| Abstract: | The vocational development of Student Personnel Workers (SPW) was examined by collecting data on sex, age, present position, degrees held, college major, reason for and age on entering student personnel work, and persons influencing subjects to enter such work. Data were collected on 131 SPW from a diverse group of 10 institutions. Analysis and extrapolation of the data indicated 5 hypotheses: (a) many female SPW bypass or delay marriage in favor of union with an occupation; (b) prior to entering the field, SPW exhibit considerable vocational indecision; (c) persons entering student personnel work do so primarily under the influence of normative social pressures and through the process of identification; (d) most SPW enter the field by accident or because of a desire to nestle in a nurturant environment; and (e) SPW tend to have a non-intellectual orientation. |
