Professional Development Plan
Here I am outlining my professional development plan in the field including short term and long term goals.
Competency: Personal and Ethical Foundations
Short Term Goal
Intermediate Outcome: “Seek environments and collaborations that provide adequate challenge such that personal development is promoted, and provide sufficient support such that development is possible.”
Action Plan: My short term goal in this area is to in my next career step whether it’s moving to a full time role or continuing as a graduate assistant, is to prioritize personal development for myself and for the staff that I work with. I want to find an environment and help create one that challenges me to push myself. I will take action to this by prioritizing reflection on my own actions and beliefs and also deliberately choosing next steps and environments that value personal development.
Long Term Goal
Advanced Outcome: “Serve as model and mentor for others in their search for excellence, taking measures to encourage and inspire exceptional work in self and others”
Action Plan: As I find myself more in an established position in my career, I hope to become a mentor for younger professionals and a role model for those I work with. I will do this by creating a warm and welcoming environment where I end up longer term by prioritizing making sure that people feel heard and seen when they talk to me. I will make it known that I am available for advice and support as people need and accept those who ask for mentorship!
Competency: Leadership
Short Term Goal
Intermediate Outcome: “Advocate for change that would remove barriers to student and staff success”
Action Plan: I think that as I get settled into my next role, I want to prioritize seeking out ways to improve the student staff experience. I would do this by implementing multiple ways to gather feedback from them on a semesterly basis, anonymously and non-anonymously. Then with that feedback, I would engage in dialogue with student staff and the other leadership staff that I would work with to make small and big changes as possible to increase student experience and overall wellbeing.
Long Term Goal
Advanced Outcome: “Establish and sustain systems of mentoring to ensure individuals receive the training and support needed”
Action Plan: In a more permanent position I would like to implement more established mentorship systems with student staff and with professional staff. I would want to establish pairs or small groups with newer hires and returning employees so that there was an established system that the newer hires could go to if they needed support in addition to their direct supervisors. I would encourage these groups as they would promote collaboration and an emphasis on wellbeing and dialogue within where I would work.
Competency: Social Justice and Inclusion
Short Term Goal
Intermediate Outcome: “Provide opportunities to reflect and evaluate on one’s participation in systems of oppression, privilege, and power without shaming others”
Action Plan: In my shorter term goals I think it would be best to prioritize reflection first, especially if I am entering a new space, and then take that reflection to inspire possible change. I would achieve this outcome above by creating intentional time in larger group meetings, and supervision interactions to take time to understand our own positions in situations and create open dialogue. I would like to do this on a semesterly basis with our larger staff and with my own personal goals as well.
Long Term Goal
Advanced Outcome: “Ensure campus resources are distributed equitably and adequately meet the needs of all campus communities”
Action Plan: I think that as I am further in a career, I will have spent more time on a campus. To achieve this, I would want to have more established connections with on and off campus partners by reaching out to learn about how we can work together to support students and the communities we work with.
Competency: Advising and Supporting
Short Term Goal
Intermediate Outcome: “Develop and distribute accurate and helpful mental health information for students, faculty, and staff”
Action Plan: I would connect with mental health resources on campus and make sure that the students and staff I work with are aware of and reminded of the resources available to them. I will prioritize checking in on the wellbeing of those I work with during regular meetings with them in addition to offering to help connect them to resources as needed. I would like to create resource sheets that those I work with can distribute that can connect to resources on campus as well on a semesterly or yearly basis.
Long Term Goal
Advanced Outcome: “Engage in research and publication of holistic student wellness issues”
Action Plan: I think once I am more established in a campus and in the field, I would like to partner with someone or a group that has a driving focus of holistic student wellness to research student experience and what we can improve. Ideally then moving towards publishing to share our results.