Ultimately the synopsis—across decades—is that most HESA professionals were either an undergraduate student who had a meaningful experience and wants to recreate it for others, an undergraduate student who had a challenging experience and wants to establish smoother, more equitable pathways for others, or both (Hunter, 1992; Taub & McEwen, 2006; Moore et al., 2023). We know, though, that tropes don’t tell the full story. While there are certainly empirically researched themes in why individuals become HESA professionals, aggregating the data can flatten it in a way that loses important nuance.
Further, HESA, like many other career pathways, has a reputation of being a “churn and burn” environment where a significant number of employees depart the field after the first five years (Marshall et al., 2016). There is longitudinal data to support this reputation and show that attrition of early-carer HESA professionals is a pervasive and persistent issue (ACPA, 2022; Burns, 1982; Evans, 1988; Marshall et al., 2016; NASPA, 2022; Nyunt et al., 2024; Rosser & Javinar, 2003; Sallee, 2021; Tull, 2006; Ward, 1995). Yet some HESA professionals stay and construct strategic and sustainable careers in the field (Ardoin, 2026; Sallee, 2021). There is limited research on why people stay and how their HESA careers develop and shift over time (Wilson et al., 2016).
A Master’s Cohort 20 Years Later
Acknowledging that more scholarship addresses why people leave rather than why they stay, we (Sonja and Scott) thought it would be interesting to use our own master’s cohort as a case study for the latter—those who choose to stay in HESA careers, albeit not necessarily in the functional area or even institutional division (e.g., student affairs) where they began their journey. Our cohort, the 2006 Florida State HESA master’s cohort, is celebrating our 20th graduation anniversary in April 2026. Being “seasoned” professionals who are squarely in the “mid-career” stage invites natural reflection on where we’ve been and where we plan to go. We invited those in our cohort who have stayed in the HESA field or an adjacent one—17 out of the 29 individuals (59%)—to offer their insights, and 15 of them took us up on the offer. Unsurprisingly, most of our careers have looked different than we initially imagined, though a few of us were adept predictors. This is the first in a three-article series for ACPA Developments about our cohort’s HESA career development, looking back over 20 years and forward to the next 20 years.
Krumboltz’s (2009) Happenstance Learning Theory
Happenstance learning theory rejects that someone’s career choice is a fixed decision. Krumboltz (2009) “explains that the career destiny of each individual cannot be predicted in advance but is a function of countless planned and unplanned learning experiences beginning at birth” (p. 152). He contends a person’s genetics, learning opportunities, and environmental context (e.g., economics, family, peer groups) influences their career aspirations and actions. Happenstance learning theory embraces continuous exploration of career possibilities and views unexpected events as opportunities for piquing interests, testing beliefs, applying knowledge, practicing skills, and taking action. Krumboltz’s (2009) theory is a useful framework for exploring why individuals pursue HESA careers and how their motivations may alter over time due to a multitude of internal and external factors. In particular, the conditions have to be present for someone to not only “find” HESA as a career option (e.g., attending college; meeting a mentor who directs them to the field) but also elect to remain in the field 20 years after completing their master’s degrees.
Cohort Contemplations on Motivation
Grounding our initial questions in Krumboltz’s (2009) happenstance learning theory, we first asked our cohortmates to reflect upon their motivations and purpose: what motivated them to pursue a HESA career pathway, how (if at all) had their purpose shifted over time, and why they choose to stay. Our cohort’s initial motivations reflect the existing research. We pursued the HESA profession because we were highly involved undergraduates, had mentors who guided us toward the field, and desired to contribute to meaningful, supportive collegiate experiences for others (Hunter, 1992, Taub & McEwen, 2006, Moore et al., 2023). Over the years, we’ve maintained our initial commitment to serving students and creating learning experiences, though many of the contexts in which we serve students or the scale at which we serve them has shifted. Rather than focusing on one-on-one interactions, many cohort members are prioritizing HESA systems and structures. Overwhelmingly, our cohortmates choose to stay in the HESA field because they value supporting students, enjoy the work environment, and believe they are making an impact, in individual and collective ways (Wilson et al., 2016). A few people also mentioned lifestyle alignment as part of their rationale to remain. Illustrating these themes further, we offer snippets from our stories in a “conference panel” format.
Initial Motivations
Scott: College was a very positive developmental experience for me. I finally felt like I had a place where I belonged and was appreciated. I wanted to create that environment for other people as well. What motivated each of you to pursue a HESA career?
Jackie: I honestly did not set out to work in higher education. A mentor saw something in me and asked if I had ever considered it as a career. At the time, I had really enjoyed my experience as a student leader. I liked being involved, building community, and supporting other students. That question planted a seed and helped me realize that the work I enjoyed doing as a student could actually be a profession. From there, it just made sense.
Sonja: [My story is similar.] I was highly involved on campus (which I loved!) and met an administrator, Dr. KC White—a Florida State alum, who introduced me to the idea of shifting from secondary education to higher education. Ultimately, I pursued higher education as a career because it allowed me to engage in teaching and learning and help others as an educator without having to deal with middle schoolers!
Mary: [I can relate.] During my undergraduate experience, I was deeply involved in student affairs through roles such as mentor, orientation leader, resident assistant, and active member of several student organizations. Through these experiences and by working closely with graduate assistants and administrators [on my campus], I gained a clearer understanding of the student affairs profession and the broader field of higher education. I was drawn to the meaningful impact these professionals had on students during such a formative time in their lives.
Ann: [I connect to that.] I was a very engaged undergraduate student. One of my mentors told me that I could make a career out of my leadership experience. He introduced me to the Graduate Director of the Higher Ed Program and I applied.
Meg: It’s [really] a tale as old as time for many HESA professionals…When I was an undergraduate I was involved in so many aspects of campus and student life… and loved every minute of getting connected throughout campus. I was mentored by incredible student affairs professionals. This sounds so cliche, but in a moment of panic discussing my intended vocation of pursuing law school and becoming a litigator, a mentor I had known since my first year in college, asked what I thought about her job at the university. I reflected it was clear that she had so much fun, always was so joyful, and loved her work. And she responded, “Well, you know you can go to graduate school to do what I do, right?” I had no idea. I took the GRE one month later, researched which schools I would apply to, and ultimately chose Florida State University. The rest is history!
Purpose Over Time
Sonja: There are many similarities in our initial motivations stories, so I’m wondering how, if at all, have our purposes shifted over time?
Khadish: My purpose is the same, but my sense of where I can make the greatest impact has changed. Working in industry at a company that has higher education and change at their core has allowed me to do greater good than any role I had on a campus or in government.
Jackie: [I agree on the greater good.] Early on, my motivation was very focused on working directly with students and supporting them one-on-one. Over time, that shifted. I became more interested in the systems of higher education and how they either create access or create barriers for students. My purpose evolved from helping individual students to learning how higher education works at a larger level and how it can be used as a tool for access, opportunity, and upward mobility. The focus is still students, but now the work is more about shaping structures that impact many students at once.
Jesse: [Yes, same!] I think my motivation was the direct student interaction and impact early in my career. Now I’m motivated to increase student success more broadly by changing systems, removing barriers, thinking strategically about scale, and leading and guiding the next generation of career coaches.
Andrew: [For me, it’s a contextual change]. I still greatly enjoy working with and supporting students, though my why or my worldview has shifted to a much more behind the scenes role in technology. My motivations and desire to support students hasn’t changed, only the landscape of my day-to-day work.
Rebekah: [I concur.] I still really enjoy working with individuals who are starting this new phase of life, and as I have grown personally and professionally—and as my life has changed—my perspective of how I can contribute to our field is less restrictive to what I originally thought a career in higher ed would be. I contribute to so many students’ lives, even in my role in higher ed information technology (IT).
Sara: If anything, my purpose has become more defined to supporting the student experience through alumni engagement and philanthropy.
Enduring Commitment
Scott: Recognizing that we find meaning in shaping students, systems, or both, let’s talk about why you have chosen to stay committed to the HESA field or a closely related one. Personally, I love higher education; the environment and the people are great. Also all my experience is here, and I’m not sure that work conditions would be better anywhere else.
Mary: Higher education is a field with both significant challenges and meaningful rewards. Having worked at a variety of institutions, I have experienced multiple reorganizations and leadership transitions… these periods of change can create uncertainty, strain teams, and increase stress. Despite these challenges, I have chosen to remain in higher education because the work continues to feel meaningful. I often reflect on my own undergraduate experience and the impact that supportive programs and professionals had on my development. Being able to contribute, even indirectly, to the experiences of current students is deeply rewarding. That sense of purpose is what has kept me committed to the field.
Brandon: [I echo Mary’s sentiments.] I enjoy working with the students, I don’t mind the challenges, and I still feel like I can make a difference.
Lucas: My answer changes depending on when you ask me. Some days it’s because it’s what I know and what I’m trained to do. Other days it’s because of the interactions I have with students or the progress I’m able to see made at my institution(s).
Jackie: [It’s both for me.] I have spent the last 12 years working at a community college, and it feels very grassroots to me. I feel connected to the community and the students we serve, and I can see the impact of the work in real ways. Community colleges do important, mission driven work, and that matters to me. I also value the flexibility of the field and the ability to do meaningful work while still being present for my family. That balance has been important to me over time.
Sonja: [I echo Jackie.] For me, a higher education career offers meaningful opportunities to contribute to others’ journeys and the flexibility and autonomy (as a faculty member) to live a holistic life (most of the time at least). I have also experienced higher education has a stable career pathway, which I know is not the case for everyone, and I value that stability.
Nancy: [I relate to that.] I have loved working at a college and teaching college students. I also appreciate the lifestyle benefits this career offers.
Khadish: [I can sum it up for us.] I believe deeply in the role that education has in changing people’s lives and helping society to evolve.
Thoughts and Action Items for Early-Career Professionals
Our 2006 Florida State master’s cohortmates’ initial motivations, continuing purposes, and staunch commitments to HESA or related fields highlight our belief that it is possible to construct strategic and sustainable HESA careers (Ardoin, 2026; Sallee, 2021). Accordingly, we want to offer some thoughts and action items for early-career HESA professionals that complement Krumboltz’s (2009) happenstance learning theory. Caution though: This is coming from Millennials (ha!), we recognize the world is very different in 2026 than it was in 2006.
Reflect on Your Rationale
Know what energizes you about working in HESA. What specifically makes you excited to go to work? This core will help you persevere when times get hard. Things are probably going to be more difficult than you initially anticipate, so you will need to keep pushing for what you want despite the challenges you will inevitably experience.
Our work, and work places, are always political, and you need this self-knowledge about your purpose to be effective. This will help you identify when you want to keep your head down so that you can get to the place you aspire and enact the change you desire, or when you need to stand up and fight for your beliefs and values. This self-knowledge will also help you identify when change is necessary and help you transition to doing something else within higher education like we have, or to pursuing a new pathway adjacent to or out of the field.
Finding purpose in the impact you have on students, colleagues, or institutions makes the challenges more manageable and maintaining your career motivations helps you stay humble during success.
Ponder all the Possibilities
Stay open to the many different possibilities a career in HESA can contain. There are more ways to stay connected to your values and have the impact that you desire than you realize at the beginning of your career. If you focus only on achieving a specific title, or only working in a specific functional area, you are going to miss important opportunities for self-discovery and advancement.
Be curious and flexible enough to try new things: roles, functional areas, divisions, and higher education-adjacent work. The more you know about the entire HESA field the better you will be at navigating systems and supporting the holistic student experience. Let yourself discover where your motivations, interest, and strengths best align, and know that it is okay to grow and want new experiences. You might find your most engaging and rewarding work in a job or place you never expected (and like it!).
Align Your Aspirations, both Professional AND Personal
Don’t focus only on your work. You can support students, advance in your career, and grow in your personal life. Know that your attention to particular aspirations will ebb and flow, sometimes you will be grinding professionally (e.g., application season, training, homecoming, advising season) and other times you will preference your personal life (e.g., loved ones, hobbies).
Trying to seek “balance” on the daily is illusive, so we suggest striving for an equilibrium over time, within a week, a year, and over a career. We suggest you consider decision-making with both short-term and longer-term perspectives, recognizing that sometimes you may choose professional over personal and others you might choose personal over professional. You have to determine which combination of professional and personal aims makes the most sense for you, and that likely will shift over time. Remember work is one part of who you are, not the entirety of who you are. Don’t let your motivation make you a martyr and avoid environments that expect that.
Examine an open position’s salary and benefits and the location’s cost of living to ensure it is realistic for the life you hope to have. You should explore whether job responsibilities will support or hinder your involvement with people or in things you need to sustain yourself. You may need to take turns prioritizing different aspects of your life if you are not able to find opportunities that allow you to do everything you want simultaneously.
Script Your Own Story
Finally, release the pressure to have your entire HESA career figured out right away. We didn’t. Krumboltz’s (2009) happenstance learning theory says you can’t. And you likely won’t. Accordingly, refrain from comparing your career path with others. It’s neither a race, nor a competition. You will get where you are going once you determine where that is, and where that is may shift over time. We are prime examples of that, and we’ll share more in our next Developments article about how our career choices and trajectories have led to different, and fulfilling, HESA career stories.
References
ACPA: College Student Educators International. (2022). Report on 21st century employment in higher education. https://myacpa.org/publications/.
Ardoin, S. (2026). The strategic guide to shaping your student affairs career (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Burns, M. A. (1982). Who leaves the student affairs field? NASPA Journal, 20(2), 9-12.
Evans, N. J. (1988). Attrition of student affairs professionals: A review of the literature. Journal of College Student Development, 29, 19-24.
Hunter, D. E. (1992). How student affairs professionals choose their careers. NASPA Journal, 29(3), 181–188. https://doi-org.libproxy.clemson.edu/10.1080/00220973.1992.11072264.
Krumboltz, J. D. (2009). The happenstance learning theory. Journal of Career Assessment, 17(2), 135–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072708328861.
Marshall, S. M., Gardner, M. M., Hughes, C. & Lowery, U. (2016). Attrition from student affairs: Perspectives from those who exited the profession. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 53(2), 146-159. https://doi.org/10.1080/19496591.2016.1147359
Moore, L. L., Grabsch, D. K., & Mazzolini, A. (2023). Pathways into the profession: Student affairs professionals tell all. Journal of Student Affairs Inquiry, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.18060/27928.
NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (2022). The compass report: Charting the future of student affairs. https://www.naspa.org/about/future-of-student-affairs-report/the-compass-report-charting-the-future-of-student-affairs.
Nyunt, G., Pridgen, R., & Thomas, I. (2024). Disrupting student affairs staff departure: Examining needed changes to the field of student affairs to attract and retain a diverse workforce. Journal of College Student Development 65(2), 183-200. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2024.a923528.
Rosser, V. J., & Javinar, J. M. (2003). Midlevel student affairs leaders’ intentions to leave: Examining the quality of their professional and institutional work life. Journal of College Student Development 44(6), 813-830. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2003.0076.
Sallee, M. W. (2021). Creating sustainable careers in student affairs: What ideal worker norms get wrong and how to make it right. Stylus Publishing.
Taub, D. J., & McEwen, M. K. (2006). Decision to Enter the Profession of Student Affairs. Journal of College Student Development 47(2), 206-216. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2006.0027.
Tull, A. (2006). Synergistic supervision, job satisfaction, and intention to turnover of new professionals in student affairs. Journal of College Student Development 47(4), 465-480. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2006.0053.
Ward, L. (1995). Role stress and propensity to leave among new student affairs professionals. NASPA Journal, 33(1), 35–44. https://doi-org.libproxy.clemson.edu/10.1080/00220973.1995.11072393.
Wilson, M. E., Liddell, D. L., Hirschy, A. S., & Pasquesi, K. (2016). Professional identity, career commitment, and career entrenchment of midlevel student affairs professionals. Journal of College Student Development 57(5), 557-572. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0059.
Author Bios
Sonja Ardoin, Ph.D. (she/her) is an associate professor of higher education and student affairs at Clemson University. She studies social class identity, rurality, first-generation college students, and career preparation and pathways in higher education and student affairs. Learn more about Sonja’s work at www.sonjaardoin.com.
Scott Radimer, Ph.D. (he/him) is the Assistant Dean for Assessment, Accreditation, and Accountability for William & Mary’s School of Education. He earned his bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Vermont, his masters of science in higher education student affairs at Florida State University, and his doctor of philosophy in higher education from Boston College.