Joann Zhang

The Emerging Leaders teaching assistant internship provided my first exposure to teaching and facilitating a college classroom. I struggled to find the confidence in this course to teach, but through that, I learned a lot about my own leadership style and my values. In other words, this internship really pushed me outside of my comfort zone. In hindsight, I am so thankful for it.  I learned that the saying 'fake it until you make it' is not necessarily applicable to me especially when it comes to teaching or presenting in front of others. In order to overcome this, I want to be more confident in my practices and in what I say. I recognize this will take time, but I am sure I will get there sooner rather than later. I became more aware of my body language and how I relate to students. I am also now able to reflect on the type of student affair professional I want to be and how I want to connect with m students. I can't say I want to teach a college course in my near future but would be open to it later in my career. Being able to see a group of students on a weekly basis, and build that relationship while educating them on something I am passionate about gives me excitment. 

Connection to Competencies:

• Understanding the primary challenges and opportunities being presented to student affairs professionals

• Understand systems of privilege and oppression and the impact of these on institutional systems or organizations

• Identify and evaluate leadership styles, including one’s own, in various settings 

• Demonstrate the ability to take initiative and lead in meetings and on projects or other tasks 

• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in changing circumstances, employing decision-making and problem-solving skills

• Understand the impact of student identity, cultural heritage, and institutional and societal systems (including power and privilege), on identity development, personal growth, individual perspectives, and students’ experiences

• Recognize various dimensions of identity and the intersectionality of those dimensions in the lives and learning experiences of students

• Analyze and apply concepts and theories of student and human development to enhance work with students

• Apply knowledge of diverse audiences in the development, communication, delivery, and assessment of programs, curricula, and services

• Define professional development needs and interests for continued growth including opportunities for future contributions to the body of knowledge

• Identify one’s professional values and ethics

• Describe how one’s own worldview impacts values and assumptions when working with others

• ​Establish a commitment to engage in ongoing inquiry throughout one’s career or articulate the value/appreciation of ongoing inquiry and engagement