1. What are your "enduring understandings" from this semester?

For example, what are the

23 concepts, assignments, or advice that you will continue to think about or apply to
your work?
1. For me, the most significant aspects of the course related to the theories we
digested regarding student development. I appreciate the ability to understand my
work in higher education via a particular framework, whether that be Astins IEO
model or even Balibars work on neo-racism. The course taught me that when
approaching a delicate professional situation, I can reference these works to help
influence and guide my decisions. Further, I enjoyed having the opportunity to
study a subpopulation in depth as it has helped me clarify some of my
professional interests (that being, working with international students). Last but
not least, I found the book Generation on a Tightrope to be a phenomenal learning
tool. It described the most recent generation in a very enlightening manner and
has forced me to think very seriously about many of the issues that we face as
administrators and educators. I even now use quotes from the book at some of the
admissions events that I host!
2. What personal goals were clarified during this semester of study?
1. The research that I completed and the papers I wrote about international students
in the United States were extremely helpful for me. It reminded me that I find
working with this particular subpopulation of students extremely rewarding. I
now feel inspired; I am interested in future employment opportunities, academic
research, and I am considering this subpopulation as a framework for my final
project/paper for this masters degree.
3. What academic or professional challenges did you experience this semester? What
strategies did you use to overcome these challenges?
1. This semester was my busiest, probably ever, both personally and professionally.
Franklin has a vacancy in one of our admissions positions and thus, I was called

upon to both work with a greater number of students and travel more often. We
are also planning our May wedding. Time management and organizational skills
proved most useful in managing the challenges that often faced me. I started using
technology more efficiently (trello.com, specifically) to help me keep track of my
responsibilities and find time for all of my projects. Ultimately, things turned out
nicely as I have done well in my courses, the wedding isnt causing any stress and
we enrolled more students for the fall than last year. I am pleased with what I was
able to accomplish!
4. Referencing the intended program learning outcomes for the MHE degree, what you have
learned from this course?
1. Academic Literacies and Habits of Mind
1. This course required me to read, write and reflect more than other courses
thus I have grown significantly in this area. I learned about the major
development theories that guide our work in student affairs and, actually,
have already applied them in my professional life. We were called upon
very specifically to suspend judgment and apply theories to varied areas of
practice and were also asked to draw conclusions based on concepts and
theories that we discussed. Overall, this course reinforced academic
literacy to a remarkable degree. I also now know how to apply study to my
professional life in a unique way, which overall has reinforced the ability
to be a proactive and reflectively life-long learner.
2. Social Learning and Communication
1. Many of the assignments required me to communicate my ideas and
thoughts to my classmates. Much of our work was indirectly collaborative,
specifically the robust development theory charts that we created. I also
participated in chat sessions where I was able to learn from and converse
with my classmates in a professional manner. That and the PPT

presentation created for another assignment reinforced the importance of

utilizing technology in my work.
3. Practical and Professional Capabilities
1. In one of the assignments, we were asked to digest a few theories and
reflect on implications that they have in our work as administrators. I also
wrote a final paper for which I read and analyzed multiple findings to
discuss issues related to international students in higher education. The
course forced me to reflect very deeply about the issues that students face
and how we approach our many student subpopulations ethically and
responsibly. I did not have significant opportunity to incorporate and
analyze raw data, however in another course this area was poignantly
highlighted. Overall, the activities listed above enhanced the development
of my practical and professional capabilities.