The goal of this paper is for students to develop their own, unique and individualized professional philosophy of college student development, based their theoretical knowledge of student development theory, to serve as the foundation of one’s own future practices and dispositions in the student affairs profession. As the final culminating assignment of the course, your professional philosophy should demonstrate your understanding of the nature and uses of college student development theory, philosophy, and research. Likewise, your philosophy should demonstrate how you have acquired a greater self-awareness of your own cognitive and social identity development to inform your future professional practice as a student affairs practitioner.
The first component of this paper requires you to engage in a “self-reflection” of how 1 to 2 of the college student development theories covered throughout the term have helped you to acquire a greater self-awareness of one’s own cognitive and social identity development to inform future professional practice. Thus, how did the theories from this course help you to better understand your own development and identity? In turn, how will this help you to relate to college students in your work and practice as a student affairs professional? This component of the paper should be 1- 2 pages in length.
In the second component of this paper, students expound on how 2 to 3 of the student development theories (be sure to select different theories for this component of the paper than you addressed in the first component) covered in the course will serve to have the greatest influence on your future practice and dispositions as a student affairs professional/practitioner. This portion of the paper, which should comprise the largest component of the paper