ACPA / NASPA
Advising and Supporting
Building helping relationships through listening, care, and guidance
Why I Selected This Competency
Advising and Supporting is one of the most important competency areas in my professional development because so much of my work has centered on being present with students, listening carefully, and helping them navigate personal, academic, and transitional challenges. I selected this competency because it reflects the relational core of student affairs work and aligns closely with how I understand my role in Residence Life. Many of the most meaningful interactions I have had with students have happened not in formal offices or planned advising sessions, but through everyday conversations, moments of concern, and one-on-one support.
How This Competency Shows Up in My Practice
In practice, Advising and Supporting means building helping relationships that are grounded in active listening, empathy, respect, and appropriate referral. I often focus first on understanding a student’s experience rather than immediately offering solutions. That approach matters to me because it allows students to feel heard while also encouraging them to think through their own options and build confidence in their decision-making.
I have also learned that advising in Residence Life is not about trying to solve everything myself. It involves knowing when a student needs additional support and helping connect them to the appropriate campus resources, whether the concern relates to mental health, academics, finances, or adjustment. This has helped me see advising as both relational and practical.
Reflection and Professional Growth
This competency is reflected strongly in several of my artifacts. My One-on-One Meeting Agenda with Resident Assistant Staff demonstrates how I use intentional conversation, feedback, and individualized support as part of my developmental approach to supervision. While the artifact focuses on staff, it reflects the same advising values that shape my student-facing work: active listening, trust-building, reflection, and helping others identify strengths and areas for growth.
The Send-Off Card from Stanford University Junipero Hall Residents and Summer Resident Assistants also serves as qualitative evidence of this competency because it reflects the relationships I built and the ways students and staff experienced my support, care, and presence within the community. Together, these artifacts show that advising and supporting is not only about giving information. It is about building trust and creating space for people to feel heard, respected, and encouraged.
Growth Over Time
I currently see myself as having foundational competence moving toward intermediate development in Advising and Supporting. I have meaningful experience listening to students, responding with empathy, making referrals, and supporting students through moments of challenge and transition.
At the same time, I know there is still room for growth, especially in deepening my confidence in crisis response, sharpening my referral knowledge, and continuing to develop care-centered conversations that balance empathy with accountability. As I move forward, I want this competency to remain at the center of my work. I want students to experience me as someone who not only listens and cares, but also helps them move toward growth, clarity, and stronger self-authorship.
Related Artifacts
- One-on-One Meeting Agenda with Resident Assistant Staff
- Send-Off Card from Stanford University Junipero Hall Residents and Summer Resident Assistants