HACU & Atlanta Adventures

Learning domains: Personal & Professional Development and Education

Description: This fall I had the opportunity to attend the HACU Annual 32nd Conference in Atlanta, Georgia as part of my scholarship and sponsorship from Miller-Coors. Although this conference is geared toward undergraduate students, I was open to seeing what I would be able to obtain from the experience as whole. This conference was held from Saturday October 6th to Monday, October 9th at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and I participated in the student track which had workshops on professional development.

Term: Fall 2018

Learning Outcomes:

1. SWiBAT synthesize conference activities apply to student affairs education philosophy.

2. SWiBAT describe the experience of personal development through Atlanta excursions.

Assessment Rubric: Please click image to view the PDF

Reflection

I would rate myself between Basic/Competent for the SLO #1 because I was able to synthesize some of the conference activities, but did not thoroughly relate to my philosophy of student affairs. Overall, my philosophy is student centered and data-informed. Overall, my philosophy of educational leadership is a "practical approach that embraces innovation, transparency, respect, and personal and professional development to develop the whole student. Based on my ESFJ Myers-Briggs typology, I am action-oriented, embrace individualization of students, and take interest in opportunities that concretely and visibly affect people’s lives (Myers, 1987). As such, I strive to maintain transparency, respect all individuals, and provide students with opportunities to hone their leadership skills."

There was the opportunity for me to attend the a workshop on branding that was facilitated by LinkedIn. This general session on the student track was valuable and aligned with the professional development aspect of my philosophy because students were able to hear from Latinx professionals about how they navigated higher education as first-generation students. Rapport and credibility were built because these LinkedIn employees represented similar demographics to the audience members. I believe there is value in representation, so as I continue my journey in higher education, I will work to bring people to the table so that their voices are present. Similarly, another workshop focused on budgeting during your first professional job when you are living away from home. This related to the personal development aspect of my education philosophy because it is important that students are financially fit and aware, so they can make good decisions in other areas in their lives. Lastly, I attended a workshop put on by IdeaGist, an online platform that serves as an incubator for ideas and helps translate them into action. This workshop aligns with the innovation aspect of my philosophy because I am open to creative ways to bring about change. During this session, my pitch revolved around the idea of creating a platform to amplify the voices of students within higher education which relates to Wong (2010)’s article. Although it was a more abstract concept, it was rewarding to put myself in a somewhat uncomfortable position and be ready for feedback from audience members if time allotted. Amplifying the voices of students allows me to use my platform to share their experiences.

I would rate myself as Competent for SLO#2. I was extremely fortunate to be in Atlanta for the conference and exploring the city is part of my educational experience and personal development. So much can be learned outside of the conference itself. During my free time I visited the aquarium as well as the human rights museum. When reflecting on the conference as a whole, it was a privilege to be sponsored by Miller-Coors to attend the conference. Access to different institutions and relevant organizations encouraged me to better understand the perspectives of students from other schools. By visiting the Human Rights Museum, I was able to experience what it could have been like to be a black man ordering from a lunch counter during the Civil Rights Era. During the simulation, I placed my hands on the counter. From the headset, I heard voices that turned into yelling and screaming. The seat where I was sitting vibrated and at once point it was so loud that I could not process anything, I just wanted it to be over. The whole simulation was probably only a few minutes, but it felt that time had stayed still. This contributed to my own self-discovery in the sense of how much I can or cannot tolerate during a stressful situation especially if it is for one of my marginalized identities. When reflecting my personal development, it made me question/evaluate the racial climate/campus climate/area of where I may want to work in the future and how I can move relatively freely in SoCal without worrying about my safety due to my race/ethnicity. Having a better understanding of the privilege through these experiences, helped sharpen my self-awareness and desire to engage in self-management.

Evidence: Please view pictures above.

References

Wong, N.A. (2010). “Cuz they care about the people who goes there”: The multiple roles of a community-based youth center in providing “youth (comm)unity” for low-income Chinese American youth. Urban Education, 45(5), pp. 708-739.