Zac Zemrock-van der Meer

EDHE 6940
Professional Philosophy
I pursued a bachelor's from Ohio University in Finance at the start of my higher

education career. I chose this path to better understand monetary management and help other

families control their wealth to reduce stress on that family. After working as a Peer Advisor, I

fell in love with supporting students holistically. Working at Ohio University with amazing

colleagues helped guide me to find this love and passion in my life. They constantly put

themselves in the shoes of students and try to understand their perspective. They have supported

my professional growth and development by allowing me to always be involved in the office,

even if I am not working in that direct office, and I push myself to better those around me.

I learned to empathize and communicate in an online setting during the COVID

pandemic. The pandemic has forever changed the landscape of higher education. My goal as a

student affairs professional is to always empathize and put myself in the student's shoes to

understand their perspective, motivation, external and internal pressures, and learning processes

to provide the best support needed for that specific student. In an ever-evolving academic

environment, I want to listen to students and create the best support for them in the current state

of education. I use the strength-based approach in all students facing appointments or events. I

will always try to have unconditional positive regard to strengthen and build confidence in the

student that I am meeting. Being real and relating to student experiences is one of my advising

and supportive style strengths because of the amount of positive feedback that I have received

from the students I have served. My drive, motivation, and purpose to continually grow

personally and professionally is what keeps me invested in the future of higher education. I want

to be able to help support any student I encounter. That means I must learn from every
perspective and professional to understand the different methods of support. I love supporting

students and helping them find their passion but succeed while doing it. I ask questions and get

as much information and resources as possible to better understand my environment and how to

adapt.

I will continue to work and set goals around supporting students in a holistic way. These

goals will help solidify my knowledge and understanding of higher education and how to support

every student on campus. These goals and perspectives align very well with the future job

position I wish to obtain. I am dedicated to supporting students personally and professionally

throughout their higher education career. I would like to follow this passion by applying for

advising positions within Career or Academic offices or work within international programming.

I hope to lead or be a director of a department or programs to create more efficient and effective

methods to support students within the institution.