This Week is OVER! The To Do/Completed List

My goodness! I cannot believe that this week is over! *Yes, I am secretly excited! 

Here is the to do list for this week:

• Teach classes.
• Upload test and test reviews.
• Design test for the online course.
• Grade discussion questions using rubric.
• Contact second year, tenure track friend at SUNO.
• Write national conference proposals.
• Make journal editor's revisions to the article.
• Hold Tuesday/Thurs (7 pm to 8 pm) virtual office hours via Yahoo IM.
  
• Check e-mail and Bb mail. (6x daily)
  
• Distribute the "Black Undergraduate Student Study".
• Meet with [XYZ] University's Minority Student Leaders President.
• Attend with university-wide committee meeting.
• Attend departmental meeting.
• Attend student services focus group meeting.
• Contact faculty support services about Bb.
• Register for national conference.
• Purchase airline tickets for a regional conference in March. 
• Update blog.

I am happy that the weekend is here. However, I do have to grade papers and score tests over the next couple of days. Ah, the life of a second year, tenure track faculty member. I love it!

Sincerely,

Millennial Professor

In Retrospect...Mentoring Undergraduate College Students

This weekend, my husband and I presented a workshop titled, "Student Leader to Professional" at the Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference in College Station, TX.

It seems that the 50+ students who attended the workshop really appreciated the content. After the presentation, a majority of the students had questions about their job search, student organizations, internships, etc. In fact, one of the students asked me to critique her resume.

I love helping students make a successful transition from the college environment to the workplace. In fact, this transitional period is one of my strongest passions in life. Sometimes, I miss supervising undergraduate students in a managerial capacity. I always tried to make sure that they were professional at all times (personal and professional). In fact, many of the students that I supervised at my former university still serve as my mentees. 

Here's what one of my mentees wrote on facebook.

Thank you!! much of what I have become as a leader is because of you. I do have many people to thank, but a greater thanks is extended to you- as you have molded much of what I am, the first few years of a college student's career are vital. there arent enough words to thank you, Im so thankful that I had you to look up to.

This student recently graduated and I was suprised to receive a message from him. I truly enjoy observing students when they effectively apply concepts and theories in their everyday lives, but student affairs was different. I supervised students who are professional alumni of their undergraduate institution. In fact, one of the students is working on his master's degree in student affairs.

This is my second year at XYZ university, but I feel that I have to work harder to sustain a mentoring relationship with my students. Many of these students take my 100-level course as a requirement of the core curriculum. However, a few of our non-majors have taken my upperlevel classes as electives. In fact, one student (that was undecided as a freshman) decided to become a communication major and has taken EVERY class that I introduced at XYZ university (including a 400-level class when she was a freshman). I feel that I established a mentoring relationship with her and also with students in an organization that I advise.

I hope and pray that I am able to establish a mentoring relationship with our undergraduates and graduates.

Sincerely,

MillennialProfessor 

President Obama's Big Day!!!

I am watching events as they happen this morning. For the past couple of days, my father-in-law has been sending us pictures from the events in Washington, DC. I am glad that someone close to me attended the events in Washington this week. 

As I watch CNN, Fox, CSPAN, and MSNBC, I wonder how many college students are present at today's event. It seemed that a majority of college students were supportive of President-Elect Barack Obama. A majority of students at my campus were supportive of Senator John McCain (according to a campus poll), but I am glad that they were active in the voting process. Personally, I think that both of the candidiates were wonderful, but the people of America supported President-Elect Barack Obama as America's new leader.

I hope and pray that today's events occur without disruption. Bless the new President.

***Take a look at Barack Obama's Myspace Page

Millennial Professor

MLK Day of Service

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! (A Day on, Not a Day Off)

I am too excited about today and tomorrow. As I stated in prior postings, I have always been excited about the presidential elections and this year is no exception.

Despite my excitement, I never bring my political views into the classroom. I strive to state both sides of controversial issues and I gave updates from both the republican and democratic national conventions.

Today, I am happy about the event tomorrow, yet unhappy about lack of MLK Day of Service activities in my area. I would have to travel 50+ miles to the nearest service activity. I would create one, but I am not quite sure how my community would respond to a MLK Day of Service. We are one of the black families in the community.

However, today I plan to prepare for this week's classes. What did you do for MLK day?

Millennial Professor

I Can See You on My iPhone Student Tracking Program!!!

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, article titled, "Stanford U. Unveiled iPhone Application That Will Soon Let Students Locate Each Other". A couple of Stanford University students created an iPhone program that will enable students to find each other on a GPS-like network (with the students' permission). In the future, I wonder will professors be able track our truant students down via iphone when they choose not to come to class. Interesting concept!

Thought provoking questions:

a) Will this program increase the number of reported student stalkings of each other on college campuses?

b) Since most students are engrossed in facebook and myspace, will these GPS-like programs result in more student to student, face-to-face contact?

c) Will more student choose to purchase iPhones?

Why I Became a Professor...From a Former Student Affairs Practioner's Perspective

Why did I become a professor? Well, it has been a long (from a millennial's point of view) journey that just became longer (with the tenure track). 

Timeline

• May 2003 - Graduated with a Master of Arts Degree. Served as a graduate assistant in the Office of Student Affairs.
• May 2003 -  Started my first full-time job as a Coordinator of Multicultural and International Student Services.
• May 2004 - Gained admission to a higher education doctoral program (cohort-based).
• August 2006 - Started serving as a full-time adjunct teaching six undergraduate-based classes at a community college and four-year institution in Texas. Began working on my dissertation.
  
• January 2007 - Gained a fellowship in my doctoral program, taught as an adjunct for two community colleges, and continued working on my dissertation.
• July 2007 - Defended the dissertation.
  
• September 2007 - Started the tenure track and a four:four teaching load.
• December 2007 -  Graduated with my doctorate degree.
  
• January 2009 - Projects galore! Can I really survive on eight committees?

I made the switch, because I have some wonderful mentors in student affairs and academia that always push me to my limit. Since I was an undergraduate, I have wanted to become a chief university officer. This dream was derailed when some of my close mentors told me that I could not achieve my dream unless I became a professor. 

So, academia became my new dream and mindset. Instead of fund raising for student affairs programs and planning events, I have to search for grants, publish scholarly papers, present at conferences, serve on committees, and (of course) teach wonderful undergraduates. I love my job. I would not change what I have been blessed to do for ANYTHING.I love it when the undergraduates experience that "a ha" moment when they truly get a concept. I adore the exhilaration that I feel when I receive letter of acceptance for a faculty institute or grant. Most of all, I enjoy the feeling of humility when I receive a rejection letter for a journal or a "revise and resubmit" offer from another journal. This job is challenging, but I would not trade it for the world.