interview: dave vale

Dave Vale

Residence Hall Director at San Diego State University

This interview was a little bit of a different experience because I actually knew Dave Vale. He was a Coordinator of Student Development here at Cal Poly when I was a Resident Advisor my second year. Back then, I had no idea that this cool CSD I would randomly interact with would later be someone I talked to about grad school and my future career. Just goes to show, you can never predict the different roles someone can play in your life.

He's from Ohio

Dave came from a small, private liberal arts school in Ohio and knew he always wanted to teach. Studying abroad in Australia opened his eyes to experiencing as much as he can and he immediately started getting really involved on campus. Dave eventually found himself talking to one of his advisor’s about how he got his job in Student Life and this opened Dave’s eyes to the whole idea of grad school. After graduating from the Colorado State program, he accepted the CSD position at Cal Poly and that’s where I got to meet him!

Different Paths

One of the things I learned from talking to Dave was that paths can really change and I need to be open to that. All I’ve ever known of Dave up to this point was the Res Life aspect of his career. But it’s interesting to think people can have great experiences in one thing but these might actually lead to other paths. At this point, Dave sees himself going in different directions: stick with student affairs and become some kind of program director, go back to school for a PhD and become a faculty member, or even go back to his original plan of high school teaching and coaching. I think it’s really important for me to realize that as much as I try to plan everything out, my passions and interests my shift and it’s actually ok for me to have different paths to choose from.

What ideas or thoughts inspired or motivated you to get started?

Early on, Dave saw the need for education and thinking about the number of teachers that stood out to him made him want to go into that profession. He has this beautiful idea of wanting to play a role in students discovering what they are passionate about, inspires them, and developing their intrinsic motivation. This thought is definitely one of my driving forces that inspires me to pursue this kind of career. I also agree with his thought that working with college students is key because this is the time they are doing things that shape the rest of their life and college can be the forefront for a lot of change in the world. He also talked about how the college campus has a lot of positive energy and because it is such a good environment, it is a motivating setting as a professional.

What are some of the challenges you have had to face?

Work/life balance of course. Dave mentioned that ever present mantra of “If you’re not taking care of yourself, how can you help others?” I have a feeling that’s something I definitely need to keep in mind.

Choosing the right grad program

Dave gave me some insight on the types of things I should be considering when choosing the right fit. One thing to consider is the type of faculty I am interested in. Some schools have full-time faculty members that teach every class and are a great resource to get to know. Other schools have the administrators as the faculty members so not only do they teach the classes, they’re kind of living what they’re doing in their day to day work. Another thing to consider is the graduation requirement whether that is a thesis, final exam, or portfolio. Dave mentioned that at Colorado State, his culminating project was a portfolio that shows he met the competencies from all the experiences he had. My initial reaction was to laugh out loud when he said his final portfolio project was 328 pages. As unbelievable as that sounds at first, I actually think that’s really exciting to have such an extensive portfolio to really tell the story of all your experiences.

Colorado State SAHE Program

Dave was kind of my person to talk to about the Colorado State SAHE program and I definitely left the conversation excited about the possibility of that program. Dave loved the program, especially the faculty and the cohort system. Students are required to complete 2 practicum based experiences. Dave’s experiences included Res Life, Study Abroad programs, and a NODA internship. When I think about the outcomes I would like from a program, I honestly feel like the Colorado State SAHE Professional Competencies perfectly describe my vision.

Study Abroad Programs

One of my underlying thoughts has been considering possibilities outside of my love for Res Life. Dave mentioned the possibility of going into Study Abroad. This is a new possibility I have never really thought of before but the moment he mentioned it, I realized that’s something I would at least be interested in gaining some experience in if I can. Although there might not be as many positions as something like Res Life, I think there could be some interesting opportunities in it. Ever since I came back from my ACUHO-I Internship in Canada, I’ve pretty much been preaching the word to everyone of how much going abroad can be an incredible growing experience both professional and personally. Potential future assistantship interest maybe??

What is the most important thing that someone planning to enter this field should know?

“You’re going to get a lot of the program you’re going into.” Dave mentioned that although I might already feel like I could work with people in this kind of way, there’s so much more to learn and I need to be open to growing. It’s exciting to think about how there’s a lot going on across the country with all the dynamic changes of this field. I also like the thought that “this year’s students are always going to be different from last year’s.” It’s true, people/society/the student population is constantly changing and I can potentially be in the forefront of those changes.

What it really means to be a Student Affairs professional?

Too loosely quote him, “Being in a place where you’re supporting and challenging students… Helping them grow and develop on a holistic level… There’s more to the college experience outside of academics that can set yourself up for success… Making sure students are aware they can take advantage of that… Challenge their viewpoints, get them to think a little deeper about issues out there in the real world… Supporting students but also challenging them, expand their horizons… Developing intrinsic motivation, talk to students, tap into what really drives them or motivates them, making sure they are doing everything they can, they’re going to enjoy things and also make change in them…” Ohmygoodness, that’s exactly in line with how I think of everything! :)

WRCSAD Keynote Speaker

Dr. Anthony R. Ross 

Vice President for Student Affairs

California State University, Los Angeles

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams

With this first quote, Dr. Ross captured my attention. This is one of the motivating thoughts that inspires me to pursue a career in student affairs. My aim is to play a role in helping others discover who they are and who they strive to be so they can pursue their own passions and affect the world in their own ways.

Dr. Ross also provided some thoughts on how to go about that. It was good to be reminded that sometimes no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you think you know your path, there are other designs in place. Dr. Ross suggested the key is listening to mentors, being open to all that may come, and taking risks. 

His personal story exemplified just how much a path may change but each change may open the door to new opportunities... “You can’t be afraid to have your bags packed physically and mentally to be ready to move and take new opportunities.”

The more I learn about the career paths of different professionals, the more I realize that everyone has such a unique story. But there are definitely common underlying principles for success: keeping in mind your reasons for being passionate about this career, being open minded to change, and building meaningful relationships.

Listening to words of wisdom from successful professionals like Dr. Ross inspires me to think about what my future role could be and even though I’m not exactly sure what the future may hold, I try to keep in mind one of the last thoughts Dr. Ross shared… “You are capable for more than you know.”

balance

my true colors personality assessment: gold. i'm a gold through and through: consistent, goal-oriented, traditional, realistic, prepared, dependable, loyal, responsible & having leadership ability. and i really do believe that work comes before play. i'm the type person that literally gets joy out of planning every hour of every day. i like structure, i like creating tangible goals, and i like planning my schedule to best utilize my time to achieve what i need to get done. 

but the thing i am slowly realizing is that i can't always be so focused on the future that i forget to enjoy the present. and also, i have to learn that not everything is about me and what i want or what i think i need.

because i am getting so passionate about exploring student affairs, i was excited for wrcsad for weeks. but i had some big events going on in SLO the night before that really meant a lot to some of the people i care about the most. so, i reevaluated everything and decided to make some sacrifices. i stayed in SLO for the event and drove to LA at 11pm. i didn't get in until 2am and i woke up at 6am to make it in time for wrcsad. 

this was just one of those life experiences that made me reevaluate what is important to me and i'm sure i'll be making decisions about balancing my personal and professional worlds for the rest of life. 

western regional careers for student affairs day

 

today was my first opportunity to attend a large-scale student affairs event like this. there was a keynote speaker, program sessions, & a graduate fair. pretty typical conference format right? but it was so much more than that. i went in thirsting for knowledge & every single moment was a learning experience. i feel like today just made everything that much more real. there is a very real network of organizations & people out there passionate about dedicating their lives to the student experience. i am so inspired to work hard so that i can be a significant contribution to this field one day. 

Highlights...

• Keynote Speaker: Dr. Anthony Ross
• Student Affairs 101 Session
• Verifiable Contributions to Student Learning and Development Session
• Reflections on Master's Programs in Student Affairs Panel
• Professionals of Color Panel
• && crazy first hand experiences of the Student Affairs field being a very small world indeed! :)

interview: raja bhattar

Raja Bhattar

LGBT Campus Resource Center at University of California, Los Angeles 

What is the most important thing that someone planning to enter this field should know? “It’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle. Put yourself out there, explore as much as you can. Find a position that really fits your lifestyle. Figure out why you want to do this and be aware of why you are doing it. Know what you really want to get out of your experience and how you can make the most of it. The most important part is finding the right fit for you.” 

University of Vermont: Up to this point, a lot of my grad school influence has been from people who loved the Indiana University program so talking to Raja was my first real conversation about a different program. In reflecting back on our conversation, I can still feel the passion he had for the program because I look at my notes and it just seems like a genuinely passion-filled stream of consciousness: “full tuition and stipend, great quality and high caliber faculty, great social justice focus, felt like right fit, cohort experience 18-20 people, get to know people really well, actually get engaged in different parts of campus, medium sized school, assistantships all across campus, classroom was like mini board/regions meeting, strong UVM alum connection across the country.” // Beyond the facts of the program, what’s really noteworthy for me is how apparent it is that Raja truly felt like this program was simply the right fit for him. I find it intriguing that UVM is often described as a very white, low people of color, all about tradition kind of school because I also get the idea that this type of campus dynamic creates space for very interesting conversations about social justice and diversity within the supportive and intellectual student affairs program community. 

Assistantship/Internship Experiences: Raja appreciated that his program required experiences in 3 different departments. He worked with Community Service, Dean of Students recruitment for HESA program, and Athletics. Raja mentioned he was never the athletic type so I found it interesting that he wanted to challenge himself to see if he could work with that community. His thought process was if he was a VP one day, he now knows he can work with that group. (This is definitely going on the list of thoughts I will keep in mind for the rest of my professional career!) 

Being open regionally: Raja talked about going to a conference a couple years ago and not really seeing job opportunities in regions he was interested in working. His mentor said, “Why not look at location after you look at job descriptions?” It was then that he asked himself “Why am I limiting myself to region and getting frustrated?” This was one of those aha moments! // Being open regionally is one of the challenges I am dealing with in choosing grad schools. There are a lot of opportunities that I am interested in but coming from California (literally the best place in the world haha), it’s not that easy for me to quickly be comfortable with the idea of living in areas I never saw myself living before. But at the same time, I know that pushing my comfort zones is exactly what I need to do for the personal growth I am seeking. 

Just do it: Raja reached a point in his professional career where he knew he needed a different experience. He saw a job opportunity but questioned if he was qualified for it. One of his friends encouraged him to just apply and he thought if nothing else happens, then that’s it. He ended up being successful in the application process and three months into the job, he is loving his position. // I am a firm believer that there is no harm in putting yourself out there to just go for something. The worst case scenario is that it doesn’t happen but at least you opened the door to potential for something great.

interview: mark houlemarde

Mark Houlemarde, 

Residence Hall Director at Cornell University

Mark is one of the most intelligent people I have had the pleasure of speaking with. The second I got off the phone with him, I just had to pause to process how much I felt like I learned from him... 

Grad school advice? Mark chose to do his Masters through the HESA program at Indiana University because he was attracted to the faculty. In undergrad, he studied Race and Ethnic Studies and had an interest in how students define diversity and how they make sense of their social circles. He suggested I take a look at the research interests of the faculty at different schools and see if that matches up with my professional interests. Also, when I get involved in grad programs and assistantships, I shouldn’t be afraid to also ask for opportunities outside of what I am doing. He mentioned being a grad student is a great opportunity because people know I’m still learning so they are willing to help. 

Housing? Something different? Best of both worlds? Sometimes one of my concerns is that because I have so many great experiences within housing, I am not really exposed to the opportunities outside of it. So as much as I can see a career for myself in housing, maybe there is something else out there I can grow to be passionate about also but just haven’t had the chance to learn that yet. Mark mentioned that there’s housing but there’s a lot to housing. I know that there are a lot of opportunities to work with different parts of the University and also be a part of collaborating different divisions. For example, Mark mentioned being in Res Life but also working to collaborate programs with Greek Life. So basically even if I do choose to stay within my love for housing, that doesn’t close the door to working with other aspects of Student Affairs. 

Assessment again! The second Mark started talking about the importance of assessment, I could immediately hear the influence of Tony in his voice. Mark talked about the value in basing fundamental program development on assessment. I really liked the idea of “Here’s what we’re doing, here’s what we’ve done well, and here’s what we can improve on.” There really is so much potential for development if that data is used to assess why we do programs and justify what it’s being done. 

What ideas or thoughts inspired or motivated you to get started? Mark mentioned that as the diversity of the field changes, there are things we have to change. As a professional, he felt like he could be a part of that change. // Mark also mentioned the changing demographics on college campuses. I really connected to this idea about the demographics of the campus having a real affect on the student life experience. Being a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where the demographics are literally 65% white, our student life organizations look very different from the types of things my friends at UC Berkeley are involved in. Being aware of how different campus dynamics can be really inspires me to know that as a Student Affairs professional, I can play a real role in the learning processes in these different social experiences. 

What is your ultimate professional goal in this field? “I don’t know. I’m going to have to talk to some people before I figure that out. I feel like there’s a lot of opportunities.” // I think sometimes I can put too much pressure on myself to feel like I need to have the rest of my life completely planned out. It’s good to be reminded once in a while, that it really is ok not to have every single thing figured out. And to appreciate the support system I have around me as I try to figure things out. 

What are some of the challenges you have had to face? It can be challenging to work with people who think differently from you.  As a professional, Mark always tries to do his best to really articulate what he knows from a student’s perspective/experience and "triangulate" that with what data or theories suggest. For example, in order to say “Here’s why I need a better lounge space for a Res Hall” you need to be able to take that information to different departments that each has their own needs and focuses. In working with so many other departments, you have to figure out how you can transfer what you know so that it’s more appealing and relevant to them. One of those things I will keep in mind for the rest of my professional career: Being a professional is about taking what you know and articulating it in a way that is best for you are talking to. 

What is the most important thing that someone planning to enter this field should know? Networking. This field is notorious for networking and you’ll probably get sick of how much people say it is a small field. Mark said that actually motivates him to always try to do the best work he can because he knows that at any time, he can be working with people that will be his future bosses.

grad schools

probably the most overwhelming thing right now is the idea of applying for grad schools. there are just so many different things to take into account professionally, financially, and personally. it's all very overwhelming but at the same time, i am so excited for this next step in my life. i know that this is the time in my life to be making these kinds of decisions. for many different reasons, right now my grad school interests lists is looking like:

interview: tony ribera

Tony Ribera,

Currently in the Higher Education & Student Affairs Ph.D. program at Indiana University 

What is something someone planning to enter the field should know?

Student Affairs is a really evolving profession. The expectations and norms are always changing. Today, things are even a lot different than they were 5-10 years ago. // I wonder what will be different from today to when I enter the field as a professional. What sort of new issues will be the hot topics? 

What it really means to be a student affairs professional?

It is first and foremost very intentional. Sometimes, learning can tend to be done by default but a true student affairs professional educates students by design rather than default. If they’re intentional, they’re constantly assessing it and looking for ways to improve. // Probably one of my biggest takeaways from Tony is this whole idea of assessment and intentionally evaluating what is being done in order to use that data for improvements. Realllyyy interesting! 

Grad school advice?

All programs are about student affairs at the surface level so I need to take a look at how each school approaches or focus on things. Because I know I want to be able to come out of a program with a lot of experience in different areas, he suggested I check out what they’re doing with practica and internships. // That makes a lot of sense. Of course everywhere sounds like “a good program” at the surface level because all student affairs programs are going to have similarities. I have to challenge myself to dig deeper to really find the best fit! 

Interesting thought:

The students I would potentially be working with will go through a lot of personal growth even in the span of one school year. That individual is going to look a lot different in June from what they did in September. // Wow, that’s a beautiful thought. I'll probably keep that in mind for the rest of my life.

On a personal note: 

// Whenever I talk to professionals, they ALWAYS stress the important of mentor relationships. When they share their personal career paths, they always slip in things like "and then my mentor encouraged me to..." Tony is actually my mentor's mentor. I feel like having this conversation with Tony was a true testament to the power of mentorship. Not only was he a big influence on the success of my mentor Sarah, the strength of that relationship actually led to Sarah having a big influence on me. The chain of influence probably goes back infinitely. Who knows? Maybe I'll pass on the same kind of thing to someone else one day. Such an interesting thought indeed.

interviews

One of my most exciting NUFP projects is interviews. My mentor gave me a list of different colleagues/student affairs professionals that represent a wide variety of positions, graduate experiences, and personal stories. One by one, I am talking to them to ask about their career paths, advice about grad school, and just basically pick their brains for words of wisdom to keep in mind as I discover my understanding of student affairs and my potential role in this field. Such an incredible opportunity to learn first hand from all these personal stories.

NUFP cluster groups

last week, i had my first NUFP cluster group call. it's basically an opportunity to talk to other NUFP fellows and share our experiences with each other. gotta love how amazing technology is that it is so easy to have a conversation between a NUFP fellow in north carolina, a NUFP fellow in colorado, and our NASPA facilitator in new york all while i'm sitting in my pajamas in my room in california.

i am so thankful for this opportunity to get to know other people who are also interested in pursuing student affairs after graduating. because i go to cal poly, sometimes it can be difficult being surrounded by so many "engineer type" people who don't understand that what i am passionate about doing can actually be a professional career. it's nice to finally have a group of people that already get where i'm coming from and we can actually have a great conversation about how we are going to go about achieving our goals.

every monday...

every monday, someone asks you "what did you do this weekend?"

how i spent last saturday night: working on my resume.

yay for growing up!

drive. passion. swag.

honestly, being a graduating senior is hard. there are so many things going on and as extreme as it sounds, sometimes i feel like the decisions i make everyday are going to have an affect on the rest of my life.

but in these fast-paced and overwhelming times, i always have this thought in the back of my mind: drive. passion. swag.

[drive]: i am so thankful for the life of opportunity that my parents have worked so hard to provide me with and i just want to make them proud. i am driven to be proactive about being successful. i just have to remind myself that the work i put in now is all for a purpose. 

[passion]: my hope for the world is that everyone discovers what they are passionate about. i really do believe that the key to happiness is understanding your own true passion. actually, one of the reasons i want to go into student affairs is because i believe that college is the time that you discover your passions and i want to play a role in helping others find that.

[swag]: haha... ok this one sounds kind of silly. but for me, "swag" is about how you carry yourself. and i think it is important to discover a real sense of who you are and who you strive to be independent of what anyone else expects or wants you to be. and having "swag" is about carrying yourself in a way true to that.

what is NUFP?

[NUFP stands for NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program]

What is NASPA? // The NASPA mission is "to be the principal source for leadership, scholarship, professional development, and advocacy for student affairs." 

So what is NUFP? // NUFP is a mentoring program for undergrad students who are interested in exploring the student affairs/higher education field. The mission is to increase the number of "historically disenfranchised and underrepresented professionals in student affairs and/or higher education."  

But basically, I see this as an opportunity to broaden my understanding of Student Affairs, learn what exactly it means to be a professional in this field from inspirational mentors, and have guidance in figuring out the rest of my life. I feel like my network of support and opportunity grows everyday. There's so much to learn and I'm ready to do it.

 #so excited