On Wednesday, September 12, a crowd of students, faculty, and professionals involved in Student Affairs in Higher Education were treated to a thought-provoking presentation by Dr. Marcia Baxter-Magolda. Her research into self-authorship and the development of reflective practitioners was the focus of a discussion that engaged both emerging and seasoned professionals in analysis of their current practices and identification of more effective approaches to thinking and learning. Her work is based on over 25 years of research and provides the basis for pedagogical approaches that lead students to higher levels of complexity in their academic and professional lives.

For those who missed the symposium last night, it is still possible to gain insights from the work of Dr. Baxter-Magolda. Her recent book, Authoring Your Life: Developing an Internal Voice to Navigate Life’s Challenges (Baxter-Magolda, Hall, & Parks, 2009), provides the foundation for current coursework in the Student Affairs in Higher Education curriculum. It is a book that reaches out to all educators, from the earliest stages of instruction (such as PreK-12 schools) through advanced instruction found on a university campus. If you have struggled to engage students in critical thinking and independent, creative thought processes, this book and other works by Dr. Baxter-Magolda should be a resource for you.

Thank you to Dr. Gilbert Brown, Director of the MS: Student Affairs in Higher Education Program, for inviting Dr. Baxter-Magolda to our campus for this presentation. It was an evening that will impact the learning and development of both students and faculty in a very meaningful way.