1. Paths Into Student Affairs: Exploring Your Personal Calling
Emily Burgess, Matt Corbett, Jesse Ford,
Daniel Marshall, & Allison Peters
Florida State University
JESSE

2. What We’re Chatting About Today
Developing an autonomous sense of self
Your values and personal mission
The student affairs profession and higher education
How your values and experiences influence your career path and life satisfaction
JESSE

3. How did we get here today?
ALL
How did you get into Student Affairs?
How did your values affect your career choice and career path?
What are some challenges in this career field?
What is most rewarding?
What was something that was unexpected?
A little about how we paved our own paths into student affairs

4. Activity Time! What Do You Value? EMILY Trash Your Values
Next slide – worksheet part 1
What Do You Value?

5. Values reflection Worksheet Page 1.
Individually, think about the items on your activity sheet.
1) What do you value?
2) What is your personal mission?
Worksheet Page 2.
Think about the following things.
1) What is my life about?
2) What do I stand for?
3) What action am I taking to live what my life is about?
DANIEL

6. Values Reflection
Worksheet Page 3.
Split into groups of about 4 people and share a little about what you discovered through the activity.
1) What are things that you value?
2) How have you seen those values at play in your campus involvement?
3) What surprised you?
4) How do you think your values will influence your career choice?
DANIEL

7. Student Affairs
ALLISON
The Values of Our Profession

8. Core Values of Student Affairs Orgs
NASPA’s Mission & Principles
ACPA’s Mission & Values
To be the principal source of leadership, scholarship, professional development, and advocacy for student affairs.
Integrity
Innovation
Inclusion
Inquiry
To support and foster college student learning through the generation and dissemination of knowledge, which informs policies, practices, and programs, for student affairs professionals and the higher and tertiary education community.
Educating & developing students and professionals
Diversity & Inclusiveness
Dissemination of knowledge
Advocacy
ALLISON

9. Why people choose student affairs
Student Affairs is often called the ‘hidden profession’ because:
no undergraduate majors lead directly to graduate study
few are aware of the field as a career possibility
Reasons for choosing the Student Affairs path:
Encouragement by those in the field
Critical incidents (including employment in a student affairs area while an undergraduate)
Desire to improve campus life
Shared values
ALLISON

10. How do your values intersect or differ?
EMILY
Look back at your values and mission statement.

11. How do your values intersect or differ?
Worksheet Page 4.
Think about your mission statement and jot down your thoughts.
Break into small groups of about four (find some different people this time).
How do your values intersect or differ from those held by our professional organizations?
Do you think involvement on campus shaped your values?
How do you think your experiences will shape your career path?
EMILY

12. Student Affairs
JESSE
Beyond the Functional Areas

13. Functional Areas Student and Campus Life Greek Life
Recreation & Fitness
Residence Life
Spiritual Life
Student Conduct
Multicultural Office
Global Engagement and Study Abroad
Student Leadership
Athletics
Volunteerism
Women’s Outreach
LGBTQ+ Office
Disability Services
Academic Advising
Career Center & Cooperative Education
Campus Sustainability
Research and Assessment
JESSE
You can move beyond functional areas!
Look to your values and goals to build your path.
Keep an open mind.
Be a “dabbler”.

14. Career Satisfaction
A mindful career path for happiness and well-being is achieved by:
Knowing yourself and what you value
Using your support network
Making your own choices and create your own path
Being open to opportunities that challenge you
Making choices that honor what matters in your life – that which is close to your heart
DANIEL

15. So now what?
Worksheet Page 5.
As you move forward, we hope you will continually ask yourself:
Is Student Affairs for me?
What is the best career path to Student Affairs for me?
How will my degree work to support me in my profession?
What functional areas best suit me based on my interests, experiences, and values?
What path is going to help me reach my goals?
DANIEL

16. Your answers may change a bit as life unfolds, but reflection along the way can lead you on your path.
ALLISON
Maybe today is that first, exciting step!

17. References available on request
Thank you!
References available on request
How to contact us:
Allison Peters •
Emily Burgess •
Jesse Ford •
Daniel Marshall •
Matt Corbett •
ALLISON