U P - U P - A N D - A W A Y !

N E O H O 2 0 1 6

T O D A Y S - A C T I O N P L A N

• Introductions

• What is student affairs?

• Turning your RA experience into a career

• How to find these so called Graduate Schools

• Graduate School

• Tips, Tricks, and More

A B O U T M E

• 2nd year graduate student at Kent State University

• Higher Education Student Personnel Masters Program

• Graduate Assistant Hall Director at the Cleveland

Institute of Art

• I was an RA for 3 years at my alam mater, and have a

combined experience of about 5 years in a staff

position, with 7 years of experience living in a

residence hall.

I N T R O D U C T I O N S

• So where are you all from?

What do you think student affairs is?

A L L T H O S E

A C R O N Y M S

• NASPA: Student Affairs

Administrators in Higher

Education

• ACPA: American College

Personnel Association

• ACUHO-I: The Association

of College and University

Housing Officers-

International

S T U D E N T A F F A I R S I S . . .

• Student affairs is a critical aspect of the higher education

experience. The work done by student affairs professionals

helps students begin a lifetime journey of growth and self-

exploration, (NASPA).

• Student focused

• More than student life, residence life, multicultural, advising,

greek life, LGBT, wellness, leadership, and more.

I F Y O U W A N T T O G O I N T O

R E S L I F E . . .

• There are a multitude of positions within residence life

that are not directly relate to being a residence hall

director or area coordinator.

• There is programing, facilities, operations, and more.

• If you choose not to go into residence life, don't worry,

your RA position still relates!

T H I N K I N G A B O U T M O V I N G ,

Q U E S T I O N S T O A S K Y O U R S E L F

• Think about what you do in your everyday life, and

also your position.

• What do you love about it?

• What would you do differently?

• What would you like to do with it in the future?

T H I N K I N G A B O U T M O V I N G ,

A C T I O N S T E P S

• Talk with those around you, including your supervisor

• Do your research

• Do not be afraid to ask questions

• Do you have the opportunity to attend the OCPA

Careers in Student Affairs Conference?

• Remember, your RA position has transferable skills

that can be transferred into any position.

T H I N K I N G B E Y O N D ,

T R A N S F E R A B L E S K I L L S E X A M P L E S

• Manage a University residence hall floor of ethnically

diverse undergraduate students: Management,

Communication, Interpersonal, Leadership

• Maintain all bulletin boards and fliers with accurate, up

to-date,and useful information: Research, Information

Skills, Communication, Creativity

• Counsel students on various personal and academic

issues: Empathy, Listening, Analytical

T O D O M O R E S C H O O L O R N O T T O

D O ?

• It is possible to not go to grad school right out of

undergrad.

• Consider what you are looking to do.

Question: Does your undergraduate degree

matter when applying to graduate school

for student affairs?

N O !Graduate programs value the diversity that everyone brings from their different backgrounds.

H O W T O F I N D Y O U R G R A D

P R O G R A M

• On NASPA's website there is a career tab that has a Graduate

Program Directory which will allow you to do a national search and

see the details of each program.

• Network, talk with different mentors, supervisors and advisors who

went to grad school to see where they went and to see if they

have any suggestions for you.

• Facebook, yes facebook. There is a group called Future Student

Affairs Grad Students. Students post all the time about their

current thoughts on programs, and current graduate students will

always reach out and offer their contact information for you if you

had any questions about a program.

T H I N G S T O

T H I N K A B O U T

• What type of program are you looking for?

• Counseling based, leadership, administration?

• Location?

• Size of program?

• GRE requirement?

J U S T F O R L A U G H S : R A V I D E O S

• Do you want to build a snowman? RA Parody

• All R.A. Floor

• "I'm On Duty" Pharrell Williams - "Happy" Parody

• Some (duty) Nights

• I'm On Duty - "I'm So Fancy" - Iggy Azalea Parody

• Blank Space RA Parody

• RA STYLE | GANGNAM STYLE (강남스타일) PARODY

• UAB "Wrecking Ball" RA Parody!

R E F E R E N C E S

• Student Affairs Resources & Continued Education |

NASPA. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from

https://www.naspa.org/about/student-affairs