Personal and Ethical Foundations
The competency of Personal and Ethical Foundations reflects the importance of the holistic experience and focusing on one's personal growth. Through my time at Bowling Green State University, I have been able to work on understanding my role as an advisor, practitioner, and student. Bridging the gap between my learning and practice, I have been able to constantly reflect on my role.
The first activity that has marked my growth within the Personal and Ethical Foundations competency would be the 6890 reflections I have written over my first three semesters of graduate school. Within each monthly reflection, I was able to discuss my development as a person, professional, and student. Looking at the intermediate outcome of “analyze personal experiences for potential deeper learning and growth, and engage with others in reflective discussions” (ACPA & NASPA 2015, p. 17), I have been able to uphold that outcome through the monthly 6890 meetings and reflections. Each 6890 meeting, students are allowed to express any concerns or discomforts we are having and get a different opinion on the issue at hand. Through each written reflection and in-person meeting, I have been able to discuss my personal and professional values, and how each has played into me becoming the person I am today.
Another activity that has allowed myself to grow within this competency was my time serving as a Cluster Facilitator for the LeaderShape institute at Cleveland State University in the summer of 2015. While serving as a Cluster Facilitator, I had to reflect deeply on my facilitation style as well as how I can impact the growth of others. While the 6890 reflections only impacted myself, my reflections for my Cluster Facilitator role allowed me to dig deeper, focusing on the impact I have on the students I am interacting with. An advanced outcome of this competency states that someone should “serve as model and mentor for others in their search for excellence, taking measures to encourage and inspire exceptional work in self and others” (ACPA & NASPA 2015, p. 17). As a Cluster Facilitator I had multiple opportunities where I would self-report my current ways of thinking to serve as a model for how reflections should look, allowing students to see my vulnerability while remaining on task.
