Hartfield: Week 2- Dean of Students' Office- East Mississippi Community College

Activities:
-Set up for JourneyEAST, Orientation Session 1
-Worked JourneyEAST, Orientation Session 1
-Discussion with Michael Black, District Recruiter (and MSU Alumni) about Orientation ideas and trends
-Weekly meeting with supervisor, Cathy Kemp

Reflection:
What a great week! Since the beginning of June, it has been a struggle for me to stay positive because of the heavy workload we are ALL experiencing due balancing classes, assignments, assistanships, practicum hours, etc. but putting hours in at my practicum site really lifted my spirits and also the fact that the MISSISSIPPI STATE BASEBALL team is in the FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FOR THE WORLD SERIES (let that set in Bulldog fans). Okay, back to the blog, this week at EMCC was such a growing experience for me because since becoming a Bulldog, I often times tend to forget my roots at Hinds Community College and how great the community college system in Mississippi truly is.

I had the opportunity to work with the Compass Leaders (Orientation Leaders) during the JourneyEAST Orientation session and working with them made me miss my Hinds Connection days at HCC. Hinds Connection was a student-recruiting team and also worked college sponsored events. It was probably the most rewarding thing I have been apart of because I truly grew as a person during those two years and made life-long friendships, even met my girlfriend during that time. Needless to say, my first two years of college were amazing and I give credit to HCC for giving me the opportunity to develop as a college student.

As I sat and watched my supervisor, Cathy, and Michael, the district recruiter give each Compass Leader a hug and told them how much they had missed them, I felt a bit of nostalgia because it reminded me of the love and compassion my mentors at Hinds showed towards me. After reflecting on that moment for awhile, I told myself as I move up in the world of Student Affairs, I do not want to forget about the students. I know everyone says that they are in this career for the students, but that is not accurate. I do believe that many come in to this career with the motive of wanting to work with students but the pressure of the job sets in and we as practitioners forget what truly is important - student development. Those simple gestures that Cathy and Michael displayed really do mean a lot to those students because I have personally experienced it myself. The mentors that invested in my development through something as a stern conversation to a simple pat on the back still mean something to me today because I felt like I mattered to them. In whatever capacity I work in, I never want to lose track of the students I am severing. I can only hope that I generate those same feelings I experienced, to the students I will work with in the future.

Another realization I had at EMCC this week is that since being at State, I have never considered working at a small university or community college because honestly I felt to succeed, one has to work at a SEC or Big 10 school. WELL I WAS WRONG! We talked in our last practicum class about how student affairs practitioners have that perception and I felt guilty because I have in some way felt that. Both of my parents have worked at community colleges for their entire career and they are two of the most hardest working individuals I know so I am not sure where I pick up of this notion that in order to be successful, one must work at a large university. Anyway, I say all this to say that I now am considering working at the smaller university level or community college level. Your feedback is needed!

Below is the link to the EMCC website and also some JourneyEast pics!

East Mississippi Community College website

JourneyEAST schedule! 

Come visit me if you would like!!!

Jake