Running head: PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

Professional Philosophy Statement: Yellow Diamonds in the Sky Ren Herring New York University

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT Professional Philosophy Statement: Yellow Diamonds in the Sky

As a first generation college student and now a first generation graduate student, I realized early on that in order to be academically successful I needed to be my own champion for a higher education. Growing up, I quickly realized that it was my responsibility to build a support system if I were to succeed in obtaining a college degree. Today, it is that support system that I credit with helping me discover that the essence of who I am and who I aspire to become are integrally linked with my passion for higher education. This philosophy statement examines the road that I have travelled toward obtaining my Master of Arts (M.A.) in Higher Education and Student Affairs at New York University (NYU) and provides a summary of my professional philosophy in addition to reflections on my M.A. experience. This capstone statement is entitled Yellow Diamonds in the Sky as homage to the community that I have made in this program and the personal growth that I have endured throughout. Professional Philosophy My enthusiasm for education has existed throughout my life and my passion for higher education and student affairs will never stop coming to fruition. I am a strong believer in the higher education experience as a whole, which is the reason why I chose to purse an M.A. in student affairs and a career as a student affairs administrator. It is important to state that my professional philosophy will always be in a constant state of evolution that spans across several categories. However, my time in the NYU M.A. program has helped me realize that my professional philosophy revolves around a subset of specific themes in higher education that include transformative learning, student

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT leadership and identity development, international higher education, and student holistic welfare. Transformative Learning I believe that life is not about what you know; it is about what you learn. As a champion of student and personal development through academia my professional philosophy primarily revolves around transformative learning. I am a firm believer and advocate for transformative learning the process in which I explain as taking something that is known and evolving it into something that is learned. What exactly I mean by this, is difficult to explain in words, but I believe that it is the process by which one learns to question concrete notions about ones self and personal viewpoints. As a

result, these notions and viewpoints are adapted into an evolutionary learning experience that transforms existing perspectives and creates new ones in the areas of life, learning, and education. Each students experience in college can be compared to a puzzle and I believe that it is the responsibility of student affairs administrators to help each individual student figure out how to make the pieces fit. As a student affairs professional, I have come to realize that each day my philosophical goal is to be the vehicle in which transformative learning is introduced to students inside and outside the classroom. The best way to do this is by striving each day to ensure that the holistic welfare of students remains the moral center of my student affairs work (Dalton, Crosby, Valente, Eberhardt 2009, page 170).

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT Student Leadership and Identity Development Student leadership and identity development are prominent themes that many

American institutes of higher education instill within their student populations. However, the two are often viewed under separate lenses and not as complimentary. In my opinion, it is not uncommon for the majority of higher education professionals to define student leadership based on the traditional viewpoint of an individual students campus involvement specifically in regards to a students investment of physical and psychological energy toward the academic experience, organizations, or clubs (Astin, 1984). However, I believe that it is important for student affairs administrators to take into account that student leadership is not always hierarchical and can exist both inside and outside of what is perceived to be the normal contexts of leadership in society and higher education. I believe that when working with student leaders, it is vital for administrators to examine how and why students become leaders and how and why it may benefit their futures. Within the higher education community, elements of interest that I believe administrators must evaluate when working with student leaders include a students personal identity, his or her ethics and values, leadership styles, leadership activities, interests, and academic responsibilities. Additionally it is important to investigate the reasons why a student is pursuing leadership opportunities such as developing new skills, meeting new people, and increasing self-confidence (Renn & Lylte, 2010). When focusing on these specific attributes and potential areas for growth, a student affairs administrator is able to provide students with transformative learning opportunities and

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT ensure the holistic welfare of students in addition to helping each individual become a responsible citizen of society. International Higher Education As technology builds bridges between cultures and students travel the globe to obtain a higher education, I believe that it is of critical important for American student affairs administrators to understand the current and future contexts of working with international students in higher education. Different cultures view higher education in different ways and access to higher education may vary greatly by culture. I believe that it is the responsibility of all university faculty and staff to grasp and understand the higher education needs of international students and of American students that study in the international arena. Each student affairs professional should strive to provide these

students with core philosophical and sociological foundations that will help them obtain a higher education and prepare them for the international workplace with a strong understanding of diversity, leadership, and politics. Reflecting on the M.A. Experience As I reflect on my journey as a graduate student over the past two years, I have come to realize that being a student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs, M.A. program at NYU has not only challenged me academically, but it has provided me with growth and personal development in ways I could not have imagined. These past two years have been a wonderful journey full of excitement and adventure, but the three biggest benefits I experienced as a student in this program are an increase in academic confidence, development of career goals through my internship, and a better understanding of self (self-identity development).

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT Academic Confidence Prior to matriculating into the M.A. program, I spent four successful years in Corporate America specializing in a field not related to higher education. Although I

believe that those years were well-spent, I had an overwhelming feeling of emptiness and a yearning that encouraged me to make a career-transition into higher education. Once I matriculated into the program I quickly began to experience a lack of academic confidence in the class room. I was quick to compare myself to others and allowed myself to believe that I did not have the academic credentials or the higher education work experience that warranted my acceptance into the program. My first semester in the program was extremely challenging as I had to relearn how to write in an academic style and familiarize myself with APA formatting. However, it was also extremely rewarding as I soon realized that not only did I have the academic credentials necessary to be competitive in this program, but I also encompassed academic talent that allowed me to make unique contributions to my classroom environments. Each class in this program has challenged me to think analytically and critically and has taught me how to think in a consciously and expressly reflective manner. Timeand-time again this program and its courses forced me to reflect on specific areas of my academic interest to create my own points-of-view. Through this process I evolved into a strong academic writer and presenter and through this program, as part of my required research course, I have come to develop a passion for higher education research. My specific area of interest surrounds the relationship between the variables of student leadership and sexual identity development and I now plan to pursue a Ph.D. in higher education so I can continue researching this relationship. Furthermore, my courses have

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT provided me with the confidence to submit my writings to academic journals and gave me the confidence to submit a proposal, be accepted, and make a presentation at an academic conference. Development of Career Goals

Prior to coming to NYU, I had a very narrow view of student affairs. As an active and involved undergraduate student, I was under the impression that student affairs basically revolved around student activities, residential-life, student government, orientation, and outside-the-classroom activities. Prior to starting my internship in orientation and academic advising at the College of Arts and Science (CAS) at NYU, I was unable to wrap my head around the complexities that intertwine student affairs with academic affairs mostly because I had no idea that they did. Luckily for me, orientation at CAS is under the academic affairs umbrella and is coupled with academic advising. Prior to working in this office, academic affairs was a niche of student affairs that I had no interest in pursing. I started my internship in orientation and academic advising prior to starting the Higher Ed program in May of 2011. Although I did not think I would love academic advising, I soon found this perceived notion to be the contrary. To this day, I cannot begin to express the excitement I contain to have had the chance to work in academic affairs, which is now my field of passion. I love having the opportunity to help guide students through the higher education landscape. Each day at CAS was invigorating, fun, and exciting, all of which encouraged and attributed to my personal and professional growth. When I started the M.A. program, the main goal for my internship was to help students put together academic plans that met CASs graduation requirements, but I soon

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT found that there was a much larger silent role at play. Academic advising requires that unique attention be given to each student and their individual academic and career endeavors and because of this I believe that an academic advisor is a frontline student affairs professional. For many students, especially commuter students and uninvolved students, the only student affairs personnel they come into contact with during their undergraduate career is their academic advisor. Through my internship I have learned that each time an academic advisor meets with a student it is his/her job to access the students academic performance, mental wellness, and interaction with the campus community in an effort to access the students holistic welfare. Today, academic affairs is my passion and the M.A. program and my internship prepared me for a successful career in the field. It is with much excitement that I am able to declare that I received a full-time job at NYU in as an academic advisor and academic affairs officer before completing the program. Understanding of Self The M.A. program has provided me with many different opportunities and

moments for growth. However, for me, the most rewarding experience has been the fact that it has helped me solidify my self-identity from which I have garnered a better understanding of self. I jokingly refer to this as Yellow Diamonds in the Sky because that is the quote I used to explain my discovery-of-self to my classmates during a presentation. For me, the process of acquiring a better self understanding is not attributed to any singular area or one particular person, but to the program as a whole. The academic challenges, studying aboard in Turkey, my internship, and the community I created are equally important in this process.

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

References Astin, A. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25, 297-308. Dalton, Crosby, Valente, Eberhardt (2009). Maintaining and modeling everyday ethics in student affairs. In G.S. McClellan & J. Stringer (Eds.) The handbook of student affairs administration (166-186) San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Renn, K. A., & Lytle, J. H. (2010). Student leaders at women's postsecondary institutions: A global perspective. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 47(2), 215-232.