Finding Harmony in Diversity

“I never knew I could do this as a career.” If we earned a dollar for every time we heard an aspiring student affairs professional say this phrase, we would be graduating college as multi-millionaires. This declarative epiphany is often used and should prompt us to ask the question, “why?” Why did you not know you could do this as a career? Instead of using this space to write a thesis for publication, we would like to give thanks to the mentors who have guided us to the field of Higher Education and Student Affairs, specifically NUFP. Sponsored through NASPA, the Undergraduate Fellowship Program, more commonly known as NUFP, has been very instrumental in our success as emerging student affairs professionals. From meeting with our NUFP mentors to attending the national conference, NUFP has taught us to challenge ourselves beyond our comfort zone and to trust the process. We practiced this trust as we applied for the NUFP summer internships in order to gain practical experience as undergraduates and to prepare us for graduate school.  After submitting applications and weeks of anxiously awaiting a decision, we were chosen to participate in the Mentorship Initiative for Student Life (MISL) at The Ohio State University.

After reading the MISL program description, we realized this graduate program model was very practical and would give us a real taste of what the next two years would bring. Arriving on Ohio State’s campus was intimidating. The Ohio Stadium, which seats more than 106,000 screaming fans, the 500,000+ sq. ft. Recreation and Physical Activity Center (RPAC) and knowing that over 60,000 students walk around Mirror Lake each year all contributed to the sense of fear instilled in us on day one. However, these colossal numbers never overshadowed the shining light Dr. D’Andra Mull, Bowen Marshall, and Kara Hunter served, as they were our guides throughout our journey. They challenged us to venture into the unknown and supported us while we navigated through different episodes of personal and professional growth.

This experience really afforded us the opportunity to really tap into our potential and apply it. The vast amount of information and professional development gained through these experiences has been invaluable in our growth as scholars. The MISL internship encouraged us to excel with diverse student leaders from across the country while also allowing the space to rehearse our passions, goals and ambitions. Together, we made up a cohort of nine very unique individuals from seven different institutions across the country. Decorated in accolades, we quickly learned that this was not an individual competition, but a team effort to ensure everyone worked toward becoming their best selves. Humbling our personalities and quieting our personal accomplishments proved to be very beneficial as we became vulnerable with each other and created an environment that would encourage openness and growth.

It wasn’t until we had actually met and interacted with each other that we realized although our titles gave us prestige; it was our experiences, specifically our identities and stories connected with them, which made us unique. This is what made us diverse. Every conversation, though not always formal, was very informative and we valued every opportunity to become better professionals and people.  We are nine student leaders with very valid experiences and in order to grow and succeed, we relied and trusted one another. We believe that without the diversity of the cohort, MISL would not have been as impactful.

The Mentorship Initiative for Student Life was more than just a summer internship, it was a transformational experience. It was our own hero’s journey in which we separated from our natural environment, struggled together in the unknown and returned to our commonplace restored. We became members of a family that will always support one another. Nine individuals assorted in race, academic major, involvement experiences, and a number of social identities, we learned how to work as a team. The importance of recognizing, accepting, and celebrating our differences was a major stepping stone in doing so. Completing our Capstone Project served as the culmination of this blossoming experience as we were able to showcase what we learned throughout the reflective nine-week program through our own self-authored student development theory. Check it out! https://prezi.com/g2vt1hxlmkgx/2015-capstone-project/

No longer strangers, we departed Columbus as a diverse family - apart in miles yet forever harmonized in friendship. We cried together, we laughed together, and we definitely ate our fair share of Woody’s together. But most importantly, we learned how to rely on the integrity, strength, and ability of one another to enrich our personal development and to prepare ourselves to positively impact students’ lives in the future. We cannot thank The Ohio State University, the Office of Student Life, and the Mentorship Initiative for Student Life team enough for allowing us to the opportunity to refine our passion and to be transformed.

Watch our MISL Capstone Video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQv49ZquHCE

Written By:

Timothy Bryson, University of South Carolina - Columbia

Matthew Lindberg, Sonoma State University

Victor Javier Rodriguez, Florida International University

Kurt Turnier, Eastern Connecticut State University