Interview Placement Recap!

Posted on February 25, 2011 by jesse_hines

Last week many of you were able to come to campus and attend Interview Placement.  In just two short days you accomplished so much…

  • Met 20 other potential new students
  • Met both cohorts of current HESA students
  • Met all HESA professors
  • Heard from Dr. Sriram about why you should attend Baylor’s HESA program (“because its neato”)
  • Took a campus tour
  • Had a great dinner at a Waco original
  • Enjoyed Common Grounds coffee with HESA-GSA
  • Met potential supervisors
  • Heard from current students about academic life, social life, and life in general at Baylor
  • Heard about academic integration in your apprenticeship
  • Had an amazing Dr Pepper Float
  • Oh yeah… you had the opportunity to interview for some amazing apprenticeships!

Whew.  : )  It was a great Interview Placement!  You were able to see our campus, meet our people, chat with us, have a few interviews, and hopefully you gained an idea of what the Baylor HESA program is really all about. 

Let me speak for my HESA friends and say it was SUCH a great time meeting with you all last week.  We enjoyed getting to know you and hear your stories.  We are excited for each and every one of you as you discover what your next step will be. 

We are praying for you, cheering for you, and we are still here for you if you have any questions or conerns.  Feel free to contact your HESA host or email me directly (Jesse_Hines@baylor.edu) with any question, big or small.

Excited for you! 

Sic ‘em,

Jesse

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Don’t forget a toothbrush and a suit ☺…

Posted on February 17, 2011 by jenny_shearer

As you all pack and prepare, remember to breathe. You have worked hard for this moment and that work has paid off… YOU are coming to visit Baylor University and check out the Higher Education and Student Affairs Masters program!!

Needless to say you are not the only ones who are excited and anxious about tomorrow and Friday. We are all quite (to put it mildly) excited to have the opportunity to meet you all.

Enjoy the moment, embrace the people you get to meet, and put your best foot forward.

We will see you tomorrow…

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Add… 2 cups of passion.

Posted on February 9, 2011 by jenny_shearer

As I have thought about what I have appreciated and learned up to this point in my graduate school experience at Baylor, the word that came to mind was passion. According to Merriam Webster Online, passion is a driving feeling or conviction. There are two different areas where I have been able to learn about what it means to have a passion for a profession.

Within the cohort, the thirteen of us are not all passionate about the same thing. Yes, we are all studying Higher Education and Student Affairs, but we all care about different populations and areas within higher education. There are those of us who care about the experiences of minority and international students on our campus. Others are interested in athletics. Some are passionate about helping students find their calling, working with medical students, helping facilitate faculty and student interaction, emphasizing the study abroad experience, helping students be prepared for life after graduation, working with greek life students… The list could go on and on, but hopefully you can see the picture.

Because I am in a cohort with people who have different backgrounds and experiences, I am brought into discussions on topics that I did not formerly know about. As we learned in class about the cybernetic institution (don’t worry, you will learn all about it) with the system of competing demands, I have seen the beauty of what it means to be a part of university that has the privilege of “educat[ing] men and women for world wide leadership and service” (part of Baylor University’s Mission Statement).

I have also learned about passion from the student and the professional staff that I work with. My apprenticeship is with Campus Living and Learning and I am a Graduate Hall Director for apartments. I work with a staff of twelve Community Leaders (CLs, a position like RAs at other schools), another graduate student and a full time professional director.

From my apprenticeship I have learned practically how to live out my passion for college students. As I interact with Baylor University students and staff I am excited about the contributions they are making to Baylor University. As students work through their courses and are challenged by their professors, I have the opportunity to continue their education beyond the classroom. Through the opportunity to have apprenticeships and to participate in practicum experiences, HESA graduate students can learn about different areas of passion in student life from those that we work with and for.

Get ready to be introduced to more of why we are passionate about Higher Education and Student Affairs at Baylor University,

See you all next week!!

~Jenny

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And now for a weather update…

Posted on February 8, 2011 by jesse_hines

Okay, so last week something amazing happened.

Baylor had a snow day.

That’s right – a SNOW day!  In Waco, TX! 

Check out the campus slideshow of the beautiful snow that covered Baylor for a day. 

http://www2.baylor.edu/baylorproud/2011/02/pictures-from-baylor-snow-day-2011/

And even though we don’t have class on Fridays, it was still a great snow day for us HESA folk as well! 

Sic ‘em snow!

Jesse

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Strengths

Posted on January 30, 2011 by laura_herrell

One of my favorite things about Baylor is its use of StrengthsQuest, a program designed to emphasize people’s strengths.  There are 34 possible strengths that could end up in your top five, and they are very telling of who you are.  I remember taking the StrengthsFinder at the end of my senior year of college before Baylor’s interview placement, but I did not quite understand the impact it would have on how I view life and student development.  The program takes a positive view of people, which is probably part of why I’m so attracted to it (my top strength is Positivity!).  This is not to say that weaknesses are ignored—in fact, I’ve discussed and witnessed the “shadow side” of strengths.  However, I believe choosing to focus on strengths instead of weaknesses is an important approach to development that StrengthsQuest takes.

My top five are Positivity, Connectedness, WOO (winning others over), Adaptability, and Developer.  (But I have the chance to take the assessment again—we’ll see if they stay the same!) After reading the descriptions of these strengths, I began to see instances of how they manifested in my life.  Let’s be honest—I was a psychology major as an undergraduate, so I’ve always been intrigued by personality tests.  But throughout my time at Baylor, I have become especially fascinated with StrengthsQuest.  The division of Student Life uses it quite often, and my cohort has used it in classes as well.

Furthermore, my cohort enjoys “strengths profiling”—we often point out when we see each other’s strengths influencing our behavior.  I often get called out for my Positivity strength when I am cheerful and optimistic about something others might complain about.  One cohort member’s top strength is Belief, so we often comment on this strength when she is especially opinionated on an issue.  Another’s is Responsibility, so when she feels she has to do things that are not within her realm of responsibility, we rein her in and show her that she can only take on so much.

At Baylor, I’ve done a lot of work with strengths.  I gather the strengths of each incoming cohort, have given presentations on strengths to students who attend Baylor Line Camp, and currently serve on the Strengths and Calling Work Team within the division of Student Life.  All of these experiences have taught me more about strengths, and I hope that I can use that knowledge in my professional life.  If the next institution I go to does not utilize the StrengthsQuest, I hope to pass on the knowledge and passion I have for the subject to that campus.  I encourage you to explore the StrengthsQuest program as much as you can, and hopefully it will mean as much to you as it has to me!

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Making an impact before I even get my degree!

Posted on January 29, 2011 by jonathan_abernathy

When I started in the HESA program in the Fall of 2009, I couldn’t wait to get my degree and have a positive impact on students. During my own undergraduate career, student affairs professionals had played some of the biggest roles in the transformational process I call my “college experience”. In fact, in the last year at my university, a staff member noticed that I was confused about my vocational goals and offered me an internship to get some experience in a college setting. Over the next couple months I fell in love with Higher Education in a whole new way. That being said, I chose Baylor so that I could have the same positive impact on students. When I arrived at Baylor I never expected to have such an impact right away!
The HESA program integrates what we learn in our apprenticeships with what we are taught in the classroom. Within the first week of the program I was able to make connections between both settings! I would learn about student development theory and put it into practice at work the same day. Within weeks I began to befriend students at the university and see how my new role gave me a voice to speak encouragement into their lives. Over the past year and a half, I have formed friendships with students and seen lives transformed. Even today, I was working with a student and setting a new study schedule. After about half an hour of getting to know each other and setting semester goals, the student sat back. I asked if there was anything else that we needed to cover for the week. In the next moment I was reminded why I chose this profession. The student looked at me and said, “thank you, no one else cares how I do in school”. In the HESA program you will have the opportunity to change lives, to encourage others, and support students during some of the most revolutionary years of their life. The best part is that your new role starts the first day you are on campus.

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The Cohort Model-Gotta love it

Posted on January 25, 2011 by meghan_williams

The cohort model is amazing and one of the aspects of the program that brought me to Baylor.  Within 2 years, you become very close with a group of people, so much as that it is VERY difficult in the last semester to tell them something new about yourself.  The 2nd year cohort has understood this “personal closeness” phenomenon for the last 6 months as we have began to finish each others’ sentences.

I would like to give an example of this cohort model closeness if I could.  Yesterday, the 2nd year cohort had statistics in the afternoon.  While statistics is an important class, it isn’t the most discussion based class.  However, for the first 20 minutes, our faculty member was having computer problems so we all chatted.  Ida sat next to me and came in saying “I feel like I haven’t seen everyone in forever.” (It is unusual for us to go 3 days without seeing someone from the cohort. Weird, I know.)  We then proceeded to just have a random conversation that bounced from table to table and to person to person without rhyme or reason.  Kerri catching us up on her weekend in Nashville; Jon talking to us about being married; BJ recounting a funny class story.  We all just didn’t stop talking for 20 minutes which I think is very interesting and very telling of this program.

You get to know your cohort.  You get to know the cohort that graduated before you and the one that will graduate after you but nothing like you get to know your own cohort.  You get to know your professors and your supervisors too-they become your mentor and support network.  I guess what I’m trying to say is that the Baylor HESA program is like a family with our unique collaboration of people that all come together to make it work.  It is seemless and unique experience intertwined into this 2 year program that shapes its members for years to come.

So, come to Baylor and become a member of our program (a.k.a family)!

Cheers,

Meghan

Posted in Baylor HESA, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Choosing a Graduate Program is a BIG Decision

Posted on January 21, 2011 by paige_jackson

In my cohort we have had a variety of undergraduate experiences. Several of my peers attended Baylor as an undergrad. Quite a few of my classmates went to small colleges and universities. And 3 of us went to SEC schools (I am a proud alumna of The University of Georgia). Despite all of these different backgrounds, we all chose Baylor to pursue our Master’s degrees. Furthermore, in a very short time, each of us has been able to find our niche at Baylor. This makes me confident that we all made the right decision when choosing which graduate school to attend.

When I was considering graduate programs, I took comfort in knowing that I had only applied to “good schools” and no matter where I ended up I would receive a quality education. But even so, the choice seemed daunting at times and I could not help but to wonder if I would make the right decision. Looking back a year later I am 100% sure that I did indeed make the right choice. And because I am feeling generous I have prepared my very own list of ten things that will aid you in making a decision that is right for you.

Paige’s Graduate School Selection Top 10
1. Learn as much as you can about each of the programs you are considering.
2. Make a list of what is important to you in your educational pursuit & see how each program is compatible to that list.
3. Look at other parts of the schools’ websites – not just the program page!
4. If you get an opportunity to talk to former and/or current students of the program, make sure you take advantage of the situation. Ask questions!
5. Consider personal factors such as distance from home, faith, finances, etc.
6. Explore the city. After all, it will be “home” for the next 2 years.
7. Try to meet some of the other prospective students – they may be your future classmates.
8. Have an open mind.
9. Pray and ask God for guidance.
10. In the end, make a decision and have faith that it is the right decision for you.

Conveniently for you, I made this post before you all come visit campus in a few weeks! Take advantage of the opportunity you have to really engage during that experience. Baylor is a great university. We have an awesome program. But my absolute favorite thing about this experience has been the sense of family – with fellow graduate students, faculty, staff, administration, undergraduates and even the Waco community. You will see what I mean when you get here (if you aren’t convinced yet).

Good luck and many blessing as you make your decision! Even if you decide Baylor isn’t right for you, I pray that you choose an institution that fits your needs and will aid you in your development as a Student Affairs professional.

If you would like to contact me – feel free! My email address is Paige_Jackson@baylor.edu.

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Best of Waco

Posted on January 18, 2011 by meghan_williams

Hello All!  My name is Meghan and I’m in the second year cohort of the HESA program.  Even though I am not a native of Texas, I wanted to talk about Waco for those of you who are considering a move to this city.  I grew up in Indiana and moved to Texas two weeks after graduating from college (which was in Indiana) and a day after I got married.  So, to say the least, I was slightly anxious about moving here.  However, after being here a year and a half, I will be sad to leave in May as I not only have come to love Baylor but also Waco.

I wanted to do a “Best of Waco” and give you what I thought were some of the great things about Waco.  However, I realized that would simply be my opinion and not a true reflection of this great city.  So, I solicited other members of the program to get a broad view of what is great about the Waco area.  Here are some of their responses (anything in BOLD I have added as additional information):

Anna (2nd year): $0.75 movie  tickets at the discount theater (This theater has older movies that are no longer at the regular theater but are not out on DVD yet) .  Favorite restaurants: Olive Branch!! (Downtown)Uncle Dan’s has the best BBQ (Off of Valley Mills).  The walkway along the river that goes down Cameron Park is beautiful (on University Parks Drive).

A 1st year said: Cameron Park! Second largest municipal park behind Central Park in New York. Some of the best mountain biking and trail running trails in Texas and even the South. Beautiful. Adjacent to the Brazos.

Kerri (2nd year):  Free athletic events are always a good time! Can’t go wrong with the #1 Lady Bears! (Free with your student ID-additional tickets can be bought at the normal price if you have others you want to bring.)

Another 1st year: Golden’s Book Exchange located on 3112 Franklin Ave. You can either buy books for at least ½ of the cover price or sell your books there. It’s fun to go in and explore what they have and get a book for much cheaper than Barnes & Noble or Books-a-Million in Waco. You can find new hardcovers to classics to paperbacks and everything in between. Its nice for people on a budget or who just want to support a local business. (Been there and loved it! It is PACKED with books. Go there at least once.)

Lindsey (2nd year): Want good Mexican food? Mi Tequila is the place to go.  Get the quesadillas-you won’t regret it! (Off of Valley Mills.  Other good places include Ninfa’s, which is downtown, and La Fiesta which is off of Franklin.) Also, Texas=blitzing HOT in the summer.  Snow cones help. Go to CoCo’s, always a good choice! (Off of Bosque. I wasn’t a believer of CoCo’s until I went.  I thought: “It is a snow cone.  How good can it be?”  It is life changing! After going with Lindsey and others, I took my husband and he was also a non-believer but I changed his mind as well.  Try it-it is inexpensive and a good way to end a weekend night.)

A 2nd year said: KATIE’S CUSTARD (Off of Valley Mills. Solid place for icecream)

Jared said: The best thing about waco is definite the Wacoans. What seems like a boring and impoverished town is really full of life and hope.

A 1st year: Baris.  It is an authentic Italian place on valley mills…. AMAZING!!! The bread is to die for. You have to check it out! Their ‘pink sauce’ is what everyone goes there for… it’s like a marinara and fettuccine combo… SO GOOD! (I haven’t been there so I had to get extra info from this 1st year.  I am going to check it out this weekend!)

Holly (2nd year): Waco has some great local restaurants.  Sandwiches from Smaltz (I’m a fan of the chicken salad but everything there is great.  It is also downtown), cupcakes from Olive Branch (I love cupcakes and agree that Olive Branch has good ones but What about Cupcakes (they sell only cupcakes-it is AMAZING) is my favorite.  You can buy one of their t-shirts, wear it on Tuesdays and go get a cupcake for FREE! It is awesome!), and frozen yogurt from Mr. Snows (off of La Salle.  Pay by weight with a variety of toppings.)

1st year: $5 movie tickets with a student ID! (This is the normal theater which is a great price.)

Ida (2nd year): Food for Thought (Off of 12th, very close to campus.  Good, local, organic food.  Try the pizza, it is great!) and all the hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

As you can see, there is theme developing here: Cameron Park and eating.  While I completely agree with those, there are some others that I would like to add:

Physical fitness: As was mentioned, there are lots of nature trails and such around.  There is even a Bear Trail that goes around campus that has people on it pretty much night and day. Also, the Student Life Center has a great fitness facility with a variety of things to do, including rock climbing!  There are also fitness opportunities out in the community.  Recently, some of the second year women have gotten together to take a Zumba class.  While Zumba is offered at Baylor, we take the class out in the community at a local church and have truly come to enjoy it.

Homestead Heritage:  This is the local Amish community that is about 15 minutes away.  It is a great place to buy local gifts and they have a GIANT craft fair around the holiday season that draws a crowd.

Speaking of shopping, there is a great place called Spice Village that has a significant number of local shops that all come together in one place. Spice is a great way to spend an afternoon just browsing and there is nice cafe in the back that has great food!

Fine dining: There is the opportunity for some  fine dining in Waco, which I was slightly surprised about because of Waco’s size.  The Green Room is great and it is downtown.  Diamondback’s is also a favorite, right next to Ninfa’s.  There is also a Hibachi grill called ShoGun that is off of Valley Mills.  Good, entertaining place.

Breakfast: Cafe Cappuccino is great (Went there for the first time today and it was delicious!).  It is downtown. Also, Harrold Waite’s-get their bacon waffle (seriously, it is a waffle with bacon in the batter). This is off of Valley Mills, right next to Uncle Dan’s.

As a graduate student, you can become so engaged with the Baylor Community (which is great, do that) that you forget about Waco.  Get to know Waco because it also has great and interesting opportunities.  Graduate school is great way to learn (if you haven’t already) how to get to know a new city so don’t be afraid to explore and find those great places that have yet to be discovered!

All the best,

Meghan

PS Comments are welcome if you want to add to this list or ask a question about something that was mentioned!

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Now and Then

Posted on January 14, 2011 by anna_mccollough

Hello, prospective HESA students!

I feel like I should introduce myself since this is my first blog post. My name is Anna and I graduated from Whitworth University with a double major in English and Spanish. My apprenticeship is with Campus Living & Learning (translation: residence life). I’m part of the second-year cohort, so please forgive me if I wax sentimental, but it has begun: the last semester of grad school.

My colleagues in the second-year cohort and I met for our capstone class on Wednesday morning, coincidentally taught by the professor who taught our cohort’s very first graduate course a year and a half ago. Memories came rushing back from that first class session when we sat around the table in awkward silence staring at each other, trying to figure everyone out. Who was the comedian? The insightful one? The team player you wanted in your group for the big project? The one who would be there when you just needed someone to listen? I think we have all played these roles at one point or another over the course of the program as we have developed relationships in and outside of the classroom. But now back to 2011.
Sitting in Capstone, there was no need for an icebreaker question since we could not stop talking to each other across the room. However, the professor still asked us to go around and answer an opening question: what one thing surprised you most about graduate school? Coming into the program, I did not know what to expect from the courses other than I would learn about college students, whatever that meant. The classes have opened my eyes to the complexities and unique characteristics of college operations, innovative and progressive movements in Student Affairs, and the special role we have as Student Affairs professionals to promote holistic development in our students. If anything, it inspires me to continue learning about the burgeoning field of Student Affairs.

Learning does not stop with a degree, but there certainly is a lot that comes in the pursuit of that diploma! All of the time, energy, and coffee invested in Baylor’s HESA program…totally worth it, and I haven’t even graduated yet.

Sic ‘em (this is a customary Baylor catchphrase…come visit to learn more!)

Anna

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