Running head: IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Implications for Professional Practice

Bobby Helton
Seattle University

IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Implications for Professional Practice (Learning Outcomes 1, 10; Artifacts B2, C1, I)
Defining Dimensions: professional identity, development, reflection.
As I reflect on my experience in the Student Development Administration (SDA)
program, my most transformative experience has been the continuous development of my
professional identity. My definition of professional identity is inclusive of the functional areas
within the field that interest me, as well as office and institutional values that I will prioritize as I
move forward with my career. Throughout the course of the program, I have gained a stronger
sense of myself. Growing confident in my own identities and abilities undoubtedly impacts how
I see myself as a professional. The immense amount of growth I have experienced throughout the
duration of the SDA program makes it impossible to pinpoint just one cause for my growth.
However, what is apparent is that the deep reflection I have come to appreciate over the course of
my time at Seattle University has prompted me to make meaning of my identity as an emerging
Student Affairs practitioner. Baxter Magoldas (2010) three dimensions of self-authorship clearly
connect with my own growth, and thus have clear implications for my professional practice.
Epistemological (Learning Outcome 1; Artifact C1)
Defining Dimensions: educational philosophy, theory, and theory to practice.
From a classroom perspective, one of my most meaningful experiences has been the
opportunity to development an Educational Philosophy (Artifact C1) for the Foundations of
Student Affairs Course (SDAD 577). My Educational Philosophy correlates directly to Learning
Outcome 1 because it informs my view of the history and emerging nature of the Student Affairs
profession. Moreover, while developing my Educational Philosophy, I intentionally incorporated
a variety of educational and pedagogical theories to guide my own unique view of professional
practice in Student Affairs. By incorporating theory into Artifact C1, I have been able to touch on

IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Baxter Magoldas (2010) dimension of epistemology. Prior to SDAD 577, I had no clear view of
Student Affairs as an academic discipline that informs professional practice. Completing my
Educational Philosophy was the first step in understanding the connection between theory and
practice. My educational growth obviously extends beyond my experience in SDAD 577. Over
the course of the SDA program, I have incorporated all of my coursework, as well as my
experiences in my assistantship and internship, to become a more informed practitioner. An
important lesson I have learned is that in order to be a successful, well-informed professional, I
must maintain a commitment to learning beyond my time in the SDA program. As such, I will
continue this commitment to education through professional development, new leadership roles,
and mentorship (Artifact I).
Interpersonal (Learning Outcome 10; Artifact B2)
Defining Dimensions: community building, identity development, and multicultural
competency.
Baxter Magolda (2010) notes the importance of understanding how one builds
relationships with others. As I have progressed through the SDA program, I have learned the
value of interpersonal relationships in the work I do as a practitioner. My experience as a
Graduate Assistant (GA) in the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) has taught me that I value
building relationships that are founded in trust, compassion, and open communication. This
viewpoint is apparent in my Professional Mission Statement (Artifact B2), where I note that
positive relationships are crucial in order to be a successful professional. An important aspect of
relationship building requires an understanding of how ones own salient identities influence
ones worldview. As a queer man and a first generation college student, I have explored how my
most marginalized identities have played a role in my personal and professional development.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

However, it is also important to note that my privileged identities are equally as salient.
Particularly, my maleness and my whiteness have caused me to examine how I take up space,
especially around those with marginalized identities. This critical understanding of my identities
impacts how I interact with students. In order to best serve students, I must move beyond
transactional interactions. Building relationships and trust with my students gives me the
opportunity to meet their need holistically as they progress through their education. Certainly,
my Professional Mission (Artifact B2) informs my professional practice. I initially viewed
Learning Outcome 10 from a surface level perspective inclusive of functional area or institution
type. Now, I have a deeper philosophical understanding of Learning Outcome 10 that includes
relationship building and making meaning of how I interact with others.
Intrapersonal (Learning Outcome 10; Artifact I)
Lastly, Baxter Magolda (2010) underscores the importance of knowing oneself. I have
been challenged academically, personally, and professionally in my time at Seattle University to
reflect on my identities, experiences, and values. Although this self-reflection was at times
daunting, I now have a better sense of my overall values as a person and a professional.
Consequently, I have met the expectations of Learning Outcome 10. Through a combination of
mentorship, coursework, my graduate assistantship, and my internship, I have begun to carve a
more concrete professional identity based in career interests and the type of institutional culture I
value. However, I understand that professional identity development does not stop when I
graduate from the SDA program. As such, I have set more concrete goals to enhance my
professional identity. Through my Five Year Professional Plan (Artifact I), I have created a shortterm list of professional goals. These goals are reflected in Learning Outcome 10 and its

IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

implications for professional practice, as I plan to grow as a professional by establishing new

professional identities as well as enhancing ones that I already possess.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

References
Magolda, M.B. (2010). The interweaving of epistemological, intrapersonal, and interpersonal
development in the evolution of self-authorship. In M.B. Magolda, E.F. Creamer and P.S.
Meszaros (Eds.), Development and Assessment of Self-Authorship (pp. 25-43). Sterling,
VA: Stylus Publishing.