... in self-help books, and amid the door decorations of residence halls; the common axiom that “Not all those who wander are lost.”  I, like many, never intended to end up working in student affairs.  Coming from a family of educators, I chose to major in secondary English education when I could no longer be undeclared as an undergraduate student.  When I was teaching English, I loved working with students.  I felt most rewarded when they got excited or engaged with what we were studying and when they connected what they were learning to others classes and their own life.  However, I wanted something that was more holistic, developmental, and fulfilling as an educator; I felt restricted by the expectations to solely focus on the development of their language arts knowledge and skills.

When I was fortunate enough to walk into a position in residence life at the University of Evansville (UE), I found that I felt fulfillment from all the work that I did from event planning, advising, conduct, leadership development, emergency response, and more.  What I really loved were the conversations with students looking to process where they were in their lives as well as watching them grow and become confident adults.  When our department hired someone with a master’s degree, I found that I was lacking in the basic competencies and historical understanding of the field.  While it pained me to leave UE, the opportunity to be a full-time professional at Ashland University (AU) while completing my degree at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) has been a fruitful journey and I have few regrets.  

Moving forward, I am searching for a dynamic, student-centered, live-in or live-on assistant director position in housing and residence life with a desire to take on multiple roles within a small to a mid-sized institution that values and focuses on student learning, development, and success.  After a few years in the role, I want to start considering a doctoral program; originally, I had aspirations of becoming a vice president of student affairs, and while I would still welcome that opportunity in the future, my continued education and development are the leading intrinsic motivations for me over a future position.  Obtaining a doctorate would allow me to develop greater competencies and thus to serve more people in meaningful ways.  While I cannot say if my path stays in the field of student affairs for another eight to ten years, I know that I shall always be guided by my personal and professional values.