Road Maps to Success

The map for success (Baxter-Magolda, 2009) in the Higher Education & Student Affairs Administration program consists of a number of important guiding principles. Recalling my experience from graduate student orientation and the first few days of classes, some of the success check-points included:

• Talking with faculty and current students for a better understanding of what to expect in the program.

• Being intentional in assignments and using coursework to learn more about an area of interest.

• Keeping up with the reading for courses, it's easy to fall behind and hard to catch up.

• Valuing an internship or graduate assistantship as professional experience that supports future job searches.

• Network, network, network!

Each of these points proved to be valuable and effective as a new graduate student. I was grateful for a success map to follow, and it helped me identify some new opportunities and priorities.

As I am now nearing the completion of the program, here is how I would personally summarize important elements of the HESAA map for success:

1. The first aspect is understanding and making decisions about the suggested plan of study. The suggested plan of study serves as a guide for identifying which courses students should consider taking in their first semester, second semester, and so on. The plan of study is a useful academic outline that promises intriguing subjects with new challenges and opportunities to dive deep into specific focus areas. The plan considers timeline to graduation, course availability, and in which courses students should gain fundamental skills and knowledge early on as building blocks for future courses.

2. The second element is getting familiar with foundational publications, such as the American Council on Education's (1949) The Student Personnel Point of View, American College Personnel Association's (1994) Student Learning Imperative, and the American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators' (1996) Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs. The ideas in these documents guide the profession of higher education administration and are introduced early, reinforced throughout multiple courses, and require mastery upon graduation.

3. The third component is being open to ongoing feedback and consultation. Graduate students are often counseled by their advisor, peers, faculty, alumni, and supervisors. Consultation can be formal or informal, well-planned and routine, or spontaneous and surprising. Many conversations and points of feedback help students understand what to expect throughout the program. Students can identify where their strengths and areas for growth may lie, learn from the experiences of others, and adjust to new expectations in a supportive environment.

It is important to note that embedded within each of these elements are external formulas. The suggested plan of study is not written in stone, it is a recommended plan that works for the majority of students developed by those who know the curriculum the best. The foundational documents and guiding principles of higher education administration are based on the ideas, research, and opinions of experts in the field. Any advice or feedback received from others is also shaped by the experiences, opinions, and knowledge of that individual. One must rely on their internal voice to process the information and determine their best path forward.

My personal goal is to balance openness to learning and trying new things with chances to apply my existing skills and knowledge in new ways. My internal cues often lead me to listen, process and consider multiple perspectives, and then offer new information. I enjoy learning and feeling like I am making progress toward a goal. I find happiness and purpose in working with people, solving problems, advocating for others, and feeling like I am a valuable part of a larger community. In following my internal voice and my own map for success, I gravitate toward roles that allow me to accomplish many or all of these things.

Baxter-Magolda, M. (2009). Authoring your life: Developing an internal voice to navigate life’s challenges. Sterling, VA: Stylus.