Narrative Description

Academically, the most significant content from my coursework as a student in the

Student Development Administration Program came from my experiences in SDAD 5400:

Student Development Theory, Research and Practice. As an individual with privileged identities

that played a large role in both my access to college attendance and extremely positive

undergraduate experience, developing an understanding of community cultural wealth (Yosso,

2005) and of the six forms of capital students of color possess has played a large role in my

understanding of how to support students whose identities differ from my own and to create a

campus environment that fosters the identity development of students of diverse backgrounds. In

addition, my experience in EDUC 5130 gave me a strong foundational knowledge of adult

learning theories, including Kolbs (1981) experiential learning theory, which I believe is a

useful tool for guiding students to maximize their learning inside and outside the classroom.

Finally, my work in COUN 5110 and COUN 5120 provided me with practical training in basic

counseling skills and career development, respectively, that I continue to utilize in my role as an

academic advisor.

Through critical self-reflection, the Student Development Administration Program

provided me with a strong awareness of the influence specific aspects of privilege such as my

class background, the fact that both my parents earned college degrees, and my high schools

strong college-going culturehad on my undergraduate experience. In keeping with Kolbs

(1981) experiential learning theory, I have learned that I strongly identify with the diverging

learning style and seek out learning opportunities that incorporate an active dimension. I learn

best from actively applying new skills and knowledge as I learn. Finally, through multiple
presenting opportunities throughout my internships, graduate assistantship and coursework, I

have become more confident in my public speaking skills.

From my internship at the UCLA Career Center, I have learned the importance of

incorporating career development into a students overall experience at a university, career

developments role in student success and retention, and how it is most challenging to merge

academic and career advising at a larger university. My internship at UCLA also provided me

with practical knowledge of the on-campus recruitment procedure, and how to facilitate this

process for the mutual benefit of students and employers. From my internship at USC, I

developed practical skills in data analysis from observing a set of raw descriptive student data.

From each of these internships, I developed a greater understanding of the experiences of student

athletes and of the ways in which the demands of athletics permeate major and career

discernment among student athletes.

From my graduate assistant role as an academic advisor, I have worked with many

transfer, commuter, international and first-generation students, and have gained valuable skills in

building supportive relationships with students and supporting diverse populations. Through my

work with the Albers New Student Mentor program, my graduate assistant role also provided me

with valuable large-scale event planning, budget management, and supervisory experience which

will serve me well in my next professional role, whether it is in student affairs or not.

The primary implication of my learning in the SDA program for future student affairs

practice is the value and importance of incorporating self-reflection into academic coursework at

any institution. Additionally, from my social justice-related coursework and my USC internship,

I have learned about the significant tension between access and equity and the significance of the
widening class gap among student populations at any university setting, and especially at private

universities.

My main critiques of the SDA program are the overlaps in coursework, particularly in

terms of leadership courses. I believe it would be important to replace a second leadership

course with a course more specifically relevant to student affairs work. Second, I feel that the

NASPA competencies self-assessment should have been brought up in more courses and a case

for its value and importance made earlier on in the program, particularly in the SDAD 5300

course.

Though unfamiliar with Jesuit pedagogy prior to enrolling at Seattle U, I feel that Jesuit

education has played a significant role in my professional development and identity, particularly

with respect to the importance of critical self-reflection, discernment, and social justice. These

specific educational frameworks will inform my future work with students, in terms of how I will

tailor my practice to support individual students needs and meet students where they are,

academically, professionally and personally.

 References

Kolb, D. (1981). Theory of experiential learning. In Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., Guido, F.M.,

Patton, Lori D., & Renn, Kristen, Student Development in College. (136-152). San

Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Yosso, T. J. (2005) Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community
cultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69-91.