- Met with supervisor
- Helped prepare material for applicant review
- Created career development presentation
- Prepared materials for presentation
- Assisted staff in creating freshman survival guideline tools
Experience:
Over the past few weeks of working at the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, I have been gaining perspective that I never thought about before. Some of which does not necessarily pertain to the Student Affairs, but I have found it to be quite revealing. This is the third office that I have worked at on Mississippi State's campus and I am really starting to see a pattern in regards to the way things work in the "professional world".
One of the goals that I wrote out in my initial learning contract was to learn how to become a better professional and to find my own professional identity. Before this practicum experience, I had been really nervous about how I should conduct myself as a professional within Student Affairs, and I think that my supervisor has done an excellent job at modeling how one should act as a professional. He has shared valuable insight with me about the "presentation of self" and how to conduct yourself in the professional world. I believe that through this series of talks, and by observing how things operate in this office I am beginning to find my own identity as a professional. I am beginning to figure out what things I like to do and the things that are totally not congruent with who I am as a person.
I have found that I am able to do a task better now that I am gaining more comfort as a professional. There have been a number of times where I was not quite sure about an assigned task, but I did not dwell in anxiety as my past tendencies have shown. All in all, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion has helped me to realize my own professional identity, and I am very thankful for it seeing as that was one of my learning goals for my practicum experience. I hope to continue to grow and learn more from here on out.
-JT
JT,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your reflection for this week! It seems as if you are learning a great deal about yourself as a professional in your practicum. I really admire how you see who you are as a professional right now and are open about it. Examining situations is easier for most people, but looking inward can be very difficult. Sometimes I am not sure of where I am weak and need to improve as a professional and I need it to be pointed out to me. Anyway, it sounds like you are doing a great job! The next few weeks in your practicum, I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone even further and try out your new-found professionalism! I am interested to see how much more you grow and develop the rest of the summer!
Whitney
Mr. Thompson,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though this practicum has really been developing you mentally when it comes to thinking about what a professional looks like. From my brief experience, it seems every division has its own culture. Your experience with the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion has given you insight into what a professional looks and behaves like. Depending on what division you choose to work in in the future, I ask these three questions:
Do you think your idea of a professional may change?
When you are the leader of a student affairs division, will your office operate more under “unspoken rules” or will it be an office run strictly by the books so to speak?
How much of your own personality do you think will remain intake as you develop as a student affairs professional?
A good friend,
Shawn
Josh!
ReplyDeleteThe office of inclusion and diversity sounds awesome! It sounds like you are being challenged in all of the right ways. One thing that we have talked about in class is ambiguity. I remember you talked a little in class how you feel as though you may not be doing everything exactly how your supervisor expects and somethings you find yourself re doing something you just finished. Have you thought about having a conversation with your supervisor about how you work with ambiguity, or do you enjoy the challenge of continuing to develop your professional skills by being able to adapt to any given situation? Also, similar to Shaw, do you feel as though you have to change who you are to fit into a new department until you get established based upon how you deal with ambiguity?
I am so happy to hear that you are gaining such great experience,
Hannah Mountford