Last year, as I wrote a few items for the CSSA blog, I expected to start the program with the 2008 cohort, but I didn’t. I ended up having to defer school for medical reasons and now I am back to start CSSA in the 2009 cohort, better than new!
Over the last two weekends I participated in an excellent professional development opportunity: Team Liberation facilitator training. When I applied for the training I knew I would learn about group facilitation, learn some new stuff about myself and meet some great people–I just didn’t realize how much I would learn! In four days we covered communication styles, the power of language and hospitality, how to affect optimum cross cultural communication, and more. I got to practice group facilitating and participate in several more group exercises to learn how to achieve desired outcomes from specific activities. It was fun and I’ve come away with new insight and more confidence about where I’m going.
I can’t describe Team Liberation better than the Team Liberation Web site. It’s an excellent student-run resource on the OSU campus and everyone should know about it. Please take a minute to learn about it by clicking here.
Enjoy~
Mary
Over the past year-plus, I’ve read the CSSA Blog through and through, learned a lot about the life of a CSSA student, and I’ve applied to the program—twice. I start in the fall.
As I sit in my Corvallis apartment this June evening, I am enjoying the anticipation of graduate school. I’m looking forward to being a student again, getting to know the cohort, the camaraderie and collaboration. I’m looking forward to intellectual challenges and being in an atmosphere that cultivates respect for individualism and intellectualism. Three months to go…
I am excited. About all of it! Especially internships. I like the idea of “trying on” an area of work and learning more about different responsibilities in different locations. Internships are an opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes so that when I go on to a “real job” in student affairs, I’ll have a better idea of how the shoes for that job fit. More, what I learn from internship experiences will help me on that big shoe shopping trip (some like to call it a job search) that will begin in a little under two years.
I used to occassionally think, “YIKES! What am I getting into?” But not so much anymore. I’m definitely ready for the CSSA program and looking forward to student affairs. I’m ready to be back in school, to work really hard. I’m looking forward to working on my portfolio and learning what this “Wild Card” is that everyone talks about. I’m excited to read the Chronicle on a regular basis in the library and to foster a close relationship with each and every barista at Java II.
-Mary
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