Challenge and Support is the idea that in order for a person (or in our case, a student) to develop, they will encounter challenges, either in the form of personal barriers, or from external influences. It is part of our charge as student affairs professionals to support them through these challenges to help them reach the next phase of their development.

Challenge and Support (the website, not the principle) came into existence as a result of several IM conversations between grad school friends and new professionals in Student Affairs. As we realized that the nuances of our grad program were often nothing compared to the crazy situations we would find in our professional career, we decided that these were stories that needed to be shared — not just for the humor, but perhaps, as a way of supporting our fellow new professionals out there that are saying, “What have I gotten myself into?”

But who are you?

We’re new professionals in Higher Education / Student Affairs. We work in various areas of Student Affairs — ResLife, Greek Life, Academic Advising, etc. We can’t tie down a geography, or any real demographics to us other than to say that we’re 20-somethings. We hail from various points across the United States, though most of us went to the same grad school. Funny how things work out like that.

That’s it?

Yes, that’s it. We’re not here to boost our own egos, or to make a name for ourselves. We just want to tell our stories. Why do you need any more than that? Credibility? A story is a story. You don’t need a name ot make it any more or less relevant or funny. But please, feel free to comment, and if you feel like you have something to share, drop us a line. We like getting fan mail… or even hate mail… either way, it means you’re reading, and that makes us happy.

A quick note on saving our asses

The posts found here belong to the individual authors, and in no way are supported or sponsored by our respective employers. While some (most) posts may be (usually are) derived from our experiences at work, please keep in mind that all the “negative-toned” posts are merely frustrations, and should in no way indicate our distaste or disdain for our jobs. We truly do love what we do, and would very much like to keep loving it.