Running head: PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

Professional Competency Assessment

Domonique Crosby
Seattle University
Dr. Erica Yamamura
SDAD 5790: Capstone Seminar, National Section
November 18, 2014

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

Artifact H: Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies Analysis

ASSESSMENT KEY
Overall Competency Rating:
0= no exposure to and no experience in this competency
1= minimal exposure to but no experience in this competency
2= moderate exposure to and minimal experience in this competency
3= moderate experience in this competency
4= experience in this competency
5= much experience in this competency, basic master has been achieved
Specific Skill Rating:
(+)= highly competent
()= competent
()= area of improvement/experience needed
Evidence of Learning:
W= Work
I= Internship
C= Coursework
V= Volunteer work
O= Other

*Note: All competency descriptions are taken from the ACPA and NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student
Affairs Practitioners (2010)

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

ACPA/NASPA
Competency
Area

Advising &
Helping
The Advising
and Helping
competency
area addresses
the knowledge,
skills, and
attitudes related
to providing
counseling and
advising
support,
direction,
feedback,
critique,
referral, and
guidance to
individuals and
groups.

Skill

Exhibit active listening skills (e.g.,

appropriately establishing interpersonal
contact, paraphrasing, perception
checking, summarizing, questioning,
encouraging, avoid interrupting,
clarifying).
Establish rapport with students, groups,
colleagues, and others.
Facilitate reflection to make meaning
from experience.
Understand and use appropriate
nonverbal communication.
Strategically and simultaneously pursue
multiple objectives in conversations with
students.
Facilitate problem-solving.
Facilitate individual decision making and
goal setting.
Challenge and encourage students and
colleagues effectively.
Know and use referral sources (e.g.,
other offices, outside agencies,
knowledge sources), and exhibit referral
skills in seeking expert assistance.
Identify when and with whom to
implement appropriate crisis
management and intervention responses.
Maintain an appropriate degree of

Specific
Rating

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

+
+

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

W: As an Assistant
Resident Director,
advising and helping skills
come in handy with the
majority of my work.
Serving as a conduct
officer, meeting one-onone with Resident
Assistants, and meeting
with students of concern
are avenues in which this
competency is very
influential. Advising a Hall
Council made up of
entirely first year students
provides opportunities to
challenge and support
students through their
decisions.

In order to continue to
improve my advising and
helping skills, I need to do
more to reach out and find
more opportunities for
growth. Although I can
recognize my areas of
growth, I need to do better
at finding professional
development
opportunities. For
example, I have much skill
in advising students in
Housing and Residence
Life, but would like to get
experience with other
students. In the coming
quarter, I hope to work
with the Athletics
department to gain
experience advising other
students. Not only will it
be a different advising
experience, but it will also
give me access to another
student population. To
further my development, I
need to find ways to

I: Through my internship
at the University of the
Pacific, these skills came
into play when working
with incoming graduate
Resident Directors and
Resident Assistants.
Working with staff

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

Overall Rating:
0 1 3 4

confidentiality that follows applicable

legal and licensing requirements,
facilitates the development of trusting
relationships, and recognizes when
confidentiality should be broken to
protect the student or others.
Recognize the strengths and limitations
of ones own worldview on
communication with others (e.g., how
terminology could either liberate or
constrain others with different gender
identities, sexual orientations, abilities,
cultural backgrounds).
Actively seek out opportunities to expand
ones own knowledge and skills in
helping students with specific concerns
(e.g., suicidal students) and as well as
interfacing with specific populations
within the college student environment
(e.g., student veterans).

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Skill

3
members to adjudicate
conduct cases called for
many problem skills.

Specific Rating

Differentiate among assessment,

program review, evaluation, planning,
Assessment,
and research and the methodologies
Evaluation, &
appropriate to each.
Research
Effectively articulate, interpret, and
use results of AER reports and
studies, including professional
The Assessment, literature.
Evaluation, and Facilitate appropriate data collection
for system/department-wide

C: EDAD 5700,
Leadership in Education I,
challenged me to look at
my approach to advising
students and question
whether it is best for all
students. Through reading
about different leadership
styles I was able to
acknowledge my focus on
individualizing each
students experience.

interact with various

student populations in
order to best serve any
student that I may come
into contact with.

Evidence of Learning

W: We administer small
assessments after RA
training which has
allowed me to work with
qualitative data. Making
changes as a result of the
findings has taught me
how important student
feedback can be. Through
these changes we have

Future Improvement
& Development
I have not had much
opportunity to do formal
research during my
graduate career. I want to
seek out more
opportunities to engage in
formal qualitative or
quantitative research
through talking with
faculty or staff. I am

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

assessment and evaluation efforts
Research
using up-to-date technology and
competency
methods.
area (AER)
Assess trustworthiness and other
focuses on the
aspects of quality in qualitative
ability to use,
design, conduct, studies and assess the transferability
of these findings to current work
and critique
qualitative and settings.
Assess quantitative designs and
quantitative
analysis techniques, including factors
AER analyses; to
that might lead to measurement
manage
problems, such as those relating to
organizations
sampling, validity, and reliability.
using AER
Explain the necessity to follow
processes and
institutional and divisional
the results
procedures and policies (e.g., IRB
obtained from
approval, informed consent) with
them; and to
regard to ethical assessment,
shape the
evaluation, and other research
political and
activities.
ethical climate Explain to students and colleagues
surrounding
the relationship of AER processes to
AER processes learning outcomes and goals.
and uses on
Identify the political and educational
campus.
sensitivity of raw and partially
processed data and AER results,
handling them with appropriate
confidentiality and deference to the
Overall Rating: organizational hierarchy.
Align program and learning outcomes
with organization goals and values.
0 1 2 3 4 5

4
seen an increase in
positive experiences and
the competence of student
employees.

I: In my internship at the
University of the Pacific, I
was able to use research
to find best practices for
social justice training for
RAs. After researching, I
had to do an analysis of
the departments previous
training to make
recommendations for the
future.
C: EDUC 5000,
Introduction to Research
and Graduate Study,
allowed me to look at the
formal research process. I
was also able to make a
research proposal which I
began to implement in a
future class. In SDAD
5750, Best Practices in
Student Services, I did an
independent study looking
at student-athletes

experiences in
University housing.

currently administering
the EBI Assessment for
the university which is
giving me many skills I did
not previously have.
Engaging with this tool,
will allow me to learn
more about creating
reports and synthesizing
data. As this is my first
large scale assessment, I
plan to get involved in
administering it at my next
institution as well. I hope
to become more
comfortable with research
as I plan to pursue a
doctorate degree at some
point in the future. I
realize how integral
research will be to that
process, thus I hope to
engage with the skill more
in the coming years.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Equity,
Diversity, &
Inclusion

The Equity,
Diversity, and
Inclusion (EDI)
competency
area includes
the knowledge,
skills, and
attitudes needed
to create
learning
environments
that are
enriched with
diverse views
and people. It is
also designed to
create an
institutional

Skill

Specific Rating

Identify the contributions of similar and

diverse people within and to the
institutional environment.
Integrate cultural knowledge with
specific and relevant diverse issues on
campus.
Assess and address ones own awareness
of EDI, and articulate ones own
differences and similarities with others.
Demonstrate personal skills associated
with EDI by participating in activities
that challenge ones beliefs.
Facilitate dialogue effectively among
disparate audiences.
Interact with diverse individuals and
implement programs, services, and
activities that reflect an understanding
and appreciation of cultural and human
differences.
Recognize the intersectionality of diverse
identities possessed by an individual.
Recognize social systems and their
influence on people of diverse
backgrounds.
Articulate a foundational understanding
of social justice and the role of higher
education, the institution, the
department, the unit, and the individual
in furthering its goals.

+
+
+
+
+

+
+
+

Evidence of Learning

W: Engaging RAs in social

justice training is a major
component of my work.
Engaging students in
conversations on their
backgrounds and how that
shapes their interactions
with residents is an
integral use of this skill. I
must also interact with
students whose identities
do not align with mine in
conduct hearings. Working
through differences in
order to focus on the
development of the student
is often a key piece of the
process.
I: Both of my internships
have had a focus on social
justice and helping others
understand their identities.
Helping a department
incorporate social justice
training as part of their
curriculum forced me to
acknowledge the
difference in values.

Future Improvement
& Development
As equity, diversity, and
inclusion are large
passions of mine, I am
constantly working to
improve this area of my
work. I understand that I
must constantly reflect on
my experiences and how
they inform this area of my
work. There is always
room for growth in this
area. In order to improve
in this area, I hope to
partake in SJTI for
professionals. I would like
to get more involved in
NASPA and ACPA in order
to participate in
opportunities that will
focus on diversity and
equity. In addition, I plan
to continue to have
conversations with
colleagues about how
equitable and diverse all
of our work is. To ensure
that I continue to grow in
this area, it is imperative
that my next institution

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

Use appropriate technology to aid in
ethos that
identifying individuals with diverse
accepts and
backgrounds as well as assessing
celebrates
progress towards successful integration
differences
of these individuals into the campus
among people, environment.
helping to free Design culturally relevant and inclusive
them of any
programs, services, policies, and
misconceptions practices.
and prejudices. Demonstrate fair treatment to all
Overall Rating:
0 1 2 3 4

ACPA/NASPA
Competency
Area

Ethical
Professional
Practice

The Ethical
Professional
Practice
competency
area pertains to

individuals and change aspects of the

environment that do not promote fair
treatment.
Analyze the interconnectedness of
societies worldwide and how these global
perspectives impact institutional
learning.

Skill

Articulate ones personal code of

ethics for student affairs practice,
which reflects the ethical
statements of professional student
affairs associations and their
foundational ethical principles.
Describe the ethical statements and
their foundational principles of any
professional associations directly
relevant to ones working context.
Explain how ones behavior
embodies the ethical statements of

+
Specific
Rating

Assisting in the
organization of ACPAs
Institute on Social Justice
allows me to focus on my
passion and to share it
with others.

have a strong focus in this

area. I will ask about the
institutions practice of
social justice and/or
diversity initiatives in my
interview for potential
jobs.

O: Participating in the
Student Social Justice
Training spearheaded my
growth in this area leading
me to reflecting on my
growth. As a result of this
program, I take time to
reflect on my identities
often and look at how I
show up in any setting.

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

W: As I serve as someone
who works with students
of concern, there are many
ethics that come into play.
I must always make a
decision to keep students
information confidential
and respect their needs.
Serving as a university
conduct officer, ethics are
at the forefront of my
mind. To work with
different students, ethics

My ethics are set and I

understand how they
interact with the work I do
on a daily basis. I need to
learn about the
professional associations
ethical statements of the
profession. This will
inform the way I am able
to speak about the
profession and to align my
ethics in a way that all can
understand. I need to do

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

the knowledge, the profession, particularly in
skills, and
relationships with students and
attitudes needed colleagues, in the use of technology
to understand
and sustainable practices, in
and apply
professional settings and meetings,
ethical
in global relationships, and while
standards to
participating in job search
ones work.
processes.
While ethics is Identify ethical issues in the course
an integral
of ones job.
component of all Utilize institutional and professional
the competency resources to assist with ethical
areas, this
issues (e.g., consultation with more
competency
experienced supervisors and/or
area focuses
colleagues, consultation with an
specifically on
associations Ethics Committee).
the integration Assist students in ethical decision
of ethics into all making and make referrals to more
aspects of self
experienced professionals when
and professional appropriate.
practice.
Demonstrate an understanding of
the role of beliefs and values in
personal integrity and professional
ethical practices.
Overall Rating:
Appropriately address institutional
actions that are not consistent with
0 1 2 3 4 5
ethical standards.
Demonstrate an ethical commitment
to just and sustainable practices.

7
come into play when
assigning sanctions and
charges.

+
+

I: In my Institute on Social
Justice Internship, I was
able to demonstrate my
competency in this area. I
was asked to do something
that could cause others to
question my integrity;
however I decided not to
do it. I was able to show
that I would stick to my
ethics and hold true to
myself no matter who asks
me to do something.

more investigation of the

values of an institution or
department before
choosing to work there. It
is important that I know
whether or not our ethics
align in order to best serve
the students I work with.
To continue developing in
this area I plan to apply
for jobs that allow me to
meet one-on-one with
students. This will afford
me the opportunity to
practice my skills in
helping students make
ethical decisions. It will
also allow me to clarify
what I would do in these
areas. I hope to attend a
conference for conduct
officers in order to learn
more about helping
students through this
conversation.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

ACPA/NASPA
Skill
Competency
Area
Describe the foundational
History,
Philosophy, & philosophies, disciplines, and values
on which the profession is built.
Values
Articulate the historical contexts of
institutional types and functional
The History,
areas within higher education and
Philosophy, and
student affairs.
Values
Describe the various philosophies
competency
that define the profession.
area involves
Demonstrate responsible campus
knowledge,
citizenship.
skills, and
Demonstrate empathy and
attitudes that
compassion for student needs.
connect the
Describe the roles of both faculty and
history,
philosophy, and student affairs educators in the
academy.
values of the
Explain the importance of service to
profession to
the academy and to student affairs
ones current
professional
professional associations.
practice. This
Articulate the principles of
competency
professional practice.
area embodies
Articulate the history of the inclusion
the foundations and exclusion of people with a variety
of the
of identities in higher education.
profession from Explain the role and responsibilities
which current
of the student affairs professional
and future
associations.
research and
Explain the purpose and use of
practice will
publications that incorporate the

Specific
Rating

+
+

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

W: The focus on
professional development
in my office enhances my
knowledge about the
professions history.
Through staff meetings
there has been discussion
about the evolution of
student affairs and where
it is headed in the future.
Conversations with
seasoned professionals
have shaped my
knowledge about how the
profession can persist or
ultimately falter.

I feel as though I have a

good foundation of the
history of the profession;
however I could find
better ways to articulate
its value. Currently I am
able to talk about the
what and how of the
profession, but not the
why. I need to immerse
myself in the professional
associations in order to
interact with a myriad of
professionals who have a
grasp on the field. I would
like to better articulate
how the profession can be
sustainable and contribute
to long lasting practices.
To do this I need to
continue to read about the
profession and utilize
resources to education
myself. I plan to read a
variety of journals in order
to gain different
perspectives on the
profession. This will give
me the opportunity to
form my own opinions of
the profession.

C: SDAD 5300,
Foundations of the Student
Affairs Profession, gave me
a clear vision of the history
of the profession and
pushed me to think about
the future of the
profession. Through this
class, we speculated the
future of the profession
and how we would help
shape that future. SDAD
5590, The American
Community College,

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

grow. The
philosophy and values of the
commitment to profession.
demonstrating
Explain the public role and societal
this competency benefits of student affairs and of
area ensures
higher education generally.
that our present Articulate an understanding of the
and future
ongoing nature of history and ones
practices are
role in shaping it.
informed by an Model the principles of the profession
understanding
and communicate the expectation of
of our history,
the same from colleagues and
philosophy, and
supervisees.
values.
Explain how the values of the
profession contribute to sustainable
Overall Rating:
practices.
0 1 2

9
furthered my knowledge of
the profession in the
context of community
colleges. I was given the
history of community
colleges and the
opportunity to talk with
professionals about their
practice.

4 5

ACPA/NASPA
Competency
Area
Human &
Organizational
Resources
The Human and
Organizational
Resources
competency area
includes
knowledge, skills,
and attitudes

Skill

Describe appropriate hiring techniques and

institutional hiring policies, procedures, and
processes.
Demonstrate familiarity in basic tenets of
supervision and possible application of these
supervision techniques.
Explain how job descriptions are designed
and support overall staffing patterns in ones
work setting.
Design a professional development plan in
ones current professional position that
assesses ones strengths and weaknesses in
ones current position, and establishes action
items for fostering an appropriate level of

Specific
Rating
+

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

W: Serving on the hiring

committee during Resident
Director search gave me a
look into the hiring
practices within my
department. Reviewing
candidate files and
interviewing folks
showcased the techniques
used in the hiring process.
Attending interviews for
campus partners denoted

Hiring processes differ

from institution to
institution thus I need to
be flexible in the way I
interact with this process.
I intend to serve on
multiple search
committees in the future
to gain more knowledge
about how this process
works. As for today, I plan
to speak with current

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

used in the
selection,
supervision,
motivation, and
formal evaluation
of
staff; conflict
resolution;
management of
the politics of
organizational
discourse; and
the effective
application of
strategies and
techniques
associated with
financial
resources,
facilities
management,
fundraising,
technology use,
crisis
management, risk
management, and
sustainable
resources.

Overall Rating:
0 1 2

4 5

growth.
Explain the application of introductory
motivational techniques with students, staff,
and others.
Describe the basic premises that underlie
conflict in organizational and student life and
the constructs utilized for facilitating conflict
resolution in these settings.
Effectively and appropriately use facilities
management procedures as related to
operating a facility or program in a facility.
Articulate basic accounting techniques for
budgeting, monitoring, and processing
expenditures.
Demonstrate effective stewardship and use of
resources (i.e., financial, human, material)
Use technological resources with respect to
maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of
ones work.
Describe environmentally sensitive issues and
explain how ones work can incorporate
elements of sustainability.
Develop and disseminate agendas for
meetings.
Communicate with others using effective
verbal and nonverbal strategies appropriate
to the situation in both one-on-one and small
group settings.
Recognize how networks in organizations
play a role in how work gets done.
Understand the role alliances play in the
completion of goals and work assignments.
Describe campus protocols for responding to
significant incidents and campus crises.
Explain the basic tenets of personal or
organizational risk and liability as they relate
to ones work.

+
+

10
how hiring processes can
differ on a campus.
Serving in the on-call
rotation has allowed me to
understand the protocols
for multiple campus crises.
This role has prepared me
for crises at different
levels- intoxication,
residence hall flood or fire,
campus threats, sexual
assault, and on campus
shooting.
C: SDAD 5300,
Foundations of the Student
Affairs Profession,
prepared me to assess the
level of crisis I am dealing
with. Being able to
differentiate between a
Big C and Small C
crises will serve me well in
the future. Understanding
that each institution may
categorize crises in
different ways has
prepared me to be
comfortable swaying the
level of crisis dependent
on the present context.

senior level professionals

about the processes in
which they have been a
part of. This will give me
some insight into the
various methods of hiring
on campus.
As for campus crises, I
plan to meet with Public
Safety to learn more about
campus protocol in
regards to different crises.
To be prepared to work at
a myriad of institutions, I
plan to research best
practices for responding to
certain types of crises.
This will provide me with a
foundation of things to do
in different situations.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

ACPA/NASPA
Skill
Competency
Area

Law, Policy, &

Governance
The Law, Policy,
and Governance
competency
area includes
the knowledge,
skills, and
attitudes
relating to
policy
development
processes used
in various
contexts, the
application of
legal constructs,
and the
understanding
of governance
structures and
their impact on
ones
professional

Explain the differences between public and

private higher education with respect to
the legal system and what they may mean
for students, faculty, and staff at both types
of institutions.
Describe the evolving legal theories that
define the studentinstitution relationship
and how they affect professional practice.
Describe how national constitutions and
laws influence the rights that students,
faculty, and staff have on public and private
college campuses.
Explain the concepts of risk management
and liability reduction strategies.
Explain when to consult with ones
immediate supervisor and campus legal
counsel about those matters that may have
legal ramifications.
Act in accordance with federal and
state/province laws and institutional
policies regarding nondiscrimination.
Describe how policy is developed in ones
department and institution, as well as the
local, state/province, and federal levels of
government.
Identify the major policy makers who
influence ones professional practice at the
institutional, local, state/province, and
federal levels of government.
Identify the internal and external special
interest groups that influence policy
makers at the department, institutional,
local, state/province, and federal levels.

11

Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

W: Serving as a university
conduct officer forces me
to be constantly aware of
the law. I am aware of
how federal laws can have
an impact on institutions
despite their status of
private or public. I am
also aware of the rights
afforded to students by
the law and how to best
adjudicate conduct cases
to stay within the law.

Currently I have a deep

knowledge of how the law
works at private
institutions. For further
development, I need to
interact with a public
institution and understand
how the law can dictate
many of its practices. I am
hoping to reach out to the
universitys legal counsel
to learn more about the
processes and how law
encompasses all of the
work we do. If possible, I
would like to do an
internship with them in
order to learn as much
about this realm of
education as possible.
Following the program, I
hope to branch out to a
public institution in hopes
of challenging myself to
learn new things.

I: In my Institute on Social
Justice Internship, I was
able to see how the law
can hinder the work we
want to do. I learned
about a law that prevents
putting gender inclusive
restrooms where ever we
choose. Through working
within this law, I came to
understand how
important it is to know
laws at a local, state, and
federal level.
C: SDAD 5800, Higher
Education Law, gave me

As law is a huge interest of

mine, I plan to talk with
professionals to see how I
can branch into the aspect
of education. I would love

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

Describe the public debates surrounding
practice.

Overall Rating:
0 1

3 4 5

ACPA/NASPA
Competency
Area

Leadership

The Leadership
competency
area addresses
the knowledge,
skills, and
attitudes
required of a
leader, whether
it be a positional
leader or a
member of the

the major policy issues in higher education,

including access, affordability,
accountability, and quality.
Describe the governance systems at ones
institution, including the governance
structures for faculty, staff, and students.
Describe the system used to govern or
coordinate ones state/province system of
higher education, including community
college, for-profit, and private higher
education.
Describe the federal and state/province
role in higher education.

Skill

Describe how ones personal values, beliefs,

histories, and perspectives inform ones view of
oneself as an effective leader.
Identify ones strengths and weaknesses as a
leader and seek opportunities to develop ones
leadership skills.
Identify various constructs of leadership and
leadership styles that include but are not limited
to symbolic, expert, relational, and inspirational.
Identify basic fundamentals of teamwork and
teambuilding in ones work setting and
communities of practice.
Describe and apply the basic principles of
community building.
Use technology to support the leadership
process (e.g., seeking feedback, sharing
decisions, posting data that support decisions,
using group-support website tools).
Understand campus cultures (e.g., academic
cultures, student cultures) and collaborative
relationships, applying that understanding to

12
much information about
how the law interacts with
institutions. Through this
class I was able to assess
how the law plays out
differently at public and
private schools. This class
forced me to think about
how I can show up in the
legal system based on the
decisions I make with
students.

to serve a member of legal

counsel. To begin this
process, I hope to serve as
a Risk Management
coordinator in the future
to deepen my
understanding of how law
works on a campus.

Specific
Rating
+
+

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

W: Through my
evaluations from my
students, I have been able
to modify my leadership
style and find what works
best. My leadership style
was changed upon
realizing what skills my
students needed and how
I could best serve them.
Also I was able to
articulate the level of care
in leadership through the
results garnered from our
interactions.

Although I have a grasp on

my leadership style, I
know it will be ever
changing based on the
students needs. I hope to
continue to explore my
leadership style through
workshops and attending
conferences. I plan to
attend conference sessions
while at NASPA national
that force me to think
about how my leadership
best serves students. In
the immediate future, I
hope to utilize my spheres
of influence to help others
develop their leadership

C: EDAD 5700,
Leadership in Education I,

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

staff, in both an ones work.
Articulate the vision and mission of the primary
individual
work unit, the division, and the institution.
capacity and
Explain the values and processes that lead to
within a process organizational improvement.
Identify institutional traditions, mores, and
of how
organizational structures (e.g., hierarchy,
individuals work networks, governing groups, nature of power,
policies, goals, agendas and resource allocation
together
processes) and how they influence others to act
effectively to
in the organization.
envision, plan,
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of
effect change in different types of decision-making processes
(e.g., consensus, majority vote, and decision by
organizations,
authority).
and respond to Think critically and creatively, and imagine
internal and
possibilities for solutions that do not currently
exist or are not apparent.
external
Identify and then effectively consult with key
constituencies
stakeholders and those with diverse
and issues.
perspectives to make informed decisions.

Overall Rating:
0 1 2

4 5

ACPA/NASPA
Competency
Area

Explain the impact of decisions on diverse

groups of people, other units, and sustainable
practices.
Articulate the logic used in making decisions to
all interested parties.
Exhibit informed confidence in the capacity of
ordinary people to pull together and take
practical action to transform their communities
and world.
Identify and introduce conversations on
potential issues and developing trends into
appropriate venues such as staff meetings.

Skill

13
allowed me to discover my
leadership philosophy and
articulate the way I lead. I
am now equipped with
language that allows me
to communicate to others
the need for care in my
leadership. I was able to
hear different leadership
styles and understand
how I can work with each
of these styles. STML
5720, Leadership,
Personality & Culture,
allowed me to understand
how leadership looks
different across different
cultures. This class
allowed me to understand
how my identity informs
my preferred leadership
style.

styles. I plan to meet with

professionals to
understand their
leadership style and how it
came about. Through
having conversations with
others, I will be able to
look at my own style and
question its methods.

+
Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

Identify key elements of ones set of
personal beliefs and commitments
Personal
(e.g., values, morals, goals, desires,
Foundations
self-definitions), as well as the
source of each (e.g., self, peers,
family, or one or more larger
The Personal
communities).
Foundations
Identify ones primary work
competency
responsibilities and, with
area involves
the knowledge, appropriate ongoing feedback, craft
a realistic, summative self-appraisal
skills, and
of ones strengths and limitations.
attitudes to
Describe the importance of ones
maintain
professional and personal life to
emotional,
physical, social, self, and recognize the intersection
environmental, of each.
Articulate awareness and
relational,
understanding of ones attitudes,
spiritual, and
values, beliefs, assumptions, biases,
intellectual
and identity as it impacts ones
wellness; be
work with others; and take
self- directed
responsibility to develop personal
and selfcultural skills by participating in
reflective;
activities that challenge ones
maintain
excellence and beliefs.
Recognize and articulate healthy
integrity in
habits for better living.
work; be
Articulate an understanding that
comfortable
with ambiguity; wellness is a broad concept
comprised of emotional, physical,

14
W: Working in a
department that stresses
self-care has been
extremely beneficial to my
growth in this area.
Typically Housing
professionals are the folks
who do not focus on selfcare, but my department
holds it as a value. I have
been pushed to take days
off work and to
communicate what I need
from others. I have been
able to listen to my body,
communicate when I need
time off, and engage in
activities that are
beneficial to me.
C: Being educated in a
Jesuit context for the past
6 years allowed me to
reflect on every aspect of
my life. I am now able to
reflect on the things that
happen for me
professionally as all
things intersect to shape
me. My Jesuit context has
allowed me to find a way
to reflect on everything I
do despite the amount of
time I have. SDAD 5300,

This is probably the most

positive self-care I have
ever experienced. As
someone who has an
illness that can drastically
change the course of the
day, I need to continue to
find ways to communicate
with others about my
needs. I must push myself
to find people I am
comfortable with in order
to express my needs to
them. I must also continue
to assess what activities
keep me in good health
and allow me to be fully
present in all that I do. As
a Housing professional, I
must create a clear
separation of personal and
professional life. This will
allow me to recognize selfcare as something that
helps separate from the
work space. I plan to
incorporate a daily
practice that limits the
amount of time I spend in
the office. I would like to
keep a weekly calendar of
when I will spend time
doing things that do not
relate to work.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

be aware of
social, environmental, relational,
ones own areas spiritual, and intellectual elements.
of strength and Identify and describe personal and
growth; have a professional responsibilities
passion for
inherent to excellence.
work; and
Articulate meaningful goals for
remain curious. ones work.
Identify positive and negative
Overall Rating: impacts on psychological wellness
and, as appropriate, seek assistance
0 1 2 3 4 5
from available resources.
Recognize the importance of
reflection in personal and
professional development.
ACPA/NASPA
Skill
Competency
Area
Articulate theories and models that
describe the development of college
Student
students and the conditions and
Learning &
practices that facilitate holistic
Development
development.
Articulate how differences of race,
ethnicity, nationality, class, gender,
The Student
age, sexual orientation, gender
Learning and
identity, disability, and religious
Development
belief can influence development
competency
during the college years.
area addresses Identify and define types of theories
the concepts
(e.g., learning, psychosocial and

15
Foundations of the
Student Affairs
Profession, had us reflect
on each class with an
examen at the end. This
practice has become
something I do on my
own. I leave each class
and reflect on what I
learned, questions I have,
and how to improve my
experience in the future.

+
Specific
Rating

Evidence of
Learning

Future Improvement
& Development

W: My work with first year

students is rooted in
Schlossbergs (2007)
Transition Theory. I am
constantly focused on how
students are experiencing
their transitional phase
and what I can provide to
assist them. Many other
aspects of my job are
rooted in theory and have
constantly reminded me
of how to apply theory.

There is a vast number of

theories that I can learn
more about. As I am now
someone who values
theory to practice in
everything I do, I will
continue to find more
theories that I can
incorporate. I will
challenge my colleagues to
use theory to inform the
work we do in hopes of
providing better services
to students. Along with

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

and principles of identity development, cognitivestudent
structural, typological, and
development
environmental).
and learning
Identify the limitations in applying
theory. This
existing theories and models to
includes the
varying student demographic
ability to apply groups.
theory to
Articulate ones own developmental
improve and
journey and identify ones own
inform student informal theories of student
affairs practice, development and learning (also
as well as
called theories-in-use) and how
understanding they can be informed by formal
teaching and
theories to enhance work with
training theory students.
and practice.
Generate ways in which various
learning theories and models can
inform training and teaching
practice.
Identify and construct learning
Overall Rating: outcomes for both daily practice as
well as teaching and training
activities.
0 1 2 3 4 5
Assess teaching, learning, and
training and incorporate the results
into practice.

16
I: My internship at the
University of the Pacific
allowed me to see a
professional embody the
term scholar-practitioner.
My site supervisor, Ben
Ellis, used theory to guide
all of the work he did. He
would always ask me what
theory led me to believe a
program was the right
choice. He would also ask
me what students were
left out and how to
include them.
C: SDAD 5400, Student
Development Theory,
Research & Practice,
allowed me to assess how
theories can be put into
practice. This allowed me
to mix the classroom with
my work setting. In
addition this class allowed
me to question how
theory is inclusive of all
students we serve. I have
learned to be critical of
theory rather than simply
accepting it for what is
written.

incorporating more theory,

it will be important to
critically assess any theory
I plan to use. I must first
understand what students
are not included in a
theory to find how I can
utilize it in my day to day
work. I plan to ask how
theory informs the work I
do and challenge my
colleagues to think about
theory. I will ask how
theory has informed a
decision and what we plan
to do to incorporate more
theory in our work.