The ideal

So I've been thinking a lot about long term research goals lately - what's my main area of interest? How do I head in that direction? What are the overall arches of my interest, what's out there and where do I see the need for improvement on college campuses and most importantly how do I connect all of those things into a coherent piece that people will take seriously. 

To begin with I have a great passion for career counseling - I feel there's a lot of bad advice or a serious lack of advice for college students.  Some of that comes from my own personal bias, I know there are a lot of fantastic counselors out there, but their message isn't being heard or sought out by the folks who really need it.  It's the perpetual conundrum - the people who need the most help are the least likely to seek it out. But I'm getting ahead of myself. 

My eventual goal is a PhD in Higher Education - the thesis is to develop a career advising curriculum based on Wm. Sedlacek's non-cognitive behavior theory (more detail on that in a bit) that can be implemented by schools using a faculty based advising model.  I truly believe that career counseling (not just job searching skills) need to be utilized from day 1 by colleges & universities.  I think it will help students help define their academic goals at an earlier stage which will in turn help them find higher satisfaction in their academic careers.

Dr. Sedlacek's non cognitive behavior's include:
POSITIVE SELF-CONCEPT OR CONFIDENCE. Strong self-feeling, strength of character. Determination, independence.
REALISTIC SELF-APPRAISAL, especially academic. Recognizes and accepts any deficiencies and works hard at self-development. Recognizes need to broaden his/her individuality.
UNDERSTAND AND DEALS WITH RACISM. Realist based upon personal experience of racism. Is committed to fighting to improve existing system. Not submissive to existing wrongs, nor hostile to society, nor a "cop-out." Able to handle racist system. Asserts school or organization role to fight racism.
PREFERS LONG-RANGE GOALS TO SHORT-TERM OR IMMEDIATE NEEDS. Able to respond to deferred gratification.
AVAILABILITY OF STRONG SUPPORT PERSON to whom to turn in crises.
SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE in any area pertinent to his/her background (gang leader, church, sports, noneducational groups, etc.)
DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY SERVICE. Has involvement in his/her cultural community.
KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED IN A FIELD. Unusual and/or culturally related ways of obtaining information and demonstrating knowledge. Field itself may be non-traditional.

(http://williamsedlacek.info/publications/articles/employing1.html)

So that's where this blog is starting.  I fully expect that I will add in bits and pieces of things that I find interesting but not necessarily related as I blog along.  I am the author & owner of this blog so I reserve that right! :)