Print

Wright, Beth Adamson

College of Education and Social Services

2007

M. Ed.

As a career counselor and later, as a grievance coordinator for staff in higher education, I am interested in the level of mentoring and direction available to both of these client groups as well as the degree to which mentoring or facilitation influences choice. Following a scholarly personal narrative form, I have explored my own voice development as a student counselor and staff services practitioner. My narrative follows my career path from motherhood, to career counselor, to staff grievance administrator as reflected by the lessons learned from my mentor, my father, my chemistry and physics teacher. Closely aligned with definitions found in health care and bioethics fields, I advocate for emotionally present, enabling and resourceful advocacy is areas of higher education populated with professional staff practitioners. Exampling advocacy and connecting interactions may train future practioners in collaborative interactions. Experiencing and practicing empathy, listening and collaborative programming are key components to the success of all members of our community. As professionals, our success is determined by the degree to the students and staff seeking our guidance, learn, mirror, or assimilate the care shown to them during their higher education years. Beginning and concluding with a letter of farewell to my mentor, my father, my teacher, my narrative looks to make connections between the treatment of staff in matters of grievance and professional interactions and the experience provided to student members of the academy.