Lucas English ’22 entered the Student Affairs Program with plans to ultimately become a lawyer. A conversation with a faculty member set him on his path towards a PhD instead and helped him discover the work that was truly meaningful to him.
I’m working with Dr. Paul Rubin on his research around Higher Education State Governance and currently am working on a project with a focus on state coordinating boards.
When you joined the SAA program at Lewis & Clark, what career path did you plan to pursue?
I was planning on completing the program and attending law school to pursue a higher education general counsel role.
By the end of the program, did you have a different career outcome in mind? What either reinforced your original goal, or sent you in a different direction?
Yes, I completed a practicum that changed my interest in being a lawyer and that pathway. I spoke with a previous faculty member at Lewis & Clark and she suggested thinking about pursuing a PhD instead since I was motivated to make a difference for practitioners and research could be an area where I could do that.
Where did you complete your practicum and what was that experience like?
I completed my first-year practicum with the Lewis & Clark general counsel. It was a fine experience, but it did not feel like a role where I personally would be doing what I wanted with the outcome leading to better outcomes for student affairs practitioners. My second-year practicum was at Linfield University, located in McMinnville, where I was fortunate to cover the director of student conduct position, as they were on medical leave, and gain independence as practitioner where I could use the scholarship learned in class in actual praxis environments.
How do you apply what you learned at L&C to your daily work?
While I do not do praxis work as often as I used to, I do use the scholarship skills I gained in the SAA program daily in my research and in my classes that I am taking during my doctoral journey.
Graduate Programs in Leadership Studies is located in room 308 of Rogers Hall on the Graduate Campus. MSC: 84
Andrea Salyer ’22 reminds herself that she doesn’t need to be the expert in everything related to social change and social justice. That, in fact, it is impossible to be an expert. Instead, she says her role is to be open, authentic, and driven by equity, justice and constant growth as a professional. Most importantly, she strives to instill in students that we are all whole people and deserve to be seen and honored as such.
Aaron Campbell ’20 often thinks about his supportive SAA cohort when he finds himself experiencing challenging times at work and in life. He calls his experience at L&C “incredibly impactful” and credits it with helping him succeed in all of his professional roles.
Kevin Wright ’16 is no stranger to complex systems. His career brings him both the privilege and opportunity to collaborate with leaders nationwide, both inside and outside of higher education, to transform them.
