HESAA: New Graduate Program

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

Rosemont’s Unique Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration Program (HESAA) Stands Out Among U.S. Higher Education Degrees

Here are Rosemont's HESAA students

given me a different outlook on higher education.”

“Three for Free”

Focused on financial equity, Rosemont’s program takes a unique approach to minimizing barriers for graduate students while maximizing their overall impact on campus. HESAA master’s students receive the “Three for Free” which are free tuition, free meal plan, and free housing.

“This mechanism helps to alleviate concerns of student debt, while allowing students a chance to immerse themselves in making a difference in the lives of students on campus,” said Bosch.

“During undergrad, I was working full-time just to afford college,” said Deshawn Givens, Athletic Academic Mentor. “Now being part of the ‘Three for Free’ program with HESAA, I’m able to dedicate all my time to strengthening the wellness of students and the overall institution.”

Learn Through Play

The academic curriculum also incorporates innovative gamification into several courses. Graduate students engage in team activities like Family Feud, Pictionary, or Jeopardy to help them digest the academic content. For instance, during a session focused on Latinx and Hispanic students in Higher Ed, students played the Spanish game show Pasapalabra to discuss Latinx student success, undocumented students, and the rise of HispanicServing Institutions across college campuses. For a class discussion on how colleges respond to protests and student activism, students engaged in a HESAA Rap Battle, as rap was often used as a communicative tool across communities of color to advocate for self-empowerment, societal change, and collective social justice. “Using gamification throughout our coursework is extremely beneficial to students who have alternative learning styles, as it can be challenging to retain information simply from book chapters or articles,” said Lauren Platt, Career Counselor. “Incorporating gaming into class provides opportunities to build connections and morale across our cohort while encouraging critical thinking about key elements from the impact in students’ lives.”

Matthew Antonio Bosch, EdD Interim Dean, SGPS Director of HESAA

readings that would help us excel during class activities.”

Real-World Experience

Additionally, the HESAA program allows students to engage in an Academic Practicum where each graduate student crafts their professional brand. Paired with a campus department for 15-to-20 hours each week, HESAA students serve as part-time professional staff members, taking on roles as both student and administrator. Currently, six departments across Rosemont College are receiving the help of a part-time staff member including athletics, academic advising, student success and engagement, and career services, with plans to increase the number of departments with next year's HESAA cohort in Fall 2022.

Jeanette Padilioni, Graduate Coordinator for Student Engagement, shared how her academic practicum experience is preparing her for a lifelong career in student affairs administration. “Our practicum gives us the ability to connect with departments across higher ed that pique our interest. We’re able to pick the minds of our supervisors, who serve as our mentors. That helps us discover what resonates with us as we navigate our career paths and make an

Personalized Practicum

A final way Rosemont’s program sets itself apart from similar national programs involves giving students the agency to keep or switch practicum placements each semester.

“As a first-gen college student myself, I didn’t know what I didn’t know,” said Bosch. “So, we never want incoming students to feel locked into a practicum placement for two full years, or even one year, because their priorities and desires will change as students take classes and discover new options that they didn’t even know were possible.”

Rosemont allows students the choice to keep their practicum for a deeper experience with a professional mentor or to switch up to four practica across the two years in order to round out their professional experiences. Both paths provide students with the agency to customize their own learning and professional experiences in a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style that will prepare them for higher education careers.

Applications are now open for next year’s cohort. You can learn more about HESAA on the Rosemont website.