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ARP 623: Critical Leadership Issues in Student Affairs

Artifact of Learning
Danny Oliveira
San Diego State University

ARP 623 ARTIFACT OF LEARNING

My learning in ARP 623: Critical Leadership Issues in Student Affairs

has broadened my understanding of several of our program learning
outcomes through a series of assignments that address various topics and
issues that are critical to effective leadership in my approaching career in
student affairs. The Supervisor Interview gave me insight into the leadership
style, perspective, and approach to supervising professional staff that my
supervisor at UCSDs John Muir College employs in her role as the Assistant
Dean of Students (PLO 4). The Critical Issues Presentation involves research
on a current issue in student affairs and implications for our future practice
as student affairs professionals (PLO 9). The various written assignments
and presentations of this course provide further practice in communicating
my ideas and concepts effectively (PLO 10). The Budget Reduction Scenario
was an exercise in identifying potential ethical dilemmas by justifying
decisions made to reduce budgets of certain student affairs programs over
others (PLO 6). The Sticky Situations Write-Up was yet another opportunity
to describe an ethical dilemma and my approach in responding to this
dilemma (PLO 6). These particular assignments were the most direct
experiences in addressing ethical issues in student affairs in the entire
program. Although I explored ethical issues related to counseling practices
in ARP 622, this course was the only opportunity to explore ethics in a
broader student affairs context.
The artifact that I chose to demonstrate my learning in this course was
the Professional Development Plan. This assignment is a timely opportunity
to identify my leadership strengths and areas of continued development in

ARP 623 ARTIFACT OF LEARNING

preparation of embarking on my new career in student affairs (PLO 5). I have

developed a plan to continue my development and education into my career
as an EOP Counselor at SDSU. I have mapped out the next several years of
my career in which I will seek out opportunities to develop formal counseling
skills, retention strategies, and other skills directly related to my role as an
EOP Counselor. I outline specific ways in which I will further develop my
leadership skills through involvement in the department, in the division of
student affairs, and in the regional and national professional associations. I
have planned for specific ways in which I will expand my knowledge, sphere
of influence, and professional network of colleagues in my field. The
development and maintenance of positive personal relationships is key to my
success in this role. This particular artifact has helped me identify and
prepare for my next steps in my career in important ways that other
assignments and projects have not.
This artifact demonstrates two of my professional goals. The first one
being: I will continue to further develop my skills and strengths in order to become a highly
competitive candidate for positions when I have completed the Masters degree. I have outlined
specific ways in which I will further develop my skills and strengths beyond completion of my
degree and into several years into my career. The second professional goal demonstrated by this
artifact is: I will attend as many professional development opportunities as possible. In this
artifact I describe ways in which I will accelerate my professional development beyond simply
attending conferences and educational workshops. I address important relationships to cultivate
with colleagues and superiors as well as involvements outside the scope of my job description.
This artifact also demonstrates my personal goal of remaining committed

ARP 623 ARTIFACT OF LEARNING

and fully engaged in my education and personal growth. Although I do identify ways in which I
will engage in furthering my formal education, particularly in formal counseling skills, this
artifact more specifically demonstrates strategies I will employ in remaining engaged in my
personal growth. From identifying specific skills to continue to develop, to strategies for further
professional development opportunities, to strategic relationships to cultivate, and lastly to
maintenance of a positive work/life balance, this artifact has served me well in reflecting on my
future beyond the masters degree and into several years into my career.
My engagement in the learning and development I have described
might have been enhanced by reflecting on a professional development plan
at the beginning of the term rather than at the latter half of the course. In
truth, I believe that the development of a professional development plan
would be more effective in the first year of this program and again revisited
in the second year in this course. A sequence such as this might have
encouraged a more intentional plan for professional development throughout
the educational process of this program. A plan of this nature is important to
revisit and revise on a regular basis. Although I have been intentional in
aligning the conferences and educational workshops I have participated in to
my career goal of serving as an EOP Counselor, I might have been more
thoughtful about a long term vision rather than the shorter term of my two
years in this program.