Higher Ed 490 Exploration of Careers in Higher Education

Andrew Johnson

This has been a great first semester in the M.Ed. in Higher Education program at
Penn State University. This semester has been a very detailed, yet broad overview of
how to be successful not only in higher education, but also personally and
professionally. It is a beginning that will set the stage for a successful program.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 assignment that spanned across several lessons of
the Higher Ed 490 course was very helpful for me. There were so many different
approaches and aspects to the assignment that I found beneficial. For example, not
only did the assignment focus on critical reading and thinking skills, but it focused the
attention on seeing things from others points of view. This is very critical for effective
communication and interactions within the workplace. It covered attention-to-detail, as I
had to really analyze the writings and pick out certain meanings and intentions. Each
week, it required me to explore different areas of my thinking and logistical reasonings,
which promoted diversity in my approach to the topics. Another thing I really liked about
the courses were all the resources available. Dozens of online articles on topics, as well
as communication with the faculty and staff made the courses very manageable and
efficient. One of my final assignments in Higher Ed 490 Lesson 10, which allowed me to
explore my personal interests and speak with a counselor about my academic and
professional pursuits, was very rewarding. Higher Ed 801, Institutional Research, was
an excellent course in advancing my knowledge of the entire higher education
organization, from admissions to retention and graduation. In this course, I learned that
it was very important to understand your students and what the mission of the institution
is. By having that fundamental and solidified idea of who you are and what you are
offering, the institution has a much better chance at increasing its enrollment and
retaining its students.
The biggest personal goal for me that I obtained from this semester was
understanding fundamental and important concepts in higher education. I enrolled in
this program wanting to advance my understanding of different departments within
higher education, such as Student Affairs or IR, and I did just that. I developed a strong
understanding of the recruitment process and the advantages to knowing whom
prospective students are and should be, and that will help me in the future. When I
initially began the semester, I wanted to be able to identify different departments and
what their responsibilities were/are, and the courses provided me with that
understanding. Professionally, I developed more as I had a better core awareness on
the different departments and how to explore different areas and aspects within higher
education.
The biggest professional challenge for me this semester was deciding on where I
felt I could be most effective within higher education. Working in athletics, I was
beginning to feel like I could make more of an impact in a different department. The
Office of the Registrar, working with veterans services, is where I transitioned and it
was a very good decision. Higher Ed 490, Exploration of Careers in Higher Education,

Higher Ed 490 Exploration of Careers in Higher Education

Andrew Johnson

was an important class for me this semester because it provided me with the direction
to research those different options. Academically, I faced some challenges because this
is my first experience with educational related studies, and my first professional position
in higher education. Periodically, I struggled to find the necessary resources within my
institution when looking for references or information for assignments this semester.
To overcome some of those challenges, I used the people I worked with to offer
me some insights and direction. Fortunately, many of my supervisors in the different
departments I worked in were administrators in higher education for many years, and
they were helpful with any questions I had or problems I encountered. I utilized a lot of
the resources available from the World Campus department and individual courses to
find the information I needed for specific assignments. To alleviate any of my concerns
with my professional decisions, I trusted that by making the change I would be building
new relationships and increasing my knowledge of not only a different department, but
of higher education in general.
Higher Ed 490 gave me a better understanding of higher education as a whole
organization. Not only did I learn a great deal about different departments and
organizations, but also I learned how critical each of those are to the success of the
institution and its students. I think one of the big goals of the MHE program is to
introduce students to the professionals in the field and their expertise, and it does that
very well. There are a lot of great interviews and on-line interactions with the faculty and
staff, and it is a great program and a great university!