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The, “History, Philosophy, and Values competency area involves knowledge, skills, and attitudes that connect the "history, philosophy, and values of the profession to one’s current professional practice.”(ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 14). I have demonstrated a proficient level in this competency through my advancing my understanding of professional associations through progressively advancing my involvement in NASPA.
 

My relationship with NASPA started as an undergraduate fellow through the NUFP program. Through this program, I interned at two different institutions, and participated in a leadership institute. These experiences engaged me with the student affairs profession and the role and relationship of national student affairs associations to the dissemination of scholarship and the community for student affairs professionals.
 

Through my involvement with NASPA, I learned a great deal about the politics of maintaining a professional association through attending business meetings at the national conference. In addition I gained a great deal of insight through following the conversations regarding consolidation between the two major national organizations, ACPA and NASPA. Although the two organizations did not consolidate, I shared my understanding of the development of these conversations in my history and foundations course in the College Student Personnel program.
 

Furthermore, I learned a great deal about the complex structure of the national organization through my wide array of involvement with the association. During the spring of 2012, I interned with The Placement Exchange (TPE). NASPA collaborated with several professional student affairs associations to implement TPE, a large scale job placement process. Through my internship I supported the national committee that implemented this process. My specific role was to support the scheduling of interviews for the 800+ candidates that attended this employment event.
 

Through the internship I sought to be inclusive of all participants through helping to address the challenges for participants that were not able-bodied. My supervisor identified in my feedback that I was an intern that was able to identify the challenges that participants with marginalized identities experienced. My contributions effectively helped to support these participants. In addition my knowledge of NASPA further grew through my involvement on the regional conference committee. Through my leadership on the regional conference committee, I engaged fellow graduate students through creating a leadership position that worked to engage new professionals and graduate students. My regional conference leadership culminated in successfully implementing a preconference institute for New Professionals and Graduate Students. My involvement is demonstrated through screen shots from the conference website that acknowledge my leadership and involvement on the conference committee and a certificate that commemorates my service to The Placement Exchange.