My NUFP Story: Jia Wen Zhu, State University of New York at Geneseo

I first learned what student affairs was at the end of the summer in 2014. I had just finished my second summer working as an Orientation Advisor and was about to start my junior year at the State University of New York at Geneseo (SUNY Geneseo). Like most, I did not know student affairs was a career option until someone told me about it. I recall sitting in a residence hall one summer afternoon during orientation and talking to my orientation director about it. It was at that moment that I realized I could continue to do what I loved most—work on a college campus and provide support and resources to students.

So how did I hear about NUFP? The person who recommended the program to me was the Vice President of Student and Campus Life at SUNY Geneseo, Robert Bonfiglio. He knew me from my work with orientation, and reached out to my orientation director to gauge my interest. At first I was confused: what was NASPA, what was NUFP, what is a professional organization? I met with my orientation director Kim Harvey, who explained to me these three elements. She offered to be my NUFP Mentor and assist me in the application process.

To highlight a few of the experiences that I have had as a NUFP, here is a list:

1. My NUFP Mentor, Kim Harvey: Having Kim as my NUFP Mentor really made a full circle in my life. She was the one who first told me about student affairs. She inspired me to be the type of professional that would make a positive impact on others. I am truly grateful that NUFP gave me such an amazing Mentor to guide my journey to student affairs.
2. My Summer Internship at NASPA: Being a part of NUFP gives you many opportunities. One of these opportunities is the summer internships (read more about it here). Before the summer of 2016, all of my student affairs experiences were on one college campus. I decided to apply for the NUFP summer internships, hoping to gain a different experience at another institution. Little did I know, I secured the NUFP internship at the NASPA office! I had never worked for a professional association before, so it was completely new territory. This internship gave me a new and different perspective on student affairs and allowed me to utilize my skills in the “real world,” as I put it.
3. Attending the Dungy Leadership Institute (DLI): Another opportunity from NUFP is DLI (read more about it here), which I was fortunate enough to attend the summer of 2016. I had the chance to explore student affairs topics at educational sessions aimed to develop leadership skills and enhance cultural competencies. Attending DLI allowed me to meet and connect NUFP fellows from across the country who sharedthe same goals and passion for student affairs as I did.

If you are interested in student affairs or want to learn more about it, I would highly encourage you to check out NUFP. It gave me a family of other NUFPs who were also passionate towards student affairs. It connected me to a larger network of student affairs professionals and individuals who now serve as my role models and mentors. It has truly helped me to further pursue student affairs and I am incredibly grateful for all that NUFP has given and taught me

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