Grounding Student Affairs in a Catholic Charism: The Journey of One Faculty Member in Connecting Curriculum with Mission

Abstract

The institutional mission of a university guides interactions among faculty, staff, students, and others and is instrumental in shaping the campus culture. As such, it is important that all members of a campus community not only understand the mission, but also have a sense of agency in determining how to live the mission through their work. This article presents a case study of one faculty member's journey to deeper mission understanding, identification, and agency. The article explores commonalities between Vincentian Personalism and the basic tenets of the field of Student Affairs and highlights experiences and formation needed by lay faculty and staff at Catholic colleges and universities, particularly those without a Catholic religious background, to contribute meaningfully to the mission of the institution. The case study concludes with recommendations for other universities looking to support new faculty and staff in developing mission agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]