The document discusses strategies for professionals in hybrid positions that combine both student affairs and academic responsibilities. It defines hybrid positions as those like residence life professionals that aim to maximize exposure, foster community, and minimize costs. The document recommends exploring campus culture and one's goals, maximizing opportunities by embracing both worlds and identifying resources, maintaining value by updating resumes, and prioritizing sanity by setting boundaries and finding respite. The overall message is that hybrid roles require embracing dual roles and identities while prioritizing self-care.

1. Surviving your
Hybrid Position
Shannon K Overcash Billy Dunn
June 10, 2010

2. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
What is a Hybrid?
The Centaur:
Mythology’s
Original Hybrid
The Prius:
Japan’s
Original Hybrid
Found in
Thessaly
Found at Whole
Foods

3. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
What is a Hybrid?
The Residence Life Hybrid:
A legend in its own right
• Like the Centaur, the ResLife
Hybrid is still rare, and only
found in select locations
• Like the Prius, the ResLife Hybrid is an
efficient model that is growing in
popularity

4. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
Why Hybrids?
For the Institution:
• Maximize professional exposure
• Foster campus community
• Minimize payroll and resources
For the Professional:
• Maximize professional exposure
• Support campus mission
• Explore new avenues of campus life

5. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
Before you begin
• Explore the campus
This includes the school’s mission, the
community, and the surrounding area
• Explore your goals
Does this demanding experience fit in to
your career expectations?
• Examine your own experiences
Will this be an unbearable challenge or an
amazing benefit to your skill-set?

6. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
Maximize your Roles
• Explore your opportunities on campus
• Embrace your two worlds
of Professional Development
• Identify your resources
• Innovate!

7. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
Maximize your Value
• Acknowledge the temporary nature of
your hybrid experience
• Regularly update your resume, and
prepare multiple variants
• Find opportunities to become a “Specialist”

8. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
Maximize your Sanity
• Setting Boundaries
Professional
Learn to say No.
“Don’t fear professional repercussions for
saying ‘No’, fear professional burnout from
saying ‘Yes’.”
Professional Boundary Rule #1:
Be a professional. In every role you play.

9. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
Maximize your Sanity
• Setting Boundaries
Personal
Twice as many eyes
Twice as much time with students
Personal Boundary Rule #1:
Set them early, hold to them consistently
Twice as many coworkers

10. Surviving Your Hybrid Position June 10, 2010
Maximize your Sanity
• Find your Narnia
Where can you go? What can you do?
Make it a routine
• Acknowledge you’re different
You face different challenges
You receive different rewards

11. Questions?