Running head: PERSONAL STATEMENT

Personal Statement and Professional Philosophy

Deryka C. Nairne
The University of Vermont

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Opening Thoughts

Why am I here, in this field, in this journey? This is a question I constantly ask myself.
I am confident the student affairs profession is my true calling in this life. I believe I hold both
the ability to create inclusive and engaged spaces as we well as connect with students in a
relational approach. Through story and experience sharing, I navigate this field authentically and
vulnerably. I am fully confident it lends to my strength as a professional.
My Philosophy
I believe that in order to truly help students, one must engage with them early on, and
consistently motivate them throughout their collegiate career. If students receive that support
during the midst of their transition, their future success increases tenfold. I believe that I have the
ability to help change students positively. I plan to actively remind myself of the critical place
that students are in when they first enter college so that I can tailor my actions properly.
My philosophy is multifaceted, however, it all leads back to support of the whole
individual. It is comprised of encouraging and supporting reflective experience, story-sharing,
authenticity, and social justice education. Each of these facet holds a great amount of influence
on my professional work.
The Invisible Tightrope
Each time we encourage our students to go outside of their comfort zone, it is as if they
are on an invisible tightrope. When we urge them to cross that tightrope through challenge, at
times it will be gentle and other times it will require a stronger push. With each step that they
take, student affairs professionals need to ensure that there is a net waiting to catch them and a
ladder of people that are willing to help them climb to the top again. The power to help the

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students transform their lives lies within the hands of the professional and that is not a job that
one should take lightly. We have the resources to provide an avenue the students can navigate
during their collegiate journey.
Learning occurs when people have the courage to step outside of their comfort zone.
When they first enter college, students understandably tend to operate within the confines of
comfort. Conversely, some students come prepared to operate outside of their boundaries. What
about the students who are afraid? Students who, like me in my first year of college, fear failure
more than they would care to admit in a new setting. These students need to be equally
challenged and supported and student affairs professionals are the people who can provide this
service. I recall supervisors asking me to complete tasks that I was not sure I would be able to
do. I wondered why I was being asked when my hesitancy was apparent. While completing these
tasks, I was greatly supported and encouraged to take my skills to the next level. Even though
there were times I despised the idea of speaking in front of a crowd or mingling with a group of
students that I did not know at orientation, I knew that there was a network of people rooting for
me and ready to support me. This gave me the confidence to break the shackles of my Im not
good enough mindset. I recognize and agree with the reasoning behind past supervisors actions
and now is the time for me to implement it within my work as a student affairs professional.
A quote by my favorite author, Ellen Hopkins, exemplifies my view on challenging and
supporting students. In one of her books, she writes, Change doesnt come without invitation.
You wont discover it in routine. And you wont create an all-new and better you if you wait for
someone else to give you permission. Transformation beginsand endsinside of you
(Hopkins, 2011, p. 385). We have the pleasure and ability to help nurture this change.

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Ultimately, yes, the first step off of the platform and onto the tightrope is theirs. It is then our job
to help them across once we see them taking that initiative.
Connection through Story
If there is anything I have learned through my journey, it is the power of story. The
vulnerability and ability to share pieces of oneself is an act one should not take lightly. Over the
last year and a half, I have shared my story with a large variety of individuals. I have found, each
time, there is insight and growth. It is sad that individuals have moved away from the sweetness
of story. It is my hope that more and more people see the greatness and need of it. Ones story is
one of the few things they own outright. It is an aspect of the self that no one else can have. It is,
ultimately, ones own choice to share or withhold that piece of themselves. All too often,
professionals navigate their days inquiring a simple how are you? as they pass others without
truly wanting to engage. It is a nicety. A conditioned question and answer in the day to day
hustle and bustle. How are you? Good, you? Good. From there, individuals continue
about their lives. What about the potential story one might have that is bubbling up in them?
What if their good is a thin veneer masking their current struggles? I strongly believe that
student affairs professionals need to learn how to listen to one another more deeply. With factors
such as technology and decreased face to face interaction, we are losing the critical component of
connection: engaging with one another.
When a student enters a college campus, they carry a story with them. In that story, there
is likely pain, hope, happiness, sadness, triumph, failure, and a whole mix of other emotions.
Whatever it may be, let them tell their story. My philosophy is that student affairs professionals
should truly listen to the story of the student leader they meet with weekly. We should also share
our story with them and show we are more than staff and they are more than student. I believe

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we professionals need to transcend those invisible boundaries which can hinder connection
between supervisor and supervisee. We must be human with them and sit down and truly engage.
Helping students find their voice is a critical takeaway from my story. Traditional
college-age students generally receive messages about who to be, what to do, and how to
navigate life. This may be satisfactory for some but not for all. Others find themselves seeking
out their own voice. When students first enter a college campus, they tend to experience
dissonance due to the fact they are in an entirely new transition. This is when they need to find
their own voice. College is their time to shape who they want to be without spending a majority
of their time under their guardians. For some, this is an easy task. For others? Not so much.
Authenticity and Vulnerability
Another facet of my philosophy involves the power that I find within vulnerability. I was
introduced to this concept when I first watched Dr. Bren Browns TEDTalk. She believes
vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity
(Brown, 2012). This concept is foreign to many who believe that vulnerability is weakness. This
is a prevailing belief within society and one that is difficult to counteract. The population holding
this belief accounts for a large amount of the students I will work with presently and in the
future. With each student I encounter, I try to be as vulnerable and transparent with them as
possible. Another facet of vulnerability is connection. Brown states Connection is why were
here. We are hard-wired to connect with others, its what gives us purpose and meaning to our
lives, and without it there is suffering (Brown, 2012).
Another aspect of Browns philosophy that I plan to emulate focuses on the courage to be
authentic and its effects on connectedness. She states, Courage starts with showing up and
letting ourselves be seen (Brown, 2012). If I show up in a space with a student transparently and

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honestly, I have the chance to build an authentic relationship with them. Brown posits that if one
has the courage to allow themselves to be fully seen, they will be able to fully engage with
another person. It is important for professionals to lead by example and allow that transparency.
If professionals dare to model this concept, students will feel more comfortable when we ask the
same of them. Students show up in a space with their personal experiences and assumptions and
it is vital to acknowledge them and work within the confines of my experiences along with
theirs. This is how we professionals can form genuine connections. The last aspect I will emulate
involves awareness of the whole person. It is important to view students as whole people. We
must take into account every piece of the person. Brown eloquently stated, What we know
matters but who we are matters more (Brown, 2012). Yes, the knowledge that they hold is
important but their whole person is an even more important piece to focus on. Students are more
than the classes they take and the positions that they hold on campus. I wish to instill the practice
of vulnerability, the value of connection, and the significance of the view of the whole person
into my work as a professional.
Social Justice Education
Helen Keller once expressed, Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with a
sense of responsibility for each others welfare, social justice can never be attained. This quote
strongly resonates with my passion incorporate social justice education into my professional
work. It is imperative that knowledge-holders distribute their knowledge. College students are in
a time where they are likely experiencing more difference than expected. Social identities
become more apparent as they interact with different people around their campus. Professionals
who are also social justice educators are essential to aid with this aspect of their transition.

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Ways to Further Myself as a Professional

My growth as a professional can only be furthered by intentional efforts to connect with
different resources. The first method will be researching and joining the Center for Courage and
Renewal. They can provide me with training to create intentional and reflective spaces. It would
also allow me the chance to connect my passion for reflection and my professional life. They
have trainings and programs surrounding authentic and trustworthy leadership as well as retreats
for renewal and courage. I have found my niche in the field and it involves these mindful,
reflective practices. I am confident seeking out their programs will benefit me greatly.
I would also like to seek out more Restorative Justice and Practices training. I would
reach out to the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) and find ways to become
certified within the model. I currently work with Restorative Practices and I know it is a vital and
useful tool for building community. Not only does it build community, it helps to repair harm
and fosters positive community relations. This lends to the type of spaces I would like to create
as a professional.
Lastly, I believe attending the Social Justice Training Institute (SJTI) will help further my
skills as a social justice educator. These trainings are designed to give participants the
opportunity to engage with each other about their social justice journeys. I believe it would be an
experience that would push me to learn different ways to approach my work. In order to
continually create inclusive spaces, I must challenge myself as an educator. It will lend to my
own personal social justice journey and, in turn, enrich my professional work.
Goals for my Professional Journey

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At this exciting time in my student affairs journey, I cannot help but think about the many
possibilities and opportunities to come. My biggest goal is to be happy and satisfied with my
surroundings, personally and professionally. This simple notion trickles into many facets of my
work. I have noticed I am happiest when I am truly able to engage through listening to
experiences and stories. That being said, my first goal is to seek spaces where I can engage in
this way. As I research the different places I would like to work next, I am careful to look at the
ways professionals connect with the students and each other. Another goal ties into my
professional development. As I mentioned, I would like to do more work with Restorative
Practices. I believe becoming certified to train others in this model would be highly beneficial to
myself and my career. Restorative practices is still finding its place in higher education. Holding
the skills to introduce it and institute it into practice is powerful and I want to bring it along with
me.
Another goal involves the type of institution in which I will work. My goal is to be at a
smaller (<5,000 students) institution. In my experience, these smaller campuses lead to stronger
connections and more opportunities to engage with students. My undergraduate institution, Hood
College, is a small institution and I am positive the close-knit community gave me the
confidence to get involved and push myself. I do not hold the expectation that these connections
happen at every institution. However, I do expect wherever I go, the relational approach I hold
makes it easier to happen.
Lastly, I would like to begin researching the experiences of spiritual or religious queer
women of color in higher education. My experiences have been largely shaped by this narrative
of mine and I would love to seek our more knowledge or even generate some for the field. Even
if it is as small as creating a community of colleagues across the country who hold this similar

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affinity. I believe it would help me focus on my own story but also give voice to others who may
not have the chance to use theirs as much.
Closing Thoughts
It is my personal and professional mission to create inclusive spaces, engage
authentically, and work directly alongside students. Throughout my graduate work, my
philosophy has shifted in different ways. In these shifts, one facet has remained the same:
students are at the center of my drive. Though I may approach the work in different ways as I
grow and change, I am fully confident students will always remain at the center of my work.
Connecting with and creating connections for students gives me the energy to continue and to
navigate this field. The person and professional who types these words will change and grow but,
at her center, these student-centered tenets and ideologies will remain the same.

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References

Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live,
love, parent, and lead. (1 ed.). New York, NY: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Hopkins, E. (2011). Perfect. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Jones, S.R. & Abes, E.S. (2011). The nature and uses of theory. In S. R. Komives, D. B.
Woodard, Jr. (Eds.), Student services: A handbook for the profession (5th ed.; pp. 149167). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.