Midterm

Reflections

Amanda D. Seals

In October 2015, I transferred from the University System of Georgia (USG) central office in
Atlanta to Kennesaw State University (KSU) located in Cobb County with two vibrant
campuses in the cities of Marietta and Kennesaw. As we say at post consolidation KSU,
Two great institutions, one world-class university. This is the first time in my higher
education career that I have been employed on a college campus. In the few short months
that I have been housed here, I am enjoying the different environment and the feel of a
campus versus a central office.

For the purposes of my practicum, I am working independently on a project for the Office
of the President at Kennesaw State University. My task is to create a new student
ambassador program that will be an arm of the office to use in a myriad of ways. President
Dan Papp has assigned me to work with executive administrator and chief of protocol,
Lynda Johnson, to create the framework for the program on behalf of the university. She is
my mentor for the practicum and carries with her a wealth of knowledge to tap on for the
creation of this program. She has been based in the office of the president at KSU for the
past 32 years. The Office of University Events reports directly to Mrs. Johnson.

Since arriving at KSU, I have worked closely with Mrs. Johnson and Maureen Patton, who is
the Director of University Events. Right away I noticed that these two offices could benefit
from a student ambassador program similar to the types I have interacted with at Georgia
State University, Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia, just to name
a few. My first major event on campus was the October 2015 meeting of the Board of
Regents on the Kennesaw Campus. For me, the lack of student ambassadors to assist in
escorting these VIPs from locations on campus was glaring. In conversations with the both
Johnson and Patton, I learned that prior to consolidation, there was a program at both
Southern Polytechnic State University they helped me in socializing the idea with the
president, hence the development of my practicum.

I have so much admiration for the work these ladies oversee and juggle day after day on
our campus. At this point of the semester, I would rate my experience as a five on a scale of
zero to five, simply because I love the concept of the project and I am enjoying getting to
know these women better. For the longest time I have struggled with where I would like
my career to go next in higher education administration and now I can say I would gladly
follow in either of their footsteps.

Currently, I am completing the evaluation of similar programs already in place at
institutions in the University System of Georgia, and developing the criteria for student
participation in the program. The practicum will deliver a final product that is ready for
implementation at the time the President deems appropriate, which my mentor would like
to propose Fall 2016. Kennesaw State is a recently consolidated institution. Kennesaw
State University once had a similar program that was established in 1984 by former
president, Dr. Betty Siegel. Southern Polytechnic State University also had an ambassador
program that is now dissolved. I am excited to help create a program that the New U will
benefit by having for its student body.

Midterm Reflections

Amanda D. Seals

Since I am in the beginning stages of creating my portfolio, I would say the most practical
application thus far would be Higher Education Administration. Working on a campus is
very different from working in the system office. Even though there are similarities with
positions, the dynamics and structure is much more vast and complex due to the addition
of faculty and students to the mix. Reflecting on that course, the sections on
organizational structures and politics, partnerships and decision makers are proving
most relevant.

At this point of the semester, the biggest eye-opener for me has been the various levels of
bureaucracy that exist on a campus. Even though I have access to the President and
members of his immediate staff, there are layers of turf management that I have to
carefully navigate. As I have been asking questions regarding the history of the former
programs at both KSU and SPSU, I find much hesitation by some to answering my questions
or people wanting to know why I am doing something not because they are curious about
the project but rather because they are paranoid. Post consolidation there are still many
fresh wounds and some faculty and staff appear very cautious of participating in certain
activities or inquiries.

Despite learning my way around campus and who to trust as well as to approach regarding
my project, I have not been completely discouraged. I understand politics extremely well
and it exists everywhere, especially here. Hopefully as my tenure on the campus grows
longer in time, some of these barriers will disappear as faculty and staff get to know and
trust me.

Regarding the administrative philosophy of my mentor and me, we seem fairly well
synched. She is not a micromanager, which I completely appreciate. She is trusting me to
work independently and only come to her when I need assistance. She and I will be
meeting soon so that I may brief her on my progress.

Where she is different from me is in her years of experience in higher education. I would
say that in her role she has pretty much seen everything and has had the opportunity to
learn from the highs and lows on a college campus. She has great stories of different
scenarios that have happened at KSU, which has grown from a small, commuter school to a
33,000+, research three level university.

Currently, I cannot think of an area where I wish I had more content knowledge or skills to
better perform within my practicum experience. Unless more time could be an area, then
I feel good about what I am doing. The hardest part of the practicum for students who
already have a full-time job in higher education is finding another job to do that is not
already part of your performance measures. Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of
splitting my time the way I would like to focus solely on the practicum. There in lies the
crux of being an older student in the workforce, I presume!