Student Affairs is.... from a graduate student perspective

I think back to what started it all for me, my sophomore year in college, after I lost in the student government election. In many ways, I took the results much harder than I should have -- I slowly distanced myself from my education. It was through the encouraging words of my advisor that I became involved with student government again as a cabinet member. In this role, I supported student groups, initiated student services and found something that I genuinely enjoyed doing. Through some probing from individuals in my life, I realized that while I could continue through with taking the MCAT, I was finally doing something that I loved.

With this passion, I am not always able to coherently explain the work that I do. Depending on who you ask, when you ask and where I am at, my response has a tendency of changing. In some settings, I talk about providing out-of-class programs that support student learning. In other settings, I talk about providing a sense of belonging to students through activities that build community. Throughout the past two years, my friends have witnessed some of the practical realizations of this explanation. They have seen me facilitate the Panhellenic Formal Recruitment process, sit in on Student Government meetings, write assessment reports, and present on a variety of topics ranging from True Colors to personal branding. My friends who are not affiliated with Greek life believe I spend all of my time adjudicating students for hazing and alcohol-based issues. My family members who did not attend college think that I spend all of my time planning parties for the student government. A good amount of people think that I am a teacher that teaches non-academic topics.  There are times where I am frustrated with how much time I spend trying to explain and justify what I do. I always find myself changing my story depending on the person I am talking to. I find that I am constantly trying to explain my work in a way that is relatable to my audience, through understanding what their experience in higher education is or was. 

When I reflect on what student affairs is to me, I realize that I have such a hard time articulating a tangible and standardized explanation of the work that I do because student affairs is not singular activity that students can engage in. When I talk about this field, I always provide specific and relatable examples, because one's individual experience is not necessarily aligned or congruent with the work that I do in that moment in time. Because of each different experience, my explanation is necessary. I think about how our unique experiences shape and inform who we are. I think about how student affairs is the division where this experience occurs. While divisions of student affairs at colleges and universities commonly have a set of learning outcomes or a mission statement, the way in which these outcomes are met and the mission is understood might be different.

So when I think about student affairs, I realize that the differences in individualized experience is what makes this field so difficult to talk about. To me, student affairs used to be about the fun and games. I realized that student affairs was the reason why I was excited about my day. It was the long meetings in council, helping student orgs plan events, and supporting communities on campus that gave me passion. Student affairs made me enjoy my Triton experience. Student affairs helped me feel like I belong. Student affairs made me believe in myself. Now, as I am finishing my last year of graduate school and starting my first role as a new professional, I find my undergraduate perspective shifting. Student affairs is no longer about how I might be impacted by a division, but rather how I might be able to transform someone else's collegiate experience. This however, reinforces the need to continue discussing what student affairs is. Having that conversation brings awareness to the profession. This awareness can drive perspective of individual experiences beyond a fun activity, and towards learning and development. This awareness can also bring together other partners towards a vision of success.

I think back to my sophomore year in college, when a random advisor helped me realize that I could, that I mattered. This professional challenged my perspective and made me question my interests, passions, and who I was. That advisor eventually became my NUFP mentor, and, even though I am no longer in college, she still inspires me every time we connect. This memory undergirds my every day, where I hope to make the same impact that my mentor had on me. Student Affairs is about the impact that I have, and how I will be able to implement interventions that help to foster student learning and student development. Every time I do so, I will continue to share my story, my experiences and what student affairs is to me.

About the author:  John Weng is a second-year Master’s student at San Diego State University pursuing an MA in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a specialization in student affairs. Dedicated to inspiring students and developing self-efficacy, he finds joy in working with the associated students at UC San Diego as their Program Advisor. He is proud to call NASPA his professional home, where he worked as the summer graduate intern to pilot Careers in Student Affairs Month initiatives for 2015. His background in higher education includes assessment, Greek life, and leadership development. John received his Bachelors of Science in Psychology from UC San Diego. You can follow him on twitter, @johnweng92.