Using Professional Competencies in a

Global Context to Mentor the Next

Generation of Professionals

Harris Wooten, D., Kruse, T., Schreiber, B., & VanSurksum, A. (2016). Using Professional Competencies in a Global Context to Mentor the Next Generation. Presentation, NASPA International Symposium-Indianapolis, IN.

Presentation Agenda

Our Goal: discuss the connection between competency development and career progression for emerging professionals and the importance of mentoring in both informal and formal methods.

Intro to NAFSA and ACPA/NASPA Competency Frameworks

Global Perspectives on Mentoring

Helping to Shape Future Leaders

Successes and Challenges

Resource Sharing

Amy VanSurksum : Amy.Vansurksum@glasgow.ac.uk

• International Officer for the USA Midwest & Northeast

• University of Glasgow, Scotland

Birgit Schreiber: birgitschreiber@sun.ac.za • Senior Director for Student Affairs • Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Tadd Kruse: TKruse@auk.edu.kw

• Assistant to the President for Inst. Planning & Effectiveness

• American University of Kuwait

Dawn Harris Wooten: dawnw@nafsa.org

• Associate Director for International Student/Scholar Services

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators

Presenters

The concept and practice of mentoring (as a form of

professional preparation) is a growing area of research

Noted at the end of this presentation is a list of professional associations & organizations that offer mentoring opportunities. Additionally, a list of the

resources and materials we reviewed are also included. The professional competencies referenced and utilized for this presentation are: ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Educators

https://www.naspa.org/about/student-affairs NAFSA International Education Professional Competencies™

http://www.nafsa.org/Explore_International_Education/Impact/International_Education_Professional_Competencies/

Competency Definition: the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.

synonyms: capability, ability, proficiency, accomplishment, skill

ACPA/NASPA

“intended to define the broad professional knowledge, skills, and,

in some cases, attitudes expected of student affairs professionals

regardless of their area of specialization or positional role

within the field.”

NAFSA “identifying the skills, knowledge,

and competencies of the key professional practice areas within

international education. The goal of documenting this information was to

provide a tool for helping to professionalize”

The Purpose and Rationale of Professional Competencies

Competency Framework: Three Professional Levels

• Newer Professional • Mid-Level Professional • Senior-Level Professional

Levels

• Foundational (Newer Professional) • Intermediate (Mid-Level) • Advanced (Senior-Level)

ACPA/NASPA

• Direct Service (Newer Professional • Management (Mid-Level) • Strategy and Policy (Senior-Level)

NAFSA

It is very possible that someone could simultaneously be at all three levels

depending on the amount of knowledge and experience within a specific competency area.

Overview of Combined Competency Areas

Student Learning and Development

Advising and Supporting

Personal and Ethical Foundations

Strategic Planning

Comprehensive Internationalization

International Partnerships

International Student/Scholar

Advising

Education Abroad

Crisis Management

International Enrollment

Management

Recruitment and Retention

Programming and Orientation

Advocacy

Intercultural Communication

Values, Philosophy, and History

Assessment, Evaluation, and

Research

Law, Policy, and Governance

Organizational Leadership

Social Justice and Inclusion

Technology

There is an enormous opportunity for growth and development at all levels. Naturally, professional knowledge accumulates through experience and training.

Competencies In Action

Advising & Supporting

Develop liaisons with community providers and support systems to ensure seamless and coordinated

holistic care.

Demonstrate culturally-inclusive advising,

supporting, coaching, and counseling strategies.

Student Advising

Develop strategies to foster participation from

underrepresented student populations and academic

disciplines.

Locate or develop an orientation program for

learning across

cultures.

NASPA/

ACPA NAFSA

Mentees: Life in College Matters for Life After College

A 2014 poll taken in the U.S. revealed that students place a higher value on academic relationships where they felt someone cared about their future and encouraged them to pursue their dreams.

Previous research has cited that more preparation could be given to assist students and new professionals “for the challenges of forming a professional identity, adjusting to organizational culture, developing a learning orientation, and finding mentors”

Ray, J. and Stephanie Kafka (2014, March 31). Life in College Matters for Life After College. Gallup.com, Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/168848/life-college-matters-life-college.aspx The 2014 Gallup-Purdue Index Report. (2014). Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://products.gallup.com/168857/gallup-purdue-index-inaugural-national-report.aspx

Poll was taken by 30,000 U.S. adults who had completed at least a bachelor's degree.

Study also found the type of schools these college graduates attended had little influence on their future career engagement.

Only 3% of respondents stated they had received the type of support or experiential learning that prepared them for a satisfying career.

US and UK Perspective

Structured mentoring programs are not well developed by individual institutions in the US or UK

Structured mentoring typically has been part of professional organizations and associations.

A few examples: • NAFSA Academy • NAFSA Conference Mentor Programs • NACAC (and Affiliates) Mentor Programs • IASAS has e-mentoring: matching mentee-mentor across

borders

Competencies

Reflection on the mentoring experience (for mentor and mentee) leads to identifying strengths and weaknesses

Developing a career trajectory based on strengths and interests leads to greater engagement at work and overall satisfaction

Seek out professional development opportunities to address weaknesses or knowledge gaps

Developing a broader understanding of competencies can provide a foundational knowledge and ability to work across constituencies

Job Satisfaction

and Continual Growth

Assessing Your

Departmental Knowledge

Gaps

Hiring, Promotions, Developing

job descriptions

Professional Development

& Training

Advocacy for Student

Affairs, Staff, and Students

Increased Understanding of other Campus

Units

Why Mentoring is Important

Promotes the professionalization of the field Identifies and develops talent Mentoring for succession planning Supports and encourages new professionals early

on and throughout their career Performs the function of professionalization in

the absence of formal professional training

Middle East (Kuwait) Perspective

Structured Mentoring done by Individuals, sometimes Departments, rarely by Institutions ◻ Regional/Cultural Factors

• Gender • Professional Development • Career vs. Job

◻ Professional Development & Opportunities • Certificate Program • Intentional Plan • Links to Evaluation Processes

Mentoring Approaches & Examples

Applying Competency Areas to Mentoring Personal & Ethical Foundations (NASPA-ACPA) Social Justice & Inclusion (NASPA-ACPA) Organizational & Human Resources (NASPA-ACPA & NAFSA) Leadership (NASPA-ACPA & NAFSA) Intercultural Communication (NAFSA)

Examples of Mentorship:

Univ. of Florida - Ken Osfield’s Graduate Course AUK Summer Graduate Intern Program Departmental Structures - Training/Evaluation/Succession

Being a Purposeful Mentor

• Helps with Both Career & Personal Development • Connect the mentoring to Competencies or Skill Sets (added value) • Mentor serves many roles (guidance & advice) • Mentor Interaction • Nature (the purpose behind it) • Frequency (how often) • Goals (developed in advance)

• Utilize Structure • Part of overall Professional Development • Identify Cultural Factors • Crucial for Student Affairs

staff growth (internationally)

South Africa:

Mentoring Precedes Professionalisation

An emerging space embedded into global discourses of Higher Ed

Recent recognition of Student Affairs as a critical contributor to overall goals of Higher Ed (DHET, 2014)

A shift from discipline-bound (psychology for instance) to an open, trans-disciplinary and context-embedded Student Affairs (Schreiber, 2012)

Mentoring has accompanied most faculty-practitioners

Discipline specific and professional development is needed at universities

Mentoring is a deeply personal process

The disciplinary medley among Student Affairs practitioners, as well as gender, race, identity, positional and cultural differences within the domain require unique mentoring competencies

Multi-cultural competencies underpin mentoring

These are the very competencies which are required to function within our domains

In complex realities: mentoring competencies overlap with practitioner competencies

Pluralist Contexts Require Unique Competencies

Mentoring Does Not Replace Professionalisation

Mentoring augments the development of professional competencies

Huge overlap between professional competencies and mentoring, especially in a complex and emerging context

One Model is IASAS eMentoring: guided - online - collaborative

Key lessons from the emerging world:

Mentoring is normative

Mentoring within a pluralist context requires unique competencies

Table Discussions

• Why is mentoring important to developing the next generation of student affairs professionals?

• What mentoring activities or models (formal or informal) do you (or your organization or institution) participate in or offer that you would like to share as a source of inspiration to others?

Challenges for Student Affairs Professionalisation and Domain Development

Scholarship of Student Affairs

More research is needed on how competencies augment mentoring

Research on the application of mentoring is needed

Informal mentoring has been widely spread

Mentoring within an epistemic community of practice

Emergence of trans-disciplinary communities of practice

Shared understanding, shared discourse, shared goals

Challenges

There is a medley of Student Affairs Professions

Discourses and practices, norms and normative assumptions are dissimilar

Tensions between disciplinary discourses

Tensions between positional and professional claims to knowledge

Mentoring is not formally recognised as professional development

Formal Mentoring and Professional Development Opportunities

The NAFSA: Academy for International Education is an intensive yearlong training program with extensive networking opportunities. The Academy accelerates your learning process and prepares you for leadership. It is an investment in your career in international education. (NAFSA: Association of International Educators) http://www.nafsa.org/Attend_Events/Training/Academy_For_International_Education/

The NAFSA Diversity Impact Program provides international education professionals from tribal colleges and universities; historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs); Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs); and community colleges and associates colleges, complimentary NAFSA membership, registration to the NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo, and yearlong mentoring and professional development opportunities. http://www.nafsa.org/Explore_International_Education/Impact/Diversity_Impact_Program/

The EAIE Academy offers a complete mix of training opportunities for a successful career journey: in the city, in-house and webinars. We train in credential evaluation, marketing and recruitment, management, intercultural communication, student services, policy, strategy and more. http://www.eaie.org/training.html (EAIE: European Association of International Education)

The IASAS global eMentoring provides a guided mentoring partnership using online mentoring, video chat, social media, email, and/or telephone. It is a platform for professional performance development, knowledge sharing and career progression through connecting new and emerging practitioners with established student affairs/services leaders internationally. http://iasas.global/professional-mentoring-program/ (IASAS: International Association of Student Affairs and Services). IASAS eMentoring Program, www.IASAS.global, enquiries@iasas.global. org

The Student Leader Global Summit – Powered by IASAS, ACPA, and Lead365: Student leaders will gain a broader understanding of leadership and higher/tertiary education around the world. Through exploring and connecting with other student leaders in different parts of the world students will learn applicable skills. http://www.myacpa.org/events/2016-student-leader-global-summit-%E2%80%93-powered-iasas-acpa-and-lead365#sthash.HstECoM6.dpuf

CISAS: Canadian Institute on Student Affairs and Services . Institute on Student Affairs and Services (CISAS). This program is intended to provide a solid foundation and is targeted to all people in the area of Student Affairs and Services. Open to all those working in the field of student services at a university or college; including but not limited to: front-line personnel, academic advisors, or counselors and those brand new to the field. http://umanitoba.ca/centres/cherd/programs/annual/cisas.html

Resources

◻ AAC&U: Association of American Colleges and Universities. Intentional Collaborations: Building a Virtual Community of Mentoring and Practice. Retrieved from http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/2015/fall/carney

◻ ACPA: College Student Educators International. Ethics and Mentoring Relationships. Retrieved from http://www.myacpa.org/files/ethicsandmentoringrelationshipsdocx

◻ Brown, K.L.. (2007). On Being a Mentor: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty. Journal of Women in Educational Leadership. Paper 5. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/jwel/5

◻ Clifford, M.N. (2009). Exploring Mentoring Experiences in College Student Affairs: A Q Methodology Study. University of North Florida, Theses and Dissertations. Paper 201. http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/201

◻ Felton, Peter, H-Dirksen L. Bauman., Aaron Kheriaty, Edward Taylor, and Parker J. Palmer. 2013. Transformative Conversations: A Guide to Mentoring Communities in Higher Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

◻ Lucier, K. (2015, April 3). Navigating the Unexpected: The Importance of Mentoring for Student Affairs Professionals. HigherEdJobs.com. Retrieved from https://www.higheredjobs.com/articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=642

◻ NACAC: College Admission Counseling Professionals. (2006). A Guide to Mentoring for College Admission Counseling Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.nacacnet.org/research/PublicationsResources/Marketplace/Documents/MentoringManual.pdf

◻ NAFSA: Association of International Educators. (2015). International Education Professional Competencies. . Retrieved from http://www.nafsa.org/Explore_International_Education/Impact/International_Education_Professional_Competencies

Resources

◻ NASPA: Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education. (2009, revised 2015). NASPA/ACPA Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Educators Retrieved from https://www.naspa.org/about/student-affairs

◻ Ray, J. and Stephanie Kafka (2014, March 31). Life in College Matters for Life After College. Gallup.com, Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/168848/life-college-matters-life-college.aspx

◻ Schreiber, B. (2014). Key challenges facing student affairs: An international perspective. Perspectives on Student Affairs in South Africa. Retrieved from http://www.africanminds.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/African-Minds-Perspectives-on-Student-Affairs-Web.pdf

◻ Seifert, T., Perozzi, B., Bodine Al-Sharif, M. A., Li, W., & Wildman, K. (2014). Student Affairs and Services in Global Perspective: A Preliminary Exploration of Practitioners’ Background, Roles and Professional Development. Toronto: International Association of Student Affairs and Services. http://www.anzssa.com/downloads/

◻ The 2014 Gallup-Purdue Index Report. (2014). Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://products.gallup.com/168857/gallup-purdue-index-inaugural-national-report.aspx

◻ Tinto, V. (2012). Completing College: Rethinking Institutional Action. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

◻ Vernon, C. (2009, July). The Career Value of A Mentor. Associations Now. Retrieved from https://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/ANowDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=42794

◻ Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating Communities of Practice. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.