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Career Trajectory Paper: Careers in Higher Education


Denise Stewart
Georgia Southern University
EDLD 7430 American Higher Education
Dr. Barry Dotson

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After graduating from Morris Brown College with a Bachelors of Science in Computer
in 1999, I had no intentions of pursing a masters degree. There were many factors that
influenced my decision. One main factor was after attaining an associates and a bachelors
degree from two separate private schools which left me with almost twenty eight thousand
dollars student loan debt. Not to mention, I was considered a non-traditional student since I was
married and started a family, one year prior to completing my bachelors degree. At the time I
was working with TRiO programs in the division of Taliferro County Consortium hosted on
Morris Brown College campus, where I began as a work-study student and later hired full-time
as an Administrative Assistant. Working with TRiO helped me realize how much I enjoyed
guiding and assisting students. Furthermore my experience working with TRiO taught me about
students roles, the importance of organizing, preparation and adhering to policy and procedure.
In addition, I became aware of the significance of being in compliance and the ability to
demonstrate evidence of the programs impact. Assisting high school students maneuver the
landscape of obtaining a postsecondary education degree was my first look at student affairs
through a different perspective than a college student. As a result I developed a broad perspective
of campus issues. As I result I became interested in student affairs and identifying techniques to
provide a better service to students.
Career Aspirations
Currently I work at Georgia Perimeter College as a Data Coordinator. This year I plan to
begin pursuing a supervisor position in student affairs. In a supervisor position I want to gain the
experience and develop the ability to effectively manage a diverse staff with very different job
responsibilities and skill levels. Since politics is deeply engrained in higher education I hope to

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gain the ability to integrate political principles into my skill set, while developing effective
relationships that strategically place me in a better position to reach my career aspiration.
In the next two years I plan to complete the Service of Management, Leadership
Development, Leadership Communication and Management Development Certificates. Through
completing the aforementioned certificates I will gain knowledge and advance my leadership,
communication, and management skills needed to realize my career goals. I plan to become a
member of National Association of Student Personnel Administration (NAPSA), American
College Personnel Association (ACAPA), Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and
Admission Officers (SACRAO), Southern Association of College Admissions Counselor
(SACAC), and American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
(AACRAO). AACRAO offers an online course in Managing Admissions Office thats ideal in
walking the path to my career goals. In the next three years I plan to enhance my degree of
involvement in the aforementioned professional organization from being a passive member or
consumer to coordinator and eventually hold an officers position.
In the next three to four years I plan to attend a Georgia Summit, NAPSA, SACRAO and
AACRAO regional and national conferences. In addition to attend meetings as they relate to
upcoming technologies, policy and procedures, and volunteer for internal and external
institutional events. Through being involved I hope to expand my knowledge, skills, professional
network and professional development opportunities and successfully use them to reach my
career goal of becoming a Director of Admissions.
What Influenced Career Decision?
During my seven years at Atlanta Metropolitan College I worked within The Office of
Admissions and The Office of Registration department, including coordinating efforts with The

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Office of Fiscal Affairs, The Office of Financial Aid and the Information of Technology
department. Working and coordinating efforts with the various areas afforded me the opportunity
to engage with the college students on numerous occasions. Occasionally I would have
discussions with my colleague about my ideas, concerns and what I perceived as issues in current
processes that could be resolved or improved. Either previously addressed by students or that I
observed during my involvement with events or better business practices and processing. My
colleague encourages me to become involved in committees and attend conferences (e.g.,
Georgia Summit). Attending conference and participating in committees lead to connecting with
other professionals who shared similar interests, developing new friendships, and access to new
information and my first introduction to leading-edge technology. Seeing other professional that
that were motivated to improving their processes and able to influence change on their campuses
provided me with the confidence to do the same. This is when I decided to pursue a career in
Student Affairs. My experience working within higher education, developing a professional
network, and becoming more involved on the campus lead me to an understanding that we have
an opportunity to influence the lives of our students, better their future, and their college
experience through constantly improving upon our services. This is what influenced my decision
to pursue a career in student affairs.
Short-Term Goals and Long-Term Goals
Through pursing my goals I continue to be motivated, have something to look forward to,
achieve success. Using a combination of short-term and long-term goals I can get on the right
track to my end goal which is fulfillment in my career. My short-term career goals are rooted in
my desire to improve and enhance my job performance through continued professional

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development courses, certification, conferences, volunteering, training, and continued education.


I believe this will accomplished through the following short-term goals.
Complete Masters degree in Higher Education Administration by 2015.
Complete SkillSoft training certificates in Performance Management, Leadership
Development, Leadership Communication and Management Development Certificate by
2015.
Become a member of National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
(NASPA), and attend the 2015 NASPA Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
As a Southern Association of College Admissions Counselor (SACAC) member
participate on a degree level of Coordinator by 2015 and participate on a degree level of
holding an officers position by 2017.
Become a member of Association of College Administration Professionals (ACAP),
Become a member American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions
Officers (AACRAO), complete the Managing Admissions Office online course, and
attend AACRAOs Technology & Transfer Conference.
Identify a mentor and volunteer for more campus events outside of admissions and
recruitment.
Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (SACRAO) and
attend the 2015 SACRAO Annual Conference in Mobile, Alabama.
Attend a Ellucian Summit Conference by 2017
Be promoted in a position of leadership and/or management, preferably Supervisor
Coordinator of Admissions, by 2015.
Long-Term Goals
Using a combination of short-term and long-term goals places me on track to my end goal
which is fulfillment in my chosen career. The following are my long-term goals:
Holding an officers position within a professional organization (i.e., NASPA, ACAP,
SACAC, and SACRAO) by 2018.
Presenting at the Georgia Summit Conference by 2017.

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Obtaining an educational leadership management position as Associate Director of


Admissions by 2020.
Obtaining a position as a Director of Admissions by 2025.
Job Qualification for Future Career
An Associate Director of Admissions is responsible for assisting the Director of
Admissions with all aspects of the admissions and recruitment process. In addition to the internal
department management of admissions print publications, advertising, and marketing efforts in
coordination with the director of marketing. (National Association for College Admission
Counseling, 2014). Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to develop and maintain
close working relationships with key secondary school constituents; Assist in the development,
maintain and execution of the departments communication plan to prospective and admitted
students, Evaluate and execute admission decisions on applicant files, supervise and manage the
support staff of the department and develop and monitor statistical reports to enhance recruitment
strategies, yield management, forecasting, and operational efficiency (National Association for
College Admission Counseling, 2014).
The job qualifications of an Associate Director of Admissions and experience are a
bachelors degree with a minimum of five to seven years admissions experience with a
progressive experience, a masters degree preferred, previous supervisory experience managing
professional and student and staff is preferred, high energy, attention to detail, and the ability to
organize effectively, ability to effectively communication in person and writing and the ability to
speak publicly, and experiences with production of variety of media particular print publication
(National Association for College Admission Counseling, 2014).
A Director of Admission is responsible for mmaximizes recruiting and admissions
process by using state-of the-art recruiting and admission computer technology, maintains

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University System and institutional admissions policies, provides and sets standard for excellent
student service, manages all office resources (personnel, budget and equipment), responsible for
all marketing and recruitment efforts for new undergraduate students, coordinates enrollment
management for new students, procures the resources necessary for the Office of Admissions to
function well. Serve as resource person for all academic departments on campus. Responsible for
reporting applicant data to the University System of Georgia and others as requested. Maintain
university system and institutional admissions and records policies and other related policies.
Manage office resources (both human and fiscal). Prepare reports for submission to Board of
Regents and other agencies. Oversee operation of Office of Admissions. Oversee marketing and
recruitment efforts for undergraduate students. Oversee all admission decisions for
undergraduate students. (Georgia Regents University, 2014).
The qualification s of Director of Admission is a masters degree from an accredited
college or university with five years of relevant experience. Also requires memberships to
Georgia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, Southern Association of
Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and American Association of Collegiate
Registrars and Admissions Officers, Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling,
National Association for College Admissions Counseling, knowledge of Georgia Regents
University (GSU) and Board of Regents policies (BOR), knowledge of student information
system and how data should be entered into and retrieved from said systems, and the ability to be
flexible and to interpret latitudes within GRU and BOR policy and ability to effectively manage
a diverse staff with very different job responsibilities and skill levels. Other qualifications
include Informing Others, Listening, Verbal Communication, Written Communication,

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Motivating Others, Foster Teamwork, Self-Motivated, Organizational Astuteness, Coordination,


Tracking Budget Expenses, Administrative Writing Skills. (Georgia Regents University, 2014).
Needs to Realize my Career Goals
To realize my goals of obtaining a position as a Director of Admissions I must earn a
Masters degree from an accredited institution. Earning a masters degree will only fulfill the
education requirements for the position. Additionally I must possess the characteristics necessary
to be a successful student affairs administrator. (Lovell & Kosten, 2000) research of the
characteristics necessary to be a successful student affairs administrator suggest that a
successful student affairs administrator has skills such as administration, management, and
human facilitation; knowledge of student development theory and functional responsibilities; and
traits of personal integrity and cooperation. Based upon their research the skills studied most,
namely, administration and management (83%) and human facilitation (78%) (e.g., counseling
skills, supervision), appeared to be critical to the success of a student affairs professional
(Lovell & Kosten, p.556). Their research findings are consistent with the skills, knowledge and
identity traits listed in the job qualification and responsibilities of a Director of Admissions job
listings. Similarly are the Association of College Administration Professionals (ACAP) and
National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) professional competencies
areas for student affairs practitioner. Human and Organization Resources, Leadership, Personal
Foundations, Student Learning and Development are ACPA and NASPA professional
competencies areas that I consider relevant and necessary for me to reach my career goals.
In conclusion to be an effective Director of Admissions it requires the ability to
influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the
organization of which they are a members; the deployment and manipulation of resources (e.g. ,

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human, intellectual, financial) to advance institutional or organizational goals, and initiatives;


and facilitation of essential institutional organizational processes to render services and conduct
organizational work within the institution culture and structure (American College Personnel
Association, 2007, p. 13).

References
American College Personnel Association, (2007). Professional Competencies: A Report of the
Steering Committee on Professional Competencies. Washington, DC. : authors.

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Georgia Regents University, (2014), Job listing: Retrieved April 26, 2014, from
http://www.higheredjobs.com/state/details.cfm?JobCode=175886155&Title=Director
%2C%20Admissions .
Lovell, C.D. & Kosten L.A (2000). Skills, Knowledge, and Personal Traits Necessary for
Success as a Student Affairs Administrator: A meta-analysis of thirty years of research.
NASPA Journal, 37(4), 553-569
National Association of Student Personnel Administration, (2014). Retrieved April 25, 2014 from
http://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175660122&Title=Director%20of
%20Admissions%20Recruitment .
National Association for College Admission Counseling, (2014), retrieved from
http://www.nacacnet.org/careercenter/Tools/JobDescriptions/Pages/AssociateDirectorofA
dmissions.aspx.

http://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/Professional_Competencies.pdf

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