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Fall 2010 Coursework
College Student Environments
This course was my first exposure to understanding the statements made by the physical features of a college campus; it also continuously called to mind the privilege I had that came with not having to acknowledge the space around me, because of my physical abilities. I took away many things from this course but mostly the gained ability to be more cognizant of the physical space in which I occupy as well as the recognition of a difference in messages being sent based on a person’s perception. It is important to evaluate who the surroundings and space welcomes and who it does not, who it is and is not accessible to and so forth. One of our first assignments charged us with observing a space on campus and determining its accessibility and characteristics, the assignment can be found here. The value an institution places on certain aspects of campus can also be determined based on the physical layout of the space. Is the Student Center really the center of campus, or is the center of campus another space? Where are the advocacy units located on campus? If not in the center, or in a somewhat central location, then what does that mean for the students who utilize those spaces? All of these elements can provide a nonverbal understanding of the institution and can be very helpful as supplements to the information one does have. Another assignment we had was to select a space on campus, interact with students who utilize the space, interview Student Affairs professionals who serve the unit, and a number of other things. The paper can be found here. Ultimately our task was to assess the space and provide recommendations for improving it. This project allowed for an integration of all the concepts we had been discussing throughout the semester.
Higher Education Students and Clientele
Focusing on Astin’s Inputs-Environments-Outcomes model, the Students course provided us with knowledge on trends of college student enrollment, environmental contributions impacting students’ development, and the potential results of a collegiate experience. The course was divided into all three sections with a focus on understanding the concepts and then putting them to practice. Both my inputs paper and my outcomes paper were related to personal experiences that were very salient to me and sparked my interest to learn more about a specific population or department about which to write.
Helping Skills for Student Affairs Professionals
This course has been a huge asset both in my work as well as my life outside of my position, in a variety of capacities. I can see not only the growth in my personal development, but also the benefit for my students as a result of my education in the area of helping others. This course has enhanced my listening skills, my mediation skills, my crisis intervention skills, and many other skills related to listening more intently in conversation with others as well as communication overall. I have gained the skills necessary to encourage others to speak, to prompt conversation and reflective thinking, to decipher sentiments that are not directly expressed but rather stated through body language, and to prompt others to be able to determine their own conclusions. All of these skills work towards enhancing my understanding of the inter/intra-personal skills learning outcome as well simply improving the quality of my conversations.