Running Head: Person-Environment Interaction Theory Victoria Coefield

Person-
Environment
Interaction
Theory
COUN 7132
Contemporary College
Student

Victoria Coefield
2/15/2016
Person-Environment Interaction Theory V.Coefield

The Person-Environment Interaction theory can be used to describe my undergraduate

experience. I received a full band scholarship to Mississippi Valley State University in Itta

Bena, Mississippi. I am from the Metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia where I am used to stores

that never close, various choices of restaurants to dine at and people who were too busy to judge

you (especially aloud). I believe my perceptions of my alma mater defined my growth at the

university and changed me into the person I am now.

The Person-Environment Interaction Theory is grouped into four category models:

physical, human aggregate, organizational environment, and constructed. My physical

surroundings encouraged most of my actions. The human aggregate model defines my reason for

attending the school, the friends I made there and my achieved goal of graduating early. The

organizational environment model can be used to describe the sorority I pledged and the band

culture at MVSU. Lastly, the constructed model is how I viewed my experience overall.

Physical Models

My parents helped me move into Edna Horton Hall August of 2008. My parents and I

noticed the many under construction signs around the campus. Optimistically, I saw the

renovations as a sign of new improvements that I would get to experience as a first year student.

My mood changed when I unlocked my door to find a small room with two twin sized beds and a

loud air conditioning unit sitting in the corner adjacent to the window. The following year I was

in my permanent dormitory room in the upper classmen womens hall named Magnolia, the hall

was closed for three years for remodeling and finally I reaped the benefits of all of those signs.

The small, country campus attracted me to the school, because I knew I would be able to get a

degree without any outside distractions.

2
Person-Environment Interaction Theory V.Coefield

Mississippi Valley had two gas stations, one 18 hour Wal-Mart and a small club called

the Red Carpet within a 15 miles radius; lacking the variety of Atlanta, but being perfect for a

country girl at heart to get an education. Everything on the small campus was in walking

distance. I found many things to do on campus, from studying at the library in the center of the

campus, attending post-game (football or basketball) gymnasium parties, holiday events in the

Student Union, intramural sports at the stadium and I spent a lot of time at the fully equipped

gym working out. The boys dormitory was next door to the girls which was convenient to visit

my male friends.

While most of the incoming freshman class attended new student orientation in the upper

level of the Student Union known as the Royal Room, I stood outside in a mosquito infested,

uncut field behind the six decade old band hall with my dented school issued baritone (horn).

Students on band scholarships devoted a great deal of their time to practices and performances

with the band. The band hall was the second building ever built at MVSU and had not been

remodeled since 1950. My detestation for the old hall discouraged me from personal practice in

the many practice rooms and by senior year, I was no longer a skilled player.

Human Aggregate Models

Mississippi Valley State University is a historically black university and the

demographics during my time as a student were 93% African-American. Most of my friends

were in the band, the Student Government Association or in my academic department of

Communications. The athletes and the band students usually travelled, studied and dealt with

financial aid processing our scholarship funds in the same timeframe together so we bonded

often. The soccer players were mostly from Canada and Caucasian, the football team recruited

3
Person-Environment Interaction Theory V.Coefield

several Hawaiians and a host of Nigerians were studying abroad at MVSU and heavily involved

in the SGA. I networked with them and learned about their cultures.

I was constantly reminded that student athletes have a poor retention and graduation rates

at my undergraduate school, so my sophomore year I mapped out a course schedule that would

allow me to finish a semester early. Many of my classmates like myself, were first generation

college students and we stuck together to ensure that we would not leave MVSU without a

degree. In the year 2010-2011 school year I took classes in the Fall, Spring and Summer to boost

my GPA from my freshman year decline due to partying and to carry out my early completion

task.

Organizational Environment Models

Like most HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Mississippi Valleys

campus culture was filled with an active Greek life. My sophomore year, I pledged Tau Beta

Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority. Most of my time was spent with the band; the sorority

exemplified superior community service and had a major influence over the changes made

within the band hall. I also became the Student Communications Director of the Student

Government Association; because I was a Communications major with a radio show I had a

great influence to being the voice of the student body.

MVSU has a traditional organizational structure as a Carnegie Classified Institution. The

Board of Trustees to the President, the Vice President of Student Affairs to every organization on

campus was the flow of control. I did not understand the chain of command (as a viewed it then),

but I did not like the long lines and several offices I had to visit to get simple things like class

changes, scholarship questions answered or graduation forms filled. The stress of finding

4
Person-Environment Interaction Theory V.Coefield

someone to help still plagues my mind and is one of the experiences as an undergraduate student

I do not miss. The only time I appreciated the chain was when the Governor tried to combine all

HBCUs in Mississippi and all the students, staff and faculty gathered together as one protesting

on the steps of the capitol in Jackson, MS.

Constructed Environment Models

My person-environment interaction at my undergraduate school was all perceived from

my own experiences. I constructed my own view of Mississippi Valley State University as an 18-

year-old from Decatur, GA. The choices and friends I made at MVSU served as a testimony to

my personal growth. I only ate at the cafeteria on Wednesdays and Fridays when I knew the

menu, I only went to the gym when the football players were on the field practicing, and I gave

myself a 1am curfew to make sure I was rested for full load of classes. Despite multiple theories,

I believe life (and undergraduate studies) is what you make of it.