Professional Philosophy Statement

Going through the HEAL program, I realized that my definition of student affairs has
changed. There are many pathways within student affairs that intersect with one another and they
are all tied to history. Tied to the history of this profession, the history of an institution, the
history that has built the foundation for future student affair professionals. I have learned to find
value within that history, but I also find value in knowing that history does not need to repeat
itself. There are systems built up against us, against future generations and I want to be a part of
the change. The change we are seeing and the change we are needing on these college campuses.
I have found that with me it started with unlearning what I was taught by these systems. These
systems taught me how to think and speak and be a black woman, but I failed to realize that I had
to create my own definition of myself for myself. It’s a harsh wake up call when you realize that
even in the year 2022 we are still fighting, fighting for change. When I entered the student affairs
profession I started to find out why institutions were built and who they cater to. Everyone has a
targeted audience and sometimes students are not front and center when it comes to decisions
made on campuses. Now that I have been able to be a part of those conversations and included in
those decisions, I want to continue that impact. The impact that it has had on me with the future
students I’ll be working with. I found value in allowing students to be a part of the
changemaking process on their campus. Value in collaboration, different entities on a college
campus uniting together under one common goal: helping students.
I find at times this goal is pushed to the side and forgotten about because with change
comes consistency and not complacency. To me as a black professional it is important to make
sure that our student voices are being heard. To make sure that students are allowed to sit at the
same tables as us, allowed to be a part of the same discussions as us. The students are the future
and we have to make room for the future. With this I’ve had to learn to put away my biases, ones
that I didn't even know I had in order to learn from students. I’ve had to learn how to grow as a
leader and understand the full capacity of what it means to be me: a black woman leader. Those
four words hold great value, but also pain. Value in knowing that I can be someone’s inspiration,
someone’s reason to continue through their college journey because I see them as them and they
see me as me. But also pain in knowing that there are still so many obstacles in the way and
having the strength to fight on in spite of what the future may hold. This leads me to the question
of why I do this work and I do it for the students. The students who are passionate about their
journey and for the ones who do not know where to start. I was once a student who felt hopeless
on campus, who did not feel like I belonged. Until I was mentored within the Student
Involvement Office at Fresno State I found my reason why. My reason to take on this journey of
student affairs and become a leader.
I’ll always remember this quote from Dr. Hernandez, she said “ Be a student of students”
and this continues to resonate with me. I find value in learning from the students I work with,
and I want to make that a goal for myself. To make sure I’m treating the students as my
colleagues, to do the work with them and not just tell them what to do. To me that shows what
type of leader you are, I want to be one who is willing to push aside the title and be a student. I
hope to be a student of students one day. I want to be able to contribute to student leadership
within the field, Finding ways to implement our student leaders more into the campus culture. I
hope to contribute to changing or implementing new policies at institutions, ones that are
centered around students. I’m guided by my own experiences as a black student leader and how
this has shaped my decision to continue on within this field. To know that I have been given the
chance to lead, and how my next steps are important. Important to building my foundation within
student affairs. My hope is one day to look back on my career in this profession and say that I
made space for the students after me. I did not know what it meant to be a student affairs
professional, but throughout this journey I’m developing my toolbelt to help me be a student of
students.