Utah State University is launching a professional development training series for Statewide Campus directors and others. The pilot program is a professional development series designed to explore the common set of professional competency areas for student affairs professionals and leaders.
“We are very excited about this pilot series,” said James Y. Taylor, vice president for Statewide Campuses. “USU is always looking for ways to help our employees grow, and this series will allow our Statewide leaders to do just that. We hope this series can be a success and eventually expand to benefit more and more people as we look to develop and retain leaders.”
The 10-month program began in June and will go until March, with participants meeting monthly. The program will be led by Andrea Hunt, assistant vice president for Statewide Campuses, alongside Priscilla Arungwa, director of student services at USU Blanding.
“This professional development series is centered around student success,” Hunt said. “We have excellent professionals working on behalf of students in every unit of the institution in Logan and at every Statewide campus. When you bring professionals together into a community of practice, you create a meaningful experience structured around the sharing of ideas, self-reflection, and collaboration that empowers individuals to magnify their impact across the institution.”
The series, titled the “Directors’ Professional Competencies Series” will also include guest presenters, who will join to engage in the conversation. Participants will explore the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) and Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) professional competencies, review current events and case studies in higher education, and meet with peers to deepen their understanding of the value the competencies add to their day-to-day work.
This series is designed to:
- Increase awareness of the ACPA & NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators including law, policy and governance, leadership, student learning and development, assessment, evaluation and research, and others, and the value of the competencies to one’s role.
- Identify competency areas of strengths and weakness within one’s role and develop opportunities to address each.
- Increase connection to internal and external networks of support and resources within the community of practice.
“Professional competencies ground us to the value and purpose of our roles as higher education professionals,” Hunt said. “They are a roadmap that defines the knowledge, skills, and abilities we strive to master across our professional lifespan, and they are a hallmark of the commitment to a continuous process of learning and practice.”
The series began on June 12, 2024, with a presentation by Karnell McConnell-Black, vice president for student life at Reed College. The series will continue through March 2025.
For more information on the series and to become a participant, contact Priscilla Arungwa (priscilla.arungwa@usu.edu).
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