Running head: SDA LEARNING OUTCOME NARRATIVE

SDA Learning Outcome Narrative

Lucas A. Ruiz
SDAD 5900 – Winter 2020
Seattle University
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Introduction

The Student Development Administration (SDA) program has been a journey critical to my

professional identity as a student affairs educator. My work in higher education is largely rooted in

admissions and enrollment management, serving Seattle University’s (SU) Undergraduate

Admissions Office for almost eight years. My experience as an SDA student offered me the

academic context that I have applied to professional experiences serving both prospective students

and the institution represented through my work. Additionally, my graduate career afforded me the

opportunity to establish a set of core values that inform both my current position as well as my

future professional trajectory: student-focused service, intentional empathy, transparency,

authenticity, and strong work ethic.

Both my professional pathway and the values that shape my work were informed by the

Learning Outcomes (LOs) that define the SDA program and its purpose. Through their design to

articulate the blended emphasis of student success, social justice, and an effective administrative

mindset, each of the ten LOs help articulate the dimensions that shape my identity as a student

affairs educator. The following narrative will outline the ten SDA LOs, highlighting my definition

for each LO, the strengths and areas of growth within each that resonate for me, and the

implications that inform my professional future.

Learning Outcomes

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

Learning Outcome #1 emphasizes that to grow as a professional and practitioner within

higher education, one must remain cognizant and well-versed in both the deeply rooted foundation

of student affairs as well as its innovative philosophies and approaches to the work. This includes

preparing for and being nimble enough to respond to any shifts in a political and/or legal landscape,

student demographic realities, and emerging best practices within student affairs.
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Strengths: Throughout my SDA career, an evident strength is my ability to embrace the

opportunities for growth that come with the growing complexities of the field. Maintaining

awareness to the developing needs and best practices within the world of student affairs has proven

to be critical for my ability to remain ahead of the curve with respect to the needs of my students

and profession. I am also committed to take on any challenge presented with the mission of

maximizing my professional work to best resonate with the needs of my students at the given time.

Upon arrival to the SDA program, one of the first experiences in my academic career that

helped jumpstart my understanding of student affairs and its ability to be both deeply rooted and

forward in motion was SDAD 5300: Foundations of the Student Affairs Profession. Specifically, the

assignment of interviewing a student affairs practitioner gave me a firsthand account of the

profession’s “emerging nature,” and the ways practitioners manage the multifaceted nature of the

discipline. The assignment led me to interview Dr. Angelica Bailon, a college counselor whom I

have worked with through my professional role in Seattle University’s Undergraduate Admissions

Office. Within the interview, Dr. Bailon shared that one of the main ways she stays informed about

her students’ needs is through the act of avoiding “a fear of taking on new challenges” (Bailon,

2017). Through an act as simple as listening to her students and the salient themes identified in the

conversation, Dr. Bailon shares that she manages to “avoid falling behind” in her ability to support

her ever-evolving students (Bailon, 2017).

Additionally, the strengths I grasp with relation to LO#1 can be witnessed through my

increased involvement with the National Association for College Admissions Counseling

(NACAC), staying current and informed with new developments directly affecting the world of

college admissions. An example of this enthusiasm around keeping ahead of the curve within my

professional college admissions network can be seen in my involvement with the Admissions

Middle Management Institute (AMMI) during the 2018 National NACAC Conference. My
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participation in AMMI allowed me to meet and engage with other “middle management” colleagues

across the country, as well as hear from seasoned professionals about their experiences and the

opportunities for those in the realm of middle management to enact positive strides that are

ultimately in the best interest of our students and their access to college.

Areas of Growth: An area of growth with respect to maintaining an awareness of the

“emerging nature” of student affairs is prioritizing the time to familiarize myself with new

philosophies and approaches to the work enacted by student development champions within the

profession. While it is a component I wish was more regularly infused in my interaction with

student affairs, I have found new opportunities to engrain theory and research into my day-to-day

professional life. A helpful exercise that allowed me to stretch in this area is featured in Artifact D

of my portfolio. As part of the SDAD 5400: Student Development Theory, Research, and Practice

final assignment, my group project team (Bianca Galam and Megan Winter) and I had the

opportunity to infuse researched best practices and student development theory into real-world

application (Seattle University’s Youth Initiative (SUYI)). This project was helpful in giving me

practical understanding behind the ways best practice and theory can be used to regularly inform

both current and future endeavors. An example of infusing best practice and theory within “Camp

SUYI” can be seen through the portion of the project that both highlights the wealth that is relayed

through familial capital and makes a commitment to including family engagement as part of “Camp

SUYI’s” structure.

Implications/Opportunities: Through a balance of flexibility and steadfast positioning, I

have the power to be a practitioner that is openminded to new approaches to the work and steadfast

in the practices that have shaped the long-standing tradition of excellent service toward students.

This balance of structured approach infused with adaptability is evidenced in Artifact E, the letter of

professional promise. The letter featured within the artifact was written on my behalf by my former
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professional supervisor of seven years, Katie O’Brien. Within the letter, O’Brien notes that my

“commitment to inclusive environments” through active work to “remove barriers” standing in the

way of students in their quest toward a college career is what helps to ensure the effectiveness in my

work’s philosophy (O’Brien, 2020). While the heart of my work’s mission has remained consistent

over the span of my professional career in higher education, my approach to the work has gone

through consistent adjustment and assessment to ensure I am maximizing my ability to meet the

everchanging needs of my students and their family members (i.e. relying on blanket phone, email,

and postal mail communication in my earlier years as an Admissions Counselor, versus the heavy

utilization of texting, social media, and tailored email communication that is used today).

This adaptable mindset is what has allowed me to be successful in my assigned Admissions

regional territory, which has undergone a great deal of shift both in demographic trends and student

needs over the span of my Admissions career. This passion for maintaining a sense of awareness

within my profession is what instills the desire to research and infuse practice that helps to further

promote access within the college admissions process. An example of this is the practice of test

optional admission, which removes the barrier of standardized test scores and eliminates a piece of

admissions that disproportionately works against students of marginalized backgrounds (Hoffman

& Lowitzki, 2005). This is just one of many emerging trends that work to promote a more equitable

future for college bound students, and I look forward to being part of these exciting opportunities

promoting student access in the years ahead.

LO#2: Understanding students and student issues

Learning Outcome #2 notes that care of the whole student and their diverse set of needs is

the primary function of student affairs. It is critical for student affairs educators to stay informed

with respect to the changing landscape of students’ collective and individual needs through the lens

of higher education theory, research, and best practices.

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Strengths: My strength with respect to LO#2 is my ability to fully understand that no two

students’ needs are the same, with each set of needs carefully and intentionally examined in order to

best inform my work and its outcome. The territory management associated with my professional

role is evidence of my strength associated with LO#2; the intricate demographics and climate of the

California Bay Area region that I oversee on behalf of SU Admissions requires that I be flexible in

my outreach to prospective students, families, and high school professionals I regularly interact with

both in person and virtually. Two students being from the same region does not equate to their

needs being the same, and it is my priority to ensure each student’s needs are addressed on an

individualized basis regardless of any commonalities they may share.

In academic practice, I managed to demonstrate this personalized approach to my work via

Artifact G – the Coaching Training Module I designed for AEDT 5910: Coaching for Leadership

Development course. The AEDT 5910 assignment included within Artifact G outlines a college

coaching program designed specifically for high school juniors and seniors attending Cristo Rey

Jesuit High School (CRSJ) in San Jose, CA. AEDT 5910 gave me a foundation of adult learning

theory along with opportunities to practice the process of coaching adult learners and developing

coaching modules. In this assignment, I infused my professional insight to include the unique

dynamics of the school’s student body in the coaching module’s structure, design, and defined

learning outcomes. CRSJ is primarily comprised of a student body with marginalized intersecting

identities – low-income, first generation college bound students, and underrepresented ethnic

representation. With the diverse makeup being critical to the mission of CRSJ, I took the unique

traits and needs specific to the CRSJ community into consideration when mapping out the modules’

design and the desired outcomes. Because of the demographics of the CRSJ student body, the nature

of the coaching module was also largely informed by Yosso’s theory of Community Cultural

Wealth (CCW). Specifically, CCW’s emphasis on the power that diverse cultural perspective and
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lived experiences hold with respect to a student’s ability to navigate through social constructs such

as the college search/admission process (Yosso, 2005) proved to be an inspiration as I designed the

coaching module with CRSJ seniors in mind.

Areas of Growth: While the individualized approach I infuse into my work as a student

affairs practitioner is a strength, it can also be a challenge to maintain a sense of presence to my

priority of adjusting my approach with each student to best serve their unique set of needs. Given

the range of administrative demands associated with my work, it can be difficult to uphold my

commitment to meet and serve students where they are in their college search. Automated, one-size-

fits-all approaches to interacting with students prove be challenging to avoid given the added

administrative and supervisor demands of my role. To address this area for growth with respect to

LO#2, I choose to consistently communicate this commitment of service-excellence and

personalized care to each of my students, families, and high school partners to ensure I am being

held accountable to the promise of personalized care that has been made throughout the student

counseling relationship.

Implications/Opportunities: Through my promise to acknowledge and honor the unique

set of needs that each student’s positionality holds, I find that I manage to establish and maintain

relationships with students and families that last through their college search and into an academic

career at Seattle University. I see the celebration of student positionality being put into practice

through my interactions with Seattle University’s Outreach Center, a space dedicated to serving

students who identify as first-generation college students and/or student veterans. Their work in

solidarity with student populations that have been historically marginalized within higher education

demonstrates the power of both knowing the core of who your students are, and how one can best

serve by simply meeting them where they need to be met as they embark on their college

experience. I look to model my approach to student affairs from a similar mindset of intentional
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service that was used by the student affairs practitioners that helped bring the SU Outreach Center

and its mission to fruition. And through this value of intentional service at the basis of my approach

to my role and responsibility in student affairs, I firmly believe I will be both more effective and

authentic as a professional.

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

Learning Outcome #3 ensures that educators are actively carrying out their professional

responsibilities in a manner that is congruent to the best interests of students and the institution one

is serving and informed by a set of core values established collectively by the professional and the

student affairs profession.

Strengths: My strengths rooted within LO#3 largely lie in the ways I have utilized my

professional organization’s (NACAC) established code of ethics to inform the ways in which I

conduct my work and interaction with students. NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practice

(CEPP) outlines best practices and procedures that inform the collective work of college admissions

offices and values that maintain the integrity of the profession (CEPP, 2019). The CEPP aligns me

with my admissions colleagues and ensures a fair and balanced environment working toward a

similar mission of promoting the best interest of students within the reality of institutional

competition. Additionally, it serves as a guiding reference for the ways in which I interact with my

work to ensure I am conducting myself through a lens of integrity.

One critical piece outlined within CEPP that has a direct impact on my work is the

established May 1 universal deposit deadline set to give students a clear expectation of when the

enrollment decision was due, and institutions a set date in which they were no longer able to

“compete” for enrolling students. As demonstrated in Artifact C, my SDAD 5800: Higher

Education Law Professional Development Project, the CEPP and the timeline governed via its terms

has come under scrutiny by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for its potential violation of
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antitrust laws. The line of CEPP under scrutiny was “Colleges will not knowingly recruit or offer

enrollment incentives to students who are already enrolled, registered, have declared their intent, or

submitted contractual deposits to other institutions” (CEPP, 2019; Dix, 2018). In the eyes of US

DOJ, this portion of the guiding document restricted free commerce and competition in college

admissions. As a result, NACAC revised CEPP to no longer mandate a timeline among accredited

institutions. Despite the timeline no longer being part of CEPP, NACAC member institutions

(including SU) collectively agreed to maintain a structured timeline and surrounding terms (i.e.

prohibiting incentives after a student deposits) to preserve the integrity of the profession and its

commitment to serve the best interests of students.

Areas of Growth: I am often challenged to confront an action that could be deemed a

violation of NACAC CEPP terms and/or going against the best interest of students. My personality

and comfort zone tend to avoid confrontation, and as a result I allow things to progress even when

they may be in violation of the profession I respect and the students I serve. While feelings of fear

and anxiety arise when it becomes clear that I am in a position of holding others accountable of

wrongdoing, I must allow my passion for students and their rights outweigh the trepidation. Given

that ethical leadership serves as a cornerstone to the work of student affairs, it is critical that I use

my voice and position to call out when an individual and/or entity is working against the best

interest of students.

Implications/Opportunities: By maintaining a consistent level of integrity and ethical

leadership in my role as a student affairs practitioner, I can ensure that I am leading students by

example to use a passion and skillset to work toward a greater good and effect change on both a

macro- and micro-level. Professional networks and communities (i.e. NACAC, NASPA, etc.) are a

helpful tool that I can utilize to stay accountable to my promise of leading through sincerity and

heart. Additionally, these professional communities serve to be a similar “lead through example”
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force that I strive to convey through my professional interactions with others. An instance in which

this “lead through example” force is infused into my professional area can be seen in the

Admissions Community Cultivating Equity and Peace Today (ACCEPT) Facebook group that is

actively moderated by members of my NACAC professional network. As a member of the online

group, I regularly find myself humbled and inspired by my Admissions colleagues who are “calling

out” the barriers college-bound students are facing, while celebrating champions within the

profession who are working to make the world of college admissions a more equitable environment

for all involved.

LO#4: Understanding and fostering diversity, justice and a sustainable world formed by a global
perspective and Jesuit Catholic tradition

Learning Outcome #4 is a guiding principle that embraces the dynamic fabric of the

students we work with and environments we work in, while actively promoting equity and social

justice through intentional support facilitated by student affairs educators. In addition to an

integration of justice and equity, the work of student affairs is driven to celebrate the diverse

identities brought forth by its students in a way that empowers them to live their authentic truth as

they embark on the world.

Strengths: My greatest strength with respect to LO#4 lies in my ability to recognize the

holistic nature of our students and their lived experiences, and the ways those salient identities

directly impact their formation as a student, professional, and global citizen. A theory presented to

me via SDAD 5400: Student Development Theory, Research, and Practice that largely affirms my

understanding surrounding LO#4 and its “global perspective” is Kegan’s Theory of Self-Evolution

which “moved the intersection of person and environment to the center of the developmental

process” (Kegan, 1982, 1994; Schuh, et al., 2017). The theory also aligns with Kegan’s concept of

self-authorship and its process of constructing “internal voice” that “‘can coordinate, integrate, act

upon, or invent values, beliefs, convictions, generalizations, ideals, abstractions, interpersonal

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loyalties, and intrapersonal states.’” (Kegan, 1994; Schuh, et al., 2017). I have made it a mission to

give students the tools and resources to identify the ways their diverse perspective holds the power

to continuously shape and reshape their “internal voice” to eventually understand the impact they

have on the greater good of the world in which they live.

Kegan’s Theory of Self-Evolution and notion of self-authorship runs congruent with the site

visit to Rainier Scholars (RS) that was included as part of SDAD 5750: Best Practices in Student

Services. The visit to RS demonstrated the organization’s commitment to being a space that relays a

range of resources through a lens of self-evolution. This commitment to promoting self-authorship

among students is enacted through experiences facilitated by RS, including individualized college

support services, internship and networking experiences (i.e. their annual Career and Internship

Expo), and community-based learning opportunities (College Application Bootcamp). As someone

who has interacted with RS through both a professional and SDA student lens, I have seen the full

range in which the organization and its team members manage to empower their scholars to

celebrate the ways in which their diverse perspectives deepen their potential to promote the

development of world around them for the better.

Areas of Growth: I have been blessed to have the Jesuit philosophy as an academic,

professional, and personal frame of reference since starting my SU undergraduate career in 2007. I

found its utilization of core values to promote a greater good for all to be a critical ingredient for my

passion and ethos as a student affairs educator. But I recognize moments in which this mindset and

its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion fails to inform the administrative responsibilities I

oversee in my work. As is highlighted in Artifact A, my professional resume demonstrates the depth

of administrative tasks that are included on top of the student-focused aspects of my role as Senior

Assistant Director of Admissions. There are instances (i.e. budget mapping, application decision

making, personnel management) in which it is challenging to maintain sight of the core values that
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define the “why” to my work and its outcomes. To combat these moments of “losing sight,” I must

continue to take the time to connect with colleagues who encourage me to carry out my

commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion through every aspect of my role and its given

responsibilities. Additionally, my professional network rooted in NACAC inspires me to infuse my

connection to a greater mission into my work through their groundbreaking and forward-thinking

professional endeavors.

Implications/Opportunities: By keeping the philosophy of the Jesuit tradition and the

facets of diversity, equity, and inclusion that are informed through its ethos at the top of mind, I will

have greater opportunity to maintain a sense of connectedness between my work and the diverse

world around me. As was demonstrated through the range of site visits included as part of SDAD

5750, the needs of our students are evolving at a rapid pace. The work we pursue and its approach

to student engagement must evolve right alongside our students. Through the integration of equity,

sustainability, and inclusion that have been informed through my interaction with the Jesuit

philosophy, I will be tuned in to the diversifying world of my students in real-time.

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

Learning Outcome #5 is the act of embracing each institutional community and its unique

set of history, values, and philosophies with an ability to provide effective and meaningful

educational opportunities that meets students’ ever-evolving needs and aspirations. This flexibility

through action is practiced through a lens of consistent assessment and research.

Strengths: My strength with respect to LO#5 is found in my ability to intentionally focus

my energy toward each of my students, their individual set of needs, and the ways in which I can

tailor my admission counseling approach to empower students to utilize their unique identity to

understand their readiness for college. Both my departmental and institutional leadership has

consistently encouraged me and my colleagues to take the time to infuse a personalized approach to
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our work in admissions. As a result, we get to know our students and their needs on a deeper level,

and regularly inform institutional partners across Seattle University about the emerging needs being

brought forth by our incoming students.

Upon reflecting on LO#5, a theory that has informed my approach to my interaction with

students is Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth (CCW). Her theory’s argument that diverse

cultural perspective and lived experiences are advantageous to a student’s ability to navigate the

multiple dimensions of the college experience (Yosso, 2005) demonstrate why it is critical to adapt

student services to meet the unique set of needs of students, and as a result amplify their success in

college. My Literature Review Synthesis assignment included as part of SDAD 5400: Student

Development Theory, Research, and Practice helped to highlight CCW through its analysis of

college counseling and the ways infusing practices informed through the lens of CCW (i.e.

individualized mentorship, the utilization of familial capital within the conversation, and immersive

college prep experiences) give college counseling practice the chance to be more specific and

meaningful to a diverse range of students.

Another academic experience highlighting the importance of LO#5 was my site visit to Lake

Washington Institute of Technology (LWIT) featured during SDAD 5750: Best Practices in Student

Services. During the visit, I learned about student services included on the LWIT campus and the

ways their structure was modified to cater to the unique needs of their students. Given that students

at a technical college like LWIT are largely focused on attaining a skillset relevant and applicable to

a professional role/trade, the anatomy of their college experience is largely unique in that it is

hyper-focused on program completion. When learning about LWIT’s student programs, it was clear

that this priority was kept in mind for each aspect of the division’s design. An example can be seen

in LWIT’s Student Events and Activities; rather than being lengthy and elaborate, student activities

are intentionally developed to be educational and informative as well as easily digested via a 5-10
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minute “stop by to learn more” format. This approach to the design of Student Events and Activities

at LWIT was largely designed based from qualitative feedback from the people who matter most in

the equation – LWIT students.

As discussed in SDAD 5760: Leadership and Governance in Higher Education, Kathleen

Manning’s overview of cultural organizational theory of higher education highlights why an

overhaul of institutional culture has lasting impacts to improve an issue such as student retention.

Manning views the theory of culture through two lenses: “As a verb, culture is a medium through

which people take action, create meaning, and achieve purposes. As a noun, culture builds

congruence, gathers people as a community, creates clarity, builds consensus, and endows strength”

(Manning, 2013).

Areas of Growth: As highlighted in Artifact B, my mission statement articulates my

strongly-held belief that “at the end of the day, it’s not about me,” and the time and energy being

spent to both support and empower my students is far greater than the scope of my professional

role. Values of selflessness and intentionality are required for LO#5 to come to fruition in my

interactions with students. As a result, the tenants of LO#5 have largely informed my mission

statement and its emphasis on service excellence. While my ability to take myself and my priorities

out of the equation is often tested, I recognize the importance of meeting my students where they

are at in their journey to ensure that I am supporting them in a way that resonates with them and

their college goals. Ultimately it is through these individualized, student-specific levels of support

that the larger mission of the student affairs profession is fulfilled. As my mission statement notes,

“I embrace the tests for I know they are vital to my formation as a student development

professional.” While my ability to adapt my systems of support to meet unique sets of needs is

challenged through the external forces in my work that often compete with the priorities of LO#5, I
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am reminded that maintaining a level of flexibility in my approach to student development

promotes a greater good for all involved.

Implications/Opportunities: Adaptable student services and resources that are designed

with the unique characteristics of its student culture in mind have a greater likelihood of being

effective in its goal of reaching and resonating with students. If an institution builds its

infrastructure and programming with its student demographic in mind, the result has a greater

likelihood of being effective and meaningful to its community members. As I continue my

professional trajectory I am invested in the notion that I am at the service of my students and need

to regularly listen to them, utilizing these insights to intentionally structure and restructure my

approach to student services. By working in a mindset that welcomes student input and uses it to

frame my interaction with students, I will help to open students up to the meaning that lies

throughout their evolving college experience.

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

Learning Outcome #6 notes that to be an effective student affairs leader and practitioner,

one must consider their work and its mission to be a communal effort. Effective leadership is

dependent on support and guidance from colleagues, personal communities, and most importantly

the students one is responsible for serving. Promoting collaboration within one’s work also helps in

fostering a sense of trust among institutional partners, which ensures a more seamless college

experience for students.

Strengths: My strength with respect to LO#6 is rooted in my ability to utilize my

established partnerships across my institution and my profession to grow as a leader among both

professional colleagues and my students. These opportunities for development via collaboration

largely comes through my professional work in Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment

Management. Additionally, I have been fortunate to learn from strong leaders within my
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institutional division that have practiced the tenets of LO#6 through their work. This is evidenced

via my Critical Issue in Higher Education assignment included as part of SDAD 5760 which

brought the importance of LO#6 to light through its analysis of student retention at Seattle

University – an issue that is crucial to the work across my Enrollment Services division. As was

noted in the assignment via an interview conducted with former SU Vice President for Enrollment

Management (Marilyn Crone), the issue of student retention has historically been an issue of

concern solely for the division of Student Development. A cultural shift that Marilyn Crone was

working to promote through her role was the ideology that student retention should be considered

shared responsibility across all divisions of campus. As Crone noted, “it truly takes a village”

(Crone, 2018).

This “village” mentality was put into practice within my work in Admissions, as seen in the

restructuring of our regional Admitted Student Receptions held throughout the United States for

admitted first-year students and their families. In its early iterations, the regional reception featured

programming that was solely facilitated by Seattle U Admissions. After feedback from attendees

suggested they were eager to gain more insight from a broader range of SU representatives, we

reallocated resources and restructured the anatomy of the event to include representation from

various members of the SU community (including faculty, staff, current students, alumni). By

relying on members of the SU community to share the task of welcoming, congratulating, and

informing our newest members of the SU community, the program has proven to be more effective

in its goal of communicating whether SU is the best fit for them and their college goals.

Areas of Growth: An opportunity for growth via the notion of leading through

collaboration lies in trusting the follow through that is often critical to the shared process of student

recruitment. Students I work with in the admissions process often reach out with the hopes of being

connected to a representative from their academic area of interest. When I establish the connection
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between the student and SU representative, I put forth an element of trust in my colleague and their

ability to follow through on the task of representing the institution with care and respect. Most

often, this “ask” is fully met; but every so often I receive feedback from the student that either the

representative failed to connect or left a negative impression via their connection. One such instance

occurred when an admitted student visiting campus had a scheduled meeting with an academic

advisor within their academic department of interest (coordinated by SU Admissions). Upon arrival

to the department office, they were met by a front desk attendant who was confused as to why a

prospective student would have an appointment with an advisor, and as a result turned the student

away despite them having a legitimate appointment. The student ultimately decided not to attend

Seattle U specifically because of this single encounter and the unwelcoming message that was

conveyed their way. While instances such as these are challenging to the notion of leading through

collaboration, I must utilize them as learning opportunities for my campus partners as we continue

to collaborate on future projects. Additionally, instances highlighting shortfalls in partnership serve

as helpful tools for continued development in my management of the professional relationship that

is critical to the mission of my work.

Implications/Opportunities: Institutions of higher education are organized around the

notion of partnership, and this mentality is a critical ingredient needed to ensure the wellbeing of

students. Amid the uncertainty of COVID-19, campus partners are the one constant to ensure we

continue celebrating our admitted students despite being prohibited from hosting students for on-

campus admissions events. Their willingness to do all it takes to guarantee students receive

consistent messaging of welcome and guidance despite the ambiguity of this point in time is proof

that LO#6 is critical to the health of colleges and universities. This instance has helped to give me

critical perspective regarding the importance of actively reaching out to campus partners during

times in which support is needed. The restructuring of student events and outreach showed me that I
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need to make the first step in establishing a relationship with my colleagues to ensure success in

future endeavors.

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

Learning Outcome #7 highlights that the core of student affairs and its function with

students is critically dependent on practice that is both accessible and relevant to diverse groups of

students, facilitated through advancement in technology and research and tested through critical

assessment.

Strengths: My strength in LO#7 largely lies in my ability to quickly adapt to new

technology and processes designed to promote accessibility and clarity for students in a timely

manner. Since implementing our customer relationship management (CRM) software (Slate) in

2017, SU Admissions has been able to utilize technology as a catalyst for accessibility and accuracy

for our prospective students and their families. Slate has given our department a crucial opportunity

to deliver messaging that is accurate and relevant to the needs of student. Unlike previous iterations

of outreach tools, Slate allows me and my team to precisely track the effectiveness of an outreach

strategy through data analytics provided to the internal user. With Slate, I have been able to

diversify my communication methods (i.e. including parents on important emails, texting updates

directly to students, creating tailored messaging for specific student populations within a larger

campaign, etc.), and receive analytics on the effectiveness of the campaign in real time.

Areas of Growth: My capacity to be involved with individual student affairs-centered

research is often challenged as my professional responsibilities deepen. I have greatly enjoyed the

research conducted in SDA coursework, and the opportunity to bring findings to life through

applied experience (i.e. Camp SUYI informed through CCW research as part of SDAD 5400,

presented in Artifact D). I look forward to staying informed through research after graduation

through the conscious effort I will be making to engage with professional networks in student
SDA Learning Outcome Narrative 19

affairs (i.e. NASPA), while maintaining my engagement with NACAC. These professional

networks serve as an important lifeline with respect to staying ahead of the curve with emerging

trends, best practice, and theory within the realm of the student affairs profession.

Implications/Opportunities: Through effective use of technology, research, and

assessment, practitioners have a greater opportunity to continuously revise their work to promote

greater outcomes of engaging with students in a meaningful way. Additionally, these resources

allow for practitioners to truly know the heart of their students, and the specific sets of student

needs that they have the power to address and meet via their roles and responsibilities. For me, these

tools are a critical element in the process of learning about and engaging with the students I serve in

a meaningful and effective manner. As noted in Artifact F: Professional Development and Action

Plan, I intend to grow deeper in my understanding of technology and assessment as I progress in my

student affairs career. An example of this that has been outlined in Artifact F is my plan to

formalize an assessment process for the Undergraduate Admissions CRM system, identifying the

“wins” and opportunities for improvement that exist within our utilization of the system. This

illustrates the ways in which assessment directly correlates with technology to improve both internal

outcomes, as well as student engagement and accessibility.

LO#8: Communicating effectively in speech and in writing

Learning Outcome #8 promotes strong and efficient communication, which allows

practitioners to give members of their community a clear understanding of their vision, purpose, and

ways in which they are available serve their institutional constituents.

Strengths: My ability to continuously hone my written and verbal communication style to

engage colleagues is critical. My written correspondence has gradually improved over the span of

my seven-plus years in SU Admissions, largely through the high volume of email I engage with on

a regular basis. Given that the college admissions process is simultaneously complex and personal,
SDA Learning Outcome Narrative 20

it is critical that written communication be concise and clearly outlined to ensure it is easily

absorbed and understood. For instance, conversations surrounding college affordability are complex

in nature and relaying them in writing can prove to make it even more challenging. As a result, I

ensure that written communication breaks down this complexity in a way that is both easily

translated and thorough for students and families – particularly for prospective first-generation

college students and their families.

Areas of Growth: The greatest area for development with respect to LO#8 largely lies

around concise communication. In my outreach to students and families I am required to present

information in a way that makes the college admissions process tangible, logical, and accurate.

During these in-person presentations, I often have limited time available to deliver information to

students and families given scheduling constraints. While I have found a rhythm in my ability to

convey verbal communication surrounding a multilayered process like college admissions, brevity

is a challenge. I often go over time in professional presentations to ensure I am covering my basis.

Even though I am known to be thorough in my messaging, it can be problematic with respect to

timelines I am required to meet in my day-to-day work.

Implications/Opportunities: As a student affairs practitioner I am ultimately charged with

representing SU and all that it stands for as an institution. Speaking and writing on behalf of a

university carries a great deal of weight, and the responsibility of professional communication

requires a great deal of care. If I fail to follow through on my duty of professional communication, I

am ultimately delivering a bad impression on behalf of the institution. As a representative of the

institution, it is on me to continuously hone my craft of articulating written and verbal

communication in a professional, well-informed, and flexible manner. Additionally, as a supervisor

of Admissions Counselors it is my responsibility to ensure that I am effectively relaying the tools

and resources they need to successfully achieve their responsibility of effectively communicating on
SDA Learning Outcome Narrative 21

behalf of SU. I look forward to continuing my development within the scope of LO#8 through the

process of designing and leading trainings and workshops for my team on the topic of professional

communication and presentation development. Through the process of practice and openly sharing

insights as a team, I have confidence that I will continue to grow stronger within this learning

outcome.

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

Learning Outcome #9 is the act of staying current with respect to institutional, regional,

national, and international policies and laws that directly impact the landscape of higher education

and its students. Additionally, these everchanging laws/policies and their implications must be fully

understood by student affairs practitioners and infused into the approach to their work.

Strengths: My strength surrounding LO#9 largely lies in my eagerness to get involved with

professional organizations in higher education that offer an opportunity to regularly engage in

dialogue surrounding law, policy, finance, and governance within higher education and college

admissions. The college admissions professional organizations that I am a part of (i.e. the national

organization, NACAC and the regional organization, Pacific Northwest Association for College

Admissions Counseling (PNACAC)) have given me an avenue to maintain a sense of understanding

regarding the variables that directly impact my profession and the students we are dedicated to

serve. Additionally, professional organizations give educators a platform to share their work that

has potential to be implemented at other institutions. An example of this can be seen in the

professional presentation I delivered at the 2016 PNACAC Annual Conference. The presentation,

titled “Fostering College Access: Supporting Students in Foster Care throughout the Admissions

Cycle,” gave me the chance to share about the liaison role I assumed in conjunction with the

Fostering Scholars program at Seattle U on behalf of SU’s Admissions Office. Additionally, the

professional presentation allowed me to inform my admissions colleagues about the policies we

SDA Learning Outcome Narrative 22

facilitated in partnership with Fostering Scholars to best support the vulnerable foster youth

population applying to be part of the SU community.

Areas of Development: While I regularly interact with our admissions budget through the

spending I conduct on behalf of the department, issues surrounding finance is an aspect of LO#9

where more experience is warranted. Higher education finance is complex and deeply rooted with

implications that have a lasting impact on the climate of wellbeing for an institution and its

constituents. As my professional role continues to evolve, my interaction with managing a budget

will develop alongside my growing administrative responsibilities. Specifically, I will have more

ownership in structuring and managing the budgets associated with our fall and spring admissions

recruitment, as well as the budget surrounding the eleven regional admitted student receptions

hosted by SU Admissions throughout the US.

Implications/Opportunities: By being involved with my professional organization, I have

been given the space to remain informed on law, movements, and procedural advancement that has

an impact on my work and its objective, as well as the chance to share practices from my work that

has potential to benefit the work of others. While I have been proactive to stay informed through my

engagement with my associated professional organizations, I am eager to deepen my engagement

with higher education policy, law, finance and governance. I look forward to taking advantage of

opportunities to campaign for and assume leadership positions within college admission-related

professional organizations (i.e. NACAC, PNACAC, NASPA). This will help to propel me beyond

the realm of institutional leadership, and into a space of leading with the intent of promoting

initiatives that positively impact the future of higher education while holistically serving the needs

of our students.

LO#10: Establishing and enhancing professional identity

SDA Learning Outcome Narrative 23

Learning Outcome #10 notes that by continuously working to grow and expand an

educator’s professional mindset, student affairs professionals have the opportunity to grow and

expand their impact within the world of higher education. This never-ending process of professional

development is achieved through consistent and intentional learning, research, networking, and

reflection.

Strengths: The greatest strength I hold with respect to LO#10 is my willingness to take the

time to “press pause” on the fast-paced nature of my work to regularly take a step back to reflect on

who I am at my professional core, along with the opportunities that have potential to further

enhance my professional identity. My academic career in SDA has been instrumental in giving me

the space to “take a step back” during the chaos of professional life, as well as gradually opening

me up to the ways in which I can channel professional reflection into my everyday life. Each

academic course and the journey provided has given me the experience of learning more about the

notion of identity and the ways the construct allows me to define both my present and future self.

While each academic experience has been critical to the development of my identity, none has been

more impressionable on my professional and personal concept of identity than MGMT 5335:

Leading with Emotional Intelligence (EQ). A central theme of the course was learning to shed

layers that limit one’s authentic self as a leader. The EQ course included a retreat that allowed the

class to reflect individually and collectively on the idea of self-identity and the ways it informs the

professional journey upon which we undertake. By being able to connect with peers who shared

similar questions regarding identity, I managed to piece together a definition of self that I utilized in

the continuous process of defining layer of self including professional self.

Areas of Growth: One of the greatest gifts my connection to the SDA program has offered

is a new professional community that I am now part of as a soon-to-be alumnus. During SDAD

5900: SDA Capstone Seminar, I was offered the unique chance to connect with SDA alumni
SDA Learning Outcome Narrative 24

through a networking fair, interactive Q&A panels, and individual mock interviews. As someone

who is challenged with the premise of networking, I was hesitant when first presented with the task

of connecting colleagues from the student affairs profession. But as I jumped into the process of

introducing myself to the network, I was pleasantly surprised by their willingness to connect and

discuss my professional trajectory. Additionally, I recognized the value of immersing myself in a

professional network that was new to me and my experiences as student affairs educator. While this

is an area that will require continued effort and a bit more courage to take the first step in the

conversation, I see just how critical connecting with a diverse range of professional networks will

prove to be for my continued growth upon completion of the SDA program.

Implications/Opportunities: Through the process of self-exploration, one has potential to

gain a deeper understanding of their trajectory in life – both personally and professionally. My

career as an SDA student demonstrates just how powerful the process of identity development truly

is, and the ways it enhances my understanding of self and the people, places, and experiences that

can help guide me along the way. I plan to actively utilize the SDA Alumni Network that I will be

part of starting in June 2020, taking advantage of the opportunities for both collective and

individual dialogue with fellow SDA alumni. Additionally, I look forward to engaging with SDA

students as a mentor. Through this future role, I make the commitment to take the time to learn from

their innovative mindset while being a system for support, feedback, and assurance as my

“mentees” embark on their own professional trajectory.

Conclusion

As I reflect on my SDA career and the Learning Outcomes that shaped my experience, one

central theme became loud and clear – I am very much a work in progress. While I am completing

my degree, I recognize the learning does not stop here. It is my responsibility to ensure that I

actively seek new opportunities for professional development that enhance my impact on students
SDA Learning Outcome Narrative 25

and promote a greater good within the profession of student affairs. I have a lot more work to do to

ensure I maintain my alignment with the everchanging needs of students and higher education

landscape. But one element to my professional identity that I know will remain intact is my

determined spirit and willingness to infuse 100% into all I pursue.

SDA Learning Outcome Narrative 26

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