Courses and books will help you gain knowledge, but there is nothing that takes the place of hands-on experience.
Below are some ideas of activities and projects that you can pursue to enhance your knowledge:
Student Advising
- Enroll in Learning and Development's Student Advising Certificate Series
- Learn more about campus resources for students (partial list)
- Center for Student Involvement
- Early Academic Outreach Program
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Resource Center
- Office of Campus Community Relations
- Student Housing
- Student Recruitment and Retention Center
- Schedule an informational interview with an SAO
- Shadow an SAO
- Attend student orientations at any department
- Attend student-organized culture/community celebrations
Interpersonal Communication
- Attend a resource faire on-campus or off-campus
- Develop and present training on a departmental process
- Shadow "drop in" advising
- Volunteer to lead a meeting in your unit
- Write instructions for a departmental procedure
- Build relationships with faculty and colleagues
- Become a campus mediation co-facilitator
- Visit an office/person you make referrals to
Service Orientation
- Learn more about Human Corps
- Learn more about International Resources
- Participate on a Chancellor's Advisory committee
- Volunteer to deliver your department's new employee orientation or develop a new employee handbook
- Volunteer to participate on hiring committees
- Join a committee
- Form a network of peers doing similar jobs in other departments
- Staff a table at a campus faire
Diversity Commitment
- Attend a Staff Diversity Administrative Advisory Committee (SDAAC) meeting
- Attend Cultural Day events (e.g., Asian Pacific Culture Week, Black Family Week, La Raza Cultural Days or Native American Culture Days)
- Participate in diversity education courses
- Participate in Educational Outreach (EAOP)
- Volunteer at Office of Campus Community Relations or attend diversity workshops
- Work with Office of Campus and Community Relations department on campus book project
- Become a campus diversity facilitator
Program Administration
- Ask to be cross-trained in basic financial duties in your office
- Attend student orientations in any department
- Learn about student staff training at Student Housing (e.g., The Student Leadership Development Series)
- Learn more about what each unit contributes to the running of your department
- Learn to read and analyze your department's financial reports
- Participate in a strategic planning process
- Volunteer to create a database or reports to manage a set of data in your unit
- Volunteer to create or redesign department budget spreadsheets
- Attend planning meetings
Self-Management
- Volunteer for orientations, group meetings, student activities or outreach
- Volunteer to lead a meeting
- Attend an academic advising session
- Practice Principles of Community
- Network
- Schedule and informational interview with a SAO to discuss self-management techniques
- Lead a group project
- Take a leadership role on a campus committee
- Ask to be cross-trained in SAO-related duties in your office
UC Davis Events
- Chican@ Latin@ Bienvenida (Fall Welcome)
- Discover UC Davis Events
- Welcome Week
- Commencement
- Soaring to New Heights
- Native American Studies Welcome
- African American & African Fall Student Welcome
- Asian American Pacific Islander Fall Welcome
- Cross-Cultural Center: Open House
- Cross Cultural Center: Danzantes del Alma
- Student Recruitment & Retention Center Open House
- Picnic Day
- Campus Community Book Project