Chicago is gonna be Ballin’: Dhiraj Chand

Hey Team.  My name is Dhiraj Chand and I am currently studying Communication, Gender Studies and Ethnic Studies at the University of Utah… that right UTAH!  I originally grew up in Los Angeles, California and from there, my family moved to Centerville, Utah.

Random stuff I like: cooking (curry,) shopping (I am an addict,) fashion, clubs, dancing, music (pop, broadway, hiphop, top40, r&b), reading (I am a prod member of Oprah’s Book Club,) standup comedy, watching the news (and by news I mean E! Entertainment and Access Hollywood), Indian Movies – Bollywood, Broadway musicals – live theatre,  social justice-y type events, apple stuff,  and more.

I am passionate about social justice, equity and community activism!  

Meet and Greet: Tammy Hong

Hi, and welcome to the NASPA 2010 Student Affairs Blog. I’m so excited to be a blogger, and share my experiences with you. Along the way, you’ll meet 11 other wonderful student affairs people, and experience what it’s like to prepare and look forward to the NASPA 2010 Annual Conference: Live the legacy Be the Movement. A little background information before we begin, I’m a second year graduate student in the College Student Personnel Program in the Midwest, and in the job search process.

I can’t say that I found Student Affairs, because really, it was Student Affairs that found me. It’s kind of like falling in love, it happens when you least expect it. I was about to graduate from college, but I had no idea what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I had a passion for helping others and programming, and if it were up to me, I would do it for the rest of my life, no questions asked. Yet, aside from event planner, was there a job out there that would let me create programs for students, and if so, how could I get involved? *cue Raiders of the Lost Ark music* My advisor introduced me to the Student Affairs profession, and provided me with information about applying to graduate school and pursuing a degree in Higher Education. She saw in me something that I didn’t see in myself, and if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have found this profession.

That’s my story, and one of the main reasons that I am in the Student Affairs profession. I want to pay it forward and help other students find their passions.

Golden State of Mind: Leezel Ramos

In Leading with Soul, authors Bolman and Deal (2001), describes a journey as “[first] letting go of comfortable and familiar ways… leaving home leads to the journey’s second stage—the quest. The quest is always a time of almost overwhelming danger and challenge… [lastly] be ready for the third stage of the journey, returning home. Home will be different and so will [you], because [you] will be armed with new capacities and the deeper understanding that [you] could acquire only by undertaking this journey” (p.46-47). For me, that’s the NUFP experience.

Being raised in Southern California with my college experience reaching its last half of my fourth year as an undergraduate, it’s time to leave what is familiar. The crisp winds of Chi-town are this year’s setting for the NASPA National Conference and it couldn’t have been in any better place. As the hometown of our nation’s president and the most televised cry for change in the public K-12 system, the atmosphere calls for critical thinking and creative solutions for education.

Higher education is no exception and this is our challenge. It would be an honor to attend such a meeting of great minds, to “be the movement toward social justice and the common good within institutions, communities, and personal lives” (http://www.naspa.org/conf/programs/default.cfm). The National Conference will serve to develop aspiring professionals and a chance to dialogue with those more experienced to ensure that its mission and movement continue.

The conference format supports a transformational learning experience. It’s a concrete experience that emphasizes personal involvement with people, other attendees. It’s where learning takes an active form – experimenting – and learning ideas and situations are understood from diverse viewpoints (Paige et al, 2002). This is how I learn best. This is why I want to be there in March of 2010.

After the Western Regional Careers in Student Affairs Day in San Diego in October 2009, the NUFP pre-conference workshop lead by Nathan Victoria will be the next step in uncovering the layers of knowledge about the field of student affairs. I hope to learn about the history, formation, and what inspired the foundation of the profession. I want to ask – what issues currently affect college students? What new and innovated programs address these issues especially regarding social identity and meaning development? NASPA National Conference will open the doors to information and opportunity.

Team building and shared experiences will create an inclusive sense of community that will help me bring back strategies to develop my own organizations on a human level. Skills to manage people can be learned, but captivating them is key. I’ve been fortunate enough to have mentors in my life who believed in me and showed me that I’m capable of achieving my own successes. I want to be that kind of person for others – to challenge and cultivate inquisitive minds. Because our campus is largely commuter students, I plan to reach out to them with the opportunity to be involve and provide tools to be successful. I’ll stress the invaluable life lessons and transferable skills that can be gained. As director of the Student Leadership Institute, active member of our chapter of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, and volunteer service coordinator for a program of the Center for Internships and Community Engagement, my anticipated adventure at National Conference will not only benefit me, but the campus community as well.

I’m excited to connect with other NUFP Fellows across the country and begin my professional network. The diversity of NUFP Fellows will contribute to the richness of personal histories that could broaden my outlook on society and what’s possible in making it better. Essential to achieving NUFP learning outcomes, it’s to ultimately recognize similarities, embrace difference, and reciprocate respect.

Everyone looks at the world with lenses shaped by their life experiences. As each individual has unique contoured lenses, the presence of others and myself will provide various standpoints, opinions, beliefs, and values to the conversation. My lens is of a young Filipino-American woman who challenged herself to be open to other ideals and was willing to test her own values and core principles. That’s why I gave the closing remarks at the end of the first conference I ever coordinated. I saw everyone standing and applauding and it was then that I had an epiphany. Everyone has their own reasons for the work that they do, but at that very profound moment, I found mine. I finally understood that it’s giving up what you do for something greater than yourself and for me it was my peers in the audience. I took up that responsibility, for them and so I worked to provide a space on such a grand scale. I knew each individual student organization was amazing, but I wanted them to discover that that within each other. I firmly believe if you get the right people together with the right resources, anything is possible.

It’s times like this that lead me to discover who I am and help construct my life and leadership philosophy, activities that foster human understanding and build self-esteem. Most of all, my love for leadership and student development are affirmed continually as I aspire to become a student affairs professional.

At National Conference I shall “be bold.” The same motto I’ve themed for the program I direct, “be bold” is a call-to-action to challenge oneself to be more confident, explore new life experiences, and make a difference. From pre-conference workshops to educational sessions, National Conference is where the country will come together. This will be a place to support one another, to network, to collaborate and publicize programs and ideas. It will be a medium through which seasoned professionals, new professionals, graduate students, and undergraduate students can learn together. We can work with one another to create alliances, opportunities, and for me – begin to live the legacy.

To the Windy City!: John Gradel

As I traveled onto the campus of SUNY Fredonia as an entering freshman, I never knew where I wound end up in four years.  From orientation all the way to commencement I found myself this past four years to be in the middle of a huge, inspiring network of support.  Never could I have been able to excel as much as I did without the support from a campus whose students affairs staff strives at making sure college students succeed.

Allow me to introduce myself… my name is John and I’m a senior social studies adolescence education major who plans to attend a graduate program in higher education.  During the past four years of my college journey I have been able to experience several different aspects student affairs.  From starting out as a Resident Assistant, to assisting in the creation of a late night program series all the way to being an orientation leader I have seen several aspects of the student affairs world.  In each of the several roles I held I was able to see how each program helped students succeed.  This thus inspired me to want to pursue a career in student affairs. One of my most exciting roles was serving as our programming boards president for two years in a row.  During this time I assisted in planning over 120 events.  We were able to create a second welcome week and revive our spring concert into an attraction for all students.  These achievements I attribute to my mentors in the field who helped me get to where I am today.  Thus I am very excited to be able to attend this year’s NASPA conference to meet other professionals in the field who have inspired me to want to work with college students.

The theme of this year’s conference: Live the Legacy Be the Movement – reminds me of this quote by John Allston, “The only thing you take with you when you’re gone is what you leave behind.”  I have firmly believed in trying to change whatever I encounter to make it better.  I have been able to accomplish this several times as an undergraduate.  I was able to increase the number and quality of our activities on our programming board.  I assisted in the creation of a late night program to provide alternatives for students to do on the weekends.  In an internship I co-taught a freshman seminar where we helped liberal arts students choose a major.  In the process we gave them the tools of the trade and innovative ways to think about what they would like to major in.  To be able to leave a legacy behind means to foster a change in the world today.  As I enter into the world to learn more in-depth about the student affairs profession, I hope to be the movement to contribute to the legacy in this prestigious field.

While attending the conference I hope to engage in many activities.  Some educational sessions I would like to attend include the “Student Affairs Leaders of Tomorrow: Undergraduate Pre-Conference” to learn more in-depth about what the field of student affairs has to offer.  I plan on attending the “Leadership StrengthsQuest” session because as an intern for a freshman seminar class we utilized this amazing tool.  I’m interested to see what the creators have to say regarding this test that seeks to find your top strengths. While attending educational sessions I hope to volunteer during the conference and at the placement exchange.  Some of my goals include meeting professionals in the field and being able to apply what I learn in the educational sessions to my future graduate schoolwork and beyond.  I can’t wait to go to the windy city!

Getting Ready For The Movement

My name is Munirat Adebimpe and I am a graduate student in the College Student Personnel (CSP) program at the University of Rhode Island (URI). I am currently wrapping up last semester in the CSP program at the university and looking forward to attending the national NASPA conference to assist with my job search and professional development. As an undergraduate student at the University of Rhode Island, my passion to work with college students was fueled by my interactions with student affairs professional, but like many undergraduates at that level, I was unaware of what route to take. I was a resident assistant for a few years and served several committees that assisted with social justice initiatives at the university. When I graduated from URI with my Bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Studies, I worked in the mental health field for about three years prior continuing my education. I utilized this time to refine my counseling skills and reflect upon what aspects of student affairs most interested me and luckily, I found it working with “at-risk” student populations. I have surfaced into an individual that has committed a vast majority of my graduate career towards assisting and supporting at risk and underrepresented students on college campuses. I have devoted a considerable amount of time to educating myself and others on issues of social justice and equality, that being said, I feel comfortable enough to say that I operate in day to day operations within the multicultural perspective. Based on my understanding of this perspective, I have developed an appreciation in validating every student’s lived experience. I am vowed to being the best practitioner that I can be while developing the skills necessary to accomplish the goals I have set forth.

I am extremely thrilled to be attending the NASPA national conference in Chicago because of its’ the overarching theme that is essentially embedded in social justice. I believe this conference would not only promote my desires to become a skilled worker, but it will aid significantly in expanding upon my future educational endeavors. This conference will provide ample professional development opportunities, as it will enable me to attend educational sessions, workshops, network and communicate with others about the experience. My goals for attending this conference are genuinely to develop and emerge as an entry level professional, create and develop connections in the Chicago area, attend sessions that have an emphasis on social justice initiatives on college campuses and further refine the skills I currently possess. There are countless educational sessions at the conference and I have already started to input some key sessions in my itinerary. The first session I plan on attending is Creating Social Justice: Best Practices and Lessons Learned. The presenters of this session have described that they will assist participants in their respective session in understanding the best practices to create inclusive, multicultural campus communities. Other sessions I plan on attending are as follows: Responding to Troubled Students: The Role of Student Affairs , Implementing Innovation: Moving from Theory to Practice, African American Women’s Summit: Live the Legacy Using Strengths, Understanding Why You Became a Student Affairs Educator, (Re)Constructing Opportunities for Ethnic Minority Students, Game of Oppression: A Life-Sized Experience, Educating for Social Justice: Impacts of a Student Affairs Program, Nourishing Racially Diverse Students’ Sense of Belonging at PWIs. I am convinced that my goals personally, socially and academically will be met within just a few days at the conference.

The Golden Key: Unlocking the Potential of my First NASPA Conference: Dan Stypa

My name is Dan Stypa and I am a 2nd year Masters student in the College Student Personnel program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  While here at UT, my assistantship is with University Housing.  Last year I was an Assistant Hall Director in an all male freshman hall and this year, I am the Programming & Advising Graduate Assistant and work with the RHA and leadership development programs.  While working with housing, I have completed internships at UT with the Parents Association, Judicial Affairs, the Student Success Center, and Dance Marathon.  I’ve really gotten a lot from my UT experience and am excited to continue to make a difference in the lives of students long after my time here at UT is complete.

My interest in student affairs began early in my undergrad career at Bowling Green State University.  I started off as an education major but quickly realized that I wasn’t meant to be in a high school classroom.  I got involved early in my undergrad experience and wanted to do that the rest of my life.  Some amazing mentors along the way told me about this field called student affairs and I’ve been hooked ever since!

I am really excited to be attending NASPA for the first time this March!  Most of my professional mentors here at UT are active members of NASPA and have encouraged me all along to attend the conference if I could.  With the support of this scholarship, I’m eager to get to the Windy City and learn from professionals from all over the country!  By attending this conference, a primary goal of mine is to learn about successful programs at all types of institutions.  All of my experience is at large public universities; at NASPA, I want to learn more about other types of colleges and universities so that I can be well educated about all aspects of students affairs at different types of schools.  Additionally, I hope to be able to bring back ideas from other schools to UT.  Although I only have a few short months left at UT, I’m excited to share with colleagues what I’ve learned so that I can do my part to make UT a little better than when I arrived.

While at NASPA, I can’t wait to meet people from all over the country and build my professional network.  So many times I’ve heard my mentors talk about the people they’ve met at conferences and still keep in touch with.  Between the other students who have received this award and the hundreds of others at the conference, a goal of mine is to meet as many people as possible so that as I move along in the field, I will have individuals I can contact for support, guidance, and to bounce ideas off of.

My primary passions lie in housing and residence life, leadership development, academic enhancment programs, and organizational development.  I am excited to attend sessions focusing on these areas so that I can further develop my knowledge in these areas.  I’ve served as a reviewer for the Student Affairs Partnering with Academic Affairs award committee and had the privledge of reading about many exciting programs happening all over the country.  I intend to attend many of the sessions that have to deal with how functional areas and divisions across the campus community can partner and work together.  With shrinking resources and many schools tightening their belts, I think it will be imperative to learn all that I can so that when I take my first professional position, I will be able to work on a team that is ready to move forward and embrace change.

Anddd we’re off to the Windy City: Sami Ali

Who’s that Girllll?

Hi y’all! I’m Samiyyah (Sami) Ali. I’m a senior at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. I’m graduating with a degree in Psychology but I tried out several different majors before my advisor told me I had to pick a major for graduation. That’s kind of how I roll in life – I like to try a little bit of everything, to do a lot of my special things, and to never discount the little things.

A little something about me? My resume will tell you that I’m a Psych Major with an International Comparative Studies Minor, I’m in Alpha Omicron Pi, and I’m one of the captains of the Duke Women’s Rugby Team (Yes, Rugby. Yes, they have that in the States. Yes, there are women’s teams.) I also work student (part)-time in the Office of Student Activities and Facilities at Duke, which is where I was really introduced to the field of student affairs. What my resume won’t tell you is that I absolutely love the South (representing Atlanta, Georgia) and country music, I have a slight, non-detrimental obsession with Soy Chai Lattes and Taylor Swift, and I am completely random.

I want to enter the field of higher education/student affairs because I want to encourage and motivate students and help shape the collegiate experience for them, the same way that my mentors/employers/random connections in Student Affairs have for me here at Duke. My experience as a NUFP Fellow has been crucial to my developing interest and knowledge surrounding this career. I am SO PUMPED (thanks, Sodexo!) to be attending NASPA during my Spring Break. It was during last NASPA, when half the office I work in was gone to Seattle, that I first realized that what they did was a “field” and that I could do it too.

I’m also super excited about graduate school. (By the way, if you’re reading this and I applied to your school. You get a special shout out.) Graduate School seems like the perfect way to learn about the history, theories and practices of student affairs and apply them directly to the field all at once. I am able to look back on my past four years and realize how crucial practitioners from the field have been in the my development and the development of my peers, and I can’t wait to join the field!

Until next time…like now…

Attending the NASPA 2010: Live the Legacy, Be the Movement Conference is a spectacular opportunity for me as a fourth year undergraduate student. I feel as though it will complement my experiences as a NUFP fellow on my home institution campus and truly bring together ideas, knowledge and perspectives about the field of student affairs developed in the fellowship program in the past year.

There are many professional development opportunities available at the NASPA conference this year. The well-rounded schedule that I will be adhering to will provide me with an opportunity of growth within the field, as I will be learning and networking with every opportunity that arises. I look forward to attending educational sessions and poster sessions to learn more about certain aspects of the fields that interest me. I also see these sessions being beneficial in gaining resources and information that might support my future change efforts.

I also hope to network with professionals, practitioners and other students (graduate and undergraduate) to broaden my perspective of the field. Specifically, I would like to gain more insight into the field and why people remain in the field from student affairs professionals at institutions other than my own. Building my own network of people in the field will expound upon my previous experiences. I also look forward to the opportunity to engage in shared inquiries, parts of the field I’m particularly interested in, and learning with other NUFP members that share my goals.

The educational sessions I plan on attending will help to clarify and address some of the concerns and important aspects of the field as well as initiate my thoughts on problem-solving in those situations. Specifically, I plan on attending Advancing Cultural Understanding to Achieve Social Justice, which address the “student characteristics, development and learning” and the “culture, diversity environment, and organization development” learning outcomes. This topic is of personal interest to me and my strong commitment to diversity. Another session I will attend is A Study of Alcohol Use in Residence Halls and Greek Chapters, which addresses the “assessment and research practices” and “law, governance, and policy” learning outcomes. This is a concern that I have witnessed at Duke that I’m am interested in investigating further. Lastly, I will attend Ethics and Leadership: Making Choices for Social Justice, which addresses “leadership, administration and management” and “culture, diversity environment, and organization development.” Attending the NASPA 2010 conference is just the beginning of my lifelong learning and education in the Student Affairs/Higher Education field, and I can’t wait until March 5^th!

The 3.5ish Paragraph Synopsis: Jacob Goldstein

It’s always a challenge to summarize who you are in a concise paragraph that’s both entertaining and informative. Well, here I go.

My name is Jacob Goldstein. I’m in my senior year at Occidental College in Los Angeles, where I am a Sociology major (with a particular interest in gender studies). I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area – San Jose, California, to be specific – allowing me to straddle the fierce Los Angeles vs. San Francisco debate. Much of my interest in Student Affairs stems from my work at Occidental’s Center for Gender Equity, which I helped to form in the 2008-2009 school year. I currently serve as the Center’s first Program Assistant, and have greatly enjoyed the challenges and opportunities that come with starting a new campus institution. At Occidental, I also serve as the President of Queer Straight Alliance, and – for a little balance – as the Co-President of the Yoga Club. In my free time, I love get off campus and hike, take photographs, and continue to explore Los Angeles’ array of museums, restaurants, and neighborhoods.

I hope to gain both immediate and long-term benefits through attending the 2010 NASPA Annual Conference. The conference comes at a critical period in my life; as a dedicated student leader and community organizer, I am eager to find ways to ensure that my passions for gender-based and LGBT academics and activism will not end upon graduation in May. Thus, my biggest goal for the conference is simply to broaden my knowledge of the field. Attending the conference will allow me to interact with Student Affairs professionals (and fellow student professionals) from across the country, and I am eager to see how other colleges and universities structure their Student Affairs departments, as well as gain a sense of field’s current trends and future developments. Long term, attending the conference will provide me with a truly invaluable amount of social networking with Student Affairs administrators, thus allowing me to turn my desire to work for Student Affairs into an attainable possibility.

At the conference it self, I will of course attend the “Student Affairs Leaders of Tomorrow: Undergraduate Pre-Conference,” as well as the exciting array of featured speakers. Due to my interest in working at an LBGT Center and/or Center for Gender Equity, I plan on joining the “LBGT” and “Men and Masculinities” Knowledge Communities, and  I’m looking forward to attending individual sessions such as “Beyond Rainbows: The Legacy & Future of LGBTQ Inclusion on Campus,” “The Queerevolution: A Panel Discussion on LGBTQ Campus Activism,” and “Boys will be Boys: Hegemonic Masculinity on Men’s Development.” I believe that these sessions will enhance my ability to be an effective student leader at Occidental College. Finally, I plan on attending all relevant receptions and networking events, both for my region and for undergraduate students.

I am grateful for the Golden Key NASPA scholarship providing me the opportunity to jump-start my educational and professional journey towards becoming a Student Affairs administrator. I can’t for March 6^th!

Making the Most of Diverse Opportunities at NASPA ’10: Emily Roh

Hello! My name is Emily Roh and I’m a first year master’s student at University of Maryland. I’m originally from Los Angeles and graduated from UCLA with my Bachelor of Arts in Asian American studies and my Associate in Arts from Pasadena City College.  After graduating, I worked professionally a few years before realizing that I wanted to be a student affairs professional and headed back to school.  It’s been an unusual journey, filled with unexpected twists and turns, but I have enjoyed the ride and am excited to be here today!

As an undergrad, my Asian American Studies classes were a major catalyst for my racial identity development, which led to an enduring interest and passion for diversity and social justice issues. After graduating, I further developed through a few leadership development programs where I also worked in non-profit/conflict resolution and taught at an alternative residential school with a nationally diverse student population in a small tourist town in Colorado.  I also worked with low-income, potential first-generation college students in a TRiO program in Orange County.  In each of these experiences, I struggled (and I still struggle!) with how to translate theory into meaningful practice. For example, I was inspired by the critical pedagogy ideas in Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, but translating that to effective teaching practices was harder than I ever imagined.

Currently, I am interested in how student affairs administrators who work on diversity issues make difficult decisions.  How does one decide when to use their voice or stay silent?  How does one balance conflicting interests among administration, students, and self?  I eventually hope to study how higher education institutions’ cultures change, and how we can be more effective and intentional about shaping those changes.  I hope to connect with scholars and practitioners with similar research and professional interests, in order to develop my research ideas.  One way I hope to accomplish this is through NASPA’s Scholar Mentor Program, which amazingly offers a meeting with Dr. Joi D. Lewis, a scholar-practitioner whose work aligns closely with my own goals.

NASPA offers some great workshops that fit my various interests.  For example, I plan to sign up for the pre-conference workshop “Creating Social Justice: Best Practices and Lessons Learned” and Monday’s session “Ethics and Leadership: Making Choices for Social Justice,” two session where I can hopefully have some interesting conversations with people about my research ideas.  I’m also considering doctoral programs, so I will likely attend “To Ph.D. or Not: Issues to consider during and after the decision.”  I also hope to attend some workshops on ethical and spiritual development, supervision skills, and topics on special populations, such as veteran students or students with disabilities.  As you can see, I have a wide range of interests, which matches well with the diverse offerings at NASPA’s Annual Conference.

NASPA’s Annual Conference is a perfect venue for networking.  Just by attending sessions, I will talk to people who share my professional interests.  Additionally, quite a few universities and organizations offer receptions where current students and alumni can mingle and get to know one another.  One of my cohort mates, who currently works at NASPA for his graduate assistantship, is organizing the NASPA Community Fair, which sounds like a great and fun opportunity to find out more about different organizations and opportunities within student affairs.

I am honored and excited to be a Golden Key NASPA Annual Conference Scholarship recipient and look forward to sharing my adventures with you all!

Kate from the Sunshine State: Kate Hogan

Greetings from Tallahassee, Florida! My name is Kate Hogan, and I am a second-year Master’s student in The Florida State University’s Higher Education program. My emphasis within the program is on Student Affairs. I also currently serve as an Assistant Coordinator for the Landis, Gilchrist, and Broward complex. Last year, I oversaw Smith Hall as the Assistant Coordinator.

My first glimpse into the Student Affairs field came in November of 2007, in Burlington, Vermont. I attended the NASPA Region I conference at the University of Vermont, and quickly realized that my interests in Residential Life could become a career. The support I felt from my mentors at Boston College as well as professionals within the field helped me determine the next step in my journey: Florida State.

My experience at Florida State has been a positive and exciting one. I have been fortunate to have wonderful supervisors along my journey (here’s a shout out to Randy Brown and Khorey Baker!), who have taught me immeasurable amounts of life lessons. I strive to be someone who is hard working and dedicated to the students in my buildings. Making personal connections with individual students is a passion of mine. My belief is that if you can connect with one student, you have made their residence hall a place to call home. Forming relationships with students is what motivates me in my career.

As we look ahead to March in the “Windy City” of Chicago, I am filled with excitement about attending my first NASPA annual conference. I am looking forward to speaking with professionals from across the country, and possibility gaining a mentor from an institution that is unfamiliar to me. The spread of ideas from one institution to another is a beneficial and necessary flow, and I hope that I can positively impact my campus by bringing new perspectives gained at the conference to Florida State.

One of my key goals while attending the conference is to attend sessions that push me outside of my comfort zone. There are many presentations scheduled that I would love to attend, yet I would like to attend sessions that will provide me with a well rounded, balanced view of the conference. Although my interests are concentrated in particular categories, I hope to reach outside of those interests and explore other areas and topics.

I plan on attending “Career Paths, Cross Paths, Long Distance Relationships” on Monday morning. This session is particularly interesting to me as I am job searching and also have a partner within the field of student affairs. Navigating a personal and professional decision is difficult, and I hope this session can shed more light on the topic! I also plan on attending “Princeton’s Residential Colleges: Past Ideals, Present Practice.” This session will help me take a closer look at one of my interests within the field, residential colleges. I am also interesting in the session titled, “Genderism: Transgender Students and Binary Systems.” I think this session will help me to realize how our systems often do not allow for transgender or gender neutral individuals to be properly accommodated. Lastly, I think that the session “Student-on-Student Sexual Assault: Ten Critical Practices” will be interesting and useful as I transition into a full time position. Although sexual assault is an area that I have not much experience in, I hope that this session can set a foundation for future crisis situations that may occur.

As you can tell, I am excited for March and cannot wait to experience Chicago for the first time. Although I am anxious about my job search process and the ups and downs that accompany searching, I am thrilled to be a part of an organization like NASPA. Three years ago, NASPA set the framework for my decision to be involved within the field of student affairs. Now, as I embark on another change in my career, NASPA is again the organization that I turn to.

See you in Chicago!

-Kate