Professional Development

Given that Student Affairs practitioners come to Longwood from a variety of graduate programs and backgrounds, ongoing professional development is a critical component to the Longwood staff experience.  Coordinated by the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, professional development helps staff stay current in both theory and practice and is delivered through a variety of means.  New Professional Onboarding is offered as incoming staff arrive.  Academic semesters open and close with extended division-wide and departmental retreats and meetings.  Monthly all-staff (plus selected campus partners), director, and senior-level staff meetings are scheduled regularly as well as bi-monthly individual supervisory meetings.  Optional opportunities include article, book, and webinar discussions as well as various campus institutes, workshops, and guest speakers.  Recent campus initiatives and working groups have focused on developing success strategies for first-generation Lancers, fostering resiliency and a growth mindset, and improving mental health and well-being.  Though impacted by COVID precautions and travel restrictions, many staff remain actively involved in their respective professional associations serving on governing bodies, attending and offering workshops at professional conferences, and writing for newsletters and journals. 

At the time of their creation, the ACPA / NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners (PDF) served as a curriculum for planning and tracking the content offered, and an individual self-assessment for each of the competency areas was developed.  A mapping of all Student Affairs sponsored professional development offerings since 2008 tracked by professional competency area, continues to be maintained. 

Longwood Developed ACPA / NASPA Professional Competency Self-Assessments

• "Advising and Helping" Self-Assessment
• "Assessment, Evaluation, and Research" Self-Assessment
• "Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion" Self-Assessment
• "Ethical Professional Practice" Self-Assessment
• "History, Philosophy, and Values" Self-Assessment
• "Human and Organizational Resources" Self-Assessment
• "Leadership" Self-Assessment
• "Personal Foundations" Self-Assessment
• "Student Learning and Development" Self-Assessment

Professional Development Resources

Please refer to the Student Affairs Shared Drive for staff email rosters, hiring resources, professional foundational documents, technology tips, SACS-COC related documents, and various workshop outlines.  For access and to add a document, please contact Kate Stewart at 395-2039 or stewartkb@longwood.edu.