Graduate Assistantship in Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers - Titan Dreamers Resource Center

Term:

Fall 2014

Description:

The Titan Dreamers Resource Center is the first in the CSUF system and only second in the nation. We are proud to give support and a safe space for our undocumented students.  As a graduate assistant, I assist the coordinator of Titian Dreamers Resource Center helping support and provide resources to our undocumented students by creating programs, through education, outreach, ally training, promoting resources available and the center, and cultivating a supportive environment. We provide assistance with completing the AB 540 Affidavit, the CA Dream Act application for financial aid, referrals to reliable resources for legal advice, mentoring support, ally training, counseling and wellness support, and workshops and programs.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT create programs that promote resources available for undocumented students.

SWiBAT gain a greater understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.

SWiBAT fostering growth in students and student assistants by applying student development theory.

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO #1	Create programs collaborating with partners on campus and addresses intersections of identity	Create 5 programs collaborating with partners on campus	Create 5 programs	Creating less than 5 programs
SLO #2	Student will identify strengths and weakness as a leader and use their strengths and the strengths of their team.	Student will identify strengths and weakness as a leader	Student only identifies strengths as a leader	Student did not identify strengths and weakness as a leader
SLO #3	Student will meet one on one with students assessing their needs. Student will also meet with students to assess areas for improvement using theory.	Student will meet one on one with students assessing their needs and give support.	Student will meet one on one with students assessing their needs.	Student will not assess students’ needs

Evidence:

Creating Programs: I find that collaboration with partners on and off campus creates stronger programs. With all programs I helped create for the Titan Dreamers Resource Center, we collaborated with other departments at CSUF. We collaborated with faculty, Financial Aid, Asian Pacific American Resource Center, WoMen’s Center, an immigration attorney, the Student Health and Counseling Center, and others to help students, faculty, and staff learn about not only about the challenges undocumented students face but also the resources available, the intersections of identity, and to help support our undocumented students by encouraging them to continue pursuing their educational and career goals. We created programs that tackle issues like domestic violence, healthcare access, professional panel, laws and policies, and undocumented Asian Pacific Islanders. I would rate myself “advanced.” Here’s a sample of a PowerPoint presentation I created on undocumented Asian Pacific Islanders.

Understanding strengths and weaknesses: Being a very empathetic person helps me a great deal in gaining trust and insight.  Being a great listener also helps me assess what the student needs even if just a person to listen to them. But being empathetic I found that I do experience burnout as I sometimes take to heart students sharing painful experiences and their emotions.  I’ve had instances where I felt drained after a student had confided in me.  But being in a supervisorial role has made me cognizant of the line between friendship and professionalism. I’ve had to hold a student assistant accountable for not completing assignments on time. I worked with her one on one to come up with ways to complete assignments on time like setting up deadlines.  Early into the assistantship, I knew I wanted to work on my presentation skills and indicated it to my supervisor. Giving successful presentations have given me a boost of confidence communicating in general. I would rate myself “advance.” Here are some pictures from Days of Discovery:

Fostering growth in students using theory: My graduate assistantship at the Titan Dreamers Resource has shown me that I need to learn more about being a good supervisor. Amey & Ressor states that it sometimes means relinquishing some control to those you supervise, so that they are able to challenge themselves and grow professionally and personally (as cited in Hirt & Terrell, 2011).  Our student assistants help me research, come up with titles, and write proposals for our programs and utilize their strengths and interests as well.  They are not just filing or answering phones, they are also learning critical thinking, analytical, interpersonal, and leadership skills that will help them in the future.  In turn, my supervisors have greatly helped me become a better supervisor and become more intentional in my work by giving me feedback on our contact meetings and going through my performance evaluations to help address skills that I want to improve.  I feel that their guidance has helped me become more comfortable seeing myself as a leader and a professional. I would rate myself “competent.” I feel that I still have a lot to learn in terms of theories and forming my own philosophy. Here are pictures of our great team:

Reflection:

Working at the Titan Dreamers Resource Center, I have seen that the importance of access and support in helping minority students persist. But, the center is also a space for all students, faculty, and staff where they can learn to become allies and foster a just campus community and multicultural competence.  I believe that multicultural competence in very important in our profession, especially as we interact with students with many intersecting social identities who may feel marginalized and need extra support.  I have learned that being sensitive to our students’ diverse experiences and backgrounds helps me gain insight on to how better serve them.  We have seen many undocumented students come into the center on feeling overwhelmed and defeated trying to find resources to help them stay at CSUF and upon us meeting with them and showing them resources and other options, they would start crying because of the huge relief they felt. 

Being a graduate assistant as TDRC also helped me grow personally. The experience allowed me to examine my own privileges and biases and reminded me to keep myself in check.  I feel that the supportive team at Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers really adds to my experience. I am learning a lot from my colleagues.