E-Portfolio Entry
Activity Name & Description
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The ASI
Programming Graduate Assistants from each of the Cultural Resource Centers are
teamed up to deliver a week-long collaborative event titled, "HEAT
Week." HEAT Week consisted of daily panel discussions about a culturally
relevant topic, followed by lunch receptions in one of the four Cultural
Resource Centers. Faculty speakers and guest speakers from each cultural
background will be selected to participate in each panel discussion. Cultural
Resource Center Graduate Assistants will serve as moderators. The purpose of
this event is to initiate critical conversations around the following issues:
Health & Community, Theory & Education, Social Justice & Advocacy,
and Career & Practice.
Monday: Health & Community: Recognizing Truths and Taboos - Pavilion C at 11:00am
*Lunch will served in the African American Resource Center
Tuesday: Theory & Education: Creating a Space for Diversity – TSU Gabrielino at 11:00am
*Lunch will be served in the Chicano/Chicana Resource Center
Wednesday: Social Justice & Advocacy: The Political Struggle in Underrepresented Communities – Alvarado AB 11:00am
* Lunch will be served in the Asian American & Pacific Islander Resource Center
Thursday: Career & Practice: Moving from the University to the Real World – Tuffree AB 11:00am
* Lunch will be served in the LGBTQ Resource Center
In the Fall Semester of my Graduate Assistantship, my supervisor tasked me to work with a team of ASI Graduate Assistants from four different cultural centers to develop a large-scale event that sought to unite the unique issues and experiences in the centers. This event was supposed to supplement the programming we were already doing in the center as a culmination of ability to program. For this team to implement this project we were able to weekly meet for two-hour sessions, where we were able to brainstorm and plan these events throughout the Fall Semester and through the Spring Semester.
Date/Semester
Monday April 29th, 2013-Thursday May 2nd 2013(Spring Semester)
Learning Domains Addressed
X Leadership
X Social Justice & Advocacy
X Education
X Personal Development
X Social Justice & Advocacy
X Education
X Personal Development
Learning Outcomes
Student will be able
to (SWiBAT) work with a Team of ASI Cultural Center Graduate Assistants to
develop a program that unites all programming centers.
SWiBAT utilize strengths
both as representing a LGBTQ student of Color and paraprofessional leader in
this programming event.
SWiBAT learn more
from first hand accounts of issues and experiences Multicultural students at
CSUF students face from distinguished guests (faculty and those working in the
field) and CSUF students.
Assessment Rubric
Rubric: HEAT
WEEK
SLO #1 – Programmer in a
Collaborative Setting
|
SLO #2 – Utilizing Strengths
from Strengthfubder
|
SLO #3 – Understanding
Issues/Experiences/Needs of Students from Various Cultural Backgrounds
|
|
Advanced
|
I will be able to work with a team of GA’s utilizing 5
different strategizes of programming in order to successfully make this
event a success.
|
I will be able to utilize and identify 5 different strengths
I utilized during the planning stage and the implementation stage of the
HEAT WEEK series.
|
I will be able to learn about several issues facing students
from different backgrounds by both moderating participating in the dialogue
between professionals and students every day in the series.
|
Competent
|
I will be able to work with a team of GA’s utilizing 3
different strategizes of programming in order to successfully make this
event a success.
|
I will be able to utilize and identify 3different strengths I
utilized during the planning stage and the implementation stage of the HEAT
WEEK series.
|
I will be able to learn about three different issues facing
students from different backgrounds by both moderating participating in the
dialogue between professionals and students every day in the series.
|
Basic
|
I will be able to work with a team of GA’s utilizing 2
different strategizes of programming in order to successfully make this
event a success.
|
I will be able to utilize and identify 2 different strengths
I utilized during the planning stage and the implementation stage of the
HEAT WEEK series.
|
I will only be able to learn about two different issues facing
students from different backgrounds by both moderating participating in the
dialogue between professionals and students every day in the series.
|
Poor
|
I will be unable to identify different strategizes of
programming in order to successfully make this event a success.
|
I will be unable to utilize identify any strengths utilized
during the planning stage and the implementation stage of the HEAT WEEK
series.
|
I will be unable to learn anything about the issues facing students in the different cultural
populations.
|
Evidence
For
my first learning outcome, I was able to identify 5 different strategies as a
programmer in a collaborative setting.
Programming Strategies employed:
(1) (Event
Brainstorming) Worked with team of GA’s to develop an overarching themes for
the program. Here, I worked on tying the themes to the individual days. Here,
I exhibited my ability to creatively solve problems and connect what I was
tasked to overall program.
(2) (Marketing
Collaboration) Work with the Associated Students Incorporated/Titan Student
Union Graphic and Marketing department to develop a marketing strategy and
delivery of different initiatives of advertising for the event. Working with
the coordinator of the Marketing Department, I was able to assist in the
creation of our Poster and Handbill design along with creating a press release
that I took back to the GA team to be revised and edited.
(3) (Event
Planning) Assisted in developing an event plan for each day of the event.
Here, I worked with the Graduate Assistant team to develop learning outcomes
for each day as well as a tentative schedule for each day.
(4) (Organization
Skills) Assisted in keeping deadlines and communicating via email to other
Graduate Students.
(5) (Connecting
Theory to Practice) Here, I was able to connect the concept of
intersectionality to the learning outcomes of each event. ‘Intersectionality
refers to the interaction between gender, race, and other categories of
difference in individual lives, social practices, institutional arrangements,
and cultural ideologies and the outcomes of these interactions in terms of
power” (Crenshaw, 1991). Using this theory as over-arching theme for the
program, I wanted to make sure each event created a dialogue around how
different cultural groups were able to navigate how power and create a space
for empowerment and connection between different oppressed groups. Here, I
wanted to create spaces for participants in the dialogue to feel empowered.
Working in a collaborative setting, I was able to share the importance of
creating a dialogue where/how students were able to achieve this sense of empowerment
as a result from participating in this dialogue.
Utilizing my knowledge of my key strengths I wanted to understand how these strengths were used in this project. (Strategic) Here, I used my strength to evaluate “potential obstacles” that our team would potentially face as we developed this program (Rath, 2007). (Empathy and Connectedness) During the event discussions, I was able to employ my strength to understand and feel the different perspectives that were being discussed by the participants (Rath, 2007). (Connectedness) To employ my strength as a connector, I used my role as a “bridge builder for people of different cultures” to unite and articulate the different experiences that were being discussed (Rath, 2007). (Input) Here, I sought to take as many notes as possible regarding the issues and needs of students from these different disciplines/experiences (Rath, 2007). (Ideation) I really sought to utilize the concept of intersectionality throughout programming for the event (Crenshaw, 1991). I felt having this concept, as a backdrop for the event would be an effective guide for what I personally wanted to students as well as myself to understand.
Utilizing my knowledge of my key strengths I wanted to understand how these strengths were used in this project. (Strategic) Here, I used my strength to evaluate “potential obstacles” that our team would potentially face as we developed this program (Rath, 2007). (Empathy and Connectedness) During the event discussions, I was able to employ my strength to understand and feel the different perspectives that were being discussed by the participants (Rath, 2007). (Connectedness) To employ my strength as a connector, I used my role as a “bridge builder for people of different cultures” to unite and articulate the different experiences that were being discussed (Rath, 2007). (Input) Here, I sought to take as many notes as possible regarding the issues and needs of students from these different disciplines/experiences (Rath, 2007). (Ideation) I really sought to utilize the concept of intersectionality throughout programming for the event (Crenshaw, 1991). I felt having this concept, as a backdrop for the event would be an effective guide for what I personally wanted to students as well as myself to understand.
For additional evidence, I listed the
websites and the press release.
Reflection
Upon reflecting on the HEAT week program, I
felt this gave me many experiences as a Student Affairs Practitioner.
Throughout planning and the implementation program, I was able to identify
many ways I can use my abilities and talents in practice. I enjoyed learning
and identifying instances where I am able to use my strengths to inform my
leadership style.
In
my undergraduate career, I have had many different opportunities to display my
expertise as a programmer. From my experience in Residential Life, to acting
as a Student Programmer in my LGBTQ center, this was one of my favorite
chances to be able to work with a team of GA’s. I found this experience
challenging because I am not used to working with others, so this experience
for me meant that I had to step up and step back. I think as a leader and a
collaborator, I have to understand that I can learn just as much by finding
where I am best fit and using my talents when I am needed. I don’t need to take over, I can be
useful in different ways.
I
found it was really impactful to hear student, faculty and guest participants
share their experiences. One particular moment from the series, I remember one
participant mention that cultural leaders are “guardians of the communities”
where we must be purpose driven and mission driven. I want to apply this title
to my role as a facilitator in my future endeavors. Another key quote from the
event ,“you can’t help someone, unless you know them.” As a student affairs
practitioner, I felt this quote really helped me reflect on the individual
student. This really narrowed in to why I’m entering this field, I want to
touch students, but really I want to help one student at a time. If I can help
create a space and provide resources one student at a time, I am creating
change.
References
Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins:
Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review,43(6), 1241–1299. Retrieved from: http://multipleidentitieslgbtq.wiki.westga.edu/file/view/Crenshaw1991.pdf
Rath, T. (2007). Strengths finder 2.0. New York: Gallup Press.
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