ABSTRACT
Socialization is the process by which new professionals enter the student affairs profession. The stages of socialization help illuminate the process. Additionally, negotiating the socialization process in student affairs occurs on several levels: identity and self-definition, institutional knowledge and contexts, external influences, and the student affairs profession as a whole. This chapter describes the socialization stages as conceptualized by Thornton and Nardi and then describes Hirt and Creamer’s realms of professional practice. The four socialization stages and the four realms of professional practice are then merged to illustrate how new professionals in student affairs experience and negotiate transitions. Formal socialization in student affairs typically begins when the offer of employment is made and accepted. In the personal realm, orientation programs often cover such information as payment procedures, benefits, institutional ethical standards, and contract terms.
