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A Sense of Place: A Professional Philosophy

A sense of place has always kept me grounded as a professional

either working in the community or on a college campus. The

sociologist, David Hummon writes that a sense of place involves a

personal orientation toward place, in which ones understanding of

place and ones feelings about place become fused in the context of

environmental meaning. A sense of place has been imparted to me

simply by growing up and living in the south in North Carolina, where

place and location are often reflected upon by those living there. My

understanding of place developed more strongly when I entered

college in one of the most misunderstood regions of the south,

Appalachia. Here I was able to build skills working with community

partners to engage more students in volunteering and working with

local social issues.

Through a sense of place I frame my world and my professional

philosophy. By working in various settings in education I have been

able to learn how listening to the needs of a community is vital; how

collaborations are essential to a well-rounded project; and how

students can learn through intentional conversations and experiential

learning. Three areas in particular have helped guide me as a

professional committed to develop student learning and growth. These

include establishing needs based assessments and demonstrated

knowledge of the institutional culture, incorporating social justice into

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daily practice, and promoting mutual beneficial partnerships in

collaboration.

Needs-Based Assessment & Culture

Understanding the needs of a place, whether it be working with

community partners or working with student groups is essential in

order to truly understand where there may be gaps in a program.

When you start on a new project discovering where the strengths and

needs of organizations are vital in order to create projects that are

effective. In addition to this component, understanding the culture and

operations of the organization you are working in goes in hand with a

needs-based assessment, as being knowledgeable and aware of

procedures and institutional context is vital before developing critical

elements to a program or curriculum. This is even more vital if you are

in a new environment or place so you can become aware of the

important issues that are unique to this culture.

If there is time a comprehensive needs-based assessment

involving multiple parties is the most effective; however, reflective

practices can be helpful when time is limited. Using Bronfenbrenners

Ecological Systems Theory can be useful in order to assess student

needs, program needs, or departmental needs. By reflecting upon the

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different mesosystem and marcosystems involved you can better

understand the context and the potential needs of a project.

Social Justice in Practice

While at NYU I have been able to enhance my understanding of

issues of social justice through the coursework and facilitating an

intergroup dialogue on race. Through these further studies of different

identities and issues facing various groups, it has been a priority of

mine to bring my work in social justice into my daily professional work.

By engaging in this type of action, I am living out my values and taking

time and care to educate students on relevant issues. Living out social

justice work includes making diversity and identity-based training

educating on privilege and oppression a priority. Engaging with

students in intentional conversation that helps them understand why it

is relevant to the common missions and work, but also in their lives.

These conversations can additionally include talking about often-

ignored social identities at college such as social class and regional

identities. Finally, supporting initiatives and policies that take multiple

identities into consideration, rather than the norm, these and other

practices are important for developing a professional career that is

socially responsive.

Mutually Beneficial Partnerships

Collaboration in student affairs is not only inevitable but essential

for supporting students effectively. Through these collaborations

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partnership building is constantly in flux, whether it be working with

the local community or another department. I have learned some

valuable lessons by working with community partners, when working to

develop student learning but also make a larger impact on the

community, creating sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships

is helpful so you can continue to build on those relationships.

Partnerships must be built in a way that it is not just beneficial for

student learning, but for the lasting organizations involved. Mutual

beneficial partnerships must be sustained with effective

communication and a common understanding of organizational goals

and mission.

My professional philosophy stands in the understanding of place

through creating needs-based assessments, continuing social justice

work in my daily professional practice, and by developing mutually

beneficial partnerships that sustain collaboration. Working in student

affairs in community service, programming, and my constant drive for

my research projects at NYU have helped me create an informed

framework around the various ways I work in this field.