PERSONAL STATEMENT 4
Personal Statement
Joan V. Miller
Pennsylvania State University
Personal Statement
While traversing the path of K-12 education through a lengthy career, reflection upon my ongoing experiences crafted a philosophy that encompassed everything I emphatically believed to be in the best interest of students and their learning. I embraced the notion of holistic student development. I created vibrant classroom environments that welcomed communities of students who learned from each other and were respectful of differences. Most importantly, I believed pedagogically in the power of differentiated and integrated instruction with measurable objectives. My identity as an educator had been refined to a point of which I was immensely proud. Yet daily, I struggled to ignore a nagging voice from within that something was missing. Thus, when presented with an opportunity for change, I grabbed the brass ring to explore a move to higher education.
Fortunately, many elements of my personal philosophy eased my transition into student affairs. From The Student Personnel Point of View (American Council on Education, 1937, 1949, cited in Rentz, 1996) to Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-Wide Focus on the Student Experience (American College Personnel Association (ACPA) & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), 2004) I was introduced to student development and learning concepts which spoke my language. I discovered a way to extend my professional growth and development in a field where I felt right at home.
Student affairs has allowed me to strengthen the professional competencies I brought to this field in the areas of communication, instruction, leadership, facilitation, and the planning and implementation of programs. My knowledge of student development has been extended exponentially and applied liberally in my daily work with students. Through my experiences I have acquired a thirst for scholarly inquiry that combines theory and practice. I have continually engaged in the exploration of topics of interest such as: student decision-making, mentoring, and support for academically at-risk students.
Student affairs has also widened my vision and broadened my perspectives through the opportunity to embrace social justice causes and engage in the rich ethnic and international diversity present on a campus environment. I have experienced the power of the voice behind lived experiences. Person to person contact with classmates acquainted me with a plethora of intersecting identities that initiated deep reflection on my part and led to change within me. Forming friendships with people from different walks of life inspired me to want to help others see the beauty in the human tapestry. Nothing has taught me more than my shared experiences with students and my classmates. I have learned to respect the story that every single student has to tell.
The power of student conversations is what brings student affairs to life for me. My experiential work in new student orientation, advising exploratory students, and managing cases in student conduct has afforded me the chance to guide conversations at varying levels of development. I recognize that not all students are developmentally at the same level or have similar identities. These notions influence the conversations that occur. Intentional conversations with students provide the opportunity to plant seeds of challenge or promote the dissonance that helps to promote cognitive growth. Through both course work and practice, I have also become a better listener while honing helping skills and learning to both challenge and support students in their thinking.
In higher education, I aspire to continue to work with students in small groups or with individuals in a helping capacity. I want to engage in provocative conversations (Pizzolato, 2005) that will help students to become transformative learners. I wholeheartedly agree with the tenets of Learning Reconsidered (ACPA & NASPA, 2004) that view the fabric of learning in higher education as intricately woven strands of academic and co co-curricular experiences that require intentionality of purpose, planning, and assessment. I believe the student journey is enhanced by caring individuals who understand the complexity of learning, ground their practice in student development theory, honor ethical values, and are genuine advocates for social justice issues. I also believe that student affairs professionals have a responsibility to know the students with whom they work. Characteristics of student populations change with the times. Knowing your audience and being aware of social trends and pop culture enhances communication in a world of millennial students and social media.
I hope to apply my beliefs and values to a work setting that will allow me to provide direct service to students while also encouraging and supporting the scholarly inquiry which has been an important part of my learning. Studying the links between transition theory, student development, and decision-making grew from my internship project at FTCAP. Curiosity about varying degrees of certainty regarding a choice of major among students starting college led me to investigate the role that cognitive development and perception of transition might play in their choice. Mentoring student athletes ignited my desire to explore, through an independent study, how mentoring and transition theory could help students academically at-risk in my advising practice. Having the support of the Division of Undergraduate Studies to share my learning at professional conferences and to be able to absorb the learning of others has been a highlight of my education.
I truly am a product of transformational learning. I entered the study of student affairs with professional skills and a desire to learn knowledge. I have grown to understand that I have created my own knowledge through my experiences and reflections. I recognize that my experiences have changed me. I remain a work in progress as I strive to help students in their ongoing learning, growth, and development.
References
American College Personnel Association (ACPA) & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). (2004). Learning reconsidered: A campus-wide focus on the student experience. Washington, DC: Author.
Pizzolato, J. E. (2005). Creating crossroads for self-authorship: Investigating the provocative
moment. Journal of College Student Development, 46(5), 624–41.
Rentz, A. L. (1996). Student affairs: A historical perspective. In F. J. D. MacKinnon & Associates (Eds.), Rentz’s student affairs practice in higher education (pp. 27-55, 3rd ed.). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publishing.