My Student Affairs Philosophy
I define my student affairs philosophy as one that is deeply rooted in holistic care of humans, especially the students I work with. Within student affairs, and as a upcoming professional in the student affairs field , we are granted the opportunity to guide students through their collegiate experience. A portion of my goal with the students I work with is to become a part of their network of care and support while they are on campus and beyond. I will always work to prioritize the wellbeing of the students I work with and support them as a person first, if they are not supported in this way, it is difficult for them to succeed in the other areas of their collegiate career. Three main pillars of how I operate in the Student Affairs field are (1) building relationships based on holistic care (2) reliability and support and (3) whimsy.
Building Relationships Based on Holistic Care
When I am working with students, I always work to support students holistically and establish a good rapport with my supervisees and students. I do this so that they know they have someone who will support them in their position, their academics, and as a human as well. Every student has a different background, life experiences, and support networks, so I make it my goal to support them as best as I can. I value building relationships as people first, and then get to know them through their role to support their development and growth in their position or role. This support is shown through me having a consistently open door policy where I am willing to talk with my supervisees and students about their position and beyond, answering questions and offering advice where needed. My students also know that I am willing to listen to them talk about classes, their job, or other topics and I will support them and offer additional resources as I am able. I also work to foster open communication with other coworkers and groups on campus to provide the best support for students.
Reliability and Support
In my work as a student affairs professional, I am consistently reliable and I work to support my supervisees and coworkers to the best of my ability. I value being dependable and someone that others can rely on. I consistently meet deadlines, I follow through on what I promise to do, and I am there to support others which I feel is important, so people know they have someone to rely on.
Whimsy
The last pillar that I emphasize in my work is adding a little bit of whimsy into the work that I do. For me, this means focusing on work but also finding ways to have fun moments throughout the day! This can be as simple as incorporating fun things, like a mood board at the end of a weekly staff meeting, or by writing little thank you cards to staff. I think that adding a touch of whimsy and extra care makes the work environment more welcoming and a safer space to be creative!
