Student Affairs, not necessarily the piece of college experiences people immediately think of when considering a college. The professionals who work in student affairs basically spend their careers helping students succeed, even if that means success outside of the classroom. Of course all of us who attend college want to succeed in the classroom, but the course we take in college doesn’t always result in academic success.
Naturally, our desire for academic success plays a role in what we do in college. However, the non-professors who work with you everyday contribute the value you gain from your college experience. Without student affairs professionals, you wouldn’t have rad programming on the weekends, concerts on campus, someone who cares more about how you’re doing personally than academically, and a whole slew of other support resources. Student affairs professionals seriously help mold the college experience in such a positive way. Students drive these people to put their hearts into their jobs.
In the last year, I’ve had the privilege of working as a graduate assistant in student affairs. I probably could not find a more valuable experience. The people I’ve met are incredibly intelligent with degrees in molecular biology, history, and math, yet they choose to pursue careers in a field that does not necessarily utilize those degrees. They pursue a thankless career that impacts so many lives and provide a tremendous service to students at universities. Student affairs professionals serve as anything from as a guide through college for students, to someone for students to bring their problems. They don’t do it for the praise, they do it because they genuinely want to help students progress and succeed.