1. U P - U P - A N D - A W A Y !
N E O H O 2 0 1 6

2. T O D A Y S - A C T I O N P L A N
• Introductions
• What is student affairs?
• Turning your RA experience into a career
• How to find these so called Graduate Schools
• Graduate School
• Tips, Tricks, and More

3. A B O U T M E
• 2nd year graduate student at Kent State University
• Higher Education Student Personnel Masters Program
• Graduate Assistant Hall Director at the Cleveland
Institute of Art
• I was an RA for 3 years at my alam mater, and have a
combined experience of about 5 years in a staff
position, with 7 years of experience living in a
residence hall.

4. I N T R O D U C T I O N S
• So where are you all from?

5. What do you think student affairs is?

7. A L L T H O S E
A C R O N Y M S
• NASPA: Student Affairs
Administrators in Higher
Education
• ACPA: American College
Personnel Association
• ACUHO-I: The Association
of College and University
Housing Officers-
International

8. S T U D E N T A F F A I R S I S . . .
• Student affairs is a critical aspect of the higher education
experience. The work done by student affairs professionals
helps students begin a lifetime journey of growth and self-
exploration, (NASPA).
• Student focused
• More than student life, residence life, multicultural, advising,
greek life, LGBT, wellness, leadership, and more.

10. I F Y O U W A N T T O G O I N T O
R E S L I F E . . .
• There are a multitude of positions within residence life
that are not directly relate to being a residence hall
director or area coordinator.
• There is programing, facilities, operations, and more.
• If you choose not to go into residence life, don't worry,
your RA position still relates!

11. T H I N K I N G A B O U T M O V I N G ,
Q U E S T I O N S T O A S K Y O U R S E L F
• Think about what you do in your everyday life, and
also your position.
• What do you love about it?
• What would you do differently?
• What would you like to do with it in the future?

12. T H I N K I N G A B O U T M O V I N G ,
A C T I O N S T E P S
• Talk with those around you, including your supervisor
• Do your research
• Do not be afraid to ask questions
• Do you have the opportunity to attend the OCPA
Careers in Student Affairs Conference?
• Remember, your RA position has transferable skills
that can be transferred into any position.

13. T H I N K I N G B E Y O N D ,
T R A N S F E R A B L E S K I L L S E X A M P L E S
• Manage a University residence hall floor of ethnically
diverse undergraduate students: Management,
Communication, Interpersonal, Leadership
• Maintain all bulletin boards and fliers with accurate, up
to-date,and useful information: Research, Information
Skills, Communication, Creativity
• Counsel students on various personal and academic
issues: Empathy, Listening, Analytical

14. T O D O M O R E S C H O O L O R N O T T O
D O ?
• It is possible to not go to grad school right out of
undergrad.
• Consider what you are looking to do.

15. Question: Does your undergraduate degree
matter when applying to graduate school
for student affairs?

16. N O !
ms value the diversity that everyone brings from their differ

18. H O W T O F I N D Y O U R G R A D
P R O G R A M
• On NASPA's website there is a career tab that has a Graduate
Program Directory which will allow you to do a national search and
see the details of each program.
• Network, talk with different mentors, supervisors and advisors who
went to grad school to see where they went and to see if they
have any suggestions for you.
• Facebook, yes facebook. There is a group called Future Student
Affairs Grad Students. Students post all the time about their
current thoughts on programs, and current graduate students will
always reach out and offer their contact information for you if you
had any questions about a program.

21. T H I N G S T O
T H I N K A B O U T
• What type of program are
you looking for?
• Counseling based,
leadership,
administration?
• Location?
• Size of program?
• GRE requirement?

23. J U S T F O R L A U G H S : R A V I D E O S
• Do you want to build a snowman? RA Parody
• All R.A. Floor
• "I'm On Duty" Pharrell Williams - "Happy" Parody
• Some (duty) Nights
• I'm On Duty - "I'm So Fancy" - Iggy Azalea Parody
• Blank Space RA Parody
• RA STYLE | GANGNAM STYLE (강남스타일) PARODY
• UAB "Wrecking Ball" RA Parody!

24. R E F E R E N C E S
• Student Affairs Resources & Continued Education |
NASPA. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from
https://www.naspa.org/about/student-affairs