Talking Stick - September/October 2012 - 49

cOntInued

RES LIFE

throughout the country participate in a service day at the same time, in solidarity with the volunteering happening closer to campus.” The organization of such events by residence life programs is important not only in keeping alumni active, but also in keeping students aware of the importance of their own opportunities as alumni. The President’s Alumni Liaison Group at the University of Scranton is a group of representative alumni and students created to build and maintain connections between current students and their classmates as well as alumni and their colleagues. They also work with the Alumni Society to maintain ongoing relationships between current students and alumni. The Residence Life Alumni Recruitment Evening at the University of British Columbia is a large annual event to recruit potential residence life student staff by showcasing how residence life contributes to transformative

experiences, fosters career and academic opportunities, and helps build community connections. Over 400 people typically attend, including alumni who are invited to join a panel to share their experiences with potential applicants. The university changed the structure of the program this past year, making it a mini-conference with two tracks: one for potential returning advisors and one for potential applicants, with alumni presenters for both audiences. “Students are provided with opportunities to learn from alumni who have experienced their current reality and have a different perspective on student life at UBC and in residence life,” Lam explains. “They are encouraged to continue to be involved and, when they graduate, their affinity to our program and to the university is well established. They also have the desire to continue to be active contributors to the community, like the alumni they interacted with as

students.” While alumni have a great deal to offer in their role as mentors and role models to students, they also benefit from these interactions. “Alumni have the opportunity to revisit their student experience and to connect with student leaders who have fresh ideas,” Lam says. “We aim to intentionally engage them so that they are showcasing their talent and participating in a program that will be meaningful for them as well.” Alumni serve as unique ambassadors for an institution, linking the past with the present and helping to invest in the future of a college or a university. They remain connected and involved with their alma mater, not only supporting the institution but also offering valuable resources to the alumni of the future. tS
Alexa Sibberson
is an editorial intern for Talking Stick.

cOntInued

REGROUP

“As I enter my third year here, I am more comfortable with my own understanding of campus policies, procedures, climate, and politics. All of these factors interact and influence my ability to advocate on behalf of students and be successful in that role,” says Pierce. Pinto-Dyczewski strives for a coaching approach to training new staff, giving them the autonomy to navigate through scenarios with guidance and feedback. She specifically focuses on helping them see the bigger picture of an advocacy situation by challenging them with questions. She attributes her own advocacy skills to similar coaching from previous supervisors: “Not understanding politics is where new professionals get themselves into hot water. Coaching them how to

read a situation and look at different constituency groups is critical. Are the students you’re advocating for tied into other groups on campus or other individuals? Staff needs good supervision in circumstances where they are trying to advocate and learning how to motivate.” Pinto-Dyczewski has seen changes in the way advocacy looks on campus throughout her career, particularly in the way staff respond to the need or request to advocate on behalf of students. She has observed a shift toward immediately saying “no” or opting to not get involved in a situation. “I wish we wouldn’t be so apprehensive about our students wanting to advocate for issues. We as a profession have backed away from that. Whenever something is outside the norm, I sense we have

backed away from letting people be uncomfortable. I wish that whenever students challenge us, we would let that percolate more,” she says. Ultimately, student advocacy becomes another set of developed skills for professionals. PintoDyczewski likens it to acquiring a repertoire of tools and learning to use them with necessary finesse. As she says, “You can use those different tools to get at the same end so you aren’t tS always arriving with the hammer.”
Stacy Oliver
is the associate director of residence life for student success at Lake Forest College in Illinois.

september + october 2012

Talking Stick - September/October 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - September/October 2012