By: Jordyn Salerno, SAA 2020
I entered my undergraduate experience heart-set on pursuing a degree in education. I wanted to be a teacher since I was five years old and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. In my second year at Central Michigan University I began to feel energized by my out of classroom experiences and bogged down by the rules around curriculum in k-12 education preparation, from there the rest is history. I decided my third year of undergrad to change my major to communication and knew I would be applying for student affairs/higher education graduate programs. Committing to student affairs as my journey allowed me to have ample time to prepare for the graduate school search and to really think through what I wanted out of a graduate program. Four years later, here I am about to graduate with my master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University with a Graduate Assistantship with the Dean of Students Office specifically working in student conduct. Going straight into a student affairs program after undergrad had both its challenges and opportunities and I have learned some useful lessons along the way in making the transition to graduate level coursework at a research-intensive university and in a graduate assistantship.
When I attended Spartan Preview Days(SPD), I remember being so intimidated by all of the amazing things mycolleagues who worked before going to graduate school had done. It is hard notto feel comparisons when you are surrounded by such talented, smart beyondtheir years, cohort members. One piece of advice that I received from my SPDbuddy before I attended SPD that allowed me to feel more confident was that Ineeded to remember the hard work I had put in as an undergrad to be where I wasand to not discount those experience as relevant to graduate schools andassistantship providers. That piece of advice has stuck with me throughout mygraduate program to remember my capabilities, and that even though I am young Ihave a lot to give.
Someof my greatest challenges in transition to graduate school as a “straight outof undergrad-er” have been keeping up the stamina for school, navigating therigor of coursework, and the new college experience. After 4 years ofundergrad, at the end of my graduate experience I will have done 6 straightyears of college and over 200 credit hours. A feat in itself, it makes myacademic brain very tired at times. Finding ways to keep up the stamina andenergy for school has been a challenge that I was not prepared for. Taking thischallenge head on has allowed me to find the things that give me energy to dothe schoolwork, like my passion areas in student affairs and reminding myselfwhy I wanted to attend graduate school in the first place. Additionally, therigor of coursework through readings, assignments, and discussions was a bigtransition. It took me the first few months to really find my voice in theclassroom and in my papers and I realized that needing that time was okay.Having fellow cohort members to discuss difficult readings with and consultingmy advisor and other faculty members on assignments and my participation inclass was extremely helpful in gaining the confidence to navigate the rigorthat comes with a graduate program. If you are admitted to a graduate programstraight out of undergrad there is a good chance you were a part of absolutelyeverything under the sun on campus, I know that was the case for me. With a 20hour a week assistantship, 10 credit hours a semester, and practicum(internship) experiences, being over involved is just not possible or expectedin graduate school. Graduate school is about being deeply involved in a fewthings instead of semi-involved in a lot of things and that is something I havehad to learn along the way in order to succeed in my studies and my work.
Thebiggest opportunity I have noticed in coming to graduate school straight out ofundergrad has been in relatability and rapport building with the students Iwork with. In my assistantship I meet with students who have been accused ofviolating university policy and I am expected to have open, honest conversationwith them about mistakes made and learning moments big enough to bring them tothe student conduct process. Being closer in age to the students I meet withand disclosing that information in meetings, has allowed me to feel morecomfortable engaging in conversation with them and in voicing empathy andunderstanding (when appropriate) to what they are experiencing. The stamina forschool that I discussed above can be both a challenge and an opportunity.Coming straight from undergrad there is not much time to get used to lifewithout school so the transition back into classes and homework can feel verynormal. Not to say the classes themselves aren’t challenging, I have just foundthe idea of “doing school” is a little easier.
Thebeauty of a cohort model of folks who range in age and experiences is that weall learn from each other every day. I have never felt discounted because ofnever working professionally. Although there were challenges and opportunities thatcame with going to graduate school right after undergrad for me, I acknowledgemy experience is not the singular experience of all. If you are thinking aboutcoming straight to graduate school from undergrad, you can do it! Know thereare people to support you and to help you work through the challenges andopportunities that may come and that you have the skills necessary to succeed.Good luck, I am rooting for you!