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Narrative Reflection
Critical self-reflection has become so incredibly important to me in the last few years. If
I had to tell a stranger the single most important thing I have learned from my participation in
this graduate program, it would be that critical self-reflection is necessary for learning and
development, and that it is a challenging, yet incredibly rewarding endeavor. It truly brings me
so much joy to sit here and think about what I have learned in the last two years. My head and
my heart are overwhelmed with every kind of thought and emotion. While at my very core, I am
still the same Andrea De Leon I have always been, I am absolutely positive that this program has
been a monumental step in my transformation into the young, driven, and authentic woman who
Ive aspired to become.
Academic Content
I began my first semester at Loyola studying the history of higher education, spirituality
in higher education, and social justice. I am finishing my last semester at Loyola studying
organization and governance, curriculum development, and leadership theory through a
collaborative research project. The time between then and now has included gained knowledge
of student development theory, of research and assessment practices, and of critical social theory.
It is impossible for me to articulate the immense amount of knowledge I have obtained from my
time in the classroom. However, some of the content that feels particularly salient to me
includes my learning of student development theory, of leadership theory, and of curriculum
development.
I studied the many student development theories last spring, and I still continue to find
ways that they are relevant in my work. What was particularly special about my learning of this
content was that I was challenged to absorb it with a critical lens. Dr. Bridget Kelly once said to

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me, Once the social justice lens is turned on, it cannot be turned off. I will never forget that
statement, and I have used it as a reminder of the importance of learning with a critical lens. I
used this lens as I learned about Critical Social Theory (CST), about leadership in higher
education, and about curriculum development.
Admittedly, I had no idea what CST was when I began the program. Today, it is
absolutely central to my research interests, scholarly pursuits, and the way in which I see and
engage with the world. I read Freire and Foucault. I analyzed text and facilitated discussions. I
reflected on my own experiences and learned more about a Loyola undergraduates experiences.
It was a transformative course that challenged me to not only understand Critical Hope, but to
enact it in my everyday life.
Leadership has always been a concept that I thought I understood, but struggled to
articulate. After spending weeks picking apart theories and models, and watching everyday
leaders practice courage and vulnerability in the classroom, I now have a firm understanding of
what leadership truly means. I learned that leadership is not about position or title. Leadership
is not about achieving an elite status. Instead, it is about everyday actions that positively
contribute to a global society. It is about ordinary people practicing courage and loving
humanity.
Curriculum development will go down in history as one of my favorite courses ever. I
have learned so much about the importance of intentionally developing realistic and meaningful
learning outcomes for a course or program. I had the opportunity to design my own course and
create its syllabus. Additionally, I was given the invaluable experience of collaborating with
professionals from Marquette University to develop an experiential learning curriculum. As

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someone who so desperately desires to one-day lead a classroom, I am confident that the
knowledge gained in this course will benefit me for years to come.
In the last two years, I have read texts, written papers, and given presentations, all with
the intent of furthering my own learning and development. More importantly, I have used my
knowledge gained in the classroom and applied it to real life practice in my graduate
assistantship. The professional competencies that I have developed will serve me well as I
transition into the role of new higher education and student affairs professional.
Professional Competencies
I have always been a fan of learning by doing, and my graduate assistantship experience
provided me just that. As an Assistant Resident Director, I developed countless skills that I can
and will apply to any job that I hold in the future. I have developed skills in: counseling,
administration, crisis response, cultural competence, advising, supervising, budget management,
communication, judicial affairs, policy enforcement, and technology. I have learned how to
work with both students and colleagues who are different from me, and how to set realistic goals
for the future. Most importantly, I have learned to embrace change.
Change is inevitable, and my work in residence life has shed light on this reality. My
department and Loyola itself experienced significant transition during my time here, and I
learned to be okay with ambiguity and discomfort. As someone who has always sought to be in
control, it was challenging for me to let go of that. I learned that as a student affairs practitioner,
nothing is permanent. Students change, administration changes, policies change, and culture
changes. As I begin the next adventure as a full-time professional, I am thankful that I have been
able to learn the importance of not just expecting, but embracing change within higher education.

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I anticipate that my future experiences will look much different than those of my past, and I am
excited to see how new change fosters continued learning and development.
Commitment to Social Justice
I had a somewhat limited understanding of social justice when I began this program two
years ago. Now, it is central to who I am and how I do my work. I had taken a rather
transformative course as an undergraduate that taught me about diversity and inclusion. This
program, however, has taught me that social justice is about so much more than just diversity and
inclusion. Social justice is about love a love that cannot be compared to anything else us
humans could ever fathom.
I have seen my personal commitment to social justice come to life in my work with
students, colleagues, and peers. I also see it come to life in my personal relationships with
family, friends, and acquaintances. I see the world through a critical lens that is constantly
observing situations and asking questions. I question everything. Some might argue that thats
not healthy. I would argue that its one of the healthiest things I could ever do. Questioning
what I see, hear, and experience allows me to continue to learn. A life without learning is no life
at all.
At my core, I believe that social justice is the act of love. It is about human beings
coming together to love one another, no matter our differences. I strive to love others in
everything that I do, and I am confident that those who have seen me in the last two years would
agree. This love that I talk about is not some fluffy, romantic love. No, it is a love that is hard.
It is a love that takes courage, vulnerability, patience, and selflessness. It is a love that is not
always reciprocated. But, it is the most important kind of love I could ever give, and I am
committed to living a life in which I give it every single day.

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Self-Development
In my last semester of my undergraduate career, I wrote a paper that detailed my lifes
story. I wrote about triumphs and failures, relationships and dreams. Most importantly, I wrote
about my values. In that paper, I wrote about love. An excerpt read:
I believe in the power of love. I believe in power of conversation. I believe in the
harmony of love and conversation and its ability to create meaningful human connection.
I believe that I exist to communicate unconditional love, through spoken and written
word, to the world I am surrounded by and all it contains. For everyone and everything
needs love.
I entered this program knowing that love truly mattered to me. And now, I am exiting this
program just as confident in my value. However, in the last two years, I have learned the deep
importance of self-love and of the willingness to receive love. I have learned that in order to
love others well, I must first love myself, and I must also let others love me. This has been an
incredible challenge, as I have always been prideful in my independence.
Despite the struggle and believe me, it has been quite a struggle I am graduating in a
few short weeks with an indescribable feeling of love running through my veins. I can feel it
down to my bones, and I think this is because I have finally allowed myself to feel it. In the last
two years, I have developed into a courageous young woman who is willing to tear down her
walls and open up her arms. I have developed into a lifelong learner who seeks to learn for the
sake of loving better. I have developed into an authentic human being who is imperfect and
flawed, but truly beautiful in every way. The last two years of my life have been immeasurably
significant in the development of who I am today, and I can honestly say that I wouldnt have it
any other way.