My General Knowledge of Student Development Theory

Or, an answer to an interesting job application question...

Leaves a lot to to be desired, in my experiences

My knowledge is based on decades of experience working with many types of learners (adult, minority, refugee, immigrant, industry trainees, special needs) and in many settings (such as community college, university and private college) and from many perspectives (community advocate, academic adviser, service learning trainer, instructor, industry professional). At Guilford College’s Bonner Center for Community Service and Learning, which worked closely under Student Development, my specialty was working with low-income, first generation youth from refugee, immigrant and minority backgrounds where solid ethnic identity development was essential for their survival and growth at a predominantly white institution and in preparation for professional careers. 

The issues learners face today are located on the campus, in the communities they come from (which can include family, neighborhood, socio-economic background, race, ethnicity, gender identification) and in the larger world, sometimes narrowly defined as a learner's future professional career track or broadly to encompass their role as parents, citizens or community members operating in a democratic society. Since not all constituents on a campus always agree on what the challenges are or which are most dominant or pressing, non-curricular support staff can have a tough role to play. But if the institution itself understands both its historic mission of service and stewardship, then its direction of student development is clear. It is one that embraces citizenship and civic engagement and professional and ethical responsibility in a structured, coherent manner.

Emphasizing the “big picture” in the individual student’s life is often what student development staff can do best. Broadly speaking, youth on a college or university campus require an array of services because they are on different levels of emotional and intellectual development. Telling that to learners, especially youth from ethnic minorities, is a general statement about what they need to do to become better learners and functioning individuals. It’s a more concrete description and action statement about the "journey" they are on that clues them into the kinds of skills they must acquire or improve. For them to be "in the zone" where they maximize their learning potential is linked to AACU's High Impact Practices. In my multiple roles as community organizer and researcher and staff support member, students engaged in experiences that were challenging, discomforting, upsetting and ultimately rewarding because they were not presented as curricular/academic (= important) and co-curricular/voluntary, optional ( = non-important), but as deep, complex questions without easy answers. And if older learners already know about life's ups and downs, for young learners, student development theory is about the mature reflection and understanding of mind, body and spirit, the proper responsibilities inherent in adult life which include personal and group identity, family, community and country.