Table of Contents
My career aspirations in higher education have been influenced by my college experiences. In 2011, I started my college career at a technical school as a networking specialist major; however, I was still not sure what I wanted to pursue as a career. Living on campus, I was very connected to the campus and the resources they had to offer. When I transferred to university, I still pursued my Information Technology degree because I didn’t want to lose credits.
Influences
Unlike a professor/higher education administrator talking with you about going into the education field, my case was a little different seeing that I was an IT major. I knew that I wanted to major in something different but didn’t know what exactly. So, I was talking to a family friend about what career path I should take. I explained to him that I wanted to help students in the education field, particularly students/people with disabilities. Getting a degree in either Special Education or Higher Education seemed like the right fit for me. I decided on the Higher Education Administration program because I liked the college atmosphere and wanted to make sure that students don’t make the same mistakes that
I have made over the years.
127 our experts are availableright now
Goals
Short-Term Goals
My short-term goal would be to start applying for work study or applying for jobs at Georgia Southern or neighboring colleges nearby to get my foot in the door. This is challenging for me seeing that all my education prior was related to the computer industry, but I’m up for the challenge. Upon graduation, I’m hoping that I will have been able to get a job as an academic advisor. While looking at the postings for an academic advisor, responsibilities include developing programming for the students that are not sure what they want to do and advise them in regard to selecting a major and guide them thru the registration process (HigherEdJobs, 2018). Another responsibility would be supporting students personally and academically (HigherEdJobs, 2018). Requirements for the position include having knowledge of the advising policies and confidentiality; a bachelor’s degree but they prefer a master’s degree along with one or more years work experience working as an academic advisor and having interpersonal skills and assessment skills (HigherEdJobs, 2018). Another requirement in almost all academic advising jobs is having proficiency with computer and Microsoft Office Applications software including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases (). Another I could increase my office skills and improve my communication skills since I’m an extroverted person. The required practicum that we have to do at the end of our program will help me attain the required work experience at a college or university. Joining student organization is another part of achieving my short-term goals. This will help me gain effective networking skills amongst student affairs professionals. One organization I will join the Higher Education Student Organization. While working as an academic advisor, I will collaborate with other departments on campus. I will ensure that each student is meeting the requirements of their degree. This means logging into DegreeWorks or Banner and creating an outline of the classes the student’s needs and the best semester to take them. Ultimately, it’s the student’s decision what classes they take, I just give them advice. For some reason, if they are not meeting the requirements of their degree, then guide them in the direction of resources that can help them succeed. During this time, establishing a relationship with the Career Services Department and/or the Disability Services on campus will be important as it will be a part of my long-term goals.
Long-term Goals
After about 2-3 years of being an academic advisor, I plan to pursue my long-term goal of being a Career Services Specialist or working with Disability Services to help students that are disabled get the services they need to be successful. While I’m getting my M.Ed. in Higher Education, I will get my graduate certificate from Kennesaw State University in Special Education. As a Career Services Specialist they are responsible for providing career development counseling to students and prospective students; educate students on developing resumes and cover letters, and to successfully prepare for job interviews. Requirements for this position include experience instructing and/or counseling students, a bachelor’s degree, two years of experience in employment services, experience in staff interviewing and selection, and excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills. Preferably, they would like someone that has worked in a two-year technical or community college with an emphasis on providing excellent student programming on a commuter campus and proficient with BANNER (HigherEdJobs, 2018). For the Coordinator of Student Disability Services, they are responsible for promoting and facilitating the retention and access of all students with disabilities. Another responsibility is to support campus-wide programs and services for all students with disabilities. They want you to have at least a bachelor’s degree, but a master’s degree is preferred, and some related experience or equivalent combination of education (HigherEdJobs, 2018).
