1

Common Themes and Comparisons

Emma Stubbe

Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs, Western Carolina University

HESA 684: Internship 2

Dr. April Perry

June 27, 2022

2

Common Themes and Comparisons

Within the Higher Education Student Affairs program, I have spent a majority of my time

gaining new experiences and developing new skills. I spent the first year of the program working

as a Graduate Assistant in the Intercultural Affairs office, where I get to work on programming

centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion, and will continue to work in this office during

my second year in the master’s program. During the spring semester, I interned in Suite 201,

where I was able to advise education students and learn more about curriculum for undergraduate

courses in the College of Education and Allied Professions. Currently, during the summer

session, I have been interning with New Student Orientation, where I have had the opportunity to

interact with and assist incoming new students, and their families, transition into their higher

education experience. In this paper I will highlight my practitioner-based experiences and

analyze common themes within those experiences.

Graduate Assistantship: Intercultural Affairs

 Overview: Assist with departmental programming, advise students and student groups,

and contribute to outreach related to diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus.

 Programs I Contributed To: Project CARE, Cultural Immersion Excursion, WCU Drag

Show, Hats off to Women, Graduation Celebration, J’ouvert, MLK Jr. Celebration Week,

Poverty Simulation, Red Zone, Safe Zone, and ICA Council Programming.

 Supervision Dynamic: My supervisor and I worked great together. She provided a hands-

off supervision style while always making herself available to me when I needed her. I

was provided with constant feedback and communication.

 I advised ICA’s student group, ICA Council, by hosting weekly meetings and managing

any events hosted by ICA Council.

3

 I created and maintained an open-door policy within our office in order to consistently

provide my assistance to undergraduate students.

 Skills Developed: Advising, Active Listening, Project Management, Diversity, Equity,

and Inclusion, and Communication.

 Dislikes: Program Planning and Development – Although I love assisting and attending

ICA’s programs, I am not fond of creating and developing them myself.

Spring Internship: Suite 201

 Overview: Co-facilitate LC 101 Course, including advising three students, and contribute

to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the College of Education and Allied

Professions.

 Supervision Dynamic: I enjoyed the dynamic between my supervisor in Suite 201 and I.

Although Jenny Stewart was more hands-off than Evelyn Rucker (ICA), I felt that my

needs were consistently met with her and we still held great communication. I also

received support through my co-facilitator for LC 101, Tabatha Gillet.

 Experience Highlight: Attended the Equity in Education Summit in Asheville, NC where

I was able to listen to leaders in education in the Asheville area discuss diversity, equity,

and inclusion initiatives within K-12 education.

 Skills Developed: Technology, Advising, and Communication.

 Dislikes: Being restricted to a more academic lens – although I feel this aspect was

beneficial and unique to my experience, I like being able to have more opportunities to

contribute to different parts of holistic development within students.

4

Summer Internship: New Student Orientation

 Overview: Assist with summer (2022) orientation sessions and provide supervision to

undergraduate orientation counselors.

 Supervision Dynamic: Josh Thompson and I have fluid, constant communication between

us. He allowed me to step into my role how I wanted to while still being able to guide me

in the process. He is constantly giving me feedback, which I value.

 Skills Developed: Communication, Adaptability, and Public Speaking.

 Dislikes: Heavily working with parents rather than their children/students – this is not

something I despise, but I still prefer working with undergraduate populations more than

others.

Analysis

Within every placement, I have utilized communication skills and further developed

service-based skills. Since every department I have worked in is a student-facing department,

their goals are similar in that they all wish to serve and support students. It is clear that the staff

within each department cares about their students and this is displayed through acts such as

constant active listening and the desire to help students to the best of their abilities.

I observed two areas in which the departments I have worked in can improve. First, I feel

that departments such as Suite 201 and New Student Orientation can take after departments like

Intercultural Affairs and work harder to include diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives into

their practices. I feel that we are at a pivotal point in time where minoritized groups need support

from education-based departments (as always) – I feel that our society could be majorly

impacted when every department puts diversity, equity, and inclusion at the forefront of their

mission. Initiatives like these are expected from the Intercultural Affairs department, but it
5

should be expected from all departments. Second, I believe that some departments could work on

giving their student staff, and the students that they serve, more grace. Practitioners need to have

a common understanding that students, staff, and faculty alike are all humans that make mistakes

and need to make mistakes in order to learn.

One practice that is common amongst all three placements is open-communication style

within staff – including supervisor and supervisee communication. I am grateful that every

environment I have worked in has been welcoming and wanting to contribute to my

development. Not only have all three of my supervisors succeeded in providing me with the

feedback I wanted and needed, I have also been provided with other staff within each department

who have also offered to guide me. I value the way that each department has treated me, each

other, and the students they serve.