Running head: IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Implications for Professional Practice

Thad Teo
Seattle University

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Implications for Professional Practice

Learning Outcome 10; Artifacts A2, F, I
A few months prior to starting the SDA program, I had an important professional decision
to make take the graduate assistantship with Career Services offered to me or continue
working fulltime at the University of Washington (UW) in Advancement. I had just started in
that fulltime salaried position with benefits, and it was the first time I had health insurance since
I moved to the United States four years earlier. I unfortunately did not have any mentors in the
student affairs field that could help me navigate that decision. Fast-forward two years later, I
recognize that my narrative theme for implications for professional practice is developing and
maintaining a network of support. Since I began the SDA program, I have taken the initiative
to network and make numerous connections with professionals from many functional areas and
with a variety of experiences. Each connection has helped me grow in different ways and they
continue to serve as pillars of support. This theme addresses learning outcome ten: Establishing
and enhancing professional identity. The following subthemes also serve as key dimensions for
this particular learning outcome.
Collaborating with Others in the Field
Establishing my professional identity cannot be accomplished alone. It requires
connections to others who share the same passions for education and serving students, and it is
through genuine interactions and collaboration that I get the opportunity to learn from others and
grow as a professional. Im thankful for so many opportunities to work in groups during the
SDA program both inside and outside the formal classroom because it reinforced my belief in the
positive value of teamwork. In addition, the SDAD 5900 Student Development Capstone
Seminar course made networking and peer-review with mentors a very intentional but beneficial

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

process. My most updated resume (Artifact A2) has become an impressive document that I am
proud to share because of many rounds of peer-review and mentor feedback. I continue to
acknowledge that this is a field that requires adequate teamwork and communication, values that
will definitely play a big role as part of my professional identity beyond the SDA program.
Nevertheless, I recognize that not everyone in the field will have had a formal
educational experience in a student affairs program. In collaborating with others, I will need to
be self-aware of the vocabulary and references I use so that it is easily adaptable and understood
by others who might not comprehend the student affairs language. I aim to be a leader in areas
where I am confident in my ability to lead and teach, being a mentor and educator to those
coming from different educational and/or professional backgrounds. Yet keeping in mind that
their experience is just as informative and educational for me to learn from.
Staying Engaged in the Field
Professional work can get routine and cyclical over time, but staying engaged in the field
through simple acts of maintaining connections with peers can excite and remind us of why we
do the work we do. My letters of promise (Artifact F) written by a professional and a peer who
know me well speak to my belief in being a part of supportive communities, relationships, and
friendships. The letters also reference my constant desire to participate in activities that will
keep me engaged and connected to like-minded educators. Maintaining these personal
connections has also been included in my five-year professional development and action plan
(Artifact I), where mentorship and making intentional connections is part of my plan every year.
In addition to staying engaged with the field through professional and personal networks,
I also understand that it requires attending and presenting at conferences. Contributing to the
field through sharing research via presentations or publications is also included in my five-year

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

plan. I look forward to a future filled with infinite possibilities and limitless professional growth
as I aim to continue being engaged with my network and the greater field.
Service and Giving Back
I am a strong advocate of service and giving back to the community that has given me
amazing opportunities and experiences. Serving my community through volunteerism and
leadership has been and will continue to be a large part of my professional identity. I enjoy being
involved, and it was through being involved in a myriad of activities during my time as an
undergraduate that led me to pursue a career and education in higher education student affairs.
My service on the SDA Advisory Board has allowed me to utilize my expertise in fundraising
practices to enhance the fundraising strategy for the Jeremy Stringer Scholarship Endowment.
This was an opportunity that I was happy to be a part of, especially since being on the Board and
working with advancement staff members at Seattle University (SU) on the scholarship has
allowed me to further expand my professional network. I value such opportunities to give back,
and I will continue to make myself available to SU and the SDA program as an alumnus willing
to offer time to talk to students about my journey.