Running head: LEARNING OUTCOME NARRATIVE 1

Learning Outcome Narrative

Christina A. Suarez

Seattle University
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Learning Outcome Narrative

I am a leader who roots my practice in my values of care, advocacy, reflection,

education and leadership. I put the needs of the students I serve at the heart of my

practice. My student-centered approach and values have been influenced by the Student

Development Administration (SDA) program’s learning outcomes (LOs). This program

has prompted me to reflect on who I am as a leader, what identities and values I hold, and

how these factors influence my practice. I learned to take a critical lens when assessing

inclusivity of practices within institutions and advocate to adapt services to meet student

needs. Throughout this paper, I dive deeper into how the SDA LOs are woven into my

approach and have implications for my future practice.

Learning Outcomes

LO #1: Understanding the foundations and emerging nature of the Student Affairs

profession and higher education

I define LO #1 as, understanding how the historical and emerging context of

higher education and student affairs impact the services, structures and policies within an

institution. This manifests in my practice through integration of student development

theories into the classroom and my role as an Assistant Area Coordinator (AAC) in

Housing and Residence Life (HRL) at Seattle University. My strengths demonstrated

within LO #1 are ability to apply theory to practice and review research. This can be seen

in Artifact G (Distinctive Contribution), where I utilized Yosso’s (2005) theory of

Community Cultural Wealth to develop Resident Assistant (RA) training curriculum. I

created a series of statements using Yosso’s (2005) six forms of capital; aspirational,

navigational, social, linguistic, familial and resistant capital. RAs read over these
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statements and if a statement spoke to their experience, they picked up a synthetic rose

petal to symbolize the cultural wealth and knowledge they gained throughout their life.

Additionally, my strength in research was demonstrated in Student Development

Theory, Research, and Practice (SDAD 5400) and Best Practices in Student Services

(SDAD 5750), were I developed Artifact C (Best Academic Work) and Artifact D (Best

Demonstration of Professional Practice). Through the development of these artifacts, I

reviewed literature on the barriers to college access and the impacts of mental on student

success. Using this research combined with my research on promising practices to

promote student success, I created two projects; a peer mentorship program to enhance

mental health on a college campus and an afterschool college access program.

Similarly, an area for growth is to learn about additional promising practices and

student development theories to better serve students. Artifact C (Best Academic Work)

and D (Best Demonstration of Professional Practice) utilize promising practices in the

field to develop a new initiative. This artifact demonstrated the need to do more research

on promising practices and integrate them in my work. Additionally, coursework on the

American Community College (SDAD 5590) and Best Practices of Student Services

(SDAD 5750) reinforced the idea that there is so much knowledge in the field that I have

yet to discover. Similarly, as an AAC, I learned there are more theoretical frameworks I

can integrate in my role as an advisor and supervisor. As I enter the field, I will continue

to apply theory to practice and attend webinars and conferences to enhance learning.

LO #2: Understanding students and student issues

LO #2 is the ability to learn more about students holistically; such as how their

personal, academic and professional stories inform their student experience. Specifically,
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it is understanding how a students’ identities, cultural backgrounds and beliefs impact

them and influence the diverse issues students may face. This LO shows up in my

academics and professional practice through research on factors impacting students and

application of student development theory to understand students. My strengths within

LO #2 are demonstrated through the ability to research factors impacting student success

and my student-centered approach in my work. Artifact C (Best Academic Work) and

Artifact D (Best Demonstration of Professional Practice) demonstrate my ability to

research issues related to college access and mental health because I had either reviewed

literature through online databases or conducted informational interviews with

practitioners to learn more about these topics and their impact on student success.

Additionally, Artifact B (Mission Statement) highlights my student-centered

approach in my practice. Similarly, Student Development Theory, Research, and Practice

(SDAD 5400) and Best Practices in Student Services (SDAD 5750) enhanced my ability

to use research and theory to understand students and the issues they face. Within my

professional practice, I reflect on my multicultural competence and how-to better support

students who may have different identities than my own (Pope, Reynolds & Mueller

2004). To best serve students, I reflect on how identities, cultural backgrounds, beliefs

and values influence student needs and my personal practice. For example, as a student

conduct administrator, I am aware that socioeconomic status can impact students. This

allows me to adapt or create sanctions that are aligned with the student conduct process,

are financially feasible, hold students’ accountable and aid in reflection of their behavior.

An area for growth would be to stay knowledgeable on current student issues. At

times, I feel that I retroactively learn about student issues because I am no longer an
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undergraduate student. Artifact C (Best Academic Work), my role in HRL, and Best

Practices in Student Services (SDAD 5750) highlighted the need to understand student

issues to best support students. In the future, I will research additional promising

practices in the field and learn more about student issues by reading student newspapers.

LO #3: Exhibiting professional integrity and ethical leadership in professional practice

My personal definition of LO #3 is as follows, demonstrating integrity while

serving as an agent of care for students and the institution by living out personal and

professional values, using morals and ethics as a guide to decision-making and upholding

laws, policies and guiding governance established. This shows up in my academic and

professional practice by upholding and abiding by university policies and regulations. My

strength within LO #3, is use of my personal and ethical foundations in decision-making

and upholding policies and legal principles within my role in HRL. This strength is

shown in Artifact E (Professional Letter of Promise) when speaking to my ability to

manage incidents within my role in HRL and uphold policies.

Similarly, Foundations of the Student Affairs Profession (SDAD 5300) and

Internship in Student Development Administration (SDAD 5660) enhanced my

knowledge of how to navigate ethical dilemmas and reflect on the NASPA/ACPA

competency of personal and ethical foundations. For example, when managing an

incident as an AAC, I received directions that I felt were not aligned with procedure. I

debated whether I should follow the direction provided or communicate my professional

disagreement. To navigate this dilemma, I trusted my instincts and used my knowledge of

protocol as a guide to best communicate my concerns. This example highlights my

ethical leadership and strength in upholding protocol and policy in my role as an AAC.
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Additionally, an area of growth is to learn more about higher education law and

ethics that guide my practice. Artifact B (Mission Statement) highlighted the need to

know policies and ethical guidelines that influence how I may advocate for students as an

agent of care for students and an institution. Additionally, Leadership and Governance in

Post-Secondary Education (SDAD 5760) and my role HRL demonstrated the need to

develop more knowledge on how ethics impact decision making and governance at an

institution. For example, I will learn more about how ethics impact organizational

leadership and the role external stakeholders, such as community partnerships, and

internal stakeholders, such as students, play in influencing campus life at an institution.

As an ethical leader, I will use personal and local guidance when facing ethical dilemmas

and seek information on law and ethics through online learning communities.

LO #4: Understanding and fostering diversity, justice and a sustainable world formed by

a global perspective and Jesuit Catholic Tradition.

I define LO #4 as, leading with care and utilizing a critical lens to address the

structures that impact inclusivity in higher education and beyond, while promoting

learning communities that foster diversity, holistically support students and strive for

inclusive excellence. This manifests through integration of the Jesuit values of reflection,

care and social justice into my work within the classroom and HRL. A strength I

demonstrate in LO #4 is continuous reflection on how identities, values, cultural

backgrounds and beliefs influence how I show up in spaces, such as my work.

Additionally, I have a strong understanding of implicit biases and invite people into

conversations surrounding the community impact of their behavior. These strengths can

be found in Artifact B (Mission Statement), which highlights my guiding values and

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approach to holistically caring for my students. Reflection papers completed in Student

Development Theory, Research, and Practice (SDAD 5400) show my ability to reflect on

my values, identities, privileges and beliefs. Within my role as an AAC, I demonstrate the

ability to address bias-related incidents and hold conversations surrounding cross-cultural

communication differences with my student staff.

Additionally, areas for growth would be to relearn additional social justice

frameworks and promising practices to address systemic issues in higher education to

enact change. Artifact C (Best Academic Work) demonstrated a need to use assessment

as a promising practice to measure and promote inclusive excellence. Coursework in

Social Justice in Professional Practice (EDUC 5200) and my role in HRL highlighted the

need to apply more social justice frameworks to practice when discussing the community

impact of behaviors with students. I will seek opportunities to continue to educate myself

on social justice issues through research, conferences and online learning communities.

LO #5: Adapting student services to specific environments and cultures

I define LO #5 as, the ability to analyze, assess, and adapt student services,

policies and structures to meet the campus community needs and promote students’

success. This manifests in my academic and professional work when I adapt my

leadership approach and services to support a team or develop programs. My strength in

LO #5 is my ability to be a situational leader who adapts their approach and services due

to contextual factors, such as situation, environment, emotions and needs. Within my

practice I use the triple A (A.A.A) method, which I developed as a RA to manage

incidents. Today, the A.A.A (analyze the situation, assess emotions, and apply

knowledge of policies and resources) method helps me adapt my approach and services
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to navigate situations within residential communities and best support students.

Additionally, Artifact D (Best Demonstration of Professional Practice) and Artifact C

(Best Academic Work) and coursework in Student Development Theory, Research, and

Practice (SDAD 5400) and Best Practices in Student Services (SDAD 5750) show my

ability to adapt programs and initiatives to fit student and institutional context.

An area of growth would be to utilize assessment to adapt and enhance student

services in my practice. Artifact C (Best Academic Work) and coursework in Best

Practices in Student Services (SDAD 5750) demonstrated the need to utilize assessment

to adapt programs and resources to meet student needs. When developing RA training in

my professional practice, I realized the need to integrate Universal Design for Learning

(UDL) principles to meet learners needs (CAST, 2018). Utilizing UDL, a framework to

enhance teaching and learning, allows me to tailor content to be inclusive of diverse

learning modes and create impactful learning experiences (CAST, 2018). I will enhance

my ability to adapt services by learning more about assessment and best practices to

adapt programs to specific college environments through conferences and webinars.

LO #6: Developing and demonstrating skills in leadership and collaboration

LO #6 is the ability to reflect on how the values you hold influence your personal

leadership style and recognize the importance of collaboration with others. This manifests

in my work through reflection on my values and how they impact my role as a leader and

collaborator inside and outside the classroom. My strengths in LO #6 are my ability to

root my leadership in my values and adapt to team dynamics to complete projects.

Artifact B (Mission Statement) highlights my mission as a value driven leader in

my practice. Similarly, Artifact D (Best Demonstration of Professional Practice)

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demonstrated my ability to collaborate with classmates to successfully create a college

access program. Within my professional practice as an AAC, I integrate my values of

care to support my students in their personal, academic and professional journey.

Coursework in Transformational Leadership (STML 5610) and Leadership as a Creative

Act of the Soul (STML 5720) provided space to strengthen my understanding of who I

am as a leader and what values influence my approach as a future practitioner.

Similarly, areas of growth would be to remind myself that leaders also must

follow. Additionally, I must become more confident in my own voice as a leader to better

manage up. Artifact D (Best Demonstration of Professional Practice) and coursework in

Student Development Theory, Research, and Practice (SDAD 5400) reminded me the

importance of delegation when collaborating on class projects and presentations. As an

AAC, I learned there is a need to be more comfortable managing up at times. Within my

practice, I will create space for others to lead and enhance my ability to provide feedback

to colleagues by asking professional mentors about their own methods to managing up.

LO #7: Utilizing assessment, evaluation, technology, and research to improve practice

I define LO #7 as, ensuring policies, practices and services are effective at

meeting the needs of the student population through integration of assessment, research

and technology to enhance institutional processes and practice. This manifests in my

academic and professional work through review of literature and research on promising

practices. A strength in LO #7 are my skills in researching promising practices and

student issues. Artifact C (Best Academic Work) highlighted my ability to research

promising practices that promote the mental health of college students. Similarly, in my

internship at University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), I developed an assessment to

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measure RA training curriculum effectiveness based on my coursework in Course Design

for Adult Learners (AEDT 5100).

Additionally, an area of growth is to gain more experience in assessment. Artifact

C (Best Academic Work) highlighted the need to conduct more research to develop

services that promote student success. Course Design for Adult Learners (AEDT 5100)

and my UCSC internship demonstrated the need to put the theoretical knowledge of

assessment to practice. In the future, I will research promising practices to promote

student success and learn more about assessment through online learning communities.

LO #8: Communicating effectively in speech and in writing

LO #8 is the ability to express thoughts and ideas in a manner that is clear,

coherent and portrays the true meaning of the message you intended to share with others.

This shows up in presentations and written reports in the classroom and work. Strengths

of mine in LO #8 are my public speaking and writing skills. Artifact A (Resume

Development) shows my ability to clearly and concisely expand on my work experience.

Artifact B (Mission Statement) demonstrated my ability to define my mission within my

practice clearly. Within my role as an AAC, I demonstrate public speaking and written

skills through facilitation of RA training sessions and written incident reports.

Additionally, I need to grow in the area of concise writing. When developing

Artifact B (Mission Statement), I struggled to write my mission concisely. Additionally,

Student Development Theory, Research, and Practice (SDAD 5400) highlighted the need

to write concisely to stay in the page limit. As an AAC, I learned the need to balance

being detailed and concise when writing reports. In my practice, I will be intentional with

my communication and research tips to enhance concise writing skill development.

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LO #9: Understanding issues surrounding law, policy, finance and governance

LO #9 is recognizing the role external and internal pressures and stakeholders

play on the structure of an institution as well as how laws, policies and finances influence

the system of higher education. This shows up in my academic and professional practice

when discussing law, policy and finance in the classroom and in my role in HRL. A

strength in LO #9 is my passion for law and policy which allows me to assess policies

and communicate them to students in a manner that is easier to understand. Artifact C

(Best Academic Work) demonstrates my understanding of how finances impact a

colleges ability to fund initiatives on campus. Coursework in Leadership and Governance

in Post-Secondary Education (SDAD 5760) and my role in HRL demonstrated how

governance impacts decision making at the institutional and department level.

Similarly, areas for further growth are to gain more information on higher

education law, strategic planning and finances of an institution. Artifact C (Best

Academic Work) demonstrated the need to be familiar with state acts that impact funding

for programs on campus. Coursework in Leadership and Governance in Post-Secondary

Education (SDAD 5760) highlighted the need to refamiliarize myself with organizational

theories and apply these to my work. My practice as a supervisor and advisor, highlighted

the need for me to gain more insight on how finances impact budgeting. In my future

practice, I will use my passion area for law as a guide to analyzing laws and policies in

my work and gain more experience managing budgets within my residential community.

LO #10: Establishing and enhancing professional identity

LO #10 can be defined as discerning what your guiding mission and values are

within your work and establishing a community and network of people within the field.
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This shows up in my work through networking, developing my resume and reflection of

how I show up as a professional. A strength of mine is aligning my values with my

practice to do meaningful and impactful work. Artifact B (Mission Statement), Artifact E

(Professional Letter of Promise) and Artifact F (Professional Development and Action

Plan) demonstrate my values, professional identity and development through my own

eyes and the eyes of a professional in the field. Artifact E (Professional Letter of

Promise) highlights my promise and areas of growth in the field and Artifact F

(Professional Development and Action Plan) shows how I will address these areas

through professional development opportunities. In my future practice, my personal

mission will guide me as professional in the field. I will also utilize reflection when

taking on opportunities that align with my values and allow me to grow as a professional.

To enhance my network and professional identity, I will join a professional organization.

Conclusion

Through reflection, I have learned that I strive to enhance my own personal and

professional development through continued learning about the field of student affairs in

order to serve as a resource to my students. Through my commitment to staying aware of

student issues and student needs, I will utilize a critical lens to assess how current

practices and programs at the institution I serve are addressing these factors. Through

collaboration with others, alignment of values and a shared vision I can advocate with

others to enact change in higher education. Within my practice, I will lead with care,

advocate for students and model the change I strive to see in the field.
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References

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved

November 11, 2019 from http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Pope, R. L., Reynolds, A. L., & Mueller, J. A. (2004). Multicultural competence in

student affairs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Yosso, T. (2005) Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of

community cultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity & Education, 8(1), 69-83.