In 2024, I finally got to attend the Tableau Conference in San Diego — the ultimate pilgrimage for someone like me: a researcher who lives to tell stories with data.
For years, TC had been my “someday” dream. Every time I mentioned it to a higher ed data friend, they’d give me the same wide…
In my conversation with Kyle Amore, Associate Director of Co-curricular Assessment at Santa Clara University, Kyle shared how his journey into student affairs assessment began organically, rooted in a desire to demonstrate impact and improve student experiences. His reflections emphasized the import…
In undergraduate creative writing courses, my fellow students and I were always guided to “show, not tell”. In creative writing, this directive related to the ability to use descriptive text, plot devices, and character development to show the reader what you want them to know, rather than simply te…
Late June saw a gathering of over 100 student affairs professionals invested in deepening their assessment knowledge convene at ACPA’s Student Affairs Assessment Institute (SAAI) just outside of DC in Crystal City, Virginia. Co-Chaired by Zach Hooten and Heather Strine-Patterson, SAAI leaned on the …
Hello SAAL Blog readers! Here is the next installment of our conversation series getting to know the leaders that make up this wonderful group of Student Affairs Assessment Leaders and learning from their personal stories. Maureen, a current member of the SAAL board, was willing to share some of her…
As we approach the close of our current SAAL leadership term, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what it means to serve, lead, and grow within this community. Each of our Board members has contributed time, passion, and expertise to advancing our organization and creating spaces for connection, lea…
I’m having an identity crisis. Is it just me?
Everyone’s path to Student Affairs Assessment is a little different. Usually winding, rarely straightforward.
Someone once told me a joke—and maybe you’ve heard it too:
You can trace the roots of every Student Affairs professional back to hig…
Most days, my LinkedIn feed is filled with posts repeating a common message: the job search process is exhausting and defeating (as I typed this, I received a YikYak notification: “another day of job searching and crying 😍”). The narratives I read detail individuals applying to hundreds of jobs, hea…
