The assessment Evaluation and Research competency addresses the, “the ability to use, design, conduct, and critique qualitative and quantitative AER analyses; to manage organizations using AER processes and the results obtained from them; and to shape the political and ethical climate surrounding AER processes and uses on campus” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 8). I have achieved an acceptable proficiency in this competency area through my implementation of listening sessions for the Program House working group at Oberlin College, and my creation and implementation of student evaluations for Academic support programming at Brown University.

My involvement in the Program House Working Group Committee was precipitated by an external assessment of our department. An outside consultant deemed that a reorganization and re-evaluation of our current practices were necessary to better serve the department, division of student life, and ultimately our students. In the final evaluation, program houses were an initiative that were identified as a exemplary initiative that needed to be strengthened and better highlighted to achieve our departmental vision. In the Fall of 2012, the other committee members and I sought to understand how different stakeholders at Oberlin College viewed the Program Houses as spaces for academic enrichment. In order to better understand this, our committee implemented a series of listening sessions with faculty, administrative staff, student leaders, and current resident assistants. The listening sessions were guided by open ended questions that gathered key information from each of the stakeholders sessions. In my role on the committee, I contributed to the creation of the questions, and facilitatation guide. In addition I facilitated several of the listening sessions. Our committee compiled all of the information that was gathered from the listening sessions and created a strategic plan that highlighted the targeted areas of growth that our committee needed to achieve  in order to communicate our learning communities academic and educational commitment.

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In my position at Brown University, I supported undergraduate students in creating weekly presentations of a variety of topics related to transition and academic success for the pre-college summer students. In order to make the presentations a meaningful experience that facilitated the students' growth I created an evaluation tool that provided feedback. I regularly evaluated them and was mindful to articulate the areas that they needed to grow. This culture of evaluation and feedback was another way that I have advanced my AER competency.