The document outlines the student development philosophy of Milisa Sammaciccia Ismail. The philosophy promotes a holistic and student-centered approach to enhance student life through innovative programs and services. It aims to facilitate student success, growth, self-actualization and exploration by empowering students and helping them learn from diversity. The goals are to assist students in becoming intentional learners, fostering healthy relationships, enhancing self-awareness, developing autonomy, appreciating diversity, understanding community responsibility, and living ethically. The philosophy meets the needs of diverse students through mentoring and challenging different perspectives to help students grow personally and academically.

1. Student
Development
Philosophy
Milisa Sammaciccia Ismail, MEd.
Student Development
20 February 2012

2. What is important is to keep
learning, to enjoy challenge, and to
tolerate ambiguity.
~ Martina Horner

3. All student development professionals are committed to facilitating the
success and growth of our students. The culture shall promote collaboration
for all students and academic colleagues. Through a holistic approach we will
provide innovative programs, activities, and services that enhance the quality
of student life and create a student-centered environment in which the
participants develop, embrace, and enhance ethical leadership, life-long skills
and experiences through creative an active and diverse climate where each and
every member of the community shall flourish and grow. (1)
We shall encourage self-actualization and exploration and serve as not only
student development professionals, but also as mentors, leaders, educators
and advisers. Our skills shall be applied to empower our students to grow
spherically while helping them to learn from the diversity represented in the
student body.
Our Mission

4. Through our student development activities and services, we shall
enhance student outcomes in the following areas:
 Assisting Students To Become Intentional Learners 
Students recognize, engage in, and integrate their learning experiences outside of the
classroom. Students develop transferable skills in communication, critical and
creative thinking, leadership and teamwork. (1)
 Fostering Healthy Relationships 
Students build trusting and supportive relationships. Students develop reasonable
expectations for all their relationships. Students successfully resolve interpersonal
conflict. (1)
 Enhancing Self-Awareness 
Students have an awareness of personal beliefs, values, attitudes, emotions, interests,
goals, and future aspirations and are able to articulate these. Students identify and
participate in opportunities to promote self-reflection and personal awareness. (1)
Our Goals

5.  Developing Autonomy 
Students make choices based upon their own values and beliefs. Students take
initiative to set priorities and follow through with them. Students develop a dynamic
life philosophy through their experiences. (1)
 Appreciating Diversity & Different Perspectives 
Students actively cultivate an appreciation for diversity and alternative perspectives.
Students engage with different people and cultures in order to more fully understand
the world around them and make local and global connections. (1)
 Understanding Community Responsibly 
Students recognize the importance of accountability and integrity, and participate in
activities that allow them to practice civic responsibility, community citizenship, and
public service. (1)
Our Goals Continued…

6.  Living Ethically 
Students make decisions based on a coherent ethical framework that they can clearly
articulate. Students choose to align their behaviors with their words. (1)
Our Goals Continued…

7. “Success is defined as the accomplishment of, or the continued
opportunity to accomplish, students’ individual goals. The success
of our students will be determined not only by their acquisition of
knowledge and skills, but also by their personal growth and
development” (1).
Our philosophy, as student development professionals, will meet the
needs, goals and objectives of the diverse student learners in our
academic community through a student-centered focus.
We will empower our students to enhance and develop their
interpersonal skills to promote self-reliance and interconnectivity
between peers, faculty and the community.
Student Development Philosophy

8. We will challenge our students to extend their perspectives beyond
themselves and see others perspectives, differing points-of-view,
and alternative philosophies and beliefs.
By allowing our students to walk beside us as we become their
mentors, advisers, examples, leaders and trusted sources through the
department, we serve to help our students grow exponentially both
in a personal and academic capacity; and, “assist students in
initiating their own paths to success” (1).
Student Development Philosophy
Continued…

9. Resources
Learning quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.inspirationalquotes4u.com/
directorysites/index.html
Mission statement. (2012). Unpublished raw data, Department of Student
Development, Iona College, New Rochelle, NY. Retrieved from
http://www.iona.edu/studentlife/studentdevelopment/about/mission.cfm
Student development learning goals. (2012). Unpublished raw data, Department of Student
Development, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC. Retrieved from
http://studentdev.appstate.edu/pagesmith/4
Student development philosophy. (2012). Unpublished raw data, Administrative Services:
Community, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Chandler, AZ. Retrieved
from http://www.cgc.maricopa.edu/adminservices/community-
new/Pages/student-dev-philosophy.aspx