Areas for Growth (LOs 1, 3, 4, 7; Artifacts B1, B2, C1, C3, D, E, G, I, J) Integrative Theme The integrative theme of my areas

for growth reflection is multicultural competency (Pope, Reynolds, & Mueller, 2004). I have identified this theme because it is intertwined with my passion for student affairs, and it is something that I know requires continual effort and attention. Looking ahead, I am drawn to work that involves college access, and I hope to be able support traditionally underrepresented students in some capacity. For this reason, it is important for me to continue to push myself to develop in my multicultural competency. Critical Race Theory, which proposes that racism is endemic to all of society, instigated a drastic shift in the way I thought about race and oppression. Consequently, it will be an important theory for me to utilize in both my personal and professional life, particularly because I have multiple privileged identities, which impact the lens through which I view oppression (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001). Learning Outcome Dimensions Dedication & Critical ThoughtMy first two unique areas, dedication and critical thought, include LOs 1, 4, and 7. The three key dimensions of LO 1 are history, current trends, and theory. In order to understand where higher education is today, and how populations of students are (or arent) gaining access to college, it is important to understand the history of the student affairs profession, and higher education in general. There is an undercurrent of white, upper class privilege that still pervades college campuses, and my responsibility is to educate myself about higher educations history of exclusion, and how it affects students on campuses today (which, as Artifact I demonstrates, is something I will continue to do as I progress in the profession).

Although theory is a good way to enhance my understanding of the experiences of different student populations, Pope, Mueller, & Reynolds (2009) point out that student affairs research and theory is certainly more reflective of the white male student experience. Therefore, I will continue to think critically about who is not being represented in theory and research. The three key dimensions of LO 4 are awareness, drive, and self-examination. During my first quarter of the program I took EDUC 520: Social Justice. At the time, when asked which of my identities were most salient, I did not mention my race. One year later, I can confidently say that my race is certainly one of my most salient identities, whether I want it to be or not. This progress is due to the desire to understand systems of power and oppression, the dedication to delve into challenging issues like white privilege (as demonstrated in Artifact B1 and B2), the awareness of my own identities and how they influence my actions (as demonstrated in Artifact C3), and the ever-growing ability to think critically about the world around me. Guinier and Torres (2002) work on political race, and Waters (2010) work on allyhood have helped me recognize how I can negotiate and utilize my own identities in my work. The three key dimensions of LO 7 are objectives, effectiveness, and improvement. Assessment and research are important in that they use qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate effectiveness, and can often highlight areas for growth. In SDAD 559: The American Community College, I learned that assessment is important for all programs, even for those that are generally assumed to be beneficial. Artifact C1 and D are the final report and presentation from a project completed for American Community College in which my group and I researched the effectiveness of the

multicultural center and womens center at South Seattle Community College. After completing this project, I realized the importance of thinking critically about how to use assessment and research in situations where assumptions about effectiveness have prevented prior evaluation. I believe that this type of critical thought is incredibly important, and in my future positions I will continue to focus on research and assessment as means to improve practice. CommunicationCommunication includes LO 3. The three key dimensions of LO 3 are listening, awareness, and collaboration. Through my advising experiences, I have learned that listening is just as important to communication as speaking. Every student has their own story, and when I spend more time listening to these stories, I become a more effective advisor. It is important to allow those who come from underrepresented communities to have a voice. For me, then, professional and ethical leadership is rooted in communication, and making sure that all voices are included. Development of Learning Outcomes PastPrior to entering the program, I didnt understand the role I played in systems of privilege and oppression, and hadnt spent enough time critically evaluating my own identities. Therefore, my dedication to learning about social justice, my ability to think critically about the systems of privilege and oppression that surround us, and my understanding of how to utilize communication to support diverse student bodies was limited. PresentThis year has certainly been one of personal and professional growth. Because I had limited experience in the student affairs field when I entered the program, I have developed significantly in LO 1. In Artifact J, for example, I explored the history

and function of community colleges, and investigated their importance to society as a whole. Upon entering the program, I also did not have a fully developed understanding LO 3, and was unsure of what ethical leadership meant to me. Although I still feel unsure of my own definition of leadership, I do feel that it is critical to be aware of how systems of power operate and perpetuate, and use this awareness to become more inclusive of those who may not always be at the table. However, it is important for me to remember that ethical leadership is not only about increasing my awareness of power and privilege, but also using this awareness to drive action. If I notice that there are policies or behaviors that are exclusionary (whether or not they are meant to be), I need to have the confidence to think critically about how the situation could be changed, and the courage to actually bring the issue to light. Even though I may not be in a supervisory position, I cannot use my professional level as excuse for inaction. I can easily say that most of my growth during the program has occurred in LO 4. At the beginning of the program I was able to discuss my oppressed identities (see Artifact C3) but I hadnt confronted the implications of my privileged identities, and didnt understand the difference between individual and systemic oppression. I now feel very confident in recognizing my own privileges, and challenging myself to a) continue to increase my awareness and b) seek out opportunities for action on social justice issues (like the workshop that was the basis for Artifact E). With regards to LO 7, I have identified the importance of critical thought to effective assessment and research. Whether its thinking deeply about research, and who is or isnt being represented, or thinking of ways to use assessment and research to

improve practice, I have a much better frame of reference for this learning outcome. Artifact G is a literature review that I completed for SDAD 578: Student Development Theory, and demonstrates a) my ability to do thorough research on a topic that I am unfamiliar with and b) my ability to synthesize that research and draw out important themes that can be translated into practice. These are skills that I will certainly be able to utilize in the future. FutureBecause one of my goals is to work in college access, it is important for me to keep social justice at the forefront of my work, which I have emphasized in Artifact I. My challenge for the future, then, is to continue to draw connections between social justice and my professional practice, which can be done through participating in professional development opportunities, keeping up to date with research and best practices, and intentional conversations with those who hold different identities than my own.

References Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2001). Critical race theory: An introduction. New York: New York University Press. Pope, R.L., Reynolds, A.L., & Mueller, J.A. (2004). Multicultural competence in student affairs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Pope, R. L., Mueller, J. A, & Reynolds, A. L. (2009). Looking back and moving forward: Future directions for diversity research in student affairs. Journal of College Student Development, 50(6), 640-658. Guiner, L. & Torres, G. (2002). The miners canary: Enlisting race, resisting power, transforming democracy. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press. Waters, R. (2010). Understanding allyhood as a developmental process. About Campus, 15(5), 2-8.