When leaders step into a room, the atmosphere shifts, and organizations are transformed both directly and indirectly. Every leader carries influence, and it is that influence that can change the world. In the book, The Making of a Leader by, J. Robert Clinton (2012) articulates six development phases of a leader: sovereign foundations, inner life growth, ministry maturing, life maturing, convergence, and afterglow. Overall, “God develops a leader over a lifetime. That development is a function of the use of events and people to impress leadership lessons upon a leader (processing), time, and leader response” (Clinton, 2012, p. 22). Throughout my time in the Masters in Leadership program at Azusa Pacific University, my foundation in leadership was solidified by five competencies: responsible influencer, inspiring developer, strategic mobilizer, change agent, and principled decision-maker. It is that sovereign foundation that will launch me into greater personal growth as a higher education admission professional, Gallup certified strengths coach, and Kingdom-minded leadership consultant.

Higher Education Admissions Professionals

           Across higher education, undergraduate enrollment continues to be a challenge and it is essential for admissions offices to both creative and collaborative in their approach to college recruitment. Although these challenges are critical, having a servant leadership approach amidst a transactional culture is empowered through Kingdom values in the workplace. Being able to cultivate these values both personally and professionally has the potential to develop a culture of Kingdom-minded admissions professionals. Considering that a student’s four years in college are some of the most foundational years of their life, their college decision-making process could be either full of faith or fear. Therefore, admissions professionals have the opportunity to come alongside these students and families during such a vulnerable time to face these pressures and anticipate miraculous moments out of the mundane. In the next year, I plan to develop as a Kingdom-minded admissions professional by creating an admissions journal, presenting at conferences, launching creative forms of recruitment, and continuing research on the effectiveness of the Memorandum of Understanding.

           Create an Admissions Journal (Responsible Influencer). As I continue to develop as an admissions professional, my goal is to create and maintain a journal of admissions testimonies and stories weekly to help empower an admissions culture of remembering purpose and pursuit throughout the journey. In Benedictine tradition lectio, reflective reading aligns wholeness to the eternal will of God calling attention to Scripture and prayer that transforms values through deep reflection as a person’s heart sinks into the storyline of God in history (Chittister, 2013). As we reflect on God’s character and who He is in our lives, we start to connect with His heart, and it begins to shape our lives empowering our motives. In addition, reading the Bible in a lectio posture, journaling becomes a written record and account of our lives as a resource and reminder of the promises of God and our identity in Him. The Lord says in Habakkuk 2:2, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” Having a posture on constant reflection connects us to the heart of the Father and the character of God as a reminder that He is with us and for us. These stories and testimonies will be recorded in a journaling application, and at the end of each work, I will get a reminder to journal about the day. At the end of my admissions career, I will be rewarded with a library of stories that will be a celebration of my career as an admissions professional.

           Presenting at SCCCU and NACCAP Conferences (Responsible Influencer). In addition, I hope to prepare presentations to present at the next Southern Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (SCCCU) and North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP) conferences. These opportunities will lead to becoming a credible resource in higher education spheres and provide ongoing context to train and equip Kingdom mined admissions professionals. Furthermore, by rewriting and reorganizing my presentation on becoming a Kingdom-minded admissions professional, I will have the content necessary for writing up a proposal to present at these various conferences. As a result, I will be able to develop my research and learning on how to develop a Kingdom culture in the workplace, publish presentations for professional and organizational development, experience presenting at large conferences, and leave a legacy of being a Kingdom-minded admissions professional.

           Create a Proposal for Alumni, Faculty/Staff, and Parent Recruitment (Strategic Mobilizer). Moving forward, I want to be the admissions counselor who developed the culture of Alumni Recruitment and the legacy of launching the most strategically mobilizing initiative in Graduate and Undergraduate Enrollment. Therefore, one of my goals is to create a formal proposal for alumni, faculty/staff, and parent recruitment for Undergraduate Admissions. Most alumni do not have the financial resources to give back to the university, but many have the time, experience, and love for the university to be willing to give back. In addition, this would create an opportunity for Alumni to network, connect, and build affinity in their local regions in a way that could encourage future meet-up groups. Finally, it becomes a tangible way to recruit students effectively and efficiently without being in out-of-area regions. As a result of launching this initiative, I will be able to transition out of Azusa Pacific University with the experience and legacy of launching Alumni, Faculty/Staff, and Parent recruitment that will be sustainable beyond my children’s time in college. Also, I could potentially become an alumni liaison, which could potentially lead to a promotion. Then as I transition to the next season of my personal growth, I will be able to look back at my time at Azusa Pacific University knowing that I left it better than how I started because of this tangible initiative.

           Continue Research on The Effectiveness of the MOU (Change Agent). Another one of my goals is to continue research on the effectiveness of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) focusing on application to enrollment yield. By completing a full research report on the effectiveness of the Memorandum of Understanding throughout the entire admissions cycle will present clear quantifiable and qualifiable data for decision making. Also, it would develop a clear understanding of all aspects, elements, and factors of potential outreach with and through the Memorandum of Understanding partnerships with local school districts. As a result, I will be able to finalize a completed research report and start creating a culture of data-driven decision-making in the admissions cycle for future principled decision-making. My dream for the next year is to step into greater leadership in the admissions profession and leave a legacy at Azusa Pacific University of strengthening the culture of Kingdom-minded, data-driven, and community-engaging admissions professionals.