Student Life has been a busy campus entity these last few weeks. Sorry for the hiatus, but read what Sarah has been up to lately!

I was given the opportunity to attend the Diversity Summit last week. I have learned about diversity in many of my classes here, but I was excited to learn more about the many different elements of diversity. It was inspiring to listen to the keynote speakers’ talk about their life experience and how their battles made them stronger individuals.

The sessions that were held throughout the 2 day conference had great content and helped me see aspects of diversity that I had not considered before. The session that had the greatest impact on me talked about the power of language. There are so many things that we say on a daily basis, without knowing, that determine our status and position in the world. Language can be used to empower people but it can also be used as a tool for dominance. I am currently making a conscious effort to eliminate words in my vocabulary that unintentionally put others down.

One of the main themes that I took away from the conference as a whole was the concept of intent versus impact. The things we say and do with good intentions can end up hurting others if we are not mindful of our surroundings and the people we are interacting with.

I am so glad that I was able to attend this conference. I have become much more aware of the numerous elements of diversity, even within Oregon State, and I am working hard to make sure the things I say and do have the impact that I intend on.

If you want more info on how the Diversity Summit went, make sure you check out their blog site: http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/care/

Last week I switched from New Student Programs to Healthy Campus Initiatives. While working with HCI I am promoting the Be Well 5k Run, Walk and Roll that will take place on Friday, October 21st! I hope to see you all there! I am also working on the Take the Stairs Campaign. I am focusing on people taking the elevator going only 1 floor up or down in the Kerr Administration Building. I am excited to be working with Healthy Campus Initiatives and having the opportunity to see the many ways that we can positively impact our campus!

I am finding that many of the offices that I have worked with, or that I will be working with, are interconnected. A perfect example of how these offices all work together is the Community Care Team. I was invited to sit in on a meeting for the CCT and I enjoyed seeing yet another behind the scenes aspect of Student Affairs. The Community Care Team is a group of representatives from many areas of student life; they meet a couple of times every term to discuss upcoming and current campus events and make sure all offices are on the same page in order to best support the students here. There are so many resources at Oregon State that encourage healthy living and learning; the Community Care Team is here to make sure they are available for all students.

I am only with Healthy Campus Initiatives for a couple more days this week and then I am returning to work with the Office of the Dean of Student Life. I have learned a lot with HCI and I am happy that I am able to be a part of making this campus a healthier place.

Week 2 has been amazing! I am working with New Student Programs and Family Outreach for a week and a half! Working with New Student Programs and Family Outreach is very familiar to me because I have worked with them as a START leader for 2 summers and as an intern this past summer. I am working on the new student blog and creating a reception for the Parent and Family Association members to attend on Dad’s Weekend! I am really enjoying working on the Parent and Family Association reception because I have not had much experience in planning events. It’s interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes and how much effort is put forth to plan and carry out a single event.
Although it may seem like writing a blog is something small, it is actually a very important part of student affairs. I am learning how to connect to students through social media outlets. Things like facebook and new student blogs are a very effective way to keep students updated and aware of what is happening on campus. I was a little intimidated when I first found out I was going to be choosing the topics as well as writing about them, but I have found the whole process much easier than I envisioned and not only beneficial to the new students, but for myself as well.
On Tuesday I attended the “What is Student Affairs?” seminar and learned quite a bit. It was a great experience and it was insightful to hear about how professionals in this field got the where they are today. My aspirations to work in student affairs were solidified in the one hour that I sat and listened to them speak. When I hear these people talk about their experiences, talk to my supervisors and interact with anyone who works in student affairs, the one thing that stands out to me is that everyone wants to be here. I have not heard people complain about not liking their job or being upset over something they have to work on. The professionals and people above me do not see working in student affairs as a job, and neither do I. I am excited to come to work every day and I know that no 2 days will be the same. I start working with Healthy Campus Initiative on Wednesday and I am very excited to see this aspect of student affairs. It is different that the areas I have experienced previously and I know that I will be learning a lot!

My name is Sarah Bowman and I am a senior in Human Development and Family Sciences. I am an undergraduate intern with the Office of the Dean of Student Life. Throughout this term I will be working with the central office of the Dean of Student Life, New Student Programs and Family Outreach, Healthy Campus Initiatives, Child Care and Family Resources, Disability Access Services, Career Services and Student Conduct & Community Standards. My career goal is to work in student affairs; I’m just not sure which area I want to focus on yet. This internship will show me many diverse positions that all reside under the student affairs umbrella. My goals are to learn something new every day and make a positive impact on this campus! I love working with all kinds of people and a student affairs career seems to be a perfect fit for me!
This week my assignment was to create a display to represent the Office of the Dean of Student Life for the Beaver Community Fair. I decided to focus on the sense of community that Oregon State encompasses. I also wanted to bring awareness to the hundreds of resources that are available to all students on campus. Many students are not aware of all the resources here on campus to help them be successful in their years here so I think it is important to get the word out as often as possible. The fair went well and it was great to talk with the students that approached our table! I met a lot of people that are involved in student affairs and a few students that are interested in one day working with student life.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first week of my internship and I have met some amazing people so far! Working in the Office of the Dean of Student Life is something that I look forward to doing every day. It is amazing to see how much work goes into making the university a welcoming and supportive place for all students. There are so many things that happen on a daily basis that keep this campus going strong and I feel very fortunate to be meeting and working alongside the people who make it happen. I am so excited to expand my knowledge of student affairs this term and I look forward to sharing my experience with as many people as possible!