Service Philosophy Statement

Philosophy of Leadership and Service

As an individual deeply entrenched in the fields of education and counseling, I am guided by a fundamental belief: the journey of leadership is inexorably intertwined with the pursuit of knowledge. At the heart of my philosophy lies the conviction that educators and counselors should embody perpetual learners, forever humbled by the vast expanse of human experience and the evolving landscape of mental health. Central to my ethos is the unwavering principle that true mastery in our roles is an elusive horizon, always beckoning us to venture further into the depths of understanding.

Rooted in the Wellness perspective, I hold steadfast to the notion that as a counselor and educator, my identity is not a static pedestal of expertise but rather a fluid conduit of growth and enlightenment. The premise is simple yet profound: to remain a competent steward of mental health and psychology, I must perpetually engage in the pursuit of knowledge, relentlessly striving to expand my horizons. In acknowledging my role as both an educator and a counselor, I embrace the inherent duality of leadership and learning. Despite my reluctance to claim the mantle of expertise, I recognize that the communities I serve often perceive educators as authorities and counselors as repositories of wisdom. This tacit acknowledgement imbues me with a profound sense of responsibility, a recognition that leadership is not merely a title but a call to action. In this way, I truly believe one cannot be a leader without also being a learner. For me, leadership transcends mere rhetoric; it is a dynamic process of perpetual evolution. It begins with a humble acknowledgment of the ever-changing needs within our spheres of influence. Armed with this awareness, I am compelled to catalyze change, to champion the cause of progress by effecting tangible transformations in the communities in which I have the privilege of belonging. Yet, this is not the terminus of my journey; rather, it serves as a catalyst for further introspection and growth. In embracing the symbiotic relationship between learning and leadership, I embark on an unending cycle of discovery and action. Each iteration fuels the next, propelling me ever forward on the trajectory of growth and learning. It is a journey marked not by milestones but by the relentless pursuit of excellence, a testament to the axiom that true leadership is inextricably linked to being a life-long learner.

Now that I have described a central basis for the way in which I conceptualize leadership, I will discuss in greater detail my philosophy of leadership, advocacy and service. My philosophy, in addition to being based on continuous learning, can be described as an integration of two leadership models. The first model is Transformational Leadership, and the second model is Service Leadership. I will now unpack each of these models, respectively.

"In this way, I truly believe, one cannot be a leader without also being a learner."

There are two main tenets of Transformational Leadership: the central purpose of leadership is change and “leadership transcends one’s position in an organizational hierarchy” (Harrison, 2011, p. 45). The first principle of Transformational Leadership helps me conceptualize my own philosophy in terms of outcomes. In other words, for leadership to be true leadership, change should intentionally occur. The latter staple purports that Transformational Leadership seeks to differentiate leadership from wielding authoritative power (Harrison, 2011). This idea nicely compliments the Feminist-Constructivist theoretical perspective that I adhere to as well which seeks to diffuse the power differentials between counselor and counseling participant and student and teacher in the name of social justice.
Despite the claim that one’s job as a leader is to create change, Lewis (2011) reports, “service is the missing component in leadership theory and research” (as cited in Chang et al., 2011, p. 34). As a result, my own philosophy of leadership, advocacy and service stands on the solid foundation of learning and Transformational Leadership while incorporating the values of Service Leadership. Similar to my own Feminist-Constructivist theoretical orientation, Lewis (2011) reports that Servant Leadership (also known as Service Leadership) values “reflection of how one’s leadership impacts those served” and is “at the heart of the counseling profession” (as cited in Chang, et al., 2011, p. 35). Counselors are natural servants, serving communities, schools, organizations, and clients for meager monetary compensation, all the while impacting those around and creating change. As an educator who was a counselor first, I hold the tenets of service leadership near and dear to me as I walk in service to the Agnes Scott community and the communities I serve at large. It is in this way that Service Leadership nicely integrates with Transformational Leadership to form my own philosophy of leadership, advocacy, and service that purports: The purpose of leadership is intentional change that is the direct result of learning and service.

Implications of My Philosophy
D’Andrea and Daniels (1999) (as cited in Nilsson & Schmidt, 2005) report that despite the high regard for social justice and advocacy within the fields of counseling and education, this awareness often falls short of turning into action. For me this is where conceptualizations of leadership begin to turn into behaviors of service and advocacy. The implication of this for me is that I do not want to be someone who merely talks about leadership and what this looks like in terms of social justice and advocacy. Instead, I want to BE an advocate. For me, a leader turns into an advocate when they begin to take action. To this end, the following are ways in which my own philosophy turns into actionable support for the mission of Agnes Scott College:

Leadership as Advocacy: As a faculty who is also a licensed professional counselor, I serve as a leader in advocating for social justice and mental health. It highlights my responsibility to take action and create intentional change to address issues within the communities in which I belong. This aligns with Agnes Scott's mission of promoting social justice by empowering faculty to advocate for marginalized, minoritized, and underrepresented individuals and communities.
Integration of Leadership Models: By integrating two leadership models, Transformational Leadership and Service Leadership, which emphasize the importance of creating change and serving others, I practice a holistic approach to leadership, advocacy and service that values both individual growth and collective well-being, which resonates with Agnes Scott's commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
Service Orientation: My dedication to service leadership underscores the importance of serving the communities I belong to, particularly those who are underserved or marginalized. This service-oriented approach aligns with Agnes Scott's mission of fostering a sense of social responsibility and promoting equity and inclusion.
Action-Oriented Philosophy: The importance of translating leadership philosophy into action, particularly in terms of advocacy for social justice and mental health cannot be underemphasized. This action-oriented philosophy encourages me as a faculty to move beyond theoretical discussions and actively engage in advocacy and service efforts, which supports Agnes Scott's mission of promoting active citizenship and community engagement.
Reflection and Adaptation: Finally, it is important to acknowledge the fluid nature of leadership, advocacy and service, emphasizing my need for ongoing reflection and adaptation. This recognition of the dynamic nature of social justice work aligns with Agnes Scott's commitment to continuous improvement and responsiveness to changing social and cultural contexts.

Now that I have given the reader a context for my philosophy of service, I will now illustrate in detail the specific areas of service that have helped me achieve the aforementioned service goals during my time at Agnes Scott.

College Service:
During my time at Agnes, I have been an active member of the Professional Development Committee (Fall 2023- present). The intentionality for joining this committee was to gain an understanding of the sabbatical review process while also getting to know the very interesting work of my fellow colleagues and to contribute to other's professional development through my involvement in the Academic Colloquia Monthly Exchange (ACME) Lecture Series. This takes the form of me advertising and supporting my fellow colleagues as they serve as lecturers and me personally presenting my own learning and resources. In September 2023, I presented on paradigms and activities to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the classroom, which I intentionally designed to share resources with my fellow colleagues on how to underscore DEI initiatives within the classroom, further supporting the mission and vision of Agnes Scott as well as my own passion for perpetuating DEI in my teaching and the Agnes Scott community at large. I look forward to further serving as a member of the Professional Development Committee to continue these aforementioned efforts.
I have also served as a Moderator for the Spring Annual Research Conference (SpARC) at Agnes Scott College for both Spring semesters that I have been at Agnes (Spring 2023, 2024). Serving as a moderator has been extremely important for me because it has allowed me the opportunity to get to see the valuable work our students are doing while being supportive of undergraduate research as a whole, something that has really propelled my own professional journey and love of meaningful impactful research regarding multiculturism, social justice, and advocacy. My passion for demystifying the research process for Agnes students started with my own Agnes Scott faculty mentors and this is a legacy that I find extremely fulfilling and hope to continue in my own journey as a dedicated Agnes Scott faculty. Continuing to serve as a SpARC moderator will absolutely be a continued joy for me as long as I am a faculty member at Agnes.
Another example of my service to the College has been in my participation doing a mock class presentation for potential incoming first years at Agnes Scott College (2023, February). I found this experience to be very intentional and strategic on the part of the College, offering potential students the opportunity to see what being a student would be like helping in their decision-making process. Additionally, my passion for Agnes (as an alumna and faculty) had another outlet as I was able to be a part of recruiting future Scotties. I also plan to take advantage of doing more mock class presentations in the name of recruitment whenever possible.
Additionally, in the future I plan to actively contribute to the college's mission by serving on the Institutional Review Board (IRB) Committee and increasing my involvement in the Women's Global Leadership Conference. Serving on the IRB is crucial as it ensures the ethical standards of research conducted within the college, safeguarding the rights and welfare of participants and promoting rigorous scholarly inquiry. Though I regularly attend the annual Women's Global Leadership Conference and encourage my students to do the same, increasing my involvement in the Women's Global Leadership Conference will allow me to support and amplify the College’s commitment to fostering women's leadership on a global scale, bringing valuable insights and opportunities to the campus community. Together, these roles not only align with my professional goals but also represent significant contributions to Agnes Scott College’s service and leadership initiatives.

Department Service:
The departmental service that I have contributed to during my time at Agnes Scott has been as a member of several search committees (Search Committee Member for the Psychology Department for a Visiting Assistant Professor Faculty search, Spring 2023; Search Committee Member for Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Program, Spring 2023; and Search Committee Member for the Psychology Department for a Full-time Faculty search, Fall 2022). Serving on the Psychology search committees (both past and potential future search committees) is an extremely important task as it allows me the opportunity to shape the direction of the department in which I am a community member and it allows me the opportunity to further understand the values and mission of the department while driving me to think about additional ways I can further contribute to the department. Being a strong community member of the department is a goal of mine and I plan to gladly serve on any future department faculty searches as a way to further cement my own understanding of the values of the department, ensure I am in alignment with these values, and to have a voice in who my future colleagues will be. Similarly, I have found the opportunity to serve as a search committee member for the CMHC program invaluable because I am heavily invested in the success of the CMHC program at Agnes, given my own background as a mental health professional counselor and my belief that Agnes's program offers a unique training experience to students with it's intentional design around intersectionality and diversity. Teaching in this program has been a great joy of mine as it enables me to interact and influence future professional counselors while undergirding my own (and the program's) passion and value in diversity and social justice.
Since the Fall of 2022, I have also served as a liaison between the Psychology department and the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program. This role has been very rewarding to me as it allows me to support the CMHC program with an understanding of it's goals for students since I also obtained a Masters degree in professional counseling and I am a huge proponent of the intersectional and diversity framework that is at the center of this program, something often missing in other counseling graduate programs. Given my passion for the program, teaching in it, and being committed to its success, I hope to continue serving in this capacity in the future.
Thinking about the future, another departmental service that I have volunteered for starting in the 2024-2025 academic year is to be the Georgia Undergraduate Research in Psychology Conference (GURP) conference liaison. GURP is a day-long conference held on the campus of Kennesaw State University to foster development of new researchers in psychology. The GURP liaison role entails me making sure that our students are aware of the deadlines of submission proposals for this conference, encouraging them to apply, and coordinating travel and poster printing efforts for a successful Agnes Scott showing at the conference. I also plan to be in attendance at the conference to be a visible support for our students and involved Agnes representative. The intentionality of me volunteering for this role is couched in my love of research and even greater passion for demystifying the research and subsequent presentation process of research for students. Through encouraging early participation in student friendly conferences like GURP and SpARC, Scotties are able to see the supportive and collegial side of doing research which will propel them forward in their research endeavors to ultimately make an impact in the world around them.
Furthermore, as a hopefully future tenured faculty member at Agnes Scott, I plan to rotate in to serve as the Psychology Department Chair, where I can play a crucial role in shaping the department’s academic vision and supporting faculty development. This leadership position is vital to the department’s success, as it allows for the coordination of resources, the fostering of a collaborative environment, and the continued enhancement of our educational offerings.

Students:
Serving students enthusiastically is a great joy I have as a faculty member at Agnes Scott. One reason why I am so passionate about interacting with students is that I had this modeled for me first hand when I was a student at Agnes. The modeling and mentoring I received from Agnes Scott faculty has stayed with me throughout my professional career and I am ecstatic to be back at the very place this value was first instilled in me, paying it forward. This shows up in numerous student service opportunities that I have committed to which include leading the Annual Psychology Department Regression Party (every Fall) where we as a department encourage students to "regress" to their early stages of development and act like children. To this end, we have numerous fun toys to play with and we give away raffle tickets for attending and playing with the toys to then be used on bidding for psychology related prizes. This event is typically hosted mid-September and serves as a fun way to release the start of the semester anxiety and build camaraderie between students and faculty.
I also have served and plan to continue serving as Co-Leader of the Annual Ice Cream Senior Night (every Spring) where the purpose is to treat our graduating Psychology seniors to tasty treats off campus while celebrating the major milestone of graduating. This event also allows us as faculty to hear about all the wonderful plans the seniors have for their next life stage. Additionally, I regularly attend the Psychology Academic Fair that is held before the Fall semester begins as a representative of the department. This event is important for me as a psychology faculty member because I play a crucial role in introducing prospective students to the department and its offerings. Myself and my colleagues provide an overview of the psychology major, discuss the curriculum, key courses, and research opportunities available to students. We also highlight the diverse areas of psychology covered within the program, such as clinical, cognitive, social, and developmental psychology, and explain how the major prepares students for various careers and graduate studies. Additionally, we answer students' questions about the program, share insights into the department's teaching philosophy, and discuss the support systems in place to help students succeed academically and personally. We also emphasizes the unique aspects of the department, such as hands-on research experiences, internships, and opportunities for collaboration with faculty on scholarly projects, and helping students envision how a psychology major can align with their academic and career goals. Furthermore, I regularly serve as Major Psychology Advisor to approximately 20 students every year at Agnes Scott. I see advising as an essential service to students and the department because not only do I meet with students to firm up their plan of study, but I take the time to understand their future goals and make suggestions that will help support these goals. Furthermore, the role of the advisor is one of supporting remediation when necessary to again, help each student be as successful as possible in their plan of study. In this way, I view major advising as integral to my role as a contributing faculty member to the Agnes Scott community.
Furthermore, I have committed to serving as the 2024-2025 ADORE faculty advisor at Agnes Scott. ADORE's purpose is to offer voice and visibility to LGBTQ+ identified and unidentified people of color; to acknowledge and educate allies and others about the unique experiences and struggles associated with the intersecting identities of being LGBTQ+ and of color through discussions and programming; to provide a voice for students identifying as LGBTQ+ and of color at Agnes Scott College and serve as liaison for LGBTQ+ identified and unidentified students of color if/when potentially negative based incidents that pertain to this community arise on campus; and to provide a safe and supportive space for LGBTQ+ identified and unidentified people of color as well as advocate for the freedom of sexual and gender expression. I am excited to take on this new service role because it will further allow me to develop meaningful relationships with the students while supporting their goals for the organization and because the purpose of the organization heavily aligns with my commitment to creating safe spaces and centering minoritized/marginalized voices.
Finally, I am currently participating as a mentor in a mentorship program designed to support first-, second-, and third-year doctoral students in the Counselor Education and Practice (CEP) program at Georgia State University (my graduate alma mater). This initiative connects CEP alumni with current students to provide guidance on leadership in various aspects of the field, including research, service, counseling, and education. As a mentor, I will meet with my assigned mentee once a month during the Fall 2024 semester to offer support, discuss professional development, and advise them on navigating leadership roles in their academic and professional careers. The program aims to foster meaningful connections between mentors and mentees, offering students insights into the realities of their doctoral journey. Participation in this program aligns with my professional service and contributes to student development, which is integral to my own developmental process as a developing service leader.
Looking towards the future, I am excited to continue my efforts of service in all the aforementioned ways while also further supporting the CMHC program. To this end, I have also received permission from Dr. Jennifer Fulling-Smith (Director of the CMHC program) to serve as a co-chapter faculty advisor with Dr. Mary Chase Mize for the Chi Sigma Iota (CSI) chapter that is planned to be created once the counseling program receives its Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation. Chi Sigma Iota is the international and professional academic honor society for counseling students, counselor educators, and professional counselors and CSI is an active member of the Association of College Honor Societies. The intentionality of serving in this capacity is to advance the mission of CSI to promote scholarship, research, professionalism, leadership and excellence in counseling, and to recognize high attainment in the pursuit of academic and clinical excellence in the profession of counseling. Supporting this honor society at Agnes Scott will enhance academic program recognition, underscore professional development for our students, encourage leadership and service efforts, increase program visibility, and foster a culture of counseling excellence. Finally, my record of student service both past and present culminated in me having the honor of receiving the 2022 Counselor Educator of the Year Award from the Licensed Professional Counseling Association of Georgia, a very high honor for me. If I should receive the privilege of tenure at Agnes Scott, I look forward to building upon my rich legacy of service to students.

Professional Service:
As aforementioned, I look forward to serving as a co-chapter faculty advisor for Chi Sigma Iota (CSI) because I also serve on the CSI Exemplar Newsletter Editor Team (April 2023-Present). This service is professionally important because I get to play a part in fostering professional growth and development for my counseling colleagues and it encourages leadership and service within the profession. (Exemplar link: www.csi-net.org/page/exemplar). Also related to my professional service in conjunction with CSI is the invitation I received to serve as the Keynote Speaker to the Chapter Initiation Ceremony at UTTyler for CSI and to serve as leader of an educational workshop on advancing social justice through understanding Multiracial Individuals' experiences (2023, April). Serving in these capacities not only allows me to further collaborate with fellow counseling programs towards the mission of counselor education, but it also allows me to share my passion for multicultural training while enhancing Agnes Scott College's visibility and reputation.
Additional professional service that highlights my dedication to diversity and social justice is my membership on the Association of Assessment and Research in Counseling (AARC) Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Committee (2023-present). Currently, I serve as a member, but for the three consecutive years prior to this term I served as this committee's chair where we successfully published a manuscript on inclusive, decolonized, and culturally sensitive research designs, created an open-access resource list for researchers related to diversity, inclusion, and social justice, and promoted via social media tips and resources for underscoring DEI efforts in counseling, research, and teaching. In the future, I plan on continuing to serve as an AARC Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice committee member. Similarly, I have served on the AARC-AMCD-ACES Antiracist/Decolonization Task Force (Fall 2021-Fall 2023). This task force combined members of the Association of Assessment and Research in Counseling, the Association for Multicultural Counseling & Development, and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (all professional associations that I am a member of). This task force was dedicated to examining antiracist and decolonizing practices within the counseling field and making suggestions for how to institute these types of frameworks when/where it was lacking. These efforts were recognized in the honor of me receiving the 2022 Gilbert and Kathleen Wrenn Award for a Humanitarian and Caring Person from the American Counseling Association (ACA). Although it is gratifying to have hard work acknowledged, my dedication to my profession and to Agnes Scott is a core value that I am committed to nurturing throughout my future professional endeavors.
Finally, performing clinical counseling supervision for Master's level counselors seeking licensure serves as a critical form of professional service and has several benefits to me, the supervisees, the profession, and Agnes Scott. Firstly, it informs the teaching I do in my counseling classes by providing me with practical, real-world insights and applications of the counseling theories and techniques that I am teaching, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and clinical practice. Secondly, clinical counseling supervision gives back to the profession by allowing myself as an experienced counselor to mentor the next generation of professionals, sharing my knowledge, expertise, and experience. As a supervisor, I help to maintain and elevate professional standards within the field by ensuring that supervisees adhere to ethical guidelines and best practices. By training and shaping competent counselors, supervisors like me contribute to the overall quality and integrity of the counseling profession. Lastly, supervision maintains professional connections by fostering strong professional relationships between supervisors and supervisees, creating a network of support and collaboration within the field. Engaging in supervision activities builds a sense of community among counseling professionals, enhancing mutual support and collective growth. Moreover, supervisors like myself stay connected with the latest developments and trends in the field through my interactions with supervisees, ensuring ongoing professional development which ultimately serves the greater Agnes Scott community. My service as a supervisor in the aforementioned ways resulted in me receiving the Outstanding Practitioner Supervisor Award, from the Chi Epsilon Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota at Georgia State University in 2018, another huge honor for me.

Conclusion
In essence, my leadership and service philosophy and practice is a testament to the profound interplay between learning and leadership. It is a commitment to perpetual growth, a recognition that the mantle of leadership is not bestowed but earned through a lifelong dedication to learning and service. As I navigate the complexities of my roles as an educator and counselor, I do so with humility, knowing that true leadership is not found in the accolades we amass but in the lives we touch and the legacies we leave behind. Overall, my philosophy and practice reinforces the importance of my faculty engagement in advocacy and leadership initiatives that promote social justice and diversity within the Agnes Scott community. By embracing a philosophy of leadership that prioritizes service, action, and reflection, I believe I have contributed (and will continue to do so) to a more inclusive and equitable learning environment that supports Agnes Scott's mission and values.