Educational Mission Statement
As I begin my transition out of graduate school, I find myself reflecting on my educational journey and how that journey will guide my future. Through the courses I have taken, the graduate positions I have held, and the people I have learned from during my journey at USC has shaped what my future in higher education will become.
My courses in the PASA program are structured to give each graduate student the necessary knowledge to effectively engage students in meaningful solution-based approaches. What I found most intriguing from my first semester in PASA was the depth of knowledge of higher education and its impact on students. Our Foundations in Higher Education course gave me a general understanding of how higher education has evolved and salient issues that face it today. Being introduced to issues of race and admissions standards led me to focus my paper topics on minorities in the higher education system and admissions standards – including affirmative action – within the modern university system. Furthermore, the Student Affairs Work in College course solidified how my role as a student affairs professional can influence not only the development of students but also how I can have a wider impact in the university.
My early work within the program sparked an interest in the Asian American experience in higher education. My research project in the Applied Ethnography course detailed the classroom experiences of two Asian American undergraduate students. This was an important milestone in my studies, as I began to realize how little research is available, and how there is potential to add to and change what is out there. Finally, the Politics of Difference course challenged me to think critically about topics and issues. Trying to understand how issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, and other topics was difficult within the length of the semester, but it provided an opportunity to discuss with and learn from others.
One class that truly changed how I thought of Student Affairs was the first-semester Student Development course. Understanding the various theories that apply to college students was eye opening. Before starting the program, I never realized the depth of research that has gone into understanding how students change through their college career. As such, I began to take what I have learned as fact, and not theory. After learning Kim’s theory of Asian American Identity Development, I looked to apply the theory to my life and to the general Asian American population. I failed to critically analyze the theory. Can Kim’s theory be applicable to all students if it was originally based of a study of ten Japanese-American females? However, after recognizing my mistake, I learned to be more cognizant of the methods and development of research. This realization also helped me better understand what I would like to focus on in my future research. Rather than looking at a pan-Asian American Identity, I want to look into how different ethnic groups experience college and how does that, in turn, relate back to the overall identity of Asian Americans. Since starting work with the Asian Pacific American Student Services department, I have become even more critical of the work that universities do that impact Asian American populations.
Working in higher education will require me to continue to explore and learn about students from a variety of backgrounds. Beyond working with Asian Pacific American students, understanding the needs of any student will be important. By realizing how different identities intersect and manifest in students will not be an easy task, but it will help me better advise students. There is still much for me to learn in the realm of Student Affairs, but I am ready to take on the challenge.