Rosemont’s Unique Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration Program (HESAA) Stands Out Among U.S. Higher Education Degrees Tuition-free and housing-free master’s program emphasizes practical experience with focus on social justice and belonging When Jeanette Padilioni graduated from Rosemont in 2019, she entered the workforce with a strong resume. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and was president of the senior class as well as an active member of numerous campus clubs and organizations. Like many young professionals, she was considering what her long-term career plans would be and found herself thinking back to her undergraduate days. “While at Rosemont, I loved working as a resident assistant and as a student ambassador,” she said. “I started to research and discovered that working in student affairs administration was a career path I was becoming more and
more interested in pursuing. When I learned about the HESAA program, I knew immediately that it would be a good fit for me because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of college students.” Now Padilioni is back on campus as part of HESAA’s first cohort. Launched in fall 2021, this two-year master’s program within Rosemont’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) prepares graduate students for careers working inside of colleges and universities whether on the administrative, academic, or student life sides of the house. While many similar programs exist nationally, Rosemont’s unique approach stands out in multiple ways. “The curriculum is taught with a social justice lens, with faculty engaging the students in classroom
dialogue, reflective papers, critical interviews, and creating actions and recommendations for topics related to identity across race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, class, faith, and more,” said SGPS Interim Dean Matthew Antonio Bosch, EdD, who directs the HESAA program. The curriculum includes multiple courses with a distinct focus on diversity and belonging, including Systemic Bias in Higher Education, Student and Identity Development Theories, and Cultural Pluralism. “Through my classes, I’ve been able to expand my research and knowledge around LGBTQIA+ inclusion on college campuses,” said Kei’shairra Jackson, SGPS Diversity Coordinator. “Being challenged in classes to explore multiple intersectional identities, both as a group and individually, has
Here are Rosemont's HESAA students 25 | RO S EM O N T C O L L EGE
