ARU Higher Education Student Affairs Discussion

Respond to the following:

We know that the classroom is not the only place where students learn (Long, 2012). Students learn from experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Some examples of experiences out of the classroom are being a part of a student club, Greek life, being an athlete, or living in the dorms. Students encounter different learning experiences when they are part of the campus community. Long (2012) stated, “Student learning takes place in a classroom, but the college or university itself is the classroom” (p. 1). In other words, students continue to learn even if they are not in a classroom setting. Student support is crucial in helping students achieve a positive college experience both in and out of the classroom. The purpose of student affairs is to help students become successful by offering several support services to students outside of the classroom setting. These support services enhance students’ overall educational experience. Support services such as the health center, counseling, admissions, disability services, and many other services allow students to have a support system to help them be the best version of themselves. When we support the whole student, we are working with them as an individual, and we have to remember that no one student is like another. Students are all unique in their own way. We have to ask students hard questions and get to know them at a deeper level to help them understand what challenges they are facing. With the uptick in the mental health crisis and the pandemic, our students face more challenges than ever. It is important for us, as educators, to be able to guide students to the proper support services to help them succeed.

Glanzer et al. (2020) stated that we simply cannot understand the whole student without understanding God and our relationship to God. A dedicated student affairs professional acknowledges that the student is the heart of student affairs. Therefore, we must care about the whole student. This means that student affairs professionals should provide a holistic approach when helping students.

References

Glanzer, P. L., Cockle, T. F., Graber, B., & Jeong, E. (2020). Does God make a difference for student affairs? Emerging student affairs in the Christian story. International Journal of Christianity & Education, 24(1), 34-54. 

Long, D. (2012). The foundations of student affairs: A guide to the profession. In L. J. Hinchliffe & M. A. Wong (Eds.), Environments for student growth and development: Librarians and student affairs in collaboration (pp. 1-39). Association of College & Research Libraries.