or 17 years, Dr. Maureen Wilson has been a faculty member at the University’s Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs. She came to the University in 2001 after being an associate professor for three years at Mississippi State University and became the department’s chair in 2010.
In her undergraduate career at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, she became a resident adviser in the dormitories.
“[I] went into college without a clear idea of what I wanted to do,” Wilson said. “And, [I] really enjoyed the work I did in the residence halls and working with the student affairs staff.”
She found out about student affairs as a career when she was in her junior year. She talked with professionals and Aquinas College’s student affairs about their experiences. Her expressed interest in pursuing a career in student affairs helped her obtain different opportunities at the college.
She was enrolling to an be an RA for her third year, which was unusual for the university because they didn’t hire many seniors. Since Wilson and another student were going to be third year resident advisers, the student affairs department created a brand-new position: head resident.
“We supervised the desk staff; we got to help teach the RA course. I think they were intentional in creating new opportunities for us that would help us explore our interest in the field.”
She received a Bachelor of Science in Businesses Administration and Communication Arts in 1985 from Aquinas College, and her skills from the major have helped her with her career skill set.
“People tend to come into student affairs through a variety of avenues with a lot of different majors,” Wilson said. She said her experience in communications has helped, as has portions of her business administration degree. Classes in human resources and conflict and problem solving are just a couple things that have carried over and are useful in student affairs.
In between getting her master’s degree in 1987 and her PhD in 1998, Wilson worked in the Office of Residence Life at the College of William and Mary; as a Residence Life Coordinator at the University of South Carolina; and then, as an academic adviser at The Ohio State University.
Wilson hopes that her current graduate students in the higher education and student affairs department will learn from her the useful context they need going into student affairs.
“Even if the office isn’t, on the organization chart, in student affairs, it draws on a lot of skills and perspectives,” she said. “I want them to understand how student affairs are done.” This includes how student affairs fits into an institution’s mission, faculty roles and responsibilities and effective collaboration.
October is Careers in Student Affairs Month, which is dedicated to the celebration of a career in student affairs, education and awareness in the profession.
