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How to Prepare for a Career in Student Affair

Where Do I Go From Here?
1. Get involved in some area of student affairs as an undergraduate.

Become a Student Staff Mentor
Participate in Freshman Orientation Committee
Work in the Student Activities Office or Counseling Center
Sit on a judicial affairs or student conduct committee
Hold an office in a student organization or in student government

2. Establish contacts or mentor relationships with student affairs professionals or graduate students in a higher education program on your campus. Current supervisors or other staff that you work closely with are more than happy to assist you in your graduate program search.

3. Explore as many areas of student affairs as possible. This will help you to identify more specific areas of interest later on, for example:

Housing and Residence life
Student activities
Counseling
Judicial affairs and student safety
Orientation
Admissions
Career Center
First Year Experience

4. One way to learn about trends and issues in higher education as an undergraduate University of South Carolina student is to read the Chronicle of Higher Education. You can gain access through the university library's journal database.

Visit the library's main page at: http://www.sc.edu/library/tcl.html and click on e-journals in the top menu. *requires student login

5. Research and apply to graduate programs in your field of interest. Typically there are three broad types of graduate programs in this field which often times overlap. There are research based, counseling based, and experience based programs. Each program is unique and may or may not suit your career goals. As mentioned before, an invaluable resource during this process would be a mentor at your undergraduate institution. They know professionals across the country at all types of schools, and can help you determine which type of school and program would best fit your goals.

Search NASPA's Directory of Graduate Preparation Programs
This is a more comprehensive list of graduate programs but less descriptive
Search ACPA's directory of Graduate Preparation Programs
This is a less comprehensive list of graduate programs but more descriptive

6. Obtain a Graduate Assistantship in an area that interests you in student affairs. Each school has their own process for applying for an assistantship. Assistantships can provide a meaningful experience, an environment to apply classroom knowledge, and to help make obtaining a graduate degree more affordable. Assistantships may be offered in most areas of student affairs. Some possibilities may include:

Residence Hall Director
Residence Life Coordinator
Student Activities Coordinator
Graduate Assistant for Orientation

7. Obtain a summer internship. Internships are open to students entering graduate programs, or in the middle of obtaining a graduate degree.

NODA, ACUHO-I, ACPA have large organized internship placement services every spring semester.

8. Attend conferences and workshops for personal and professional development. SCCPA, SACSA, SROW are examples of regional conferences available to undergraduate students interested in a career in student affairs.

9. Join a higher education professional association and get involved in new professional networks.