Running head: AREAS FOR GROWTH

Learning Outcome Narrative: Areas for Growth

Katie C. Pinney
Seattle University
April 2014
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Areas for Growth (LO 1, 4, 7, & 9; Artifacts C1, E, G, J)
Integrative Theme
The integrative theme that provides framework for my areas of growth is
leadership development and intentional engagement. This program has provided a
variety of options for engaging in learning opportunities, but I feel as though I can always
improve my leadership. It is important for me that I continue to seek out developmental
opportunities both professional and personally that challenge and excite me.
Learning Outcome Dimensions
Finance and Governance embodies LO 9 and is area that I am drawn to in higher
education. In this program, I only scratched the surface of these competencies. The key
dimensions of this learning outcome are institutional type, understanding policy, and
understanding funding structures. Demonstrated in Artifact C1, I researched and
analyzed the funding structure within the community college system and proposed how a
competency-based education model would make community colleges more financially
efficient. It was through this research and within SDAD 585: Higher Education Finance,
that I learned how college funding structures influence the overall operation of the
institution.
The next area of growth is the utilization and implementation of Assessment to
improve practice. This embodies LO 7 and includes institutional support, research to
practice, and trends in higher education. Over the summer of 2013, I intentional
participated in the Assessment Certification program at Seattle University. I learned the
basics of assessment, methods of evolution, and ways to implement assessment in to my
department. With that knowledge, I then became a member of the Assessment committee
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within University Recreation in which we developed and implemented a sustainable
assessment process. In addition to assessment, in Artifact J, I presented to a group of
high school students how to be successful in online courses at Highline Community
College. Through research and with a background in online education, I understand and
will continue to learn more how technology will influence student affairs and higher
education.
Finally, Foundation of Student Affairs is critical for many of the learning
outcomes, but is very much embedded in LO 4 and LO 1. The key dimensions of LO 4
are lifelong learning, advocacy, and reflection. During the SDA program, I have been
exposed to diverse learning opportunities that allow me to engage in discussions and deep
reflection about my salient identities. Prior to the program, I was unaware of my white
privilege and had blinders on when it came to my own personal feelings of female
oppression. Now, through projects such as Artifact G and Artifact E, I am more aware
of my privilege, and how I can use the power I hold to positively impact
underrepresented groups.
The key dimensions of LO 1 are history, research, and students in higher
education. It is important as a practitioner and as an educator, that I fully understand the
history of higher education and why student affairs exists in order to fully understand the
direction it is going. With the ever-changing student population entering higher education
and the introduction of various trends in technology, programs, and careers, it is critical
that I continue to keep up with trends in order to best support students. Seen in Artifact
C1, the landscape of traditional higher education is changing. With competency-based
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education, online education, and more diverse students attending higher education,
student services must change due to this emerging nature of higher education.
Demonstration of Development in Learning Outcomes
Past
Prior to the SDA program, I did not have any student affairs in higher education
experience. My understanding of Finance and Governance, and Assessment was very
basic and I was excited to get some more exposure to these areas of higher education and
the profession. I was very unfamiliar with the Foundations of Student Affairs, and did not
consider history, trends, or multicultural competency as important focal points of the
profession.
Present
In order to fully understand the foundations of student affairs and the emerging
nature of the profession (LO 1), it is important to consider the history and early
influences in the field. Introduced in SDAD 577, The Student Personnel Point of View
provided the original philosophy and contributions of personnel in the field (American
Council on Education, 1937). It provided a framework to which the profession relies on
today- considering the whole student. What I take away as significant learning and
understanding of LO 1 is how the history of higher education which was designed for a
white, middle class, male demographic and still carries some of those old, traditional
characteristics. It is time to change this mindset. New and creative ways of enhancing the
student experience, like online education and competency-based education (Artifact C1),
will provide more ways for students to access education, but will also present new
challenges for student affairs administrators.
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LO 4 may be the learning outcome in which I feel the strongest towards
developing in my career. The SDA program has provided a space to explore my identities
and privilege through dialogue, reflection, class projects (specifically in EDUC 520,
EDUC 515, EDAD 570, and SDAD 578), readings, and trainings. Artifact E and
Artifact G demonstrate my commitment to learning, researching and emerging myself
into diverse communities allowing for deep experiential learning about diversity, equity
and social justice to occur. Multicultural competency is a concept in which I will never
fully achieve, but through this program I have developed into a thoughtful practitioner
with an awareness of my own privilege, identities as well as how I can impact and
support diverse students.
The Jesuit context embedded in LO 4 was an areas in which I was hesitant to
explore when I first began this program. The Jesuit tradition of holistic education and
Seattle Us mission, had been a foundation in my philosophy of student affairs,
specifically educating the whole person. Not only is it something that lays the
groundwork for my approach to student affairs, but it has also guided me through my
own personal development.
The areas of LO 7 and LO 9 were ones that I believe are missing from this
program. While there was integration of topics such as technology, assessment, law, and
finance in coursework, I did not engage in any practical experiences to progress my
mastery of these issues. Through participation in the Assessment Certification Program, I
became competent in assessment basics, and implementation strategies. I look forward to
developing further in this area. In SDAD 585, I learned about funding models, policy and
how they impact an institutions internal structure and resources (Artifact C1). In SDAD
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578, I did an extensive literature review in order to better understand linguistic
differences and the benefits of linguistic capital (Artifact G).
Future
The development and growth in the areas of Finance and Governance,
Assessment, and the Foundations of the field are important to me and will ultimately
make me a better leader and professional. Intentional engagement in these areas in the
future is crucial if I want to someday become a director of a student affairs department
and lead a group of student affairs professionals. My 5-year professional development
and action plan (Artifact I) indicates my goal of engaging in professional development
opportunities that expand my multicultural competency, utilization of assessment in the
field, and managing a budget.

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References
American Council on Education. (1937). The student personnel point of view.
Washington, DC: Author.