My defining moment was about three years ago when I realized that I wanted to pursue my master’s degree in higher education as an addendum to my career field of development. After over 15-years of working in higher education, I realized how much I enjoy serving, inspiring, and helping students to set clear career goals and find true fulfillment and success through their academic accomplishments. It also became clear to me that regardless of the extensive experience I had in the higher education field, despite the abilities acquired to perform many different positions, to be valued as an employee, to be given an opportunity to advance into a mid-level administrator position, and to further my career in the education field, I had to complete my master’s degree. I understood that furthering my education will not just be beneficial for my professional and career development, but also for my personal development. My main goal was to obtain an educational master’s degree with the credibility to help further build opportunities and serve as a qualified professional, either as an Academic Advisor or Guidance Counselor for the college student body, as well as become a successful practitioner in a variety of administrative functions.

Now, thinking more introspectively about all I have done in my classes as part of the M.Ed., as well as my professional life during these past months and years, the study of higher education has helped me ignite my fire to move forward onto the next chapter of my career helping me grasp my refining moment. The M.Ed. has given me diverse insights about the history of higher education helping me understand how the world of higher education has shaped into what it is today. It has also expanded my understanding of numerous theories and concepts that exist in higher education. I have learned a great deal about the importance and prime role that Institutional Research and Assessment plays in higher education in order to make better-informed decisions while providing insights into many different programs, school structures, as well as various aspects of the institution. The various extensive projects, assignments, and teacher-student interactions have also helped me understand how essential it is for administrators to be familiar, informed, and well-rounded in retrieving and interpreting diverse data to be an effective leader. Every course taken has provided a deeper learning experience, whether it was about student affairs, academic advising, evaluation of academic programs, administration of higher education, enrollment management, plan and resource management, or the legal issues that have shaped higher education into what it is today. I am confident that I have been prepared with the required knowledge to assist in expanding my personal and professional development, stay up-to-date with technology, express thoughts more clearly, understand and explain abstract concepts and theories, and gained an increase the understanding of higher education and our communities. I also feel more confident, not just in my ability to impact change as a higher education professional, but also on how to better serve our student community, thanks to the theories learned on student development and college student success.

What has made me stop and think is that in this program, I have been able to discover and access different opportunities available in the field of higher education. I am grateful for the knowledge gathered in different areas, as my M.Ed. studies opened a number of doors allowing me to join essential institutional committees such as the Strategic Planning, the Assessment Scholarship Awards, and the Judicial Board, to name a few. The program has also given me the opportunity to collaborate in the development of new initiatives involving learning communities geared to further student success, developed rubrics, and equipped me with the necessary tools to bring insight on projects and planning for future programs in various institutional decision-making ideas. In addition, as of September 2019, my M.Ed. in Higher Education is also providing me the opportunity to start teaching “Intro to College Experience” and “Student Success” courses as an Adjunct Instructor. Overall, the study of higher education has given me insights into broader aspects in the field, as well as revealed numerous paths and ways to fulfill my personal mission of leading by example while serving and inspiring others to realize their full potential. I will continue to pursue the next opportunity to see where it will lead me, as I found it extremely rewarding to be able to touch and affect peoples’ lives with my input, giving me a deeper purpose in life and bringing me a sense of accomplishment in my career.

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                                                              ACORNEJO-HIED-596-Infographic-Refining Moment Reflection

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