Week one of my first professional staff training is complete and week two starts soon! It has been such an exciting time for me to finally transition from a paraprofessional to a new professional within Student Affairs. I have really started to think about my professional style and how I will tackle my transition

I am grateful to have had a step between paraprofessional and professional that many of my peers may not have had. My experience as a Senior Resident Assistant really set me up for an easier transition. It gave me the chance to see a slice of what it is like in the professional world. I was also able to work closely with and really learn from great professionals. Looking back,I really feel as if I was able to see what it means to be a great SAPro. I’ve also learned what I hope to achieve as a new professional. In my first week of training and my first conversations with my supervisor, I found myself using my past to help my future.

This first week has also been a bittersweet time. As I move away from undergrad to my current institution, I am trying really hard not to compare the two. It is hard to move from one institution to another; especially when a previous experience has shaped your life so much. I have worked really hard not to use the sentence “well at my old institution…”. Instead, I try to talk about it to share my experience with others. I have found it very helpful to share with my supervisor what I know and don’t know about the field. 

Moving away from my undergraduate experience may be hard, I am so excited about graduate school and being somewhere new. Overall, I have found this first week has been one of the most exciting of my career. I am really challenged to think about my supervisory style, advising style, my professional look, and so much more. As I move into week two of training, and then RA training, I can’t wait to see what my first year holds. I look forward to what such a great department, university, and program can offer me.
 

> BONUS <

Podcast With Stacy Oliver-Sikorski on Professional Development