One of the best things about being a mom is the annual opportunities to engage and celebrate in traditional childhood moments. However, each year I am reminded of the many subtle ways in which we perpetuate gender norms and miss the mark on the simple concept of raising humans that live and lead with integrity…
Author: theasrtouch
I'm a higher education professional focused on helping others become the best version of themselves.
Lessons Learned Along the Way
Today marks the completion of my first year in academic affairs. The last 18 months have been some of the most challenging and rewarding times of my career, but I am so thankful for the many lessons, both good and bad, that I’ve learned. In honor of this small moment in time, I decided to…
Managing the Imposter
August marks the start of a new academic year for many, as well as mixed emotions as many people are transitioning into new roles or new responsibilities. It should come as no surprise that these transitions, combined with a personal desire to do something greater than the prior year, can lead to intense imposter feelings….
Passion to Purpose: July 2019
If you’re anything like me you get really excited when you see other people living their best life and fulfilling their purpose. You’ve also likely realized by now that I appreciate people who embrace their entrepreneurial spirit, especially those who invest in themselves for the purpose of investing in others. In addition to the wonderful…
The Art of Biography Writing
Have you ever been in a situation where your excitement about a new opportunity was deflated by the dreaded request for a biography? In my experience most people don’t give themselves enough credit when writing their biography, but then there are the people that include the fact that they woke up this morning as an…
Reflections from New Professionals Institute 2019 (Hosted by NASPA/SACSA)
Last week I had the great honor of serving as faculty for the 2019 NASPA/SACSA New Professionals Institute (NPI). Hosted at the beautiful University of North Carolina-Charlotte campus, I had the opportunity to work with an all-star faculty group and over 80 new professionals representing 11 states, 60 institutions, and countless functional areas. During this…
Passion to Purpose: June 2019
One of the best things about working in higher education is the abundance of amazing people you get to meet. This month’s Passion to Purpose post highlights three people that have transformed their innate gifts and lived experiences into powerful tools to create change for others. Please visit their website, support their efforts, and remember…
What’s Your Purpose?
Have you ever thought about your purpose in life? It seems that regardless of age people are always searching for their purpose. More often than not they are also rationalizing their actions in life by aligning them with their perceived purpose. When I decided to refocus on this blog I found myself in a similar…
Mid-Manager’s Institute: 5 Years Later
Five years ago I completed the 2014 NASPA Region III/SACSA Mid-Manager’s Institute at Texas Christian University. The Mid-Manager’s Institute (MMI) is a focused and unique professional development experience that offers an opportunity for mid-level professionals to enhance and develop the skills, relationships, and dispositions that distinguish them in the profession and enables them to make more…
Follow Up: What Were You Thinking
Last month I shared that I would be calibrating my decision making process and embracing a personal experience grounded in the “power of pause” in my What Were You Thinking post. As you can imagine I didn’t get it completely right, but I’m excited to share that I’m closing out the month of May feeling…
