1

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)

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.

Overall Rating:
0 1 2 3

Skill

Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

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 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).

Work: In my role as the

Coordinator of Integrity
Formation Programs, I regularly
meet with student accused of
policy violations. Though my
work, I have demonstrated my
ability to facilitate reflection,
build rapport, and know when to
use referral resources for
students in crisis.

I feel that I have grown

considerably in this area during
graduate school. I have had
opportunities in my
assistantship, internship, and
coursework that have allowed
me to engage and provide
counsel and guidance to student
going through transitions and
life obstacles. I enjoy working
with students during difficult
times and plan to seek out
opportunities in future jobs to
strengthen this skill. Moving
forward, I would like to
specifically improve upon my
ability to facilitate individual
decision making and goal
setting. In my new role as an
Academic Adviser, I will have
opportunities to engage
students in these types of
conversations that will help
strengthen this area. I also plan
to improve my ability to
effectively challenge other
students and colleagues.
Addressing conflict does not
always come easy to me, but
through mentorship and
reflection, I plan to work on
improving this area.

Internship: My internship with

South Seattle College allowed me
to facilitate problem solving
conversations with students and
identify how my world view
impacts (both positively and
negatively) my communication
with others.
Coursework: My counseling
course (COUN 5100) allowed
me to develop active listening
skills and the ability to build
rapport and maintain an
appropriate degree of
confidentiality to develop
trusting relationships with
others.
Other: I have demonstrated my
ability to advise in my role as a
NUFP Adviser.

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Skill

Differentiate among assessment, program review,

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

0 1 2

4 5

Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

Work: As the Coordinator of

Integrity Formation Programs, I
design and conduct assessments and
evaluations for the Teaching
Responsible Alcohol Choices
Classes and the What Matters to Me
and Why Workshops. I use the data
I collect to improve the programs
effectiveness and align program
outcomes with program goals.

As I transition into a full time

position, I am interested in
learning about integrating
research in assessment and am
excited by the prospect of
collaborating with colleagues
in the future to conduct and
publish research. A particular
area of growth would be
learning how to better utilize
the data I collect in program
assessments. I am able to
critically analyze the data and
find patterns, but often
struggle with how to modify or
improve my practice based on
the results.

Internship: As an intern with

Justice Involved Solutions, I gained
experience conducting and
implementing assessments to
improve the Earn Up Solutions
Program and track student data.
Through this work, I gained a
deeper understanding of how
assessment and evaluation can have
deep impacts on program design
and implementation.
Coursework: Introduction to
Educational Research (EDUC 5000)
provided me with a strong overview
of assessment methods and allowed
me to design a hypothetical study as
coursework.

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Equity, Diversity, &

Inclusion

Skill

Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

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.
Use appropriate technology to aid in identifying
individuals with diverse backgrounds as well as
assessing progress towards successful integration
of these individuals into the campus environment.
Design culturally relevant and inclusive programs,
services, policies, and practices.

Work: As the Coordinator of

Integrity Formation Programs, I
worked to incorporate Yossos
theory of Community Cultural
Wealth into every conduct meeting
and interaction I had with a student.

As I enter a full time position, I

am interested in improving my
ability to facilitate dialog about
issues of equity, diversity, and
access to groups of colleagues
and students. I have had some
experience with this in my
assistantship, but would like to
gain confidence in managing
multiple perspectives in a group
setting. I would also like to
increase my ability to use
technology when assessing how
an individual from a diverse
background interacts with the
campus environment. As student
populations become increasingly
diverse, I will need to continue
reading articles and learning
about the unique challenges these
students face. I will also need to
continue to put in the work to
better understand my own
personal identities and how they
impact the students I work with.

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
ethos that accepts
and celebrates
differences among
people, helping to
free them of any
misconceptions
Demonstrate fair treatment to all individuals and
and prejudices.
Overall Rating:
0 1 2 3

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.

P
P

Internship: In my internship with

Justice Involved Solutions, I worked
primarily with students of color who
were low income, homeless,
struggled with substance abuse, and
had criminal records. I was charged
with creating programs and
structures to support these students
in their transition from prison and
jail to higher education.
Coursework: Social Justice (EDUC
5200) and Multicultural and
Multilingual Issues in Learning
(SPED 5410) both increase my
awareness and understanding of
identity, and how my biases and
background impact the lens and way
I approach my work.
Volunteer: My volunteer experience
with the Seattle U NUFP program
has allowed me to work with
underrepresented students
interested in a career in Student
Affairs. In this role, I was able to
help them explore how their
identities impact their world and
their future career as student affairs
professionals.

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Skill

Articulate ones personal code of ethics for

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

Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

Work: My work with Integrity

Formation is grounded in
helping students understand
how their values interact with
policy and the world around
them. I have demonstrated
the ability to both commit to
ethical practice and help
students navigate the value of
ethical decision making for
themselves. I am able to
clearly articulate to students
why policies exist and
understand the role that ethics
plays in professional practices.

Something I would like to

work on is my ability to
address institutional actions
that are not consistent with
ethical standards. There are
times when I feel hopeless to
do anything, but there are also
times when I could say
something, but choose not to.
I am still learning how to
decide when it is appropriate
to address injustices when it
may come at a cost to political
capital. I am striving to
improve my ability to address
conflict in regards to acts of
injustice and personal ethics.
Conflict is uncomfortable for
me, but I am working on this.

Internship: My internship
allowed me to demonstrate
my commitment to ethical
decision making because of
the sensitive population I
worked with. In my role as an
educator, I also had a
commitment to the
Department of Correction to
report supervision violations.
Coursework: I also
strengthened this competency
in Leadership and
Governance.

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Skill

Describe the foundational philosophies,

disciplines, and values on which the profession is
built.
Articulate the historical contexts of institutional
types and functional areas within higher
The History,
Philosophy, and Values education and student affairs.
competency area
Describe the various philosophies that define the
involves knowledge,
profession.
skills, and attitudes that Demonstrate responsible campus citizenship.
connect the history,
Demonstrate empathy and compassion for
philosophy, and values student needs.
of the profession to
Describe the roles of both faculty and student
ones current
affairs educators in the academy.
professional practice.
Explain the importance of service to the academy
This competency area and to student affairs professional associations.
embodies the
Articulate the principles of professional practice.
foundations of the
profession from which Articulate the history of the inclusion and
exclusion of people with a variety of identities in
current and future
higher education.
research and practice
Explain the role and responsibilities of the
will grow. The
student affairs professional associations.
commitment to
Explain the purpose and use of publications that
demonstrating this
incorporate the philosophy and values of the
competency area
ensures that our present profession.
and future practices are Explain the public role and societal benefits of
student affairs and of higher education generally.
informed by an
understanding of our
Articulate an understanding of the ongoing nature
history, philosophy, and of history and ones role in shaping it.
values.
Model the principles of the profession and
communicate the expectation of the same from
Overall Rating:
colleagues and supervisees.
Explain how the values of the profession
contribute to sustainable practices.
0 1 2 3 4 5

History,
Philosophy, &
Values

Specific
Rating

P
P

Evidence of Learning

Volunteer: My biggest source

of learning for this
competency area was from my
experience with the NUFP
program, both as a NUPF
Scholar and a NUFP Advisor
and coursework. My
experience with NUFP
allowed me to explore the
student affairs profession and
help future student affairs
professional understand the
context and history of higher
education and where we are
headed.
Coursework: I feel that the
Leadership and Governance
course in addition to
Leadership 1 contributed to
my knowledge of the history,
philosophy and values of the
profession. I also feel that the
Theory course provided
insight into the practices and
research that laid the
foundations for the student
affairs profession.

Future Improvement &

Development
I think a growth area for me is
articulating and reflecting on
what professional practice
means to me. I personally
believe that professionalism
looks different for everyone
and that it is a constant
negotiation given your context
and experiences. As I enter a
full time position, I am
prepared to be challenged by
what professionalism is. Even
the idea that to advance in an
organization is to get a higher
title is something I dont
necessarily agree with.
Historically student affairs
professionals have been
focused on advancement and
always thinking to the next
position. I want to challenge
myself to sit in my current role
and be content with the
growth in that positon.

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Human &
Organizational
Resources
The Human and
Organizational
Resources competency
area includes
knowledge, skills,
and attitudes 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

Skill

Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

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 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.

Work/Internship: I feel that

I have grown in this
competency area because of
my assistantship and
internship. Both experiences
gave me the opportunity to
observe hiring practices and
understand how position
descriptions are created and
why they are necessary. I had
opportunities to learn why
organizations are structure in
certain ways and gained
insight into budget practices,
both on a private and public
level. Both my assistantship
and internship gave me
experience describing campus
protocols when responding to
crisis situations.

I plan to gain additional

knowledge of this competency
area by attending conference
sessions and engaging with
tasks related to budget and
financial management. I have
not had roles in my
assistantship or internships
where I have directly managed
a budget. I had a lot of
conversations about how
budgets are created and what
we can/cant spend money
one, but have not personally
had experience during grad
school in managing a budget.

P
P
P

Volunteer: As the NUFP

Advisor I gained practice
developing meeting agendas
and content. I was able to use
motivational techniques with
the NUFP students during
these meetings and in 1:1
settings.

ACPA/NASPA
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
practice.

Overall Rating:
0 1 2

4 5

Skill

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.
Describe the public debates surrounding 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.

Specific
Rating

P
P

P
P

P
P
P

P
P

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

Coursework: I gained a
strong foundation of Law,
Policy and Governance from
my Higher Education Law
course. In this course, I
practiced interpreting law and
policies in relation to conduct
incidents.

I can improve my
understanding of how the
public influences state and
federal policies and how these
are interpreted by universities.
By working at a private
institution, I feel like I have
had a narrow view of how
policies are created and vetted.
Because private schools can
basically make and enforce
their own policies, changing or
creating policy is fairly easy
compared to public
universities. I would like to
continue learning about
internal and external policy
and how it is created and
vetted when State regulations
and requirements are involved.

Work: This course greatly

influenced my work with
Integrity Formation and
caused me to be more critical
about how I adjudicate
conduct cases. As the
Coordinator of Integrity
Formation Programs I
participated in revising many
of the campus policies and
gained a deeper understanding
of legal constraints that come
with working in a conduct
office. My role in managing
the Think About It program
increased my understanding
around Title IX reporting
policies and the departments
and regulations that influence
that work.

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 staff,
in both an individual
capacity and within a
process of how
individuals work
together effectively to
envision, plan, effect
change in
organizations, and
respond to internal
and external
constituencies and
issues.

Overall Rating:
0 1 2

4 5

Skill

Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

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

Work: I supervised both

Integrity Board and the
Redhawk Mentors Program
throughout my time in Integrity
Formation Programs. In this
role, I mentored and supervised
undergraduate students and
provide leadership to students
in the department. I gained
experience working with critical
stakeholders when making
decisions and the implication of
not doing so. I strengthened
my ability to gain input before
making a decision and
understand how the outcome
of the decision impacts people
who are not involved in the
process.

I would like to learn more

about the different types of
decision making strategies and
how each would influence the
outcome. I also feel that I
need to improve my visionary
ability. I struggle sometimes
with creating options that do
not already exist and need to
strengthen my ability to think
outside of the box. I have
always said that Im someone
who is really good at
implementation, but not at
coming up with the idea. I
think this thinking has been
limiting and has caused me to
not improve my visionary
abilities.

P
P
P

P
P

P
P
P

Coursework: Two courses,

Leadership I and Emotional
Intelligence, both influenced
my leadership ability and
awareness. Though these
courses, I gained a deeper
understanding of myself as a
leader. I was given
opportunities to reflect on my
own story and how that
influences how I show up as a
leader and interact with others.

10

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Skill

Identify key elements of ones set of personal

beliefs and commitments (e.g., values, morals,
Personal
goals, desires, self-definitions), as well as the
Foundations
source of each (e.g., self, peers, family, or one
or more larger communities).
The Personal
Identify ones primary work responsibilities
Foundations
and, with appropriate ongoing feedback, craft a
competency area
realistic, summative self-appraisal of ones
involves the
strengths and limitations.
knowledge, skills, and Describe the importance of ones professional
attitudes to maintain and personal life to self, and recognize the
emotional, physical, intersection of each.
social, environmental, Articulate awareness and understanding of
relational, spiritual, ones attitudes, values, beliefs, assumptions,
and intellectual
biases, and identity as it impacts ones work
wellness; be selfwith others; and take responsibility to develop
directed and selfpersonal cultural skills by participating in
reflective; maintain activities that challenge ones beliefs.
excellence and
Recognize and articulate healthy habits for
integrity in work; be better living.
comfortable with
Articulate an understanding that wellness is a
ambiguity; be aware broad concept comprised of emotional,
of ones own areas of physical, social, environmental, relational,
strength and growth; spiritual, and intellectual elements.
have a passion for
Identify and describe personal and professional
work; and remain
responsibilities inherent to excellence.
curious.
Articulate meaningful goals for ones work.
Identify positive and negative impacts on
Overall Rating:
psychological wellness and, as appropriate, seek
assistance from available resources.
Recognize the importance of reflection in
0 1 2 3 4 5
personal and professional development.

Specific
Rating

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

Something I did not find in

grad school was strong
mentors. I have people who I
can go to for advice, but my
relationships with them feel
very different than my
relationships with my mentors
as an undergrad. Maybe it was
that I knew my mentors in
Coursework: My course in
Emotional Intelligence provided undergrad longer or maybe its
deep reflection about my goals, that I didnt invest as much
desires, values, and morals. I was time into my mentors in grad
given opportunities to articulate school, but regardless,
healthy habits for living and
something I want to improve
understand that wellness is a
on is my mentor relationships.
broad concept and not limited to
As I transition to a position in
one set of beliefs.
Seattle, I want to actively
engage in mentorship and
Other: This is a competency
identify different kinds of
area I feel especially strong in.
mentors
that can hold me
Because of life experiences, I
have gained a deep appreciation accountable to my personal
and need to maintain all aspects wellbeing and provide advice
of wellness in my life. I strongly in times of struggle.

Work: The divisional re-org at

Seattle University greatly
impacted my work and improved
my ability to embrace ambiguity.
I learned to lean into the
unknown and navigate systems
and make decisions without
security of the outcomes.

believe that unless I take care of

myself as a person, my work and
relationships will suffer. I am
very strict with myself regarding
work life balance and aim to
continue that goal throughout
my professional career.

11

ACPA/NASPA
Competency Area

Skill

Articulate theories and models that describe the

development of college students and the
Student Learning & conditions and practices that facilitate holistic
Development
development.
Articulate how differences of race, ethnicity,
nationality, class, gender, age, sexual
The Student Learning orientation, gender identity, disability, and
and Development
religious belief can influence development
competency area
during the college years.
addresses the
Identify and define types of theories (e.g.,
concepts and
learning, psychosocial and identity
principles of student development, cognitive-structural, typological,
development and
and environmental).
learning theory. This Identify the limitations in applying existing
includes the ability to theories and models to varying student
apply theory to
demographic groups.
improve and inform Articulate ones own developmental journey
student affairs
and identify ones own informal theories of
practice, as well as
student development and learning (also called
understanding
theories-in-use) and how they can be
teaching and training informed by formal theories to enhance work
theory and practice. with students.
Generate ways in which various learning
theories and models can inform training and
teaching practice.
Identify and construct learning outcomes for
both daily practice as well as teaching and
Overall Rating:
training activities.
Assess teaching, learning, and training and
0 1 2 3 4 5
incorporate the results into practice.

Specific
Rating

P
P
P

Evidence of Learning

Future Improvement &

Development

Coursework/SDA Program:
I feel that the SDA program
did a good job teaching the
academic theories and
practices and then
encouraging us to use them in
our work. I especially
appreciated internship both as
a course and my actual
internship I completed. The
integration of Student
Development theory was
hugely beneficial in my
experiences at work and in my
internship.

I want to learn to better

incorporate student
development theory into
trainings of student staff. I
particularly want to learn how
to better address different
learning styles when
teaching/advising students. I
plan to continue reading
articles and attending
professional development
sessions that emphasize theory
to practice.

Internship: I utilized student

development theory,
specifically Schlossbergs
Transition Theory and
Yossos Theory of
Community Cultural Wealth,
in my internship. These
theories greatly improved my
practice and I was able to
teach my internship site
supervisor student
development theory
throughout the course of my
experience.