Within ten minutes of meeting this guy, I can confidently say he wasn't quite making the best impression on me. He went on to complain about the disadvantage that he (as a white male) faced with affirmative action laws, and went off on Toronto property taxes (how cheap they are compared to the suburbs) and how terrible the transit system is. I didn't really argue or attempt to defend any opinions I had (and I did agreed with some of his points), it was just one of those conversations which wasn't worth wasting your energy on. But he did ask the question which I suspect a lot of people have on their minds, they are just too polite to ask. What is a "Masters in Higher Education" and why would you want to work at a University for the rest of your life? In part, I'm writing this post for myself - a reminder to why I have decided to pursue this field, and a perspective (in the beginning of this journey) to look back on.
I started working in the University in my third year of undergrad as a casual staff. I'm now in my third year as a contract staff, and I identify myself as a wanna-be "student affairs professional" (which means very little to the average person). I was pretty directionless in university, I switched majors at least 4 times, and even after graduation I still had no idea what I wanted to do. It wasn't until my third position within the university when I realized what I enjoyed doing. I enjoy working with students and playing a role in improving the student experience.
I didn't have an amazing experience in university...my grades were lower than I hoped, I struggled a bit with the work/school balance, and as a commuter I felt I was missing the full university "experience". Looking back, many of the close friends I made, and the things I enjoyed spending time doing revolved around student groups and organizations outside of the classroom. It turns out, the things I did outside the classroom - leadership roles, exchange programs, undergraduate research etc., were the things which set me apart from other students and have actually benefited me the most in my short experience with life after university.
A Student Affairs Professional provides services and support for students outside the classroom. Things like housing, accessibility services, leadership programming, career planning, health and wellness, academic support, mentorship programming....all of these things are run by dedicated staff who use student development theory to create programs. I guess this is what makes me so attracted to working in Student Life - I have the opportunity to help others, just like me, gain the skills which are needed in the "real world", skills you can't develop by being in a classroom. I have the chance to help students experience a sense of community and perhaps make their experience a bit better than mine. A Masters of Higher Education is a chance to learn about student affairs and programming, to learn more about the world of post-secondary institutions and to understand how to serve students better (and just to be clear - this is a discipline rooted in research and assessment).
It's interesting how life turns out. Four years ago if you told me I would want to work in a university, I would have laughed...hard...really hard. Right now I'm still in a position where my future is unclear - I'm still on contract and I have no job after August. Yet I have a goal and I'm surrounded by amazing people who just want to help other students. Who knows, in ten years I might want to do something else...by then I might be a jaded crabby nutter. But for now...yes. I will study Higher Education, I will work in a university, and I will be a part of the student experience.
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-M
