Ana

Bellini
UNIV 392
Process Recording

Script:
An Orientation Leader strives to reach every student, and to successfully fulfill his or her
individual needs. A huge part of our job is to calm students anxieties and be their guiding
hand into their transition to Loyola. Although we try our hardest to reach every student the
reality remains that there may come a time where a student is missed. Its somewhat of an
Orientation Leaders nightmare to hear a student say they dont feel like they belong here.
However, this exact situation happened to me. On day one of Orientation I was met by a
particular smiling face. He was one of my first commuter students, polite, and incredibly
enthusiastic about choosing Loyola as his home. As the day went on, and especially after his
advising session, his attitude began to shift. The next day I was met with a face that not only
intimidated me, but that made me question my ability as a leader as a whole. He was
disengaged, disconnected himself from the group, and took on an uneasy face of anxiety. As
we walked to our first session I engaged him in conversation. I first asked him how he was
feeling and if he was okay, he immediately he responded, I really dont think I can do this. I
dont feel like I belong here at all. Though I was taken by surprise, I posed another
question, If you feel comfortable to answer, what changed your outlook between yesterday
and today? My student began to tell me the story of his journey into college life. He
expressed to me that although he was excited to start a new chapter in his life, he lacked a
secure sense of direction from his own heart. His parents had pressured him into choosing a
Finance major because of its assumed stability, but they offered no understanding,
emotional, or even financial support in his journey. He didnt feel confident or particularly
confident in Finance, or even the business world, and expressed a great interest in Political
Science. I began to tell him that college is a time to be selfish. Although we do have to
respect our parents, our direction in life should be solely up to our own discretion. I assured
him that he knows himself best, and that he should try to do what he believes will be most
fulfilling in the long run. I suggested that he pursue a Political Science major and maybe
even minor in Business. I said that a business minor could achieve what his parents hope for
him to gain from his college experience, while at the same time providing him the
opportunity to gain knowledge in a skill area that could benefit him in any career he
chooses. I assured him that all of his concerns were valid, and that at the end of the day he
must do what he feels passionate about. My student took my advice, and immediately felt at
ease and a little more at home at Loyola.

Observing Ego:
Although I was taken back and mildly discouraged by his statement, the moment my
student told me his story I could already feel his pain. I too had experienced in an almost
identical situation to my student's in my own life. My Father, a finance and management
major, had converted me from a nutrition pre-dental to a business major all on the basis of
stability/perceived status. As is common in many families, especially immigrant and young
families like my own, I felt like my Father was trying to re-live/re-do his life vicariously
through me. My father offered this advice, but no emotional or financial support. I decided,
after seeing the similarities in my student and Is situation, that I would use our common
ground to east his anxiety and provide a solution.

Reflection:
Just by asking a simple question of how are you doing my student felt comfortable enough
to share his internal battle with me. Sometimes in life the hardest part about making a
decision is conquering the anxiety that goes along with it. Through empathy and relation I
was able to understand his situation, and act as an example through my own experience. I
was able to provide solutions and ease to his anxiety- that turned out to be as simple as
changing his major and adding a minor. Through this interaction, and putting it back into
words, I am able to see my leadership style and strengths in action. I believe that through
this interaction I was able to learn that my power does come from my ability to empathize. I
learned that even though he and I come from totally different places in our lives, that
similarities in our situations are entirely possible. I learned also, and probably most
importantly, that asking the right questions or even just asking someone how theyre doing
with the right intent and tone can open up a whole new world of sharing and understanding
between both parties. This interaction showed me a valuable tool to utilize in my future
interactions. I believe I am an empathetic leader, who strikes the balance between leader
and companion. I strive to lead by example while still remaining on an equal and
understanding level with my students (I utilize/strive for referent power to provide a
concrete example to give my advice basis). Because of my ability to relate to my student on
his level through my own personal journey, while still maintaining a mentor/experienced
view, I was able to pinpoint the true source of his stress and furthermore provide a solution.
Without acting as an example (provoking referent power) and at the same time evening my
student and Is playing field, I could not have achieved as great of a solution as I did. I would
not change anything about this interaction, because I believe that I utilized my own
strengths in the most responsible and helpful way possible for both parties.