Running head: AREAS OF GROWTH

Learning Outcome Narrative: Areas of Growth

Julius Palaroan

Seattle University
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Areas of Growth

Introduction

Coming into the program I can recall how we were encouraged to lean into the

discomfort that we will experience as we develop in the field. Reflecting on my experience in the

program, I have made attempts to lean into the discomfort and recognize that I have much more

room to develop. The theme for my narrative is relationships and my subthemes are: leadership,

collaboration, and supervision.

Leadership (LO #1 #2; Artifact D, F)

Throughout my life I have had teachers, coaches, and supervisors challenge me to

develop my leadership skills. They have mentioned seeing this potential within me and have

challenged me to lead teams or initiate projects. This is evident in Artifact D, my professional

letter of promise, by Therese Williams. As stated, “I would share that any opportunities for Julius

to lead an event or facilitate a workshop will positively contribute to his professional

development.” However, I often take the backseat and just become a team player instead.

Reflecting on times when I did assume lead, I am aware that I have a democratic leadership

style. I like to gain the input from my peers and team members and will make a decision based

on what has been expressed. Relating this to course work, my leadership style mirrors the

feminist paradigm. Within this paradigm, leadership is more collaborative, inclusive, and desires

participation from all team members (Manning, 2013). I am aware how my leadership style

slows the progress of projects and have experienced how my leadership style can waste time and

energy due to the lack of decisiveness.

However, recalling the message to grow during preview days, I decided to seek an

internship that would require me to be vocal and assertive so I can develop the leader within me.

One experience that had helped develop my leadership skills was my internship with Summer

Search Seattle.

My main task as a Summer Fellow at Summer Search was planning the Rites of Passage

event. This was a celebratory event for college-bound seniors with planned programming meant

to prepare them culturally for college. Relating this experience to LO#1 and LO#2, student

affairs practitioners need to understand how the history of higher education and the current issues

and trends within our field effect how we are able to serve the needs of students. Additionally,

they must have a general understanding of challenges students face when entering and navigating

college taking into account the differences in personal backgrounds and experiences. Defining

LO#1, this means understanding the history and formation of higher education, learning the

current trends in higher education, and using the knowledge to guide our practices. Defining

LO#2, this means having a general understanding of common issues students face in higher

education, incorporating a critical lens theory when viewing these issues, and seeking solutions

to create a positive student experience. As an educator of color working in a nonprofit aimed at

serving marginalized students, we had planned workshops around intersectionality and

unconscious bias to empower students of color but most importantly have them critically analyze

how their identities will affect their college experience as they enter institutions that were

historically not intended for them. Students were able to share their stories and their concerns, as

well as learn from one another. Knowing our students and the challenges they will face, we

ensured they departed from our organization with the tools and knowledge they will need to

overcome them. Relating to Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth (2005), students were able to
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increase their navigational capital while Summer Search helped increase their aspirational

capital.

Although I have led programs and workshops in the past, this experience had pushed me

out of my comfort zone and had forced me to become more assertive and vocal. All of the

responsibilities of the event were put on my shoulders, and I was the final say for every decision

that needed to be made. I had to serve as the emcee for the day as well as lead workshops, this

was a unique experience for me. I was unaware of the different mental work both roles and

responsibilities would take, and I had to learn how to manage those thoughts and quickly adapt

when one role took precedent over the other. At one point of the event, I was overwhelmed with

the amount of decisions I had to make but Therese Williams continued to challenge me and

embrace the discomfort.

This experience demanded a more assertive presence from me, which is something that I

am not accustomed to do, and has shown me the benefits of being more assertive. Additionally, I

have gained confidence in my ability to lead. I have learned to embrace the discomfort of being

assertive and have reframed this feeling as helping projects and others function at a more

effective manner. I have additionally set out leadership goals moving forward. In Artifact F, my

2-5 year professional development and action plan, I will seek opportunities for leadership and

supervision to continue to foster the growth I have experienced in this internship.

Collaboration (LO #6 #8; Artifact E, F)

I define LO#6 as utilizing and learning different work styles, skills, and characteristics in

order to effectively work with the dynamic nature of people and departments. One way I have

exhibited this learning outcome is through my collaboration with other campus partners in my

graduate assistantship. I work closely with Housing and Residential Life (HRL) and the Wellness
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and Health Promotion department to maintain our student conduct process. In my role and

department, we rely heavily on HRL to report incidents, follow-ups with students, and adjudicate

student hearings. As for Wellness and Health Promotions, we rely on them to provide educative

sanctioning for students who have been found in violation of the student code of conduct. With

all the working parts and individuals to maintain an effective student conduct system on campus,

I have learned the importance of effective and direct communication, LO#8.

An example of this in my work is troubleshooting questions conduct administrators have

when following our procedures for student sanctioning. I have learned that some conduct

administrators like to strictly follow our practices and procedures as stated in our conduct guide.

Therefore, there is more in-depth context provided to them as to why we have certain procedures

and more structured guidance in our conversations when troubleshooting their student conduct

concerns in order to properly follow our procedures. Whereas some conduct administrators can

work more autonomously and have quickly picked up the nature of Integrity Formation at SU.

They understand the importance of reflection and education within student sanctioning and

require little to no guidance when working with incidents out of the norm. Additionally, they can

justify their reasoning as to why they assigned certain sanctions and guidance is minimal and

direct.

Any miscommunication can affect the student’s experience. This might result in an

unnecessary hold or fine on the student’s account. Constantly interacting with other departments

has taught me other people’s work style and has helped me carry out certain tasks in a more

effective manner. I have learned to tap to certain people for certain task as well as learn about my

personal capabilities and when I need to ask for help. However, collaboration does not only

mean learning how to effectively work in a team, but it also means supporting other programs
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and departments. Artifact E, specifically under Values, Philosophy, and History, reflects my

need to demonstrate partnership.

An experience that relates to my desire to collaborate is when I planned national first-gen

day for SU. National first-gen day was started by NASPA last year and is celebrated in the

month of November. I had to plan programming and the event setup with the first-gen team in

the Outreach Center. Within this role, I was tasked by Gretchenrae Campera, my internship

supervisor, to connect with Carol Cochran, program director of Alife Scholars at SU, and ask for

financial contributions to help throw this event. Connecting with Carol helped me learn about

another great organization in Seattle helping first-gen students but most importantly has served

as a way to strengthen the first-gen community and support at SU. Student’s in the Alfie

Scholars program were able to learn about the Outreach Center and the resources and

programming they provide, giving them another support system on campus.

Collaboration and maintaining relationships are at the core of the political paradigm

(Manning, 2013, p. 69). In order for progress to be made at higher ed institutions, stakeholders

must maintain relationships with one another. As Manning states, “By establishing relationships,

perfect timing, and cultivating determination, faculty and administrators in political

organizations can achieve their institutional purpose,” (2013, p. 76). Collaborating with other

first-gen supporters has given more students the knowledge and support to navigate SU, relating

to Manning, is the agenda of both the Outreach Center and Alfie Scholars program.

As stated in Artifact F, during the remainder of my time in the program and moving

forward, I will actively seek opportunities to work and collaborate with others outside of my

department. Not only will it help acheive the goals of other departments but also help me create

and foster ties with other professionals in my institution. Being active within my institution type
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will allow me to gain more institutional knowledge and portray to students the importance of

collaboration. Collaboration can be the smallest of acts such as attending student programming

or as large as participating on a committee.

Supervision (LO #3; Artifact B, F)

Supervising the Redhawk Mentors program has given me a different opportunity to help

students develop. Managing the program and the students has given me new experiences and

insight on the type of supervisor I hope to be. In relation to LO#3, I define this learning outcome

as exhibiting our personal values through our work and interactions with others, displaying just

and honest leadership, and helping others to develop. As a supervisor, I try to exhibit to my

students my personal values such as honesty, empathy, and authenticity through our interactions

as well as create opportunities for them to develop. However, as I attempt to create comfortable

and honest spaces with my students, I have found it difficult to breakdown the power dynamic

that can be held between a supervisor and employee. My students are very direct during our

individual meetings and I have found it difficult to connect with them at a much deeper level.

This has made me reflect on my meeting structures, topic of conversations, as well as my overall

interactions with them.

As Kathleen Manning would argue, adopting the spiritual paradigm in my leadership

would help me connect with my students at a much deeper level. At the foundation of this

paradigm is connectivity and authenticity, and moving forward I have made a commitment to

myself and others to be my authentic self, present in Artifact B (Manning, 2013, p. 184). I

recognize that this is my first experience being a supervisor and managing a team. I hope to gain

more supervising experience in the future. As Artifact F states, I will continue to develop in my

supervisory skills and avidly seek opportunities to do so.

Conclusion

During my time at Seattle University, I had anticipated ways in which the program would

challenge me academically. However, reflecting on my overall experience in the program, there

was a lot more than the academics that have helped recognize my areas of growth. As I wrap up

my time at SU, I will seek opportunities to further develop as a professional.

References

Evans, N. (2010). Student development in college : Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.,

Jossey-Bass higher and adult education series). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Manning, K. (2013). Organizational theory in higher education. (Core concepts in higher

education). Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

Yosso, T. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of

communitycultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity & Education, 8(1), 69-91.

doi:10.1080/1361332052000341006