by Paul K. Jahr and Drew Jahr
It’s not all that unusual for someone to follow the career path of a family member, and such legacies are fairly common in professions ranging from politicians to plumbers, as well as those in campus housing and student affairs. What inspires someone to follow a family member into the student affairs world? How does seeing the higher education world through a growing child’s eyes shape perceptions? Are there lessons to be learned from these families?
To answer these question, we set about identifying sets of legacies. Being one of these families ourselves (Paul, now retired, worked most recently as the associate vice president for student affairs at Georgia College in Milledgeville, while son Drew currently is the associate managing director of housing facilities at Texas Tech University in Lubbock), we were familiar with a handful of others who fit the criteria. Then, by reaching out to contacts, colleagues, and networks and going online with a well-placed Facebook post, we soon had identified almost three dozen families. In the end, 13 families volunteered to respond to a questionnaire, be interviewed, and share their memories.
While every family's story and experiences are unique, there were some common themes that emerged. Exploring the parent-child legacy relationship was central to the conversations. Those in the later generations of housing professionals repeatedly shared how their childhood experiences – through both observation and participation – impacted them. Ellie Lang, coordinator of residential conduct at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, grew up with both of her parents (mother Buzz Bares and father Toby Bares) working in higher education, and she notes how “being able to get a deep dive into the world of higher education growing up via my parents led me to have a passion in the area.” Meanwhile, Bryn Bowden, assistant director of student engagement and residential living at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has fond memories of her mother, Linda Mulroy-Bowden, and her work as director of student life and development at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. “I always admired the individuals that surrounded me while I was growing up, and I believe that all of those positive experiences with people in student affairs led me to this career.” Growing up in the culture of residence life, the children were exposed to all sides of the profession. Bowden notes that her mother “was transparent about the difficult parts of the job as well, but she always overcame those difficulties.” Her mother agrees, saying she was honest about the work. “It takes a special person to go into residence life when you know all that is involved: the on-call responsibilities, emergencies, the need to be 24/7, along with the need to go above and beyond. There is a need to love the positive aspects of the job.”
Most of the memories shared were positive and inspiring, with many mentioning the fun aspects that they associated with their parents' housing responsibilities and the programs offered on a college campus. As Bowden recalls of her mother’s work, “We spent summers at her office playing with her office clerks and other staff. We held Christmas parties at our house. She took us to all the events she went to including banquets and RA skit nights.” Jennifer Hammat, dean of students at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, followed a path similar to that of her mother, Paula Hulick, who was a director of housing and then a special assistant to the vice president of student affairs at Murray State University in Kentucky. Hammat remembers how she “met so many amazing people who worked with or for my mom. She always had them to the house for fall retreat and the holiday party. Then there was trick-or-treat in the residence halls, living in the residence halls, homecoming, football and basketball games, and more. As the child of a university administrator, you were part of the whole package.”
For these respondents, residence life staff served as babysitters, mentors, and friends. Bowden recalls thinking that RAs were the coolest kids and that she was surrounded by “amazing and loving student affairs folks.” Mark Nicklaus, the director of residence life at Ripon College in Grand Forks, North Dakota, noted, “Often my babysitters were RAs or hall directors and they always spoke very highly of my dad” (Nick Nicklaus of the University of Wisconsin La Crosse). Others cited tagging along to the ACUHO-I annual conference and living on a different college campus as a highlight of each year’s family vacation. J.C. Stoner, associate director for housing operations at The University of Texas at Dallas and the son of Ken and Ruth Stoner, who both held roles in student affairs at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, remembers how “we attended ACUHO summer conferences for our family vacations. My sister and I participated in the children’s program and became acquainted with children from other ACUHO families. They were fun times.”
For many second-generation individuals, the decision to formally pursue housing or student affairs did not come until late in their undergraduate career and was closely aligned with their RA experience. Nicklaus says it wasn’t until his senior year, and his second year as an RA, when he decided to pursue a career in housing. “In my senior year I went to the Oshkosh Placement Exchange, and the rest is history.” Doug Hallenbeck, vice president for student affairs at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, almost followed a different path. “About December of my senior year I realized that I did not want to be a counselor and was trying to figure out what to do. Dad (who was a housing leader at the University of Georgia and other institutions) suggested student affairs work, and it clicked. Dad is my hero, so it just made sense.” Now Doug’s daughter, Ainsley, is an assistant hall director and a grad student at The University of Tennessee Knoxville. “It wasn’t until I became an RA that I really began considering housing as a career,” she says.
Being part of a professional legacy comes with some unique challenges, especially early in one’s career. As Hallenbeck’s daughter Ainsley admits, “One of my biggest challenges is feeling confident that I’ve gotten opportunities for my work and not because of my dad or grandpa.” Kate Kennedy, a residential education specialist at Penn State in University Park, followed in the footprints of her mother, Kirsten Kennedy (associate vice president for student housing and sustainability at the University of South Carolina in Columbia), and her grandfather, Lee Upcraft, affiliate professor emeritus of higher education and assistant vice president emeritus for student affairs at Penn State, who authored many books on the first-year experience and the RA, which are considered foundational pieces in student housing practice and literature, and dedicated his work and research to improving residential student life. “On a professional level, having the same face, voice, and interests of my mom and working at an institution where my grandfather’s name has weight, I sometimes feel like the little kid who went to work with mom or dad that folks don’t take seriously right away. On the flip side, I have many, many resources and folks looking out for me because of my family.” Nicklaus also appreciates the access to resources that he enjoyed. “I knew that my dad is greatly respected in housing. He shared with me many contacts, connections, and advice. I would not be where I am without him.” As time progressed, children’s perspectives evolved, and they grew into a role that was uniquely theirs. As Stoner reflects, “It’s nice now because I don’t have to live up to others’ expectations anymore because I have established my own. I think a lot of it was my own baggage and trying to process what it means to be an individual in the field who happens to have associations.” Doug Hallenbeck felt a similar sense of having to live up to expectations. “As a younger professional I would put a lot of pressure on myself to reach a similar level of success as my dad; I called it chasing the ghost. But as I grew into the field and had my own success, that faded.” Kirsten Kennedy felt a similar challenge: “I wanted to make sure that I earned everything and that no one could accuse me of riding on my dad’s coattails.”
As for the parents, they recognized the position their children were in. Eric Luskin, now senior vice president emeritus of The Scion Group, has held a number of positions throughout campus housing, and when he looks at the career of his daughter Martina, the talent acquisition director for The Scion Group, he sees that “there is much more pride than challenges with having my daughter in the field.” Buzz Bares, dean of students at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, echoed many when she talked about her daughter Ellie. “I wanted Ellie to make her own way and for my involvement in the same profession to not influence her successes (or failures) in any way.” And, speaking as a parent, Hallenbeck recognized how important the sense of connection is. “It is a special gift to share with each other. I would encourage folks to embrace all the positives that go along with being in the same profession. Learning how to own your own experience and not try to live vicariously through either your parent or your child – or both – is important. Each of us is unique, and our careers will lay out differently, and that is a good thing.”
Paul K. Jahr is retired, having worked most recently as the associate vice president for student affairs at Georgia College, while son Drew currently is an associate managing director of housing facilities at Texas Tech University. The authors wish to thank the following professionals for their participation: Buzz Bares, Toby Bares, and Ellie Lang; Linda Mulroy-Bowden and Bryn Bowden; Norb and Nicholas Dunkel; Maggie, Kathryn, and Chris Evans; Doug, Dan, and Ainsley Hallenbeck; Paula Hulick and Jennifer Hammat; Kirsten Kennedy, Kate Kennedy, and Lee Upcraft; Eric and Martina Luskin; Nancy and Katie Milne; Nick and Mark Nicklaus; Ken, J.C., and Ruth Stoner; and Terry and Amanda Tumbarello.
