Introduction
About Me
International graduate student in Higher Education and Student Affairs at Indiana University Bloomington—growing through Residence Life, advising, outreach, and student support across Ghana, IU, and Stanford Summer Session.
I am an international graduate student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program at Indiana University Bloomington, where I continue to grow as a student affairs practitioner through Residence Life, advising, outreach, and student support work. My professional journey has been shaped by experiences across Ghana, Indiana University, and Stanford Summer Session, and each of these settings has strengthened my commitment to building educational environments where students feel supported, challenged, and connected.
At Indiana University, I serve as the Assistant Coordinator for Center Management at Union Street Center, where I support the daily operations of a large residential community, supervise and mentor Resident Assistants, respond to student concerns, and help foster a living environment that supports belonging and student development.
I also mentor honors students in the Hutton Honors College living-learning community at Union Street Center. In addition, my graduate internship with the Office of Admissions, Early Outreach and Engagement team expanded my understanding of student transition, access, and institutional outreach.
These experiences have helped me see student affairs work as both relational and structural. It is about supporting individual students, but also about designing systems, communities, and partnerships that help them thrive.
My work at Stanford Summer Session further deepened my understanding of residential leadership, supervision, and student support in a fast-paced environment.
Earlier in my journey, I taught first- through third-year high school students in Ghana, where I designed engaging lessons, supported diverse learners, and worked to create inclusive classroom spaces.
That experience remains important to me because it shaped how I think about teaching, care, and human connection in educational settings.
Across these roles, I have become increasingly interested in residential curriculum, crisis response, conduct-adjacent support, community development, and the ways institutions can better support international and historically marginalized students.
What grounds my work is a belief that student affairs practice should be thoughtful, reflective, and student-centered. I care deeply about belonging, ethical practice, leadership development, and creating environments where students are not only present, but genuinely supported in their growth. I see supervision, advising, and residential life work as opportunities to help students and staff make meaning of their experiences, build confidence, and develop a stronger sense of self and community.
This portfolio brings together my Residence Life philosophy, ACPA/NASPA competency reflections, resume, evidence of practice, and selected artifacts. Together, these materials illustrate how I approach supervision, assessment, leadership, and community development, while also showing how I continue to connect theory to practice throughout my graduate preparation and professional experiences. Thank you for visiting.
Connect
Bloomington, Indiana
ahaadi@iu.edu
Professional interests: student support, leadership development, supervision, inclusive practice, ethical decision-making, community engagement, and residential education.