Getting Involved: Sowing a Seed for the Future in Student Affairs

Student involvement was my stepping stone.

At the time, I didn’t know it. I was a freshman in community college and felt like I had just been plucked out of

What seeds are you sowing?

Yes, I enjoyed the freedom, but at the same time, it was scary. I didn’t know where my classes were, all my friends had went to colleges out of state and I was stuck fending for myself.

I felt like I was wandering around, searching for the experience I was told so much about. “College is the best years of your life.”

From how I saw it, college didn’t seem like it’d be anything but stressful.

But then, there was Welcome Week. Suddenly, I was thrown into student life. Tables were lined alongside the walkway to the Student Center. Music was blasting. Students were congregated everywhere. At first, I just stood there, simply overwhelmed. And then, I started browsing the tables.

The one that caught my attention was the Student Activities Programming Board. They advertised their events everywhere. As a new student, you couldn’t avoid it. They’d paint the windows of the Student Center announcing different activities they were hosting. I knew instantly that I wanted to join. How could I not? Their club looked, well, dare I say it, fun.

And that’s how it all started.

I loved every minute of my time on the Student Activities Programming Board. I soon became Vice President. That’s also where I met my future husband.

Joining that one club shaped my entire college experience. I no longer viewed college as a necessary evil. Friendships were formed. Experience and skills were gained.

I continued being involved after transferring to a 4 year school. This is where I had an epiphany. I dropped the education portion from my major during my junior year. I realized that I truly enjoyed working with students, not just teaching them. It came as a shock to many people, since I had pursued teaching for so long.

However, I just knew in my heart that the student affairs profession was for me. I wanted to inspire and engage students. Something that I couldn’t do solely inside the classroom. I wanted to do more. And I did.

I currently serve as Site Administrator for Florida Institute of Technology. I’m pursuing my passion and have my undergraduate student involvement to thank for that. It was only then that I realized my true purpose in life.

Becoming involved on campus wasn’t just a semester long commitment. I was planting a seed for my future. A future that involved shaping students’ college experiences. A future dedicated to  making those 4 years the best years of their lives. A future that I’d love every minute of. 

The Attainment of Knowledge: Finding Buried Treasure

Good evening, all!

I confess that I absolutely love learning. I just love the challenge of acquiring new knowledge.

And interestingly enough, sometimes that knowledge comes from unforeseen places. As student affairs professionals, sometimes, our students will teach us, instead of us teaching them.

Other times, we learn from our mistakes. Or from our colleagues, families or friends.

But that’s what’s so unique about life. Things aren’t always straight forward, nor are they expected.

Things just happen. Knowledge is just there. Waiting for us to snatch it up, digest it and transfer it into our minds.

We need to realize that knowledge is all around us, like buried treasure. It’s out there for us to find. Sometimes, we’ll stumble upon it, other times, it’ll be right in our path. But it’s out there. Everywhere. And it’s awaiting our discovery.