Please visit the respective sites for more information
Student Affairs Organizations
There are hundreds of local, regional, and national student affairs organizations. These organizations are designed to enhance your student affairs awareness, knowledge, and skills. Here are some of the most popular:
Association of College and University Housing Officers – International
ACUHO-I – www.acuho-i.org
Association for Student Conduct Administration
ASCA – www.theasca.org
College Student Educators International
ACPA – www.myacpa.org
Originally known as: American College Personnel Association
National Association for Campus Activities
NACA – www.naca.org
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
NASFAA – www.nasfaa.org
National Career Development Association
NCDA – www.ncda.org
National Orientation Directors Association
NODA – http://noda.orgsync.com
Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
NASPA – www.naspa.org
Originally known as: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
The previously mentioned organizations also have conferences associated with their organizations. Visit their sites for details on memberships.
Additional Professional Development Conferences:
National Conference on Race and Ethnicity
NCORE – www.ncore.ou.edu
National Housing Training Institute
NHTI – www.resnet.umd.edu/nhti
Social Justice Training Institute
SJTI – www.sjti.org
Popular Publications
- Change – www.changemag.org
- The Chronicle of Higher Education – http://chronicle.com
- Diverse Issues in Higher Education – http://diverseeducation.com
- Inside Higher Ed – www.insidehighered.com
Many of the professional student affairs organizations above also have their own publications.
Tips for the New Professional
- Find a mentor(s).
- Someone to advise, guide, and help you navigate obstacles and avoid mistakes is critical. This will save you time and allow you to focus on skill and knowledge building.
- Create a professional development plan.
- With your mentor create a reasonable plan that helps meet your professional development and career goals. Reassess as often as needed.
- Develop the correct balance for yourself otherwise you will burnout.
- Hobbies and safe outlets for fun help alleviate stress.
- Be excellent where you are.
- As young professionals we often look past our current positions. This can be a mistake. Doing well in your current position validates you for your next position.
- Become a life-long learner.
- Read articles/books, attend conferences, take classes, or participate in workshops to stay current and aware of the latest student affairs knowledge and “best practices”.
The student affairs field is a large, yet tight-knit community. Good or bad, your future employer can attain information about you rather easily.
