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Claire Mitchell, M.A. 2008
My decision to enroll in the CSHPE master’s program represented a career transition of sorts. As a former high school history teacher outside of Boston, MA, with a master’s in teaching secondary education from Boston University, I had not anticipated working in a postsecondary environment. However, after three years of very demanding work designing curriculum, instructing and assessing courses, and managing the behavior of high school students, I realized that the aspects of my work I found most rewarding included working closely with others who were committed to opening opportunities for diverse and motivated students. This fueled my desire to work in a postsecondary setting where I could promote learning and development and help students overcome roadblocks for success after high school.
My time at CSHPE gave me the opportunity to explore a variety of areas within higher education and to create a broad base of knowledge so as to help refine my future career goals. I very much enjoyed all of the classes I took. CSHPE is unique in that it emphasizes a theory to practice model, one that is valuable for all students looking to appreciate and understand multiple frames of reference in higher education. Dr. Simone Taylor’s ED 665 Management of Student Affairs was a very valuable course in that it helped me to define my own philosophies on student affairs and understand the theoretical underpinnings of the very important, albeit sometimes undervalued, significance of co-curricular learning in higher education. The two classes (ED 561 and 873) and independent study I took with Dr. Larry Rowley were also extremely valuable and helpful aspects of my time in the program. Dr. Rowley’s knowledge of the educational foundations of higher education, issues of social justice, and a myriad of other interdisciplinary topics helped me to refine my research interests and ultimately prepared me to assume a leadership role in the field. I have come to find that all of the faculty members in the department are just as dedicated and helpful as Drs. Taylor and Rowley.
I also found my internship to be particularly valuable. As a Team Leader for the service-learning program America Reads, I promoted the learning and development of a group of undergraduate students who tutored elementary students in the Detroit Public Schools. I was able to apply the theory to practice ‘praxis’ model I had learned so much about in Dr. Taylor’s (ED 665) and Dr. King’s (ED 662) courses so as to facilitate experiential learning and reflection for the team of tutors. I was also given many responsibilities concerning training and supporting the students, acting as a liaison between the school and program, and performing other administrative duties. Perhaps the most valuable experience I gained from this position, however, was the grant-writing and budgeting experience. My supervisor, Whitney Begeman, went out of her way to help me understand and gain experience with those educational program development aspects that were not an actual part of my position. It was the opportunity to develop these skills, reflect on my experiences, and draw connections between my academic coursework and internship experiences that I believe will best prepare me to assume a leadership role in higher education.
As a recent graduate of the CSHPE master’s program, I have decided to pursue further graduate study in the field of higher education. I have realized that my interests lie specifically in the realm of teaching and learning processes and my hope is to continue to research such topics at the doctoral level in the near future. CSHPE’s program ultimately allowed me to hone the research and leadership skills I will need to either begin the road to a career in the academe or become a successful practitioner in the field of higher education. For those reasons, the program has proved to be an invaluable experience in my professional development.
If you have any questions about University of Michigan or CSHPE, please e-mail me at cemitche@umich.edu. I'd be happy to talk to you!
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