Center for Student Activities: Stephane Tchang (Week 5)

Activities:

• Set up the art gallery exhibit for the College Ready program
• Look into marketing strategies to promote Dawg Daze events
• Help coordinate the Bulldog Bash sponsorship contracts from Fraternity and Sorority Life

Experience:

This past week, I was able to gain literal hands-on experience in the student activities office. With the arrival of College Ready, a program where new incoming students arrive college a couple months early to learn about and adjust to college more readily, the Center for Student Activities was tasked with showcasing an art exhibit to these students. As such, I got the opportunity to assist in not only hanging pieces of art for the gallery, but I also got the opportunity to help with focusing the light within the exhibit. From this experience, I learned that the student affairs professionals in this office really do a lot of the behind the scenes work. I always thought the art gallery was created and organized by professionals outside of the Center for Student Activities, so I was really surprised to learn that the staff in this office oversaw the entire process of the art gallery. Thinking about this experience, it really hit home for me that it is really crucial for student affairs professionals to be able to take on a jack-of-all-trades role because you never know what types of tasks your job will entail, such as having the knowledge to put on an art exhibit. 

Furthermore, being able to tackle on the marketing strategies for Dawg Daze has been an awesome opportunity. I did not think I would be able to utilize my knowledge and experience from my undergraduate degree, so when the opportunity arose, I was ecstatic! I realized a common theme from my practicum experience overall is that I am able to start reaching out to and network with other student affairs professionals. From researching about best practices to inquiring about department structures, I have been able to gradually expand my contacts of student affairs professionals within my time in my practicum. 

Lastly, I think the best thing about my practicum thus far is that I am finally able to learn about what the contract process looks like and what a contract actually consists of, from a student activities perspective. With this new-found knowledge, I am now able to not only better assist the staff and students at my practicum site, but I am able to take this knowledge with me and apply it to the future positions I will undertake. Learning about the contract writing process will enable me to better advance departments who are in need of someone with contractual knowledge and experience.

Theory Application:

In reflecting about how student development theory has applied to my practicum thus far, I think Baxter Magolda's Epistemological Reflection Model was best utilized during this past week. When I was tasked with creating marketing strategies to promote the Dawg Daze events to new incoming students, I had to put myself in the perspective of an incoming student to see the types of marketing materials and methods I would be most receptive to as an incoming student. Little did I know, I operated under stage 1 of Magolda's Epistemological Reflection Model, which is Absolute Knowing. In Absolute Knowing, the premise is that students operate under the construct that they are receivers of knowledge and are obtaining that knowledge from experts (Bock, 2002). Seeing as how many students just came from an environment where they are taught to receive information (high school), I came to the conclusion that the marketing strategies to reach these students is to make sure students are lead and directed to the events by students who are returning to Mississippi State. All information provided to the students would need to direct the students to get involved with the Dawg Daze events. This way, there is an expert providing knowledge for these students to receive, as many new incoming students are looking to receive information from others while they are transitioning with their college experience. 

Reading Application:

This past week, I read chapter 4, which covered the topic of supervision. In the book, Amey and Reesor talk about and explore the relationship between a supervisor and a supervisee, concluding it is essential that both parties need to be invested in the relationship for the provided supervision to be effective and successful (2009). In thinking about the reading, I am grateful that I was able to express my goals, wants, and expectations via the learning contract for my practicum. Even more so, I am grateful that I get to work with two supervisors who are invested in not only what they do, but also invested in me and my growth as a student affairs professional. With that being said, since I will be a full-time student affairs professional soon, it will be absolutely essential that I take this chapter to heart. I will have to ensure that I take note of how my practicum supervisors are when it comes to their supervision, as well as how they interact with students. By observing my practicum supervisors, I hope to be able to learn what to do and what not to do in forming and maintaining a strong, effective relationship with my supervisee(s) one day. 

References:

Amey, M. J., & Reesor, L. M. (2009). Beginning your journey: A guide for new professionals in student affairs. Washington, D.C.: NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

Bock, T. M. (2002). Baxter Magolda's epistemological reflection model. New Directions for Student Services, 1999(88), 29 - 40.