SPARK

2015

StudentPersonnelAdministrationin HigherEducation

WELCOME TO UNCG!What’s Inside?

Welcome...................................1

Schedule...................................2

Program of Study....................3

SPAHE Faculty........................4

Graduate Assistantships.........5

Internships...............................6

Travel the Triad...................7-8

Local Colleges....................9-10

Campus Living......................11

Organizations........................12

Alumni...................................13

Special Thanks.......................14

Welcome SPARKler,

Although your visit here during SPARK is short, I hope that you get a sampling of what The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has to offer you in your professional preparation. The members of the SPARK Organizing Committee (mostly graduate students) have worked to make this event helpful and welcoming for you and to give you the opportunity to learn what UNCG is all about.

At UNCG, you will be joining an energetic and enthusiastic community of graduate students who are excited about the program and student affairs. They are engaged in graduate assistantships where they get to put theory into practice on a daily basis and are mentored by outstanding professionals. Many of our graduate students are preparing to attend national conferences later this month where they will have the chance to network with and learn from student affairs professionals from across the U.S. and beyond.

Here at UNCG, you will have opportunities to work with and learn from exceptional professionals in Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. These professionals supervise assistantships and internships, teach classes, and welcome interested volunteers who simply want to learn more! I consider us very fortunate to have the support and involvement of such an outstanding and dedicated group of professionals. Faculty members in Higher Education at UNCG are committed to student learning and success welcoming you as mentees. They also are active scholars in their various areas of expertise.

UNCG’s location in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina makes this a particularly rich and dynamic place to study higher education because of the sheer number of colleges and universities in the region. You can choose to do an internship at an HBCU, a small private liberal arts college, an all-women’s college, or a community college – all in close proximity to UNCG!

Welcome to UNCG! Enjoy your visit! I hope that you will choose to become a part of our community!

Deborah J. Taub

1

Schedule of Events

2

Program of StudyAbout SPAHE

In the 9 short years since the SPAHE program as we know it today was created, the program has quickly become one of the outstanding master’s graduate preparation programs in student affairs. A number of factors – the University itself, the educational richness of the Piedmont Triad, the dedicated student affairs staff, the outstanding students and alumni, the cutting edge curriculum, and the exceptional faculty – combine to make the SPAHE master’s program a superior educational experience.

Greensboro is an ideal place to study higher education because of the large number and diversity of colleges and universities in the Piedmont Triad region – 11 colleges and universities and 9 community colleges.

Foundational Studies (6 hours)HED 601: Foundations of College Student Personnel AdministrationHED 661: Higher Education in the U.S.

Professional Studies (18 hours)HED 602: Theoretical Foundations of Higher LearningHED 603: Effects of College on StudentsHED 606: Organization and Administration in Student AffairsHED 609: Social Justice in Higher EducationHED 663: Planning and Evaluating Programs in Higher EducationCED 610: Helping Relationships

Assessment, Evaluation, and Research (3 hours)ERM 604: Methods of Educational Research

Supervised Practice (3 hours)HED 690: Internship in Higher Education

Supporting Courses (9 hours)

Culminating Project/CapstonePortfolio

3

SPAHE FacultyDeborah J. TaubProfessor of Higher Education and Coordinator of the SPAHE Program

Dr. Deborah J. Taub is Professor of Higher Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has been recognized locally, regionally, and nationally for her teaching and scholarship. Among her awards are ACPA’s Diamond Honoree Award and Annuit Coeptis Senior Professional Award, NASPA’s Robert H. Shaffer Award for Excellence as a Graduate

Faculty Member, and NCCPA’s Distinguished Scholar Award. She has twice been recognized with ACUHO-I’s Betty J. Harrah Journal Manuscript of the Year Award. Dr. Taub earned her Ph.D. in College Student Personnel Administration and her M.A. in College Student Personnel from the University of Maryland, College Park. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Oberlin College.

R. Brad JohnsonClinical Assistant Professor of Higher Education

Dr. Brad Johnson has worked in higher education for over 20 years. During his years at UNCG, Brad has served as the First-Year Experience Manager, Residence Life Coordinator, Assistant Director for Residence Life, and Sr. Assistant Director for Residence Life, among other positions. In addition to his campus service, Brad has served several state and national organizations, including serving on both executive boards of the North Carolina Housing Officers’ (NCHO) association and the North Carolina College Personnel Association (NCCPA—where he is currently serving as President) as well as chairing a committee on technology for ACPA—College Student Educators International. Brad earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education from UNCG, his M.Ed. in Counselor Education from Wake Forest University, and his B.A. Psychology from Davidson College. Some of Brad’s professional/research interests include LGBT issues in Higher Education, issues of social justice and diversity, training and development of staff and students at all levels of student affairs, students’ experiences in residence hall environments, and college student development.

Symphony OxendineVisiting Lecturer of Higher Education

Symphony has worked in Student Affairs since 2005 at multiple institutions and completed her internship at Wake Forest University. She is currently a doctoral candidate working on her dissertation in Educational Studies with a concentration in Higher Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she also received her Masters of Education in Higher

Education Administration. She received her B.A. from Oklahoma State University in Applied Sociology. Symphony is also currently the Grand President for Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc., the country’s first and oldest Native American Greek letter organization, and has served on the national executive board for nine years. She has been recognized by ACPA - College Student Educators International in 2013 as the Doctoral Student of The Year, inducted into the Oklahoma State University Fraternity and Sorority Hall of Fame, and a Woman To Watch award recipient in 2011 by the American Indian Women of Proud Nations.

4

The Graduate Assistantship

Courtney BrehmDean of Students Office, The University of North Carolina at GreensboroCourtney Brehm is the GA for Student Conduct in the Dean of Students Office here at UNCG. She supervises the Student Conduct Team at UNCG and facilitates conduct and academic integrity hearings on campus. Her main duty is to hold meetings with students who have had

conduct violations to talk through the incident and help them grow and learn from the experience. Courtney enjoys her GA in the Dean of Students Office and states that she loves the supportive environment, as well as getting to work with students on a daily basis. She loves helping students grow and develop throughout their college journey.

Tifaney MilwoodStudent Activities Department, Greensboro College

Tifaney is currently completing her GA at Greensboro College, a 4-year private college. Her functional area is in the Student Activities Department. Within this area, she carries out a variety of roles. She is currently the advisor for two organizations, the Student Organization Leadership Committee and Greensboro College’s Event Staff. Tifaney is the first person of contact for students looking to

get involved on Greensboro College’s campus.

Evan OwenMake a Difference House, The University of North Carolina at GreensboroAs the GA for the Make a Difference House Living Learning Community, Evan works in a dual capacity with the department of Housing and Residence Life (HRL) and the Office of Leadership and Service Learning (OLSL). He enjoys connecting the 20 freshmen and sophomore students

in the community to volunteer service opportunities in Greensboro in addition to coordinating meaningful reflection, team-building, and leadership development programming. Evan also appreciates serving in a mentor role, being able to continue to build on his service-learning experiences, and collaborating with multiple community organizations and UNCG student affairs departments.

Cara ArenaResidential Coordinator, Salem College

Cara is currently a Residential Coordinator at Salem College, a women’s college, in Winston-Salem. She oversees 4 residence halls and 3 Resident Advisors (RAs). She also conducts

administrative hearings for small violations of residence life policies (candles, noise violations, pet policy violations, etc.). There are many things she loves about her position from the daily interaction with

students, directly making a difference in students’ lives, and most of all the new challenges that each day brings.

5

The Internship: Learning Outside of Your GA

Internships allow SPAHE students to gain experience in a functional area that is different from their assistantship. As part of the curriculum, SPAHE students are required to complete an internship of at least 150 hours. This experience is separate from their assistantship to give students a breadth of exposure to functional areas and a better understanding of varying institutional types. The SPAHE faculty’s extensive network of student affairs and higher education colleagues connects students to a wide variety of internships at different institutions.

NODA internships give students experience in orientation offices around the country and the opportunity to work with a variety of student populations and departments. Morgan Ridgell (’15) completed a NODA internship at the University of Alabama in the First Year Experience and Parent Programs Office. She chose to do a NODA internship because she had experience working with first-year students and desired direct experience with orientation. Heather Whedbee (’15) also completed a NODA internship. She worked at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and feels as though she gained invaluable experience collaborating with a variety of departments on campus and building her confidence as a future student affairs professional.

ACUHO-I internships allow students to gain experience with housing and residence life at universities throughout the country. Justin Shreve (’15) completed an ACUHO-I internship at the University of the Pacific, which gave him more experience with professional staff and RA training, programming, recruitment, and risk management. Brandy Hall (’15) did her ACUHO-I internship at Savannah College of Art and Design: “Initially, I was very hesitant about living-in and how that would affect my time management, but I loved being on the front lines with students!”

Although it is not required, many SPAHE students complete additional internships in functional areas that interest them throughout their two years in the program. Page Marshall (’16) is interning in Housing and Residence Life at UNCG. She is gaining more experience working with students, and feels as though this internship has solidified her desire to work in Housing and Residence Life after graduation. Melissa Ostrander (’16) is interning with the University Center Activities & Events office at Duke University: “This will provide me with experience at a private institution, which has a very different organization and campus culture.”

Many SPAHE alums have gained full-time employment as a result of the connections they made during their internships. Mary Lesa Pegg (’15) is a current SPAHE student whose internship turned into a full-time position. She began working in the Office of Career Services at UNCG last August in order to “better understand the higher education environment of Career Services.” When a full-time position became available in the office, she chose to apply and was offered the job in November.

6

Travel the Triad...Restaurants

The Triad is home to more than 700 restaurants. These are some

cohort favorites:

Old Towne Draught HouseSpring Garden St. (On Campus)

La BotanaHanes Mall Blvd, Winston-Salem

Stokely’s BBQ & More3519 S. Church Street, Burlington

Lucky 321421 Westover Terrace, Greensboro

Village Tavern1903 Westridge Rd, Winston-Salem

Krankies Coffee & Camino Bakery211 E. 3rd St., Winston-Salem

Geeksboro2134 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro

Natty Greene’s345 S. Elm St., Greensboro

Sports & Outdoors

If you are looking to get involved in an activity, ask a SPAHE

student. We are very involved in the fitness community from

running clubs to yoga studios; we join it all!

Greensboro GrasshoppersGreensboro

Minor League Baseball

Winston-Salem DashWinston-Salem

Minor League Baseball

Lake Mackintosh Park & MarinaBurlington

Paddle boat and kayak rentals

The Bog GardenGreensboro

Botanical Gardens & Nature Preserve

Wake Forest AthleticsWinston-Salem

ACC Football, Basketball, & Soccer

Carolina DynamoGreensboro

Professional Soccer Team

7

North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a geographically diverse state; it has both mountains and beaches with the piedmont in between. There is plenty to do in NC including the Biltmore House, Hanging Rock State Park, Old Salem, the Outer Banks, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Knights, and Carolina Hurricanes. If you are looking for a great place to go white water rafting, check out the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, NC.

Current SPAHE students say their top five places to visit in NC are:• The State Parks• Natural Science Museum in

Greensboro• Mountains• Asheville• Wilmington

...Explore Everything We Have to Offer!!!

Entertainment

The Triad has so many unique opportunities to try new things

that it is hard to list them all here. But the following are a few things we have found to be exciting and

entertaining:

Triad Stage Greensboro

Concert and Performances

Thruway Shopping CenterWinston-Salem

Shopping

The Idiot BoxGreensboro

Comedy Club

Company Shops Market Co-opBurlington

Live Music & Shopping

Wine and DesignGreensboro

Art and Wine

8

Colleges in the Triad

1The University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NCPublic | 18,502 Studentshttp://www.uncg.edu/

2Greensboro CollegeGreensboro, NC | 0.8 miles / 2 minute drive from UNCGPrivate | 1,250 Studentshttps://www.greensboro.edu

3Bennett CollegeGreensboro, NC | 2.3 miles / 8 minute drive from UNCGPrivate Historically Black Women’s College | 780 Studentshttp://www.bennett.edu/

4North Carolina A&T UniversityGreensboro, NC | 2.6 miles / 8 minute drive from UNCGPublic Historically Black University | 10,734 Studentshttp://www.ncat.edu/

5Guilford CollegeGreensboro, NC | 6.2 miles / 15 minute drive from UNCGPrivate | 2,137 Studentshttp://www.guilford.edu

6High Point UniversityHigh Point, NC | 16.4 miles / 24 minute drive from UNCGPrivate | 4,500 Studentswww.highpoint.edu

7Elon University Elon, NC | 21.9 miles / 31 minute drive from UNCGPrivate | 6,305 Studentshttp://www.elon.edu/

8Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-Salem, NC | 27.3 miles / 31 minute drive from UNCGPublic Historically Black University | 6,442 Studentshttp://www.wssu.edu/

9

1 32 4

75

6

8910

11

9Salem CollegeWinston-Salem, NC | 28.6 miles / 33 minute drive from UNCGPrivate Women’s College | 865 Studentshttp://www.salem.edu

10University of North Carolina School of the ArtsWinston-Salem, NC | 28.9 miles / 33 minute drive from UNCGPublic | 1,144 Studentshttp://www.uncsa.edu

11Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC | 30.9 miles / 37 minute drive from UNCGPrivate | 4,815 Studentshttp://www.wfu.edu/

Community Colleges Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown, NC | 10.8 miles / 15 minute drive from UNCG

Alamance Community College Burlington, NC | 22 miles / 27 minute drive from UNCG

Forysth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, NC | 30 miles / 34 minute drive from UNCG

10

Campus LivingGraduate Students have the option to take advantage of a variety of options to live on campus in UNCG’s residence halls.

• Lofts on Lee: 69-bed facility of 1-, 2-, and 4-bedroom apartments where each bedroom has its own private bathroom and each apartment has its own washer and dryer as well as a modern kitchen, just to name a few of the amenities. Lofts on Lee is designated as Graduate Student Housing by UNCG, so this is the perfect place to meet fellow graduate students at UNCG.

• Spartan Village (Haywood, Highland, Lee, & Union): 2- and 4-bedroom apartments; is one of UNCG’s newest residence halls. Apartments include full kitchens and a big-screen TV in each living room. Residents enjoy free use of washers & dryers in the centralized laundry facility in each hall as well as use of a centralized fitness room and clubhouse for all 4 halls.

In addition to some of the perks mentioned above, living on campus also comes with: wireless internet, water, power, and cable TV—including 73 Time Warner Cable channels plus HBO & Showtime—all included in the cost! To get more information about living on campus at UNCG, please visit http://hrl.uncg.edu.

New graduate students will have to option to apply and sign up for housing starting February 28 and can actually begin selecting their rooms for 2015-2016 beginning March 6. More information about housing deadlines can be found here: http://hrl.uncg.edu/apply/deadlines/

If you would rather explore off-campus housing options, the link below will direct you to a list of apartments in the Greensboro area. The list can be filtered for number of rooms, price range, location, pet allowance, and a number of other factors – so you can find the fit that’s best for you! To view off campus options visit http://tinyurl.com/qbdptgu.

When selecting your housing, please keep in mind with your GA position is located and the hours you may be required to work. If you have questions about where to live, ask your supervisor or a current SPAHE student. If you have questions about specific cities, reach out to a SPAHE student that currently lives in that city.

11

OrganizationsProfessional

OrganizationsProfessional organizations offer many opportunities for not only professionals in the field but also graduate students. As a graduate student member, you will gain access to numerous professional development opportunities including monthly journals, webinars, and local and national conferences. While joining a professional organization is not required, many students choose to join for the professional development and networking opportunities they provide. SPAHE students and faculty are highly involved with these organizations, so ask around to hear more about their experiences and insight.

Some professional organizations that might interest you are: ACPA, NASPA, and NCCPA. There is also a professional organization for every functional area.

HESAThe Higher Education Student Association (HESA) is a great way to get involved on campus at UNCG! HESA meets once a month for general body meetings to

discuss topics of interest in the field of Higher Education. Along with the chance to expand your mind, HESA offers a chance to relax and unwind from class and work with social events held throughout the semester. As a member of HESA, students have the chance

to participate in professional development, meet others outside of their cohort, and attend social events. Members also have the opportunity to participate in the planning of UNCG’s Careers in Student Affairs conference and participate in the Relay for Life. HESA affords the opportunity to find your place and the chance to work toward a cord for graduation; it is hard to pass up the chance to join.

Chi Sigma AlphaChi Sigma Alpha is the International Honor Society for Student Affairs Professionals. With the mission of “To Challenge and Support,” the organization boasts 14 chapters since its start at Virginia Tech in 2002. This Greek letter organization hosts brown bag professional development lunches,

provides funding for travel, and connects you with a vast network of members. To be initiated into ΧΣΑ you must have maintained an overall scholastic grade point average of 3.7 or better while enrolled in the program. UNCG’s chapter of Chi Sigma Alpha is the Sigma chapter. Look for applications after your first semester.

12

SPAHE AlumniAntron Mahoney is a 2007 SPAHE Graduate and the Assistant Director of the Center for Leadership and Social Change at Florida State University. FSU is classified as a very high research and doctoral granting public university serving about 40,000 students. In this role, he “oversees the development, implementation, and assessment of co-curricular student development programs, primarily focusing on leadership development and social justice.” Antron also teaches social justice courses for undergraduate students. He credits the SPAHE program, saying “the education I received at UNCG [is] the foundation for

much of my work and [is] incomparable to many of my colleagues who attended other institutions.” Reflecting on what he gained from SPAHE, Antron says, “through the network of faculty, staff, and students that I encountered while at UNCG, I was able to develop an identity as a student affairs professional.”

As the Associate Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA, Leslie Hughes is “responsible for the administration and management of

the residential life program, oversees the Assistant Dean for Residential Life, proctors, and mentors (essentially RAs) as they provide programming designed to foster community.”

Harvey Mudd College is a very small, private undergraduate institution serving approximately 800 students. Leslie “love[s] that I am able to focus on empowerment, advocacy, and support for students” in her current position. She graduated from the

SPAHE program in 2010 and has fond memories of the “close-knit community and support that I received from my cohort (we affectionately called it our ‘coheart’).” In reference to feeling prepared for her position,

Leslie says, “I feel that I was given the opportunity to study higher education history and institutional structures in a way that helped me understand the nuances of working in small private atmospheres.”

Jenna Ryan, 2013, currently serves as the Director of First Year Experience at Greensboro College, a small, private baccalaureate college in Greensboro, NC serving about 1,300 students. In her role, “I coordinate the two major programs for first-year students: Orientation and First Year Seminar.” She says, “I love working with incoming students to help prepare them for their first college experiences, as well as assist them through their first year,” because she is “able to build relationships with many of the students who participate in our programs and enjoys staying connected with them just through casual interactions around campus.”

Jenna says that she is “thankful for the knowledge and experiences I gained through my assistantships” because they prepared her to direct the programs she now oversees.

13

A Very Special Thank You!A lot of hard work, dedication, and effort went into making SPARK 2015 successful. We would like to

recognize the contributions of the following individuals.

Dr. William WeinerDean of the Graduate School

Dr. Karen Wixson Dean of the School of Education

Dr. Colleen FairbanksChair of Department of Teacher Education

and Higher Education

Dr. Scott HudginsAssistant Dean of the Graduate School

Angela NeblettAdministrative Associate for the Department of

Teacher Education and Higher Education

Members of the Student PanelCourtney Brehm, Page Marshall, Evan Owens, Niki

Paganelli, & Shakinah Simeona-Lee

Campus & College Tour Guides

SPARK CommitteeRachel Adams, Michael Croal, Brad Johnson, Courtney LaGanke, Austin McKim, Symphony Oxendine, Brandy

Propst, & Deb Taub

UNCG Office of Housing and Residence Life

14

SPARK

2015

StudentPersonnelAdministrationin HigherEducation

Newsletter Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Deb Taub

Managing Editor: Michael Croal

Staff Writers: Cara Arena Emily Blake Danielle Holloway Amanda McKnight Lindsay Metz Luke Poole Tyler Rathbone