Running head: SHADOWING EXPERIENCE

Shadowing Experience
Camille Johnson
SAA 7600
10 December 2013
Dr. DuVivier
Wright State University

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In the Student Affairs in Higher Education there are several of professions to choose from
such as Director of Resident Life, Career Advising, Enrollment Administration, or Director of
Student Activities. Throughout the duration of this semester, I wanted to shadow a profession
that draws from my interests such as student activities in student affairs. I decided to shadow the
student activities division because this department is the core of the student body social lives at
an institution of higher education. Student Activities at an institution of higher learning play a
significant component of a well-rounded education outside the regular academic program.
Before completing this assignment, I wanted to gain more knowledge on the components of
student activities and how this particular department is operated in Student Affairs. In order to
complete this task, I had the honor of shadowing Ms. Cassandra Krah, the Director of Student
Activities at Central State University.

What is Student Activities? According to Cassandra Krah, Student Activities is a board

term describing most student-focused extracurricular programs or organizations at a university.
Student Activities can range from special events, football and basketball games, Student
Organizations, Greek Life, Student Government Association, and much more. Ms. Krah
explained her job responsibilities include but not limited to: overseeing the Greek Life
community by advising the National Pan-Hellenic Council, coordinate sororities/fraternities
recruitments and new member educations programs, coordinate campus-wide programs such as
New Student Orientation, Freshman Welcome Week, Welcome Week for the whole student body,
and Homecoming. Krah also stated her responsibilities include enhancing efforts to collaborate
with academic departments and student organizations to host meaningful and engaging programs
for students and develop leadership and effective programming among student organizations.

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However, one surprise that contradicted my previous perception was the many job duties a
Director of Student Activities partake in such as overseeing multiple organizations on a campus
university.

A significant involvement I experienced during my shadowing was helping Cassandra

Krah and her staff, vote on the start of a modeling organization by a group of students on
campus. For the period of this process, I was able to learn how to complete the appropriate paper
work to start an organization. I experienced the constitution and by-laws of starting a new
organization, sat in the interview where the candidates expressed their opinions, and had an input
of voting on this organization to be generated.

For the duration of my shadowing, I enriched my understanding of the competencies and

personality Directors of Student Activities used to execute their job accountabilities. The
majority of Directors of Student Activities have extrovert personalities that have a high quality
effect on professional functioning in Student Activities. Utilizing an extrovert personality can
help students orient their extra- curricular and social life activities at their university. The
competencies a Director of Student of Activities should have are: communication, fiscal
leadership, management, organizations advising, and student learning. Consuming each
competency provides the Director of Student Activities the ability to perform, conquer, and
execute the job accountabilities, while creating an extraordinary experience for the student body
at a university.

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In closing, my shadow experience provided me the knowledge of Student Activities
components and how this particular department is operated in Student Affairs. The components
of Student Activities are student-focused extracurricular programs or organizations at a
university that can range from special events, Student Organizations, Greek Life, Student
Government Association, and much more. This experience also provided a new insight on the
competencies and personality Directors of Student Activities used to execute their jobs. Utilizing
this information will help me as a prospective Student Activities professional the ability to
perform and execute the job accountabilities, while creating an extraordinary experience for the
student body at a university.