Meet Amie: Higher education and student affairs

I had the opportunity to work alongside student affair professionals in Canada before coming to the United States. From there, I found joy in taking the journey with students as they learn and develop in their chosen career path. My growing passion for student affairs led me to find the HESA program at WMU. 

The first day I inquired about the program through their website, I received a response right away. They thoroughly explained to me the HESA  curriculum, which includes a combination of student development, leadership theories and diversity cognate. The program was very accommodating in helping me find a graduate assistantship at the same time. So, currently my GA at the Seita Scholars program includes a full tuition scholarship and financial support through out the duration of my program. 

The HESA program offers a practice-based experience where I can apply and consolidate my academic learning and graduate assistantship practice in developing skills and competencies needed to thrive in the field. 

It has been a joy and a great learning curve partnering with very passionate and talented student support professional at the Sieta Scholars Program. It is a honor to be able to serve the community of persistent and resilient scholars.

The program was established in 2008, it is the nation's largest, most comprehensive collegiate program that supports youth who had experience in foster care. Our program is focused on transforming WMU students from foster care by integrating student experience to build a strong foundation of opportunities for their  future.  

I'm the graduate assistant in the Seita Scholars program and I support the co-curricular programing. We have this program called Summer Early Transition Week where we help incoming first-year WMU students transition into college life. At the same time, as the semester is going for fall and spring semester we have this program called Graduation Preparation. In the program we help our incoming graduating Seita Scholars transition to their professional life, so we conduct seminars, partner with different departments across Western to give them that knowledge and network to support them as they transition to their chosen career paths.

More leadership and technical skills. And how to solve problems regarding student transitions and their daily activities in the universities. Like how can I organize events, learn from each other and build a community at the same time.

It has been a year of growth and exciting new learning for me. The HESA program is built in a way that I'm able to connect knowledge in my undergraduate business management classroom discussion and to my work with students and staff at the Seita Scholars Program. 

My goal after graduation is to work in a research university with diverse talents and student body. I shared this desire with HESA faculty and my advisor, Dr. Romana Lewis. Dr. Lewis is very supportive and she gave me a few options and connected me with international and domestic partners.

I'm very excited to start my internship in summer 2023 at the international education center at the University of Toronto. Its Canada's globally top ranked research university.