INTEGRATED PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
I believe that my role as a student
affairs professional revolves around promoting holistic student development by adopting
a theory-informed practice, advocating for equitable education conditions, and
ensuring accountability of student success.
A holistic student approach refers to placing a student at the center of
his/her learning experience by taking into account various components of
development, including intellectual, moral, ethical, social, religious and
other relevant elements (American Council on Education, 1937). I recognize that that intellect is only one facet
of a more intricate learning process that connects to and interacts with other elements
of one’s own development (American Association for Higher Educaiton [AAHE],
American College Personnel Association [ACPA], National Association of Student
Personnel Administrators [NASPA], 1998).
Viewing students holistically can be
achieved by drawing upon the philosophical constructs of existentialism and
pragmatism. Existentialism is a philosophical viewpoint that emphasizes the
individual and having the student in a genuine learning experience (Cohen,
1999). In the context of education, the existentialist philosophy refuses to
perceive students as merely subjects to be measure or standardized (Cohen, 1999). In contrast, pragmatism is a philosophy that
considers one’s own experience as a true source of knowledge (Cohen, 1999).
Pragmatism is the underlying philosophy of John Dewy’s (1938) theory of
experiential learning, which considers experience at the center of learning (Marriem,
Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007). In
experiential learning, the process of learning is continuous and
interactive. The current experiences are
built upon the previous experiences, can be modified by the present experience,
and have the potential to influence the future experience (Marriem, Caffarella,
& Baumgartner, 2007). Combining the two viewpoints provides me with
a philosophical lens that guides my practice by seeing the whole student whose
individual qualities and experiences impact his/her overall development.
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