33 days. 485 miles. The summer before I moved to Vermont for graduate school, I had the chance of a lifetime: to trek the Camino de Santiago with my aunt Maria. The Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage route to the shrine of the apostle, St. James the Great, in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. Individuals from all over the world walk the route for spiritual, personal and physical reasons.

 

Each day along the Camino, I walked for 5-6 hours through lush green valleys, small sleepy Spanish towns, vast red mesas and expansive farmer fields. Each new day, each new interaction with someone along the Camino brought new reflections on what it means to pursue a life of purpose. It was very fitting that this journey took place the summer before I came to UVM. The experience of the Camino helps to encapsulate how I seek to engage my vocation as a student affairs professional—being open to new experiences and incorporating active reflection in my day-to-day life and work responsibilities.

 

As a reflective practitioner, I must be aware of my own values, strengths and personality style. How am I continually engaging a life of purpose in my work and in my relationships? How do my values and skills shift and change over time? My experience in HESA has taught me so much about the person I am and the person I strive to be.

 

The following are some examples of my personal exploration around vocation, strengths and purpose during my time in HESA.