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Written Assignment 3: Identity Development Theory

Antonio M. Oakley Jr.

Western Carolina University
HESA 621: Theories of College Student Development
Dr. April Perry
July 11, 2022
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Identity Development Theory

Often student affairs professionals use theories to address the multitude of ways that

students could develop their sense of self, racial & sexual Identities, and how their race

influences them in these higher education settings. Theory can provide old and new professionals

with a foundation to understand and assist students with their needs. It also allows me as a

practitioner to use my theories as tools to provide a better connection between myself and the

students I serve. Most student affairs professionals use these theories as a baseline to interact

with students and develop programming for student staff. Some professionals also use theory to

grow the student staff into better paraprofessionals. The tools that theory provides help staff to

understand a deeper context of the student's experience. In my experience in the past year, I have

seen how various people in positions, including myself, grow and develop. However, these

theories also apply when dealing with student affairs professionals and students. I have begun to

understand how theory can provide a deeper insight into the context of higher education.

Applying Theory to Work

Most theories I have learned have shown me ways to apply them in my professional

practice allowing me to establish my confidence as a practitioner. I worked with the Department

of Student Community Ethics (DSCE) this semester. Most of the work that comes through the

department dedicates itself to establishing reformative justice practices for the students.

Understanding theory concepts has given me the tools to use in various complex situations when

dealing with students in conduct meetings. It has helped me transition as a student into a

practitioner and given me the confidence to understand students' experiences in a deeper context.

For example, the Theory of Self Authorship helps me when I analyze a student's conduct record

and how I should sanction them according to past conduct violations. I often look for the
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characteristics that have brought a student to a conduct meeting to comprehend their experience

fully.

Reflecting on my prior internship with the Greek Student Engagement Department

(GSED) , that experience has allowed me to truly see how different theories work in a group

setting. Seeing how students continuously develop between the various student groups on

campus was great to see how theory appears in practice. The Student Involvement theory is

relevant to students involved with the campus community around them. Their ability to engage

and connect with other students around campus allows them to grow as leaders. As a student

affairs professional, I can place student leaders in positions to interact with like-minded

individuals, allowing them to become more in tune with their experience over the years that they

are here.

Resonating Theory with Current Work

I believe that the Reflective Judgement Model (RJM) theory is the most applicable to my

current summer internship. applies in various ways to my current internship. Guido et.al. (2016)

describes the Reflective Judgment Theory by King and Kitchner, by the way people understand

how the information they have gained is used to make decisions or actions that could assumed

based on the individuals on reflection process (p.327). The RJM is collectively related to how we

are giving students a certain autonomy that allows them to use what they have learned to guide

their thoughts and perspectives. The RJM theory also describes how one can truly understand

how to process specific thoughts and how individuals visualize uncertainty. Currently, I am

working with conference services, and we have students that are conference assistants who have

a focus on customer service, being in a team, and a servant-first mentality. However, these

college students are still developing as potential professionals.

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While training the conference assistants during the early process, the intention was to

give them enough tools. The idea is to provide them with the knowledge that will allow them to

handle the camps and conference participants in the best way they feel comfortable. In most

ways, they are developing the way they want to handle inevitable conflicts and problems that

could happen. The second part of this theory is about the assumptions an individual can make,

giving people insight into how one can view a problem or situation, along with how they

quantify their ideals. My task as the Conference Lead is to use the past position of conference

assistants and ensure that we do not continue the past assumptions of the job. The current work I

am doing is to apply different perspectives to the student staff to create a level of thinking when

these students finish with this work experience this summer.

Applying Theory to Internship

My current summer internship has allowed me to network with other professional staff

and students in many different departmental spaces. The various things that my supervisor and I

have discussed entailed how we wanted students to be developed this summer. During training,

we often discussed what students wanted from this position. From those conversations, I am

tasked to create opportunities for student staff to reflect on their experience throughout the

summer. I have taken the time to create one on one meetings with the team to give them the

space to share their unique perspectives and thoughts about the summer so far. In these meetings,

my assumptions about how the summer was going were shifted because of the students'

perspectives. This meeting then allowed for the dialogue about how we could adjust their

experience and provide them with more support. They handle the check-in and the check-out

processes of the conference, and often they can come up with new ways to address the unique

challenges. During the staff meetings after the camps & conferences, students are allowed to
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reflect on each piece that led up to, during, and after to make sure that we can listen to the unique

mindsets of everyone. Then my supervisor and I analyze how to continue to provide

opportunities for those outcomes to guide their development. The RJM theory establishes how

their knowledge and experience can suggest how the student staff can contribute their expertise

to the camps and conferences they lead.

Conclusion

Understanding how theories can contribute to the growth and development of students

and professionals is a goal of the higher education profession. I have begun to understand how

theory can allow me the opportunity to continue to grow and develop as a practitioner. My

enjoyment comes from the opportunity to learn about the various theories this past semester and

can understand people in a deeper context. I am looking at my professional future to see how

theory can legitimize my experience. I desire to continue expanding my thoughts about meeting

diverse students and other professionals in higher education. My hope in the future is to continue

building my confidence as a practitioner to create a complex toolset to take with me during my

career.
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References

Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., Quaye, S. J., & Renn, K. A. (2016). Student development in college:

Theory, research, and practice. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.