Professional Competencies
Advising & Supporting
Throughout my studies, I have learned numerous theories concerning student counseling and support. The intervention skills course taught me the theories involved in assisting a student with a difficulty. During my work at the Center for Academic Success, where I assisted students with course selection and establishing their major, I gained my first experience counseling students. In addition, I was able to apply the theories to assisting students in the International Student Activities Office. I was in close touch with student leaders, including those of Registered Student Organizations, to assist them in carrying out campus activities and events.
Assessment, Evaluation and Research
This was one of the most fascinating areas of expertise that I have developed. I was able to learn a variety of theories about how to improve the quality of a program, event, or course. One of the projects I worked on was the evaluation of the Fulbright Student Organization, of which I was Vice President. I evaluated the program in order to improve the quality of the event and activities. In addition, as part of my internship, I worked on a project to determine why some First Year Experience students performed better in a semester than their peers. This assessment was completed by collecting data, interpreting and analyzing the data, and reporting.
Law, Policy and Governance
This course taught me many great concepts and theories about legal and ethical issues in higher education. I learned about legal issues in higher education in the United States, specifically liabilities, risk management, federal law, contract laws, FERPA, HIPPA, and Title IX, among other things. I worked on many fantastic projects that taught me the fundamentals of all legal issues in higher education. For example, I had an interview with WMU's president in which I discussed legal challenges, issues, and practices at the university.
Leadership
I've previously held several leadership positions. For example, I was the project director for the Ministry of Higher Education's largest female residence hall, which housed over 1500 students. The US Embassy in Afghanistan funded the project. However, I was never aware of the theories underlying my practices or how to improve them. Some of the leadership courses I took, such as EDLD 6020, assisted me in understanding leadership theories and practices. It also assisted me in learning and practicing my own leadership style. Furthermore, one of my leadership experiences here was when I was able to initiate a project between the two offices on campus, including the office of students engagement and the office of international students activities, with the goal of bringing domestic and international students together to appreciate the differences and learn from each other's experiences.
Organizational and Human Resources
Through my previous professional work experiences in this competency area, I had some ideas. For example, as the project director for Afghanistan's largest female dormitory, I was involved in the recruitment and selection of employees for various units such as student affairs, computer center, recreation center, and so on. When I was the country director for an Afghan Writing Project, I had similar experiences in terms of employee recruitment, selection, and hiring. However, since taking the EDLD 6550 course, I've learned a lot more about the environment, including organizational culture, human aggregates, physical spaces, crisis and risk management, resource management, and so on. I also gained a comprehensive understanding of the campus organization.
Student Learning and Development
This was one of my favorite skill sets. During my college years, I studied various developmental theories of student development in EDLD 6530, such as Erikson's Stage Theory, Marcia's Ego Identity Statues, Josselson's Identity Formation in Women, and Chickering's Theory of Identity Development. I also worked on a project in which I learned about the development of students during their college years.
Personal and Ethical Foundations
My personal and ethical values and philosophy arose from my own internal sense, which I developed through a variety of professional and personal experiences throughout my life. However, my master's degree in educational leadership, students' affairs major, and the courses I took taught me to view this subject through different lenses. I believe I developed my ethical foundations through all of the courses I have taken, including Legal and Ethical Issues in Higher Education, observation, involvement in various communities, and interactions with peers. My personal and ethical foundation is built on a number of factors.
Social Justice and Inclusion
One of my favorite areas of student affairs is social justice and inclusion. Interacting with different cultures and students, taking the EDLD 6570 Diversity and Equity course, and becoming involved in various communities taught me the value of diversity and inclusion. WMU signature was one of the projects I worked on in this area. My path focused on assisting Afghan women in positions of leadership in Afghanistan.
Mental Health Legal and Ethical Issue Presentation
Interview Project- President Montgomery
WMU Celebration of Excellence
Technology
During my graduate studies, I had the opportunity to gain new experience using Cognos, Banner, and other software. This enabled me to keep the student's information in these programs. I also learned about various online education systems, such as e-learning, which is a method of learning about course materials, grades, discussion, and so on.
Afghanistan Day Poster
Values, Philosophy and History
During my master's program, I was able to learn a variety of concepts about the values, philosophy, and history of student affairs. Some of the courses assisted me in expanding my knowledge in this area. The history and practices of this field were taught to me by the Foundation of Higher Education. I learned about ACPA/NASPA, which are the competencies of student affairs professionals. I also learned about the CAS standard, which is a set of ethical and moral guidelines for student affairs professionals.