Running head: IMPLICATIONS Learning Outcome Narrative: Implications for Professional Practice Alexa Forster Seattle University April 10, 2015

IMPLICATIONS 1 Integrative Theme

The integrative theme that best represents the implications for my professional practice

is leadership through a socially just lens. Looking at my strengths and areas of growth

articulated in my other narratives, I felt as though viewing my future leadership and

professional identity through a social justice lens will allow me to serve the students that I work

with in the best way possible. As we see our student bodies become more diverse every year, it

is imperative that I continue my work as a socially just leader. To do this, I must first continue

self-exploration to understand my salient identities and how I present myself as a leader and a

professional. I must also encourage my future students to do the same. I also want to push

students to not only to find passion in their work, but also to strive to be outstanding and

responsible citizens. After all, we are talking about our future generations. Socially just also

encompasses my desire to be of sound ethical integrity and have my values serve at the center

of my work. A professional ethics grounded in an ethic of care for students holistic welfare

emphasizes that the well-being and development of every student are a central purpose of

professional practice (Dalton, Crosby, Valente & Eberhardt, 2009).

Learning Outcome Dimensions

Learning Outcomes 3 & 4: Artifacts B, C1, C3, E, & I

In looking at which learning outcomes best articulated my desire to be a socially just

leader and a professional who values ethical integrity, the two that come into focus are learning

outcomes 3 and 4.

Learning outcome 3, exhibiting professional integrity and ethical leadership in

professional practice, is at the core of my implications for professional practice. The dimensions

IMPLICATIONS 2 of this learning outcome that I have identified as being important to my future work in the

student affairs field are (1) having a basic understanding of right versus wrong, (2) having a

clearly defined set of personal values that I abide by, and (3) understanding appropriate times

to seek additional support when experiencing ethical dilemmas. The artifacts that I have chosen

to represent these dimensions are C3: my leadership philosophy paper and I: my 5-year

professional development plan.

Learning outcome 4, understanding and fostering diversity, justice, and a sustainable

world formed by a global perspective and Jesuit Catholic tradition, is very clearly tied to my

implications for future practice in the field. I want to strive to not only foster my own cultural

responsiveness and diversity, justice, and sustainability, but also do the same for my students.

The three dimensions of this learning outcome that speak to my intentions as a professional are

(1) fostering my personal identity and the identity of diverse others, (2) integrating Jesuit

catholic education principles at a large public institution, and (3) developing responsible

citizens. The artifacts that best articulate this outcome are B: my professional mission

statement, C1: my theory synthesis paper, and E: my presentation on gender identity and

trans* students at the University of Washington.

Past

To be honest, social justice and being an ethically minded leader were not things I

thought about prior to entering this program. Growing up in an affluent town and identifying in

many ways with the majority, I had the privilege to not think about oppression and social

justice. I have always considered my ability to decipher right versus wrong, but did not think as

to how this would play into my identity as a professional.

IMPLICATIONS 3 Present

I was able to explore both of these learning outcomes in a significant way while in the

SDA program. As discussed in my narrative on areas of growth, I gained a tremendous amount

of knowledge in several courses including SDA 578, EDUC 515, and EDUC 520. Specifically in

SDA 578, I was asked to name and discuss my own privilege and discussed this and racial

identity in Artifact C1. I had the opportunity to foster dialogue around diversity with the

presentation represented in Artifact E. SDAD 577 and EDAD 570 served me particularly well in

flushing out my professional code of ethics. As written in Artifact C3, effective leaders must

possess a clear set of ethical standards which can be communicated and understood (Brown,

2006, p.8). I challenged myself to establish a code of ethics to be the foundation of my identity

as a leader. I will say that I do not necessarily feel as though I have faced an ethical dilemma

that has tested my values system either in my course work or in my capacity as a Housing

professional. Towards the end of my graduate experience, I created Artifact B, which will serve

as the establishment of my professional mission which embodies both of these learning

outcomes.

Future

In regards to social justice and working to challenge students to excel not only as

students, but as world citizens, these are practices that I want to be at the center of my

professional work. I want to challenge students to think critically about what they are learning

in the classroom and have the skills to make meaning of the knowledge they are acquiring.

According to Jesuit tradition, it is not just about students gaining knowledge, but what they do

with that knowledge that is of the utmost importance. With regards to ethics, I think once I am

IMPLICATIONS 4 challenged with an ethical dilemma is when I will discover how truly strong my values are

rooted. I think preparing to face difficult decisions is important and knowing, when they do

arise, when to seek the support of others to make an ethically sound decision is vital.

References

Dalton, J.C., Crosby, P.C., Valente, A., & Eberhardt, D. (2009). Maintaining and modeling

everyday ethics in student affairs. In McClellan and Stringer (Eds.). The Handbook of

Student Affairs Administration, 166 186.

Brown, D.G. (Ed.). (2006). University presidents as moral leaders. Westport, CT: American

Council on Education and Praeger. Series on Higher Education.