So, I've been posting a lot on Twitter asking the #sachat community to help me with a project about love and leadership. I've been leaving it vague and broad and hoping that each person would make it their own, but the lack of response has alerted me that vague and broad is not what people are looking for!
Let me start by saying that my project is vague and broad, as has been everything for this class. It is a brand new class that focuses learning on what emerges. It's brilliant. And uncomfortable. I have a final project due that is 50% of my grade. The directions are simple: love and leadership. Yeah, that's not what I'm used to. But I had a dream about my final project and I feel that I'm heading in the right direction.
We've studied the AQAL model created by Ken Wilber and have been working on connecting it all to love and leadership. I made a love commitment to connections in higher education. A commitment to connecting to community members in student affairs, my peers in my program, and students on campus. My project takes quadrant one from the AQAL model, (my views on love and leadership), and then quadrant three on the model, (the views of the greater community of love and leadership), and tries to visually display it all. (I don't want to give away what I'm doing officially because I want you all to bring your creativity to it!)
Here's what I need from you. Please feel free to answer any and all of the questions I pose. Don't feel like you have to use just words. Pictures and drawings are encouraged. Quotes, poetry, theories, whatever! My project is what you all help make it!
-What is your personal definition of love? Leadership?
-How do you use love and leadership in your profession? With students and other professionals?
-What do you do to create connections? Do you think love and leadership play roles?
-Can love and leadership exist together or are they meant to be separate?
-What do you love? How do you make it manifest?
-How do you lead? Does it change depending on the role you're in?
Anything else that you want to add, feel free. Leave comments on here! Or, if you want to, find me on Twitter and DM for me for my email address. Thank you in advance for all of your help. I promise to post a picture of my final project when it gets there.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Making Your First Year as an SA GA Work For You
As my first year of my graduate assistantship is coming to an end, I have thought of a few things that I wish I knew in August of last year.
Go with the flow.
Chances are really great that you'll have little to no idea what you're doing when you start your job and classes. You'll be asked to advise students, research things, sit on committees, take notes in a different way, think critically, etc and you'll feel incompetent. Don't worry! You're not alone. Just go with it and suddenly you'll see that it makes sense. You're not there to know everything right from the start, but you are there to take it all in and observe it. It will come to some quicker than others--just ask those people for advice if you're confused. Those people around you are going to be with your for your graduate career so make friends with them!
Make connections.
At first you might be intimidated by all the names and flow charts about who works for whom, but get familiar with it. You're going to want to build a network with those people. You'll need their help with programming, classes, financial aid, student issues, and advice for starters. The more people you know, the more they know you and your name gets around. Then, the time comes for a facilitator opening on a retreat and you get a phone call or email that sounds like, "So and so said you really like leading groups and working with these particular types of students. Plus, another so and and so said you were responsible and reliable. Would you be interested?" Score for you! You might then receive a phone call asking to present at a conference based on that experience. And suddenly you feel like you're making in the world of Student Affairs. And you are!
The same goes for professors. If you're at a small school like I am, you will really have the opportunity to get to know your professors because you'll have at least one of the same professors once a semester every semester, (if you're super lucky, you'll have him/her for two classes in one semester). If you're at a larger university, you're going to have really work at it, but it will pay off. Let's say you want the opportunity to TA just to see what it's like, but you're school doesn't offer that to SA students. Well, having a great connection with your professor might enable you to sit in on classes with him/her and help with assignment creation and grading. Or you need a chair for you thesis paper. Having a great connection to a professor or two will give you someone(s) to ask for help.
Get out there and get your name out there for GOOD things. You want those around you to know how great you and have confidence in your abilities. Making them proud will definitely pay off for your in the end.
Go out with your GA friends and don't talk about work, class, projects, or anything related to what you do while you're on campus.
This is one I still need to work on, but when we're able to manage it, I see the benefits. Sure, it's great to blow off some steam after a rough class or one-on-one session, but Taco Tuesday is way more fun when we talk about other things. If you're involved in a cohort like I am, your classes will all be the same, plus you'll all be working together in some capacity so it's easy to let work and class overflow into a night out. If you're disciplined enough to let those things go for more fun conversations, you'll actually get to relax! You fellow cohort members will become your friends in many capacities, but once you can bridge the gap between work and personal life, you will definitely get the full experience of a friendship.
Sometimes it's just nice to have a change of pace. *Try* to leave work and school on campus and enjoy being out without the stress.
Get involved.
I was worried my first semester that I would not be able to handle classes, work, and other activities. Then, by not getting involved, I felt that I was missing out on some pretty important opportunities. Sure, your schedule will fill a little and if you're a person who needs alone time to recharge, it's something you should really think about; but, you'll meet people and feel connected to your campus if you do some extracurricular activities. Even if this just means attending weekend or night events at your campus, you should do it.
Join clubs or volunteer to help set up conferences in your area. I'm volunteering on the NASPA Western Regional Conference committee which connects me to San Diego and other volunteers from local universities who are also pursuing Student Affairs. Plus, I'll be highly involved with things during the few days of the conference getting my name out there and making sure things run smoothly. If there are clubs or organizations that allow you to train groups of students, such as a Safe Space Training, get trained for it! Then help teach it, (if you're comfortable). You'll meet lots of people and work on your public speaking ability. Help out other departments by volunteering for events. It all leads back to networking and experiences. The position you're in right now might not provide you with all the experiences you want, so you'll have to seek the other ones out, and getting involved is a great way to do that.
Find someone you can vent with. Do it regularly, then go to meetings with a positive attitude.
Everyday is not going to be your best day. Personal life, work, and classes clash and sometimes shake things up in a negative way. That's okay. It's just important to remember that your mood effects other people's moods. So...find someone you can talk to about what's going on. Someone you trust and someone who cares about you. Then, you can talk to him/her on those crazy days, get your stress off of your shoulders, and go to that one-on-one with your student with a smile on your face. Being present is such an important lesson and one way to do that is simply to vent your issues. Of course, know that person is human, too, and probably has his/her own issues, so don't overwhelm him/her. If you need a therapist, do that for yourself. If you're having a rough day, find your venting buddy and go for it.
Time and place are important to keep in mind, too. I would be apprehensive to go on a rant in the middle of the dining hall at lunch time. There are a lot of ears in the area and you never know who is near by. A quiet office might be a better choice for that. Don't talk badly about people when you're walking through the halls. Again, you never know who can hear you. You've been warned...
Familiarize yourself with the millions of acronyms of Student Affairs.
Yeah...NASPA and ACPA are the beginning of it all. Do yourself a favor and look into all of the other acronyms that are used in the Student Affairs community.
While you study those, learn what acronyms and abbreviations your university uses regularly. You'll thank yourself when someone says, "I work for the CHWP in the UC and was wondering how I could partner with TPB for a program."
Your situation is what you make of it; do the best you can to make it good.
Again, not every day is going to be your best day; but, by creating a positive mindset for yourself, all of your days can be decent. Make your office, cubicle, or desk YOURS. Bring in a picture or two that makes you feel happy so you can look at it when you're having a tough moment. From there, it's so important to learn about yourself and your working styles. Not everyone works the same way you do and the sooner you understand that, the more successful you will be. This idea goes back to the going with the flow concept. Sometimes you can control a situation, sometimes you can't. When you can't, do your best to flow with it. You'll be less stressed and probably end up enjoying it more than you thought.
If you're that unhappy, talk to someone with experience. That person will guide you through the process the best he/she can. It will always be up to you to take his/her advice. You can be unhappy in your working situation, or you can make the most of it. I would recommend making the most of it.
You are more powerful than you think.
This is a new concept to me, but I'm liking it. You're a graduate student and you have some pull. Undergraduate students will look up to you and it's up to you to guide them in the right direction. Hey! You're a graduate student, so someone somewhere thought you could do it and you got into graduate school and through the interview process. You're here for a reason. Use what you're good at to further you along. Use what you struggle with to further you along, too. There's a lot to things you struggle with and learning to hone those skills will just make you a better person.
Your time in your program will change you. Be prepared. You will not be the same person when you enter as you are when you leave. I promise. Student Affairs programs are about reflection. You will learn many things about yourself that you never knew. And many things you tried to deny knowing.
Year two, (almost), here I come...
Go with the flow.
 |
| "When you move like a jellyfish Rhythm don't mean nothing You go with the flow You don't stop" Jack Johnson |
Make connections.
At first you might be intimidated by all the names and flow charts about who works for whom, but get familiar with it. You're going to want to build a network with those people. You'll need their help with programming, classes, financial aid, student issues, and advice for starters. The more people you know, the more they know you and your name gets around. Then, the time comes for a facilitator opening on a retreat and you get a phone call or email that sounds like, "So and so said you really like leading groups and working with these particular types of students. Plus, another so and and so said you were responsible and reliable. Would you be interested?" Score for you! You might then receive a phone call asking to present at a conference based on that experience. And suddenly you feel like you're making in the world of Student Affairs. And you are!
The same goes for professors. If you're at a small school like I am, you will really have the opportunity to get to know your professors because you'll have at least one of the same professors once a semester every semester, (if you're super lucky, you'll have him/her for two classes in one semester). If you're at a larger university, you're going to have really work at it, but it will pay off. Let's say you want the opportunity to TA just to see what it's like, but you're school doesn't offer that to SA students. Well, having a great connection with your professor might enable you to sit in on classes with him/her and help with assignment creation and grading. Or you need a chair for you thesis paper. Having a great connection to a professor or two will give you someone(s) to ask for help.
Get out there and get your name out there for GOOD things. You want those around you to know how great you and have confidence in your abilities. Making them proud will definitely pay off for your in the end.
Go out with your GA friends and don't talk about work, class, projects, or anything related to what you do while you're on campus.
This is one I still need to work on, but when we're able to manage it, I see the benefits. Sure, it's great to blow off some steam after a rough class or one-on-one session, but Taco Tuesday is way more fun when we talk about other things. If you're involved in a cohort like I am, your classes will all be the same, plus you'll all be working together in some capacity so it's easy to let work and class overflow into a night out. If you're disciplined enough to let those things go for more fun conversations, you'll actually get to relax! You fellow cohort members will become your friends in many capacities, but once you can bridge the gap between work and personal life, you will definitely get the full experience of a friendship.
Sometimes it's just nice to have a change of pace. *Try* to leave work and school on campus and enjoy being out without the stress.
Get involved.
I was worried my first semester that I would not be able to handle classes, work, and other activities. Then, by not getting involved, I felt that I was missing out on some pretty important opportunities. Sure, your schedule will fill a little and if you're a person who needs alone time to recharge, it's something you should really think about; but, you'll meet people and feel connected to your campus if you do some extracurricular activities. Even if this just means attending weekend or night events at your campus, you should do it.
Join clubs or volunteer to help set up conferences in your area. I'm volunteering on the NASPA Western Regional Conference committee which connects me to San Diego and other volunteers from local universities who are also pursuing Student Affairs. Plus, I'll be highly involved with things during the few days of the conference getting my name out there and making sure things run smoothly. If there are clubs or organizations that allow you to train groups of students, such as a Safe Space Training, get trained for it! Then help teach it, (if you're comfortable). You'll meet lots of people and work on your public speaking ability. Help out other departments by volunteering for events. It all leads back to networking and experiences. The position you're in right now might not provide you with all the experiences you want, so you'll have to seek the other ones out, and getting involved is a great way to do that.Find someone you can vent with. Do it regularly, then go to meetings with a positive attitude.
Everyday is not going to be your best day. Personal life, work, and classes clash and sometimes shake things up in a negative way. That's okay. It's just important to remember that your mood effects other people's moods. So...find someone you can talk to about what's going on. Someone you trust and someone who cares about you. Then, you can talk to him/her on those crazy days, get your stress off of your shoulders, and go to that one-on-one with your student with a smile on your face. Being present is such an important lesson and one way to do that is simply to vent your issues. Of course, know that person is human, too, and probably has his/her own issues, so don't overwhelm him/her. If you need a therapist, do that for yourself. If you're having a rough day, find your venting buddy and go for it.
Time and place are important to keep in mind, too. I would be apprehensive to go on a rant in the middle of the dining hall at lunch time. There are a lot of ears in the area and you never know who is near by. A quiet office might be a better choice for that. Don't talk badly about people when you're walking through the halls. Again, you never know who can hear you. You've been warned...
Familiarize yourself with the millions of acronyms of Student Affairs.
Yeah...NASPA and ACPA are the beginning of it all. Do yourself a favor and look into all of the other acronyms that are used in the Student Affairs community.While you study those, learn what acronyms and abbreviations your university uses regularly. You'll thank yourself when someone says, "I work for the CHWP in the UC and was wondering how I could partner with TPB for a program."
Your situation is what you make of it; do the best you can to make it good.
Again, not every day is going to be your best day; but, by creating a positive mindset for yourself, all of your days can be decent. Make your office, cubicle, or desk YOURS. Bring in a picture or two that makes you feel happy so you can look at it when you're having a tough moment. From there, it's so important to learn about yourself and your working styles. Not everyone works the same way you do and the sooner you understand that, the more successful you will be. This idea goes back to the going with the flow concept. Sometimes you can control a situation, sometimes you can't. When you can't, do your best to flow with it. You'll be less stressed and probably end up enjoying it more than you thought.
If you're that unhappy, talk to someone with experience. That person will guide you through the process the best he/she can. It will always be up to you to take his/her advice. You can be unhappy in your working situation, or you can make the most of it. I would recommend making the most of it.
You are more powerful than you think.
This is a new concept to me, but I'm liking it. You're a graduate student and you have some pull. Undergraduate students will look up to you and it's up to you to guide them in the right direction. Hey! You're a graduate student, so someone somewhere thought you could do it and you got into graduate school and through the interview process. You're here for a reason. Use what you're good at to further you along. Use what you struggle with to further you along, too. There's a lot to things you struggle with and learning to hone those skills will just make you a better person.Your time in your program will change you. Be prepared. You will not be the same person when you enter as you are when you leave. I promise. Student Affairs programs are about reflection. You will learn many things about yourself that you never knew. And many things you tried to deny knowing.
Year two, (almost), here I come...
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