The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a model for a career development program for entry-level student affairs (SA) women professionals based on the lived experiences of current mid-level SA professionals and senior-level SA professionals. As new women professionals pursue their careers in SA, they must navigate many barriers…

This study explores the integration of career development into performing arts curriculum and its relevance to job satisfaction in the labor market for African American Music degree graduates. Through a phenomenological analysis utilizing interpretative analysis and snowball sampling, 11 interviews were conducted across two Historically Black…

Significant world events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have shifted the way that people of all ages view their careers and the meaning of work in their lives. While campus career services hold a mandate to facilitate student career readiness and success, it cannot accomplish this ambitious goal alone. "Career influencers" are student…

This qualitative study explored international student affairs professionals' (SA Pros) job search journey in the United States. By employing self-efficacy as a theoretical framework, nine SA Pros who were born and raised in foreign countries and pursued student affairs graduate degrees in the United States revealed five themes in their job search:…

Decades of established research have focused on the attrition, workplace trauma, and career burnout of student affairs (SA) professionals working at colleges and universities (see N. J. Evans, 1988; Herr & Strange, 1985; Perez & Bettencourt, 2024; Walterbusch, 2019). The purpose of this generic qualitative research study (Khalke, 2016) was…

This qualitative case study explored the perceived barriers to leadership for female-identifying student affairs professionals at the midlevel who aspire to, but have not yet attained, a senior student affairs officer role. Women hold 71% of all student affairs positions in higher education compared to men; however, that majority shrinks to 56%…

Guided by the three-dimensional narrative inquiry framework, this study explored the career experiences of women support staff with advanced degrees who work at higher education institutions. The researcher interviewed eight participants for this study. The participants also completed a written reflection detailing their career journeys. Two…

This 2-phased instrumental case study explored how student affairs educators in the California State University system experience values congruence in their work environments, specifically in the context of neoliberalism. It also examined how position descriptions convey the values of the student affairs profession and job duties related to…

This article presents a qualitative study designed to examine the long-term career objectives of individuals building careers as community engagement professionals (CEPs). CEPs administratively support engagement between a college or university and broader communities. We employed a team data analysis approach called consensual qualitative…

Professional development is learner-centered, where the responsibility to engage in further educational experiences belongs to the individual and is a critical way to prepare for career advancement. In higher education, cisgender women do not hold the majority of chief student affairs officers (CSAO) positions, which is unexpected given their…

This practical guide includes strategies that work to support students with intellectual disability (ID) who are looking for employment opportunities. The strategies shared in this How to Think College publication were shared with the authors by staff and faculty at six different postsecondary programs for students with ID, and align with the…

The author of this article discusses how personal and professional guideposts helped him to have a fulfilling life and a 40-plus-year career in university administration as a student affairs vice president, dean, and professor. With examples, he demonstrates how his guideposts for life and career--"Home," "Love,"…

Stories and storytelling provide meaning and build connections between individuals. Using various narrative frameworks developed in the medical and career development disciplines, the author makes the case that narrative approaches can be applied to higher education and student affairs contexts. The use and misuse of technology can serve as a…

College students receive countless messages about "following passion" and "doing what you love" (DWYL). What happens when these repeated messages ultimately do a disservice to some students? Although pursuing one's interests is strongly encouraged, the author explores the limitations of the DWYL advice at all costs, including…

Pathways into student affairs careers may not always be clear or well defined. Often, student affairs professionals experience unconventional beginnings. Formal and informal relationships with faculty, staff and students in higher education may eventually inspire a career in student affairs. This process of socialisation positively influenced my…