Tag Archives: NC State

What’s In A (Buzz)word? Defining Mentorship in Higher Education, by Shauna Morin

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In recent years, mentor has become a buzzword in higher education. Throughout my master’s program, and during my time as a student affairs educator, I often heard peers and colleagues speak about their mentors—faculty members, supervisors, or other individuals who had played a significant role in their professional preparation. In these instances, I always quietly wondered what it was all about. After all, I didn’t really feel like I had a mentor. What level of guidance and support warranted such a title? What degree of expertise and experience equipped someone to fulfill such a role? Most importantly, how exactly did one go about finding a mentor?

I have been fortunate to uncover the answers to these questions during my time in the HEA program at NC State. In the capstone class of our master’s program (for which I served as a teaching colleague) we discussed responsibilities of mentors emphasized in the higher education literature: facilitating socialization of students and professionals into new environments; sharing effective approaches to research and practice; encouraging career development; offering lessons learned from personal experiences; and providing encouragement in the face of emotional challenges (Tull, 2009). Clarifying these roles helped me better understand the level of commitment and intentionality required to cultivate an impactful mentor relationship.

Our program has also opened my eyes to the many types of mentor relationships that can exist across diverse professional paths and career stages. Members of the HEA faculty model traditional mentorship on a daily basis by drawing from their myriad experiences as student affairs educators, researchers, and academicians to enhance our development as scholar-practitioners. Opportunities also abound to seek mentors from our growing network of alumni, comprised of new and seasoned professionals alike, and inclusive of many higher education leaders right here in the Triangle. Our alumni possess a wealth of knowledge gleaned from various institutional settings and functional areas, and serve as conduits to a larger community of professional colleagues. Finally, the Higher Education Association’s Pack Pals peer mentor program encourages us to learn with and from fellow students as a means for building community and facilitating student success within the HEA program.

The final question yet to be answered is how to establish a mentor relationship. Most of us can probably identify individuals who have shepherded us on our professional journeys, and yet they are often not characterized as mentors. How might we transform these relationships into formal mentorships? Thanks to my own mentor experiences at NC State, I now realize the first step is simply to ask. Reach out to colleagues who know you best and ask if they are willing to play a more active role in your professional development. Next, spend some time discussing mutual expectations and responsibilities. If it turns out that a mentor relationship isn’t feasible with someone you already know, begin laying the groundwork for future mentorships with others. Above all, be strategic and capitalize on the opportunities available to you. For those of us at NC State, such opportunities are plentiful…we just need to seize them! Doing so will keep our higher education program buzzing with the energy and excitement of mentorships for years to come.

References

Tull, A. (2009). Supervision and mentorship in the socialization process. In A. Tull, J. B. Hirt, & S. Saunders (Eds.), Becoming socialized in student affairs administration: A guide for new professionals and their supervisors (129-151). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

Shauna Morin is a doctoral student in the Educational Research and Policy Analysis program with a Specialization in Higher Education Administration. Shauna serves as the Graduate Assistant for the Higher Education Program at NC State and is a Doctoral Liaison for the Higher Education Association.

Two Campuses, One Experience, by Lizzy Heurich

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As the Thanksgiving season approaches, I cannot help but think about those things for which I am thankful. There are the obvious things that I am always grateful for, like my family, friends, and health. Then there are the less noticeable things in my life that I am thankful for, like the opportunity to experience work and life at two college campuses during my time in graduate school. Currently, I am a first-year master’s student in the Higher Education Administration program at NC State; I also hold a graduate assistantship at Duke University. At Duke, I am the Devils After Dark Coordinator for the East Campus Housing, Dining, and Residence Life office. I help to program weekend and late night activities for first-year students. North Carolina has many fine higher education institutions, and I am lucky to go to school and work at two of the most prominent universities in this state.

Back in August, I did not feel as thankful to be having two separate experiences. First off, I am fairly directionally-challenged. Not only did I have to learn how to get around two different campuses and cities, I had to learn how to get from home to work to school to back home. On the way to my first graduate school class, I got quite lost on NC State’s campus and ended up running down Hillsborough Street so I would not be too late. I also had trouble learning the traditions, quirks, and colloquial language of each campus. Students at Duke would talk to me about house benches, SLGs, or eating at ABP. At NC State, peers were talking about Packapalooza and the Free Expression Tunnel. Needless to say, I was struggling to adapt to campus culture and traditions as well as a new work environment and course load.

Fast forward a few months and things are quite different. Although it took a transition period of a month or two, I finally began to feel like I belonged on both campuses. At work, I felt more established as a member of the team. I mastered my weekly routine of planning, promoting, and running programs. Twenty-five miles down the road, I was beginning to form friendships with people in my cohort. I felt more comfortable participating in class, and I was getting to know the professors in the department. I was becoming more aware of campus-specific acronyms and traditions. NC State and Duke finally felt like home.

In the beginning, it felt like I was juggling two campus experiences at once. Now, I embrace the fact that I get to be involved on two college campuses and integrate those experiences with my personal and professional goals. I get to see how the theories we learn in class play out on two college campuses. I get to build relationships and connections at two prominent universities. I get to root for two football teams!

Lizzy Heurich is a first year master’s student in the Higher Education Administration program. She is currently serving as the Devils After Dark Coordinator for East Campus Housing, Dining, and Residential Life at Duke University. She is also the Associate Vice President for Engagement for the Higher Education Association at NC State.

The Stages of a Ph.D., by Alessandra Dinin

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At North Carolina State University, the Higher Education Administration-focused Ph.D. in Educational Research and Policy Analysis (ERPA) program has some distinct stages. If you are taking a full-time schedule of classes, the first stage is just that—taking classes. This stage lasts an average of two to three years. In that time, you turn in your Diagnostic Advisement Procedure (DAP), which is basically a sample paper to make sure your written work is up to par. Then, towards the end of your coursework, in lieu of a comprehensive exam, you write a Research Prospectus. The next stage is the big D where students propose their dissertation and then ultimately defend. Of course, if you pursue your Ph.D. part-time, then these stages are extended up to 8 years.

Grover (2007)[1] discusses other stages of doctoral study: exploration, engagement, consolidation, and entry. In a full-time plan of work, exploration and engagement are associated with the first two years of a full-time program where students investigate topics of interest and are savvy about research opportunities. Consolidation is where research efforts are funneled towards the dissertation, and entry pertains to exiting into the workforce.

On a less formal note, Haig (2011)[2] introduces six emotional stages of a Ph.D.: elated smugness, paranoid bemusement, domination, obsession, fear, and tranquility. This process might be summarized as the transformation from feeling excited about starting a Ph.D. program, to feeling like an imposter, to the freedom to express and study what you want to, to a complete fixation on your topic, to complete panic about being able to succeed, and, in the end, a feeling of peace to finally do other things besides dissertate.

While all doctoral programs vary, I assume that most Ph.D. students would agree with at least some portion of Grover and Haig’s models. The challenge throughout all of these stages is that a Ph.D. is hard. It can be lonely when you have no time to do anything but study. It can be costly when you sacrifice a full-time employee’s salary. It can be stressful when you have a million deadlines hitting all at the same time. And it can be sad when you have to face rejection and critical feedback. BUT pursuing your Ph.D. can also be exciting when you get a thrilling opportunity. It can be rewarding when you reach a major milestone. It can be happy when you have an opportunity to research things you really care about. And it can be really really happy when it’s all over and you are a Doctor!

The thing is, no matter how you feel, or what Ph.D. stage you are in, you’re not alone! If things are tough, or even if they are great, talk to your fellow doctoral students because they’re likely going through the same things as you (and want to talk about it). If you have fantastic and wonderful faculty like we do at NC State, then you should also talk to your faculty—they can be a tremendous support system and can help keep things in perspective. And, if you don’t feel comfortable talking to the people at your institution, look online because #phd #thestruggleisreal.

[1] Grover, V. (2007). Successfully Navigating the Stages of Doctoral Study. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 2, 9-21.

[2] Haigh, C., Hardy, P., & Duncan, F. (2011). Six stages of doctoral study: a new model for PhD students. Nurse Researcher, 18(4), 46-4.

Alessandra Dinin is a doctoral student in the Educational Research and Policy Analysis program with a Specialization in Higher Education Administration. She serves as a Director of Research for the National Initiative for Leadership & Institutional Effectiveness (NILIE). She is also a Doctoral Liaison for the Higher Education Association.

True Life: I Work in Housing, Surviving Your First Year in Residence Life, by Rickita Blackmon

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At some point before or during the application process to higher education graduate programs, you made a decision to apply to the housing assistantship with hopes of serving as a Residence Director. Some of you were past RAs that thrived in the position; others may have an interest in a career in housing with plans to move up the professional ladder. Many of you fall under both. Whether you “live and breathe housing” or view this assistantship as a great opportunity with wonderful benefits, you accepted the challenge! You moved all of your belongings and returned to the residence hall (not dorm). With a meal plan, reserved parking spot and health insurance secured, you felt on top of world. At some point between unpacking and attending summer RD training, you probably searched through your belongings for the RD position description, just to review exactly what you would be doing in this role. Scanning the document, you began to get excited about helping shape the world’s future leaders and revitalizing the spirit of living on campus. In your mind, you started to plan amazing programs. Suddenly, you have a Pinterest board that is dedicated to icebreakers, door decs and RA events. What a joy! As you open your new set of business cards, take the protective sticker off of your fresh name badge and iron your official housing polo, all seems right in the world. You are a housing professional.

Looking in the mirror “I am about to change the game. I have all the tools and resources that I need to be successful. I am a Residence Director. Wow. I’ve made it.”

As the summer RD training comes to a close, you realize that you are a bit unclear or nervous about a few items about the position. Perhaps you decide that you will just hit the ground running and figure it out as things go along (wise but potentially tricky). If you were like me, you planned to set some time aside to review your training binder and go over questions with your supervisor. However, RA training had already begun, which ultimately consumed every minute for the next two weeks. So instead, the night before move-in day you pulled out the position description to glance over it one last time and then you see it…

“Other duties as assigned.”

Below are a few tips to help you successfully navigate your first year in housing.

Resident Advisors. Being a Residence Director at NC State is a tremendous opportunity to gain valuable skills that can be transferred to a variety of functional areas in higher education. One of the many benefits of this role is the experience of supervising undergraduate students. Working with your team of Resident Advisors will allow you to learn more about yourself as a leader and help develop other leaders. In this supervisory role, I recommend being confident, consistent and professional. Being relatable also goes along way with people who look up to you. Utilize your one-on-one meetings with your RAs to get know them beyond their work as an RA. What clubs are they involved in? Are they reconsidering their major? Building these relationships is key. It would also help to identify additional ways to support your staff. Your RAs are college students, some only a year removed from high school. They are balancing school, work and everything else that life throws their way—sound familiar? If you find yourself frustrated, remember that there is no such thing as a perfect RA, and even your Area Coordinator is still learning. Create developmental opportunities for your RAs. Spend time developing yourself as a supervisor. Seek out advice from second year RDs and talk with your Assistant Director regularly about how you can continue to grow in this role.

Managing a Budget. Stay up to date, organized and consistent with your budget practices. It is critical to communicate often with your AD and the person who oversees the management of your building’s budget and receipts, to ensure that you are following the preferred protocol.

Parking. Win.

Laundry. Loss. However, there are tricks that can make this process easier. Monitor the laundry room to find times when residents do not regularly wash clothes. Never leave your belongings unattended for lengthy periods of time. Additionally, the washing machines require less detergent, so if you really think about it, you are saving money.

Professional Development. Make sure to use your professional development funds. Communicate with other RDs about trainings or conferences that people are interested in attending. There may be ways to save on additional costs by combining efforts. Consider ways to maximize this opportunity, such as submitting proposals to present at conferences.

Conduct. Some RDs love the conduct process and others not as much. Regardless, it is a part of your duties. I rely heavily on the NC State specific policy guides in Maxient as well as the support of second year RDs to manage this portion of the job.

Meetings. In housing, we like to have a lot of meetings. I average roughly 15 meetings every week. This is when Google Calendar becomes a lifeline. Ever wonder why housing people always send you a Google meeting invite? It’s simple. It is extremely difficult to manage every meeting on our schedules; so essentially, if it is not on Google calendar then it does not exist. Make the most of your meetings! Plan and prepare ahead to make sure that you are respectful of others’ time as well as your own. Utilize agendas! My RAs really appreciate my weekly meeting agendas because it is a reference point for them to remember deadlines and upcoming dates. If you are a paper saver, share a Google doc. Refrain from “meeting just to meet.” This is not advice to cancel all of your meetings. However, if there are only a few light items on your agendas then ask yourself if meeting is the most efficient way to disseminate the information. For meetings that you are attending and not leading, just get used to them. They are here to stay.

Duty. Make sure that you plan ahead before going on duty. This may mean going grocery shopping, doing laundry and getting ahead on class assignments. When you are on duty, there is no telling when you will receive a call that may take up a large amount of your time. Prioritizing important items the week before you are scheduled for duty will help relieve some of the stress during duty week.

Living Where You Work. Figure out how to personalize your space. Each RD apartment is unique with its own perks, so take some time to embrace your space. Hang curtains, buy a welcome mat or put magnets on your refrigerator. Do whatever you think is best to make your RD apartment feel more like a home. If you are lucky and pull this off really well, there may be a few mornings when you wake up and forget you are in residence hall (this will only be for a few minutes, but still).

Serving as a RD is an amazing opportunity that is truly like none other. You have the opportunity to impact your residents’ college experience in a major way. Leave your mark! One day, hopefully, you’ll have a peaceful home away from campus with laundry machines and a job that will probably still have a line on the position description that indicates “other duties as assigned.” However, I doubt you’ll get to go to BJ’s and load multiple carts with fun program supplies, rent an inflatable and plan team builders that require people to jump through hula-hoops. Make the most of it!

Rickita Blackmon is a first year master’s student in the Higher Education Administration program. She is currently serving as a Residence Director for Lee Hall. She is also the Vice President-Elect for Recruitment for the Higher Education Association at NC State.

Applying to Doctoral Programs, by Brian A. Peters

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Applying to a doctoral program is a lengthy and time consuming process for prospective students. Either continuing their education or a professional going back to school, the decision to complete a PhD is a major step in one’s career and life. Within higher education, a terminal degree creates future opportunities to conduct research, seek higher administrative positions or become engaged in policy. However, a doctorate is not just a credential. Doctoral programs prepare future scholars to research problems using a particular disciplinary focus. To be successful in doctoral work, you will have to start thinking of yourself as a scholar within a particular discipline. Through this lens, you are able to view the issues and concerns in our society and find means to address them using specific methods.  Having a “life of the mind,” prospective students should have educational interests beyond higher education career advancement within their institutions. What interests you within the higher education field? What problems do you see in higher education? How can we identify and solve these problems? Studying for a PhD will provide you the tools to address these issues, but how do you apply and what should you consider going through the process? Below are some thoughts on the application process based on my personal experience and discussions with colleagues.

Before You Apply

Before you can apply to a PhD program, you will need to do some research. I would start by reading topics in your interest area. What is the current literature saying about your topic? If you were to study a problem, what would it be and why? By asking these questions, you will start to recognize authors who regularly write in that area. Look at where these scholars are teaching and begin your PhD program search there. I found it helpful to call faculty members to ask about studying within their discipline and discover their upcoming research agendas. This can be particularly helpful if a professor you are interested in working with is planning on going on a sabbatical, Fulbright or retiring while you will be in the program. Further, you may have a particular research interest but want to diversify your research skills so you may want to work with a professor who is proficient in another methodology. Before you contact them, you will want to read a couple articles by the professor and their dissertation to have a sense of their research agenda. In addition, review the curriculum of each program; what are the interests of the varying faculty at the institution? Background knowledge on the curriculum and the faculty will assist you later when you write your personal statement.

If you are a working professional, one consideration you may be weighing is attending a PhD program fulltime or part-time. Several institutions have tuition waivers and assistance programs that could help pay for your degree while you continue to work in the field. On the other hand, fulltime status allows a prospective student to gain new experiences as graduate assistants and participate in more research. Several factors can go into your decision so it may be helpful for you to sit down and think about what you want to achieve with your degree. Can you attain those goals at your current institution or do you need to enroll fulltime to get the most out of your program?

Most institutions will require you to take the GRE and submit official transcripts. Your GRE scores are good for 5 years if you already have a master’s degree. After 5 years, you will need to re-take the exam which has changed in the past few years. I had to retake the exam and found the test easier than the first time I took it based on experience of going through the test once. I would suggest buying a GRE study book, re-learn math formulas and take several practice tests. Further, you will need a transcript for each institution you have attended (even community colleges) to submit with your applications. Depending on your alma mater(s), this can take several days or weeks so plan accordingly. However, some programs only require unofficial transcripts until you have been admitted so look at the particular application requirements to save time and money.

Your references should be mostly (if not all) academics. Higher education appreciates work experience and some programs may even require a letter of reference from a supervisor, but for most academic programs, they want to ready letters from faculty members. Faculty committees want to see how you will perform in the classroom and in research so you should ask faculty that you know closely. If you have a publication with a faculty member, he or she should be one of your references so they can articulate your skills as a researcher. You can also ask current faculty at your institution if you are a working professional and you have taken PhD courses as a non-degree seeking student. This is a great way to connect with more faculty in the field and see if a PhD is right for you. Finally, if you are applying to higher education fields, at least one reference should be from a higher education professor. He or she will know the faculty at the institutions you are applying and can be a strong recommender on your behalf. Your faculty recommender may give advice on the best places for you to apply based on your interests.  Just make sure you give your recommenders plenty of time to write your references in advance so as you begin to submit applications, you will either have the required hard copies or they will be ready to submit an electronic version.

Personal Statements

Your personal statement is your opportunity to tell the faculty who you are, what your career goals are, why you wish to pursue a doctorate and why you fit in their program. I received a lot of advice on my personal statement because I let several people read it before submitting it to schools. I would suggest having people close to you read your statement as they will know if you are forgetting something or the statement does not sound like you. Your personal statement should showcase who you are and your personality. Why do you want to get a PhD? What opportunities open up to you after completing a doctorate? Faculty make a major investment when taking on doctoral students so they want to make sure you are fit for their institution and program. Your previous reading and research should be showcased in your personal statement to connect the institution to your goals. For example, how does the curriculum fit with your educational goals? Which faculty members do you want to work with and why? Mention recent books and articles that sparked your research interests. The previous research you completed before applying for programs should be highlighted in your personal statement as you are telling the faculty how your particular interest fits within their curriculum and research agenda. As some faculty may only read your CV and your personal statement when considering your application, you should focus on writing the best statement possible.

Deciding

After submitting (and paying) for your applications, you will start to hear from programs during the spring semester. Some offer admission early to start gauging your interest while others offer admission after you have attended a recruitment weekend. Visiting campus is a great opportunity to learn more about the institution and meet the faculty. Similar to picking your undergraduate college, or your first job, picking a program is about fit. Can I see myself at this institution? What opportunities do I have here compared to another program? Which faculty will I get to work with or what assistantship/aid am I offered? Campus visits provide you insights on the programs and the institution, providing a wider lens to make your decision.

Some decisions on which program to attend may come easier than others. If you are not offered aid than that program should be lower on your list. Several programs offer full tuition waiver and a stipend. If you are considering PhD part-time, weigh the costs of working full time (with potential tuition assistance) against attending a program fulltime. Depending on your life situation, one of these factors may weigh more in your mind than others. In an ideal world, choosing a doctoral program would be completely about connecting with faculty, fit and strong academics. However, doctoral students have to pay previous student loans, provide for their families, potentially move and have other work responsibilities to be carefully weighed. Faculty who are particularly interested in working with you will check in with you regularly to see how your decision process is progressing. Use this to your advantage to ask follow up questions and read between the lines about the different programs.

Programs offer different opportunities that may help your decision. One of the reasons I decided to attend NC State’s program was the opportunities to teach. In my current position, I have the opportunity to teach an Honors Seminar to undergraduates, connecting my research interest with the classroom. Further, the doctoral program encourages and promotes teaching opportunities for students to assist with master’s or doctoral level classes. Teaching opportunities can diversify your CV when you go on the job market and push you to do more research. Other opportunities may include assistantships, research centers, fellowships, job opportunities, government policy and access to other institutions. Consider your goals in your personal statement and how the programs to which you have been admitted will best prepare you.

Pursuing a doctoral degree is a major life decision. You will need to decide what is best for you after considering all the various perspectives and factors about each program. Reach out to faculty, students, family and peers to help you think about your decision. If you can see yourself at an institution and can map out how you will finish your degree, then you have your match. Hopefully you will have several great offers to consider and will start your doctoral journey.

Brian A. Peters is a doctoral student in the Educational Research and Policy Analysis program with a Specialization in Higher Education Administration. He works with University Housing and the University Honors Program as the Honors Village Community Director at NC State University.