Running header: GROWTH LEARNING OUTCOME NARRATIVE

Learning Outcome Narrative:

Areas for Growth
Kayla Zobel
M.Ed. Candidate 2016

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Portfolio Learning Outcomes Narrative: Areas of Growth
(LO 2, 4, 5, 7, 10; Artifacts C3, E)
Introduction
When entering the Student Development Administration (SDA) program at Seattle
University (SU), I thought I was fairly knowledgeable about a wide array of social justice issues.
My exposure to structural injustices during my undergraduate career led to my journey with the
Jesuit Volunteer Corps NW for two years. Through these experiences, there were a number of
conversations about institutionalized oppression, power and privilege dynamics, and a number of
the -isms present in our society. However, while these conversations were present, they were
not always done with intentional critical reflection of myself. These conversations were had
without delving deeper into my own power and privileges as a white, heterosexual, middle-class,
educated individual. How these identities manifest themselves in my life is important to
understand since they shape my perspective and interactions with others. As articulated by Pope,
Reynolds, and Mueller, student affairs professionals must foster an awareness of our own
identities to build a foundation on which to improve our multicultural competency (2004). The
process of becoming a multiculturally competent student affairs professional (SAP) will be a
never-ending journey, to which the areas of growth discussed below attempt to address. These
three areas are avenues in which I believe I can improve my understanding of larger, societal
injustices that students face, how to address these injustices at higher education institutions, all
the while deepening my multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills (Pope, et al. 2004).
Areas of Growth
Social justice minded (LO 2, 4, & 5; Artifacts E & C3)
When searching for student affairs graduate programs, I was intent on applying to
programs that would incorporate a social justice framework throughout the course of study.
Instead of completing a program that solely focused on teaching basic skills and theories, I

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wanted to be challenged to think critically about how I, as a SAP, can better serve an everchanging student population.
Throughout the SDAD 5400 course, I was challenged to apply student development
theories to a diverse student population in order to foster a deeper understanding of students
journeys and how to address their needs when programming. Prior to SDAD 5400, I viewed
theories as separate entities, not acknowledging how theories could be interwoven for a more
holistic application. My natural tendency shies away from being critical of theoretical
frameworks, instead taking a very dualistic approach to learning. Previously, this approach was
rewarded, thus fostering an inclination towards accepting the status quo in the classroom.
However, one example of integrated following the SDAD 5400 course would be utilizing both
Transition Theory (Schlossberg, Waters, & Goodman, 1995) and Community Cultural Wealth
Theory (Yosso, 2005) when discussing orientation programming for a diverse student population.
By incorporating both of these theories, we address the issues students face while transitioning
into a college environment while acknowledging the social capital that may assist in their
adjustment to college life. These theories were foundational when I developed and implemented
an inclusivity conversation for Cornish orientation leaders during training. Through this
intentional conversation, we discussed how to change our language to promote a more inclusive
environment while learning about larger systemic issues that students face. Without frequent
prompting from classmates and professors, I may not have been challenged enough to step into
the realm of critical reflection and application of student development theories.
Further evidence of learning can be found in Artifact C3, which discusses the importance
of serving a marginalized population, i.e. students in recovery, and the larger, systemic issues that
these students face. The Pecha Kucha emphasizes the importance of developing programming

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that specifically addresses the need for social safety nets and coaching for students in recovery.
While I had worked with individuals in recovery through previous experiences, I personally am
not in recovery, which meant I had to expand my understanding of the population and their
needs, while being conscious of how my privileged framework may inhibit my ability to
program to the population. Throughout the collection of research and information about students
in recovery, I found it challenging to determine what research was most relevant and accurately
representative of this population. Admittedly, there are gaps throughout my research on the
population, where I believe it would be integral to utilize the voices of students with this identity.
While students in recovery may be only a small portion of the overall student population, they
have unique needs that need to be addressed through campus-wide programs.
Overall, as exhibited in Artifact E, the NASPA/ACPA competencies, there are skills that I
need to further develop to improve my understanding of the needs of an ever-diversifying student
population and how to address these needs through inclusive programming. Moving forward, I
plan to continually evaluate my multicultural awareness, which feeds into my multicultural
knowledge and skills (Pope, Reynolds, & Mueller, 2004). As discussed previously, these
identities shape how I interact with students, thus there is an important to understanding oneself
prior to forming students. Furthermore, having the ability to speak to our own experiences
regarding our identities improves our ability to build rapport with students and assist them with
their own self-actualization.
Using law to inform practice (LO 2 & 7; Artifacts C1 & G)
Prior to entering the SDA program, I had a minimal understanding of law, policy, and
governance in higher education. While a resident assistant in undergrad, I enforced institutional
policies and had gained a foundational understanding of governance through our course

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associated with the position. Writing up policy violations and completing housing contracts
shaped my understanding of institutional policy. However, the connection of institutional policies
to law was lacking.
As part of the orientation staff at Cornish, it was necessary to understand how Title IX
impacts our work in higher education and how we educate students on sexual assault overall.
Part of the pre-arrival assignments for Cornish students was completing the Think About It online
modules, which provided them with a foundational understanding of campus culture and sexual
assault. My task was to bring about discussion of these modules and, if the students have yet to
complete the online modules, provide them with another opportunity to gain the information.
Artifact G exhibits how I integrated research about sexual assault, violence prevention, and
campus culture to provide an interactive way for Cornish Orientation Leaders to facilitate
discussion with the new students. This program was utilized during Cornish orientation and
assisted in the institutions compliance with Title IX policies.
Artifact C1 delves further into how higher educational institutions navigate national laws
by discussing a campus crisis in which a student died from a drug overdose. The case discussed
provided a foundational understanding of institutional accountability. While there is a legal
commitment to providing a safe environment for students, institutions cannot be held
accountable for all the actions taken by students. However, as SAPs, we must be cognizant of
how we navigate issues with students, students of concern in general, and crisis situations. Our
actions or inactions shape the outcome of these situations.
Moving forward, as a new member of both NASPA and ACPA, I plan on utilizing the
resources provided by each organization to further my understanding of how college
administration navigates laws and policies. Additionally, to better inform myself about Title IX

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compliance and by-stander intervention methods, I will attend the Green Dot training offered on
SUs campus. Through fostering a deeper understanding of national laws and institutional
policies and governance, I believe I will be better equipped to address the needs of a diverse
student population.
Improve consciousness to shape practice (LO 10; Artifacts B, E, & F)
Through my experiences at my undergraduate institution and in the non-profit sector,
there have been opportunities to develop my personal and professional beliefs, along with
establishing relationships with a wide range of individuals in and out of the student affairs field.
Working in these different positions, at various institutions, and with different populations have
challenged me to navigate different administrative and professional settings.
Through coursework, I have been provided opportunities to delve deeper into my own
professional and personal mission statement. The guiding principles that are detailed in Artifact
B, my personal mission statement, serve as foundations to my practice and identity as a student
affairs professional. These have already manifested themselves through my work in the Center
for Student Involvement (CSI) and the Division of Student Development. As a collaborative
effort, I have been working with other graduate assistants and students to develop online training
modules to address the misconceptions and needs of students with disabilities on SUs campus.
Upon critical reflection on the practices of our institution, we have seen a need to create space in
which to inform our colleagues about the term disabilities, research focused on students with
disabilities, and ways to address inclusion while programming. As part of the forward process,
the CSI office has begun incorporating a checklist to improve program accessibility and plans to
form a disability statement that encourages students to reach out about needs.

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Professional identity is another area in which I acknowledge the need for growth and
development, which I attempted to address through Artifact F. Over the course of the next five
years, I hope to address the need to establish a wider professional network, develop my
presentation skills, delve further into multicultural issues, and diversify my areas of experience.
Continuing to examine my experiences and identities will shape my practice in student affairs.
As a white female, practices such as affirmative action have more benefits to me than other
marginalized identities. Understanding how intersections such as these shape my experience and
perception of a situation is integral to building relationships with students. While I hope to build
meaningful relationships with all students, I cannot fully understand a student of colors
experience and may not be the individual they seek support from. Throughout the program, there
have been moments of dissonance that have contributed to my growth in this area. Coursework,
classmates, professors, and even students have challenged my self-perception and knowledge of
social justice issues. The conversations have not always been pleasant nor ended in agreement,
but they have challenged me to reflect more deeply on the issues that impact both myself and
society at large. Moving forward, I know its important to keep these aspects in mind and
dedicate myself to deepening of awareness.
Conclusion
The three areas discussed above are those in which I see the most potential for growth as
I begin my journey as a student affairs professional. However, as I have learned throughout the
reflective practices utilized in the SDA program, there will continue to be opportunities for me to
deepen my understanding of society, students, and self. Only through a critical lens will I be able
to better address the needs of a diversifying student population.

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References
Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & Guido, F. (2010).Student development in college: Theory,
research, and practice (2nd edition). San Fransisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Pope, .L., Reynolds, A.L., & Mueller, J.A. (2004). Multicultural competence in student affairs.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Yosso, T.J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race discussion of community cultural
wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69-82.