NASPA - 2017 Western Regional Conference

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Journal

Student Success

NASPA Western Regional Conference

Learning domains: Personal & professional development, Education, and Social Justice & Advocacy

Description: On Saturday, November 4th to Tuesday, November 7th I attended the NASPA Western Regional Conference in Hawaii. During this conference student affairs professionals primarily from Region V and VI gathered to network and learn about the current trends and research in higher education. The theme and vision of this conference was “currents.” According to the NASPA WRC website, the main goal of this conference was for participants to “reflect on our past, examine our current world, and endeavor to build an even brighter future together.” NASPA WRC chair, Dr. Lori Ideta, intentionally selected speakers to discuss the history of Hawaii and analyze current issues student affairs professionals encounter. Overall this was the #bestconferenceever allowing participants to remain open minded and challenge their beliefs to enact change within their own communities.

Term: Fall 2017

Learning Outcomes:

1. SWiBAT engage with conference activities and relate them to both personal and professional goals

2. SWiBAT create a sense of community among conference participants.

Assessment Rubric

Reflection

For SLO #1 I would rate myself as advanced because I made connections to my personal and professional goals by engaging in conference activities that related to my identities and desire to learn more about applying a social justice lense to student affairs. For example, because I aim to learn more about intersecting identities that I am exploring, I attended “Do Unicorns Exist on Campus? Exploring New Data on LGBTQ Graduate Students of Color.” I found this workshop fascinating because Raja Bhattar, Director of the LGBT Resource Center, and Valerie Shepard, Assistant Director of Graduate Student Resource Center at UCLA discussed how they are using data about LGBTQ graduate students to explore how these students can be better supported on college campuses. Because graduate students sense of belonging differs from undergraduate students, it is important to learn how LGBTQ students can be successfully socialized into their profession and departmental community. As a biracial woman of color questioning her sexual orientation, this session provided validation that LGBTQ students exist on campuses and illuminated that further research needs to be completed to support all students.

Another professional goal is to become a student affairs professional that applies a social justice lense and learns techniques to increase the collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs; therefore, I attended relevant workshops and obtained information from like-minded knowledge communities. For example, I went to “Charting a Course for Decolonization: A Framework for Deconstructing Dimensions of Student Success” presented by student affairs professionals from Pacific Lutheran University and San Joaquin Delta College and “Silos No More: Using Ecological System Network Mapping to Promote Collaboration On and Off Campus” presented by John Johnson, Director of Centers for Diversity and Inclusion, at Sacramento State University. In class we have learned about Yosso’s six-part cultural wealth model, which posits that all types of cultural wealth – inspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistance – can be used to empower individuals (Yosso, 2005). During the student success workshop, I learned how the current definition of student success is more quantitative focusing solely on student retention and graduation rates rather than a holistic view that encompasses aspects such as but not limited to the student experience, identity development, community service, and a sense of belonging. Moreover, a holistic construct should view student success as a community effort rather than an individual experience. I identified with this workshop because the current construct of student success should be analyzed critically. In the second session, I learned how ecological system network is a valuable tool that allows student affairs professionals to examine their current resources to determine how partnerships could be created. For example, Student Life and Leadership currently works with DIRC, Orientation and Recruitment Services, and the Dean of Students Office. Moving forward, our department could identify stakeholders could could benefit from our collaboration to reach more students.

For SLO #2 I would rate myself as advanced because I participated in the Graduate Student Institute (GSI), spent time with participants outside of the conference, enjoyed lunch with a mentor, and attended various networking socials. For example, during the GSI I completed small group activities about mindfulness and politics with my group, affectionately known as Pod Squad. Outside of GSI we attended the keynote reception at the lagoon together. Because I was able to meet other graduate students within the smaller setting, I felt more comfortable interacting with student affairs professional in the larger setting. Additionally, on one of the mornings I went snorkeling with student affairs professionals from Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton, and San Francisco State with the majority of us attending Cal Poly Pomona for undergrad. It was a pleasant experience getting to know these student affair professionals as individuals and get a glimpse of a holistic image of themselves. Overall, I felt more committed to the field and the needs for student affairs professionals to exist.

I also participated in the Women in Student Affairs (WISA) Candid Conversations to learn more about the field and potential career paths from an established female leader in the field. I specifically requested a woman of color who was a mid to senior-level administrator. Ironically, I was paired with my new research colleague, Dr. Piya Bose, Dean of Students at Cal State University Long Beach. Piya and I chatted over lunch how I am interested in pursuing a career in higher education consulting and the possibility of obtaining my doctorate in Organizational Leadership or Organizational Behavior once I have at least 3-5 years working full-time in student affairs. I learned that to seek positions in leadership in the future it is important to gain experience with supervision and budget management. Piya discussed the importance of obtaining roles that allow me to grow holistically and how her experience in residential life allowed her the flexibility and experience to make the jump to dean of students. Moving forward, I will conduct more informational interviews with women in senior leadership to learn more how conquering their challenges allowed them to become a successful student affairs professional.

Additionally, I attended the Region VI social where I interacted with student affairs professional from various institutions and former graduates of the Masters in Higher Education program. For example, I spoke with MSHE alum, Michael Lemus, works at UC Davis and was the recipient of this year’s NASPA Region VI Dorothy Keller New Professional award. It was helpful learning from a new professional how to get involved with knowledge communities and overall I felt supported from meeting other student affairs professionals. Everyone I met was welcoming and it was helpful that there was only 1 or 2 degrees of separation between professionals. I am reassured that I belong somewhere within higher education, just continuing to explore which functional area is the best fit for me.

Evidence

Please reference pictures above.

References

Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? Race, Ethnicity and Education, 8, pp. 69–91.