Reconstructing Professionalism for Well-Being Among Student Affairs Professionals.

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Title: Reconstructing Professionalism for Well-Being Among Student Affairs Professionals.
Authors: Wilson, Amy B.1 wilsonab@buffalostate.edu, Díaz III, Hermen1 diazh@buffalostate.edu, Brown, Laura A.2 labrown5@buffalostate.edu
Source: Journal of Education Human Resources. Jan2025, Vol. 43 Issue 1, p54-75. 22p.
Subject Terms: *Student affairs services, *Job satisfaction, *Work-life balance, *Student well-being, Professionalism
Abstract: While many studies have examined work–life satisfaction within the field of student affairs, few have examined the dissonance between new professionals' expectations for professional practice and their experience in the first few years. Using a narrative inquiry method, this qualitative study investigated how professionalism is both practiced and challenged by new professionals in student affairs. Through individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 25 new professionals who graduated from the same student affairs preparation program, the authors learned about their expectations and desires for professional practice. The findings suggest that new professionals desire a new construct of professionalism that centers well-being for both the self and the collective. Their action-oriented approach to centering well-being involves practicing authenticity with self and others and engaging in acts of self-preservation, specifically setting boundaries and prioritizing mental health. The results of this study may further inform policy and practices in student affairs related to onboarding, supervision, and workplace culture, which may increase overall job satisfaction, decrease attrition among new professionals, and reframe ideas of professionalism in student affairs. Supervisors and divisional leaders within student affairs should seek to create environments where authenticity is welcomed and where acts of self-preservation are encouraged and supported, centering the professional within professionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Education Human Resources is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Reconstructing Professionalism for Well-Being Among Student Affairs Professionals.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wilson%2C+Amy+B%2E%22">Wilson, Amy B.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> wilsonab@buffalostate.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Díaz+III%2C+Hermen%22">Díaz III, Hermen</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> diazh@buffalostate.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brown%2C+Laura+A%2E%22">Brown, Laura A.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><i> labrown5@buffalostate.edu</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Education+Human+Resources%22">Journal of Education Human Resources</searchLink>. Jan2025, Vol. 43 Issue 1, p54-75. 22p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+affairs+services%22">Student affairs services</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+satisfaction%22">Job satisfaction</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work-life+balance%22">Work-life balance</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+well-being%22">Student well-being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professionalism%22">Professionalism</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: While many studies have examined work–life satisfaction within the field of student affairs, few have examined the dissonance between new professionals' expectations for professional practice and their experience in the first few years. Using a narrative inquiry method, this qualitative study investigated how professionalism is both practiced and challenged by new professionals in student affairs. Through individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 25 new professionals who graduated from the same student affairs preparation program, the authors learned about their expectations and desires for professional practice. The findings suggest that new professionals desire a new construct of professionalism that centers well-being for both the self and the collective. Their action-oriented approach to centering well-being involves practicing authenticity with self and others and engaging in acts of self-preservation, specifically setting boundaries and prioritizing mental health. The results of this study may further inform policy and practices in student affairs related to onboarding, supervision, and workplace culture, which may increase overall job satisfaction, decrease attrition among new professionals, and reframe ideas of professionalism in student affairs. Supervisors and divisional leaders within student affairs should seek to create environments where authenticity is welcomed and where acts of self-preservation are encouraged and supported, centering the professional within professionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Education Human Resources is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3138/03_Wilson_Diaz_Brown_4
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 22
        StartPage: 54
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Student affairs services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job satisfaction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work-life balance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student well-being
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      – SubjectFull: Professionalism
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              M: 01
              Text: Jan2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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