Analyzing organizational socialization contributions to professional identity development in new student affairs professionals.

Student affairs has a well-documented attrition problem, with professionals most likely to leave within the first five years of their careers. Previous research shows that professional identity has a direct inverse effect on one’s intent to leave. Understanding how socialization tactics can be used to contribute to professional identity development in new professionals, employers can create practices and environments that foster longevity in the field. In this study, I seek to understand how the six continua of socialization tactics outlined in Van Maanen and Schein’s (1979) Theory of Socialization influence the development of Professional Identity in new student affairs professionals. Professional identity is broken down into three sub-categories: Value Congruence, Intellectual Investment, and Field Commitment. I used multiple regression to analyze 298 survey responses, which revealed that Investiture socialization has a strong positive influence on each of the three elements of professional identity. I derived recommendations for practice and future research based on these results.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.Ed.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Hintzoglou, Matt T. (Matthew T.), 2001-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Sriram, Rishi.

• Student affairs.
• Socialization.
• Professional identity.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/13802

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/13802