# data[].attributes.body
After I complete my Master's Degree I would like to go into Student Affairs or Advisor of Student Activities.

1.    Review the college manual of campus procedures and policies.

2.    Learn the history of the university and observe the culture of the university

3.    Do some advance planning

4.    Try to settle into a position before taking on big projects

5.    Don’t be afraid to put your communication skills to use early.

6.    Become comfortable with the university main website

7.    Be prepared to have to think on your feet

# data[].attributes.body
After obtaining my Masters Degree in Higher Education though I do not currently hold a position at an institution I plan to be a part of university life and in the interim of beginning my position as Administrative Assistant Alumni Affairs I would be inclined to give thanks to complete it my degree and obtaining a position in the field.

Sending an introduction email to the current Student Alumni affairs officers.

Avail myself to time allotted for learning student and administration policies that are indicative to my position.

Respecting the current call to actions that are opened and outstanding that would need my immediate attention once I officially begin and any points of contact involved that can assist with a smooth transition of matters.

Familiarizing myself with other leaders on campus their teams and colleagues and how our departments are interconnected.

Revie and and all upcoming events that the SAA may be involved in that I would play a role in once i began.

Review current fiscal year and past budgets as well as any strategic planning protocol that may be implemented.

Take an official tour of the campus to familiarize myself with what new and current students on campus encounter.

Research what groups are active and inactive on campus,

# data[].attributes.body
Once I have completed my Master's Degree I would like to get a position working in student affairs, either as a Director of Student Activities or Dean of Student Affairs. Student Affairs has always been something I have been drawn to since my time as an undergrad. Currently I work in the advancement division so I think that would be a large switch for me, but If its something I am passionate about then it it worth it to me.

Some things I would need to do to make the transition from advancement to student affairs would be:

-Introduce myself to future colleagues and bosses.
-Learn about the the history of the institution and currently policies and procedures they have in place
-Learn about how my office interacts with other departments and what roles they play
-Introduce my self to student organizations such as the student government, greek life, etc. (at my alma mater the Director of Student Activities supervises the student government)
-Draft a message to send out to all student leaders on my first day. Introducing myself and current role
-Create goals and discuss with current colleagues what are the areas of need
-Learn who I will be supervising and how the office currently runs and how/if we can change anything.

In the end this article really pointed me in the right direction once I have obtained a job in student affairs. Although it is some time away, it is always good to get a basic understanding beforehand.

# data[].attributes.body
After I complete my Master's Degree, I will likely a role as a Director of Student Engagement at a medium sized institution. I recently transitioned from a Coordinator to an Assistant Director of Leadership Development and reading this article shed a lot of light on the things I neglected to do to prepare for my current role. Working in student affairs instead of academic affairs I would need to slightly morphe some of the steps from the article.
- Introduce myself to my future colleagues
-Introduce myself to large student organization governing bodies such as SGA, Greek Council, and Programming Board.
-Read up on the campus climate through the student newspaper
-Request and review and recent student needs assessments
-Review Student Engagement Policies
-Learn about the student groups programs through  social media
-Draft a message to send out to all student leaders my first day
-Schedule meetings with campus partners to get to know them in my first weeks.

# data[].attributes.body
Since I don't currently work within an institution of higher education at the moment, I understand that I will have to work my way on up. After I have completed my Master's Degree my intentions are to obtain a position within Student Affairs, but eventually, in the future I would like to become a Dean of Academic and Student Affairs.  Perlmutter (2018) article was very insightful as it highlighted many key things to-do before and after one is offered a position. It also has provided a map in some sense of how to prepare for my future role. Some of the things mentioned which I would have to do before starting are as follows:

1) Make sure my personal values, morals and ethics align with those of the institutional mission and goals. As well as getting a feel for the culture both within the department and the campus environment to make sure I'm a fit for the organization.

2) Familiarize myself with the institution in regards to the origins (history), how things are operated, the politics, and  policies currently in place, as well as timelines for my particular unit, and any challenges currently being faced by my unit and institution as a whole.

3) Understand my role and responsibilities as they pertain to my position as well as my  interactions with others.

4) Introduce myself to my colleagues as well as other neighboring departments my unit happens to collaborate with in order to understand what is needed from me and my expectations from others.

5) Create and establish positive working relationships by learning more about colleagues, key influencers, donors etc.

6) Learn the logistics of my particular unit in order to plan ahead.

7) After a few years of experience establish a plan for personal/developmental goals as well as improvements and changes to implement.

# data[].attributes.body
After I complete my Master's Degree I would like to continue working in Residence Life as a Residence Director at a larger institution with a large on campus residential student population. In this position there are many things that I would be responsible for, so getting started early as "Administration 101, The Work Starts Before You Start" suggests. Some of these tasks include the following:
1. Gain an understanding and feel for of University officials, policies, procedures, the campus environment etc.
2. Introduce myself to my colleagues, fellow staff other departments, etc.
3. Learn the responsibilities and tasks associated with my position and how my position interacts with other departments, student organizations, and campus life
4. Introduce myself to the staff I will be supervising and get to know them through different interactions. Find ways to learn what the staff needs/wants in a supervisor and set expectations for my staff
5. Prep an introduction to the students that will be living in the building(s) that I will be supervising
6. Learn how the department runs things specific to my area, such as keys, RCRs, programs, educational conversations, etc.
7. Find some target goals for the semester and make an outline or plan on how I can meet these goals through deadlines, due dates, etc.

This article helped me think about some of the future aspects of the position and why getting ahead is important. Thinking about what needs to get done and having everything well thought out or started will assist in the transition during the first few weeks or months in the role.

# data[].attributes.body
It took me some time to figure out what I want to pursue in grad school. I wanted something different than what I do now and thought of it as a Plan B just in case this is not something I want to do for the rest of my working career. All of that has changed when it came to perspective how much I really  love what I do. Once I have obtained my Master’s Degree, I aspire to become a Dean or Director of Financial Aid and I would love to stay in the same institution I currently work for now. As mentioned on the article, “ You may think you don’t need to do anything on this front because you are already a part of the campus culture. Perhaps you were an inside candidate, or the institution is your alma mater. Don’t be too sure your indigenous status will make the new position simple”. I like to believe this statement is true. I know as you make your way up, the harder and tougher your responsibilities get. It does not mean just because I have been for working for this  institution for certain amount years, transitioning to such position will be easy.  Listed below are some of the things I came up with should I become the new Dean/Director of Financial Aid.

1. Will study and learn more about Federal Regulations as it will be my job to make sure we are always in compliance. Knowing about these regulations are really vital when you hold this position.

2. Set up a meeting with the current staff of my department and have an open conversation of what they expect from me and vice versa. I don’t expect for everyone to be so welcoming about this change so with this meeting, I intend to know how my staff feel about it and let them know I am here for them.

3. Meet with the other deparment heads and their staff to introduce myself with my new role and familiarize myself with what they do so it is easier to build camaraderie as we all work for one institution.

4. Attend upcoming conferences available prior to my start date to broaden my knowledge and network as it is  pivotal in running my department.

5. Learn about the hierarchy of the whole  organization and the function of each department from custodians all the way to the President.

6. Create a survey and hand them out to my team on my first day to know about the things that work well in the department, things we should improve and challenges we need to overcome.

This article has helped me envision my future and things I need to know when I move up the ladder. As I work closely with my Director, she has become a great mentor and an amazing role model. She opened up possibilities for me I did not know I will eventually love. Working here and working for her, is what really pushed me to pursue Grad school. When I graduate, whether it is here or another institution, I only strive to become as good as her if not better.

# data[].attributes.body
After Obtaining my Master's Degree in Higher Education, I plan to continue my pursuit in perfecting my craft. With being the Assistant Director of Admissions at Saint Peter's University and currently being enrolled in this program has definitely allowed me to gain clarity of the overall end goal I would like to achieve. With that potentially being the Dean of Enrollment Management at a Historically Black College/University.

A few steps I would take prior to starting that role would be the following:

1. Research and learn the history and culture of the College/University .
2. Introduce myself to each and every single person I will be communicating with and reporting to on a daily/weekly basis. Even getting to know the campus family and students.
3. Familiarizing myself and memorizing the College manual of campus operating procedures, financial reports, and strategic recruitment.
4.Draft strategies and division-wide initiatives that effectively support the recruitment and retention of a diverse and inclusive student body in a manner that complements the College's culture and core values.
5. Collaborate with campus deans and other academic leaders to produce short- and long-term enrollment goals and effective recruitment strategies aimed to increase enrollment opportunities in targeted programs.
6. Attend all required board meetings/faculty meetings to keep in the loop of campus camaraderie.

# data[].attributes.body
Once I've completed my Master's Degree, I would love to find a role as a Greek Life director. According to "Administration 101, The Work Starts Before You Start," it is important to get started ahead of time. Some of the tasks I would need to complete before I start working would be:

--Introduce myself to my future superiors, colleagues, staff, etc.
--Get to know the campus culture
--Learn about opportunities for inter-department collaboration and programming
--Find out what the guidelines and requirements are for the students
--Take the time to learn about each organization represented on campus
--Speak to my predecessor, students, and department staff about challenges that they're facing
--Start drafting up a plan for what improvements or changes I would like to make during my time in the position
--Find out what deadlines I'll have to meet throughout the semester and start planning ahead to meet them.

Overall, reading the article highlighted that no matter how far away your start date is, it's never to early to figure out how you will approach the position. The cited "fit" as a reason that academic leaders fail. Communicating with your new colleagues is important. You can learn about your new position while you start building a rapport with your new co-workers, which can lead to success.