CONDUCT AND REPORT ON THE INTERVIEW 2

Conduct and Report on the Interview

Student services require great recognition, development, and support as they play a
critical role in student development. I conducted an interview through which I interacted with a
student service professional. In the seventy-five-minute phone interview, I learned a lot about the
role and importance of student service professionals in the holistic development of students.
They play a critical role in increasing the diversity of students on campus as well as those
learning through learning environments. The paper provides a summary of the interview, the
main points from the interview, and how I plan on integrating research findings and interview
responses in the final project.
A brief summary of the interview responses
 Why did you decide to pursue a career in student services?
I was passionate about working with young people in a college set-up hence my choice.
 What skills/competencies do you feel are necessary for a career in student services,
and why?
Professionalism comes top of the list. Then a person should also possess cultural humility and
global fluency, have critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and demonstrate a commitment
to service. The above skills are important because they define the attitude and conduct of a
professional. Also, a career in student services entails interacting with students from diverse
cultural backgrounds, demonstrating cultural humility, and global fluency entails being
considerate and accommodative of people with different values and qualities. During these
interactions, self-corrective thinking is needed hence the need to possess critical thinking and

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problem-solving skills. Lastly, anyone offering students services must be committed to the
service for them to be productive and contribute positively to the lives of the students.
 What do you think is the purpose of student services in higher education?
Student services are critical in higher education. The field comprises of professionals who are
committed to supporting the personal and academic development needs of students. These
professionals work in assisting students in dealing with various issues that are related to their
pursuit of higher education. Some of these issues may be completely personal such as depression
or family issues, for instance, if parents are going through a divorce. Also, there are other
academic issues, such as performance or co-curricular issues. Student services provide
mentorship programs, and they help in the holistic development of learners.
 What are some strategies for being successful in the field of student services?
One of the things that have worked for me personally is establishing a good rapport with
the students that I interact with. Another strategy that has worked for me is creating a partnership
by deliberately working towards being selectively visible around campus. I form working
relationships and alliances, and these have helped me offer services to students exemplarily.
 What are some challenges with a career in student services?
There lacks a clear institutional philosophy and model that guides the functioning,
positioning, and resourcing of student affairs. Another issue is on role ambiguity and role
conflict. Regardless of the area within student services that one serves, there is usually role
ambiguity. Students will approach with all manner of questions. While some have no problem
being referred to another person who has the expertise, others insist on talking and getting help

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from me. Sometimes it is almost impossible to stick within the limits of my expertise, but I
always insist on seeking additional help so that students get the necessary help.
 How do you collaborate with faculty to support student success?
I collaborate with faculty by handing only cases or issues within my area of expertise and
referring any other cases to respective faculty members with the necessary expertise. Also, in
case I have issues or need help, I always consult with faculty members, and this has proven
effective in giving me new ideas on how to deal with certain ambiguous issues.
 What are some of the effective ways of dealing with a diverse student population?
The main one is to be multiculturally aware. This ensures that you understand the impact
of culture on student behavior. When dealing with each student, a multiculturally aware
individual is able to know how cultural background affects the student’s attitude, behavior, and
beliefs. Secondly, it is important to be open-minded. There is always more than one ay of having
things done. As such, it is good to be open to new ideas and ways of completing tasks.
 Little publicly accessible and available information exists to help adult learners on
issues relating to earnings potential, employment outcomes, and return on education
investment. How can access to this information be granted to adult learners?
Scholars should delve into this area of research and make their work accessible online for all
interested adult learners to have access to. Alternatively, adult learners should talk to
professionals in their areas of interest. Also, by contacting career offices, most of this
information should be accessible. Also, professionals should search for articles online. There
exist some with this information.

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Main points from the Interview
The interview took seventy-five minutes; it was detailed and comprehensive. Some of the
key takeaways include; a career in student services provides a wide variety of opportunities for
growth. one interacts with young and developing minds and is thus challenged to be at their best
each day. in a learning institution, many opportunities to grow and develop career-wise present
themselves. Thus, as long as one is willing to take advantage of them, then they can develop
professionally. Also, a mentored student is different from one who did not go through
mentorship in many ways. First, mentoring programs exposes a student to many academic and
professional opportunities. Most students identify internship opportunities through mentorship
programs. When one has a mentor, it is like they have someone leading them along their
academic paths. A mentor prepares a student for active participation in the academic,
community, and career life (Ciobanu, 2013). One is prepared to be active both intellectually
around campus and professionally upon leaving campus. Thus, a student who has been through
the hands of a mentor develops holistically. They have access to academic, emotional, and
psychological help. A mentor guides a student who plan on pursuing their graduate programs or
further research.
Integration of Interview findings and Final Paper
The final paper will be based on “Increasing enrollment in higher education by distance
learners, online learners, and older adult learners.” The interview provided details on the role of
student service professionals in providing support to students. When students have the necessary
support, college retention is high, more are encouraged to pursue further education, and students
are able to study online efficiently (Schuh et al., 2017). Student service professionals make it
easy for students to study online, as all services can be accessed online. They thus have the same

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access to services as students who study face-to-face on campus. Increased college enrollment
implies that student service professionals have more students to handle. As such, it is highly
likely that one may experience burn-out. It is important to be self-conscious, know the limits, and
seek help whenever work appears overwhelming.
Arising questions
i. How can student services personnel adjust to the rise in the number of students
enrolling in college?
ii. How do student service professionals contribute to the development of the interests of
all students?
iii. Is a policy change needed to facilitate the efficient delivery of services to students?
Additional Research
I will address the above questions in the final paper. I will conduct research by searching
for articles in the library that will provide answers.
Conclusion
Overall, student services contribute to high-quality learning experiences and academic
success for students. They provide support to students and help deter college drop out due to
personal challenges. Thus, they enhance student retention while promoting diversity. Students
are guided into engaging in rational and open-minded thinking processes, and this aids in the
creation of an inclusive and diverse learning environment. In online learning environments,
students get the necessary emotional, academic, and professional support to help them succeed in
their personal, academic, and professional lives. Evidently, student services are necessary for

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every learning institution and should be easily accessible to students regardless of whether they
study online or on campus.

References

Ciobanu, A. (2013). The role of student services in the improving of student experience in higher
education. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 92, 169-173.
Schuh, J. H., Jones, S. R., & Torres, V. (Eds.) (2017). Student services: A handbook for the
profession (6th ed.). Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com