Message from the Vice Provost & Dean
Dear Colleagues:
You may already be familiar with Dr. Marcia Baxter Magolda’s scholarship on the nature of internal authority or, what behavioral theorists refer to as “self-authorship.” Baxter Magolda (2001) defines self-authorship as “the internal capacity to define one’s beliefs, identity, and social relations” (p. 269) and it acknowledges students’ abilities to know what they know and how they know it, become self-determined individuals with their own values and purposes (rather than those perhaps given to them by others), and to make meaning of their own belief systems. As student affairs professionals, we don’t always know what impact college has on a particular student but, occasionally, we are privileged to experience it first-hand and are then reminded why we have chosen to do this work.
In December, Rachel Jenkin, our wonderful Student Senate President, became the first-ever student speaker at a GVSU Commencement. Her speech was, of course, directed to graduating seniors. But, her words are instructive for all of us, and I hope to honor her authorship – both literal and theoretical – by sharing a few pieces hereafter. To be sure, sometimes students are OUR teachers, and she offers good advice:
Find comfort in the uncomfortable and know this is how you embrace change.
All of us have different reasons for coming to Grand Valley, but one constant is that we are all capable of remarkable things….Your success will only get bigger as you continue to challenge yourself and the world around you.
Your work goes beyond your time at this university, and the commitment you place on growth, the commitment you place on yourself, will blossom into something truly amazing. Moving forward: be bold, be annoyingly optimistic, and be proud.
We have all discovered our limits; however, we’ve also found what motivates us to keep going. My biggest motivator has been the mission of self-improvement.
Every space is your classroom. Every person can teach you…. So, keep your ears and your heart[s] open.
Indeed, each space and every interaction offers teachable moments. Thank you for helping students author their own experiences, and also for your contributions to my learning journey. Here’s to a great semester!
Loren
