Newsome- Office of Admissions and Scholarships/Student Recruitment- Week 6

Activities:

-          Completed several campus tours

-          Scheduled campus visits for Admissions Counselors 

-          Corresponded with Michael Richardson about Roadrunners participating in Send-off Parties

-          Attended my last staff meeting

-          Said my good-byes to the office staff

Reflection:

I cannot believe I am writing my last blog for practicum.  This semester has flown by, and I must say I truly value the learning experiences I have gained thus far from working with Office of Admissions and Scholarships/Student Recruitment.  I have never felt more welcome and appreciated in continuing my education and professional development.  I have been surrounded by individuals who honestly respect the fact that everyone is different and we can all contribute in unique ways.  Almost every day, I had at least one admissions counselor, student worker, and/or administrative assistant to approach me and ask about my understanding and involvement as an intern.  As a result, I had an opportunity to self-examine and reflect on what I have learned and what I can improve on.  I am grateful for the friendships I developed and the wonderful work environment I had an opportunity to work in.

This week, I completed campus tours and scheduled campus visits which have been exceptional.  Interacting with students and parents has been an adventure.  Though parents may not always conduct themselves in the most respectful ways, student affairs professionals must realize that parents can be needy.  They are entrusting us with the lives of their babies which can be a challenging process.  My goal was to put myself in parents’ shoes.   I learned that our job as student affairs professionals is to aid in the transition from high school to college.  A key necessity to accomplishing this goal is to effectively articulate and clarify needs.  Most importantly, I learned that student affairs professionals must believe in themselves and their ability effectively assist others.

Overall, my practicum experience has been amazing.  I can positively state that this will be an experience that I will never forget.   I have had opportunity to development through challenges and mature as I conquered them.   Even through experiences I was comfortable with, I had a chance to strengthen my skills and mature as a professional.  My career development has flourished as a result of personal reflection, supervisors’ feedback, and my aspiration to be successful.  I look forward to continuing my development and participating in new experiences.

Last day at my desk...

I hope everyone enjoyed their journey!

-          Ashley