My Warm Fuzzy

Over the past few weeks, I've been watching all the commencement ceremonies happen. One of the warm fuzzies has been watching several students that I worked closely with in my previous position graduate.

I think one of the best privileges that we, as Student Affairs Professionals have, is to watch the students grow.  We see them enter as doe-eyed freshman and watch them walk across the stage as mature adults, ready to take on the world. We understand and have seen first hand what they have been through to get that degree, whether it is overcoming family issues, personal tragedies, periods of lack of motivation or just simply burnt out from being over involved. Many of us have the chance to walk with these students as they journey through their years on our various campuses, and guide them through those rough patches, and while we may be "behind the scenes" we have our role in getting these student to graduation.

Watching the students walk across the stage and take ahold their diploma I found myself hoping that they would have that energy, excitement and hopefulness for the future for the rest of their lives. Hoping that in their dark days they look to the future and see it is always bright and full no matter the circumstances.

I know that, personally, I am making a key effort to stay in communication with them, and I know many of my co-hort does the same with the students they have mentored. I want to see how they are doing, but also to continue to be a friend and mentor as they move forward into the "real world".

We have highs and lows, like every job, and the university politics can easily get in the way of daily operations, however at those frustrating times, just think about who you are really there to serve and that all the gratitude and motivation you need is to watch them walk off the stage at Commencement with their diploma in hand.