I am nearing finals week in my first term as a CSSAer. This has been an incredible few months. I have learned an incredible amount of information not only about student affairs, but about myself. In addition, this term has thrust me into this deep search to find a purpose within this field.
I’d like to share with everyone, a recent source of inspiration I’ve found while writing my final history paper for Dr. Frost’s History of Higher Education course. The topic is the History of the Multicultural Competency in our CSSA program. I have spoken to many of those involved with the process I have been impressed by what asking a question can start. The four students that took the reigns on creating the competency and seeing it through have made a big impact. Even bigger than they know. Now, anyone who goes through the program can fully understand how important it is for a student affairs professional, or really just a citizen of the world, to pay attention to all aspects of a student’s identity. It is an incredibly empowering story. I hope that when I am done I can tell others about how this competency was created and they will see the power of courage, passion and hard work.
Soapbox thought of the day:
Our dreams are often stunted by fear of failure, but if you believe in yourself, and the potential for positive change, there is nothing that you can’t do.
To conclude, I’m very pleased with this program and support that I’ve found in the faculty, my cohort and the second years (especially my 2nd year mentor), my GTA supervisor, and many others that I’ve been supported by along the way. This has been truly amazing, and I can’t wait to begin my next term.
I think I speak for the class of 2008 when I say….Yay! Orientation starts today! For the first time, our cohort will come together…
“We do not remember days, we remember moments” -Cesare Pavese
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Hello Readers and Bloggers!
I wanted to update as to what has been going on the past few weeks. I have been working at the Women’s Center for a few weeks now, I signed on early to get to know the campus and the community ahead of time. I feel like it was a pretty good choice. So far I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing campus leaders, some future professors in the CSSA program and a bunch of my future cohort members. I’ve been able to participate in so many endeavors that have allowed me to learn and contribute to the campus community already!
As for my daily goings-on in the little blue house, I’ve spent the last few weeks planning training, brainstorming on fun ways to reach out to the student body, and learning what it is to be a GTA in the Women’s Center. It’s been really nice to have so many people around that are invested in the education of new professionals, and I can’t wait for school to begin so I can learn more!
One thing I thought I would comment on is how interesting it can be to learn the little intricacies of a new institution. Many of us have moved from one institution to another and have felt overwhelmed by the amount of tiny little things there is to learn like acronyms, administrative procedures and institutional policies, and who handles what, when and so on. All I have to say is, it gets easier. I think it is specifically difficult to move from a small institution to a larger one. At my last institution some center would cover 3 or 4 different things and here it is split into entire different departments. What a change! Everyday I learn something new and I’m enjoying every minute of it.
I am here finally after months of planning and anticipation. Corvallis is even more unbelievable than I ever hoped, including my apartment…which is a wonderful surprise seeing is that I have never seen it before I opened the door yesterday afternoon. My fiance and I are delighted to be in our beautiful new place, and my cat Berlioz is ecstatic that he has a new window to sit in where he can watch the gold finches play in the trees. We’ve been unpacking slowly and listening to him talk to them. We have a view of Mary’s Peak and overlook a beautiful creek. I was pleased to have some help along with our families yesterday, 3 students from the women’s center came over to say hello and help out. I love how nice and helpful everyone has been since I started my westward journey. While we are still buried in a mountain of boxes I can’t help but feel so at home here. There is much natural beauty, places to shop, a wonderful green lifestyle that is promoted here, and still a small community feel. I was told yesterday by a student that everyone comes to school here and then never wants to leave, and I can certainly see why.
Tomorrow I am looking forward to a personal tour by my new women’s center sisters, finally meeting my supervisor in person (I interviewed over the phone) and continuing to unpack. I can’t wait for the days to come, I can’t wait to meet my cohort! Have a wonderful evening!
-Heather Nicole Christian
Hello everyone! I’ve loved reading the posts and have anticipated blogging myself in the last few months, I thought when I read this for the first time, how cool that our program has something that can reach out to so many people, especially prospective students. Applying for graduate school is a really nerve racking thing at times, it’s intimidating. All the formality of applications, essays, interviews, and the funny thing is that once it’s over it’s all about the people, one on one interactions, mutual learning and fun things like that. That’s why I loved this blog, it’s a way for us to be virtually connected to people, make the search a little less scary. I’m glad I’m able to be part of it.
I felt that for my first post I would talk about how my transition has been, I’m in an interesting place in my student affairs journey, I’m changing up my life completely. I’ve spent the last two years running a first year hall in a small town in Minnesota, I spent most of my time working with hall councils and my RHA, handling a couple of judicial cases here and there, and supervising a student RA staff. All of it was amazing, I love residence life, working with first year students and having the opportunity to advise an RHA, take students to conferences around the midwest and be part of all that the first year has to offer. Now I am moving into graduate school, looking forward to a completely different job in the Women’s Center in which I will supervise a few more students and have the opportunity to program more! Here’s the most interesting change, I’m moving off campus. I’ve lived on campus for the past 6 years, all four of my undergrad and the last two as a RD. Five of which have been in a FYE hall. This is feeling completely bizarre, filling out leases, renters insurance, BUYING furniture, holy cow, it’s a little nuts, not to mention that I will be living 2.5 miles away from campus. That’s quite a change, one I am looking forward to, but definately will be different. I feel like those who chose student affairs as a career know, or will get to know frequent change very easily and learn to go with the flow, I am no exception. So here I come, I’ve moved my life 1,500 miles once again; just another year in the life of a new professional. More changes ahead, bring it on!
-Heather Nicole