Reflections on City Year: My Gap Year on the highway to a Student Affairs Career

We hear these words thrown around all the time, “There’s no one path into the field of student affairs.” For me, taking a gap year before graduate school, specifically spending that gap year serving with City Year Providence, was the best decision I have ever made!

City Year is an organization that brings together 17-24 year olds for 11 months of full time service. With the main goal of keeping students in school and on track to high school graduation, corps members work in high-poverty, high-need schools to bridge the gap between the support the students actually need and what their schools are designed to provide. City Year’s model focuses on three early warning indicators of high school drop-out: poor attendance, disruptive behavior, and course failure in math and English.  

To find out more, you can read this blog, check out City Year’s website, watch their YouTube videos (good luck trying not to cry), or scroll through #makebetterhappen on Twitter; however, it’s quite impossible to describe the magic of City Year. Its unique culture, incredible impact on urban education, and unwavering commitment to idealism is what makes your year of service one of a kind. And I hope to show in this blog how if you are debating a gap year before starting a career in student affairs, City Year is for you.

Everyday I woke up bright and early at 5 a.m. to take two city buses to school. During my 10-hour day I did a variety of things: made sure students were focusing in class, pulled out a small group for tutoring, mentored a student during lunch, ran a student government meeting after school, created reading comprehension lesson plans, coordinated an 8^th grade field trip to a neighboring college, worked the lines in the lunch room, facilitated a Girl Talk session, you get the idea. Each day brought about new challenges and even greater joys.

I knew I’d be making an impact with middle school students helping them improve their academics, behavior, and attendance. What I didn’t expect was how much this experience would impact me. I was pushed to my limits; I redefined my definition of leadership; I was challenged. I learned how to forgive and ask for forgiveness, what it truly means to work on a team, and how hard perseverance could be. I cried, I became frustrated, I laughed, and I laughed again. This year, and all that it meant to me, simply cannot be put into words.

Still not convinced you want to apply? Using three of my favorite City Year values, stick with me as I draw parallels between my corps year and student affairs.

Service to a cause greater than self
Every morning as I put on my quite fashionable City Year uniform, I reminded myself that it’s not about me. My corps year taught me the true definition of selflessness and humility. Similarly, as a grad, I have to remind myself daily my purpose for entering the field. It’s not about me (although work life balance IS very important). Student Affairs can often times be a thankless career. But we’re not entering this field for the praise, we’re here because it is our mission to support students in various capacities.

Students first, collaboration always
Sound familiar? What division’s mission doesn’t include some rendition clichéd “students first?” My City Year team’s main focus was our students. We had to ignore the fact that we were tired and put aside our differences in order to grind together. We simply could not let our students fall through the cracks. Teamwork truly does make the dream work whether you’re on a City Year school team, a departmental committee, or working with others in your office.

Social justice for all
During undergrad I began to learn more about educational disparities in our country. A child’s fate should not be determined by their zip code. My enlightenment burdened me with a sense of responsibility coupled with frustration because of what seemed to be no solution to the various factors that play a part in our nation’s failing urban education system. City Year was the perfect opportunity to be a part of the solution, working in higher education is my way of continuing that work. Post City Year I’m able to see issues of access and equity in higher education with a new lens. We must continually ask ourselves as a field: how are we ensuring that students from marginalized groups get here, stay here, and feel supported and a sense of belonging along the way?

Still need convincing? Feel free to reach out to me. As my cohort and colleagues know: I never stop talking about City Year! [email protected]

Aisha is currently a first-year graduate student in the University of Connecticut Higher Education and Student Affairs master’s program. Originally from central New Jersey, Aisha ventured off to North Philadelphia for her four years of undergrad at Temple University. As a NUFP Fellows, she discovered her passion for student affairs early on through the various experiences NASPA afforded her as well as her involvement in various areas of campus. After graduating in May 2013 Aisha dedicated a year of full-time service with City Year Providence attacking our nation’s high school drop-out crisis by working to keep students in school and on track to high school graduation. As an Assistant Residence Hall Director, Aisha is excited to continue her work in education and serve at a platform where she can impact the lives of others.  

To highlight the new partnership between NASPA and City Year, we are posting reflections of student affairs professionals who have served in the corps. If you have participated in service with City Year and would like to share your story or participate in future focus groups, please contact Nathan Victoria, Director of Member Engagement and Student Initiatives, at [email protected].