NW Missouri Times

Justin Luster's tenure at Northwest Missouri State University has significantly shaped his career aspirations, equipping him with the necessary skills for a future in higher education and student affairs. Initially, Luster had intended to venture into youth development. However, after graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Science degree, he now seeks a career in college student development.

"My main focus primarily was the human services major, and then when I found out about the overlap between the two and how a psychology degree could help me in the field that I wanted to go to, I decided to add the other one," Luster said.

Luster's passion for helping people and his experiences as part of the Residential Housing Association (RHA) drew him towards a career in higher education. RHA is a student-led organization that fosters involvement and leadership on campus while representing residents' interests.

For three years, Luster worked in residential life and was also part of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) for two years. His roles allowed him to apply his academic knowledge from psychology and human services directly into his work as a resident assistant. This practical application helped him develop crucial skills such as communication, time management, and team-building.

In addition to his duties within residential life, Luster served on the regional board for the Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls. In this capacity, he assisted other colleges in expanding their RHA and NRHH chapters across the region. He also briefly collaborated with Campus Dining on its marketing team.

"Housing is really like the biggest student affairs area because housing is constant, and so it really has prepared me with a lot of the basic skills to go elsewhere," Luster said.

Throughout his journey at Northwest Missouri State University, where he also pursued a minor in art, Luster gained valuable guidance from faculty mentors who aided him in identifying his career path.

"The faculty is really ready to help you and support you inside and outside of the classroom," he said. "They really care about us as people and they’re, for the most part, pretty understanding whenever you have something going on and you need help."

Luster will further his education at the University of Iowa, where he plans to earn a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs. Concurrently, he will participate in a graduate assistantship in orientation services.

"Ideally, I would like to travel a lot after I graduate, working at different institutions and learning a lot about the whole field," Luster said.