Feminist Self-Care for Higher Education Professionals

Physical fitness is historically rooted in the construction of masculinity, making gender inclusive fitness an important part of feminist identity development (Kane & Snyder, 1989). Developed in the 1970s and formalized in early 2000s, CrossFit is a growing fitness movement based on the idea that fitness is a multifaceted way of being and works best when lived in community. Feminist consciousness-raising groups and CrossFit groups have capitalized on the value of community to build engagement, encouragement, and solidarity. Noting that self-care is crucial in the work of student affairs professionals, this article will examine the CrossFit Movement using Downing and Roush’s (1985) feminist identity development theory and its intersection with feminist student affairs practice. The authors will share their reflections as CrossFit novices, discussing their unique self-care journeys elaborating on self-worth, intersectional identities, and the value of shared community. Utilizing both theoretical framework and personal perspectives, the article will conclude with a discussion of implications on and recommendations for the field

Graduate Colleague Mentorship: Meaningful Connections for Emerging Women in Student Affairs

The Vermont Connection, at its core, is about people who invest in people. As aspiring and practicing student affairs educators, we invest in ourselves, in our students, in our colleagues, and in our research—research that frequently centers on the relationships among these groups of people. We invest because we grew from relationships with those who cared enough to do the same for us. We are the product of myriad connections across time and landscapes, knit together in our common experience in the University of Vermont’s Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program. Intentional connection building is the purpose of HESA’s Graduate Colleague (GC) program, where incoming first-year students are matched with second-year students to assist in the transition to Vermont, the University, and HESA. In the following article, five generations of GCs discuss, through the lens of feminist theory, how our special connection informed and shaped each of our academic experiences, professional development, and voice-finding processes