within my various roles here at Kent State is to
always ask questions, and challenge yourself to try something knew. There is something
that can be learned from each experience and that is important to keep in mind when we
move out of the traditional learning role of Graduate Assistants and Practicums to
professionals.
ACPA and NASPA Professional Competencies lay out the framework for all
student affairs practitioners to follow in immediate and future work. While I feel that the
fundamental aspects of these competencies are gained through graduate coursework and
our first experiences, it is important that we not settle there and strive to eventually reach
the advanced outcomes. The real question is how can we get to those outcomes when we
are often so concerned with the immediate and the here and now. Hatfeild and Wise
explain the reasons we dont pursue things that could help us obtain those higher level
outcomes are; not reading enough research, scholarship is not valued or expected of our
roles, academia is not regularly associated with the student affairs role, inadequate
preparation for publications, being siloes on campus, and a lack of motivation (Hatfield
& Wise, 2015). If we know this going into our profession, we can go in with the attitude
to break those barriers and continue to push forward with scholarly research and
professional development that moves beyond presentations and conferences.
My long-term future plans are still unsure for me, as I am still exploring what the
field of student affairs looks like for me. I have hopes to work in an art university setting
working directly in admissions, which is my way of intersecting my passions and skills.
In the immediate future I hope to explore the field of admissions and the various roles it
has within an art centered university; eventually moving through the different functions

Jazzmine Wierzbicki-McMickle

within admissions. While admissions is a great place to start the development process for
students, it is also the best position to apply a business model and project management
approach to enrollment. One of the reasons that I am attracted to admissions is because of
this duality, having a business mindset is what will push the university forward
enrollment wise but having a student centered approach to development is what will keep
the students through the enrollment process. Continuing education is an important aspect
of my exploration piece, as well as the growth of my skill sets. I plan on going on to get
my Masters in Business Administration so I can gain that different approach to a student
affairs issue, while taking course work in the art field to keep up to date with what
incoming students will be encountering. In addition I plan on seeking out sales trainings
to enhance the sales training that I currently have. Having sales training beyond what a
university may or may not provide me with is important because that is another big
portion of what my role in admissions would be.
On the student affairs realm some specific professional development opportunities
that I plan to utilize within my first few years of the profession are networking and
conferences. Networking is often seen as a way to advance your career, and often
overlooked as a way to learn more about what is going on within other
departments/institutions. It is a great way to share ideas, learn new best practices and
applications, and seek out new opportunities within your university setting to learn new
abilities to use in your own professional setting. Attending and possibly presenting at
conferences and webinars sponsored by the National Association for College Admission
Counseling (NACAC) is another way that I plan to ensure professional growth. Hatfeild
and Wise state Any student affairs professional not reading the literature, not becoming

Jazzmine Wierzbicki-McMickle

knowledgeable of research and theory, is not acting ethically. Students have a right to
expect that student affairs professionals are knowledgeable of appropriate theories,
current research, and proven best practices (Hatfield & Wise, 2015). While continuing to
read scholarly articles and research within the field will help, having a hands-on approach
to the delivery of information is what works best for me; conferences and presentations. I
also plan on taking advantage of all the side opportunities the university may have to
offer. Having the chance to advise a student group, be a student conduct hearing officer,
serve on committees and taskforces are all great ways to stay fresh with all of the ACPA
and NASPA competencies and further learning and skill development.
I believe that education does not just happen in the classroom and we should
never stop desiring more knowledge. This belief is what will push my forward through
any career path that I ultimately end up in and will make me a much better professional. I
am looking forward to what the future has in store and the next steps I will take to
explore that future.

Jazzmine Wierzbicki-McMickle

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References

Hatfeild,L.J.&Wise,V.(2015).WhyStudentAffairsProfessionalsShouldPursueScholarship(And
WhyWeDont).In,AGuidetoBecomingaScholarlyPractitionerinStudentAffairs.Stylus
PublishingLLC.