Old Dominion University’s LeADERS program connects students to courses and real-world experiences in the areas of: Leadership, ePortfolio, Academic Internship, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Research, and/or Service Learning.
This LeADERS ePortfolio shares how my experiences in the areas of Leadership, Diversity, and Research have supported my personal and professional development. The LeADERS program helped me to find and complete high-impact courses and experiences that maximized my growth as a student. As a LeADERS graduate, I am leaving the program with this comprehensive ePortfolio showcasing what I have learned and experienced, to position me as a professional and scholar.
MY EXPERIENCE
REFLECTING BACK:
WHY I JOINED LeADERS
I joined the LeADERS program to obtain employer-valued skills and take advantage of the increased marketability to potential employers and graduate programs. Networking and career opportunities were a plus for me as well. This program added another layer to my college experience and helped me figure out what my “brand” is. This program challenged me to look deeper into my college courses and find useful skills, beyond just receiving college credit. I knew that this would help me with my career goals, and it definitely did.
I helped give a presentation to the Board of Directors for the ODU International Maritime Ports & Logistics Institute on April 11, 2023
CHALLENGES THAT I EXPERIENCED IN MY LeADERS COURSES
While participating in my LeADERS courses I had some hiccups with juggling so many activities and tasks. To resolve this, I made sure that I synced all of my appointment, class assignments, meeting, etc. onto my Google calendar. There is nothing worse than missing a deadline or being late for an important event because you forgot about it. I pride myself on being a multi-tasker and on my ability to handle numerous responsibilities at once.
Another challenge was battling stress and burnout. Working full-time while in college and taking on extracurriculars is not simple, but I knew that it would aid me in the end. The resolution was to make sure I set aside time for things that bring me joy and relaxation, so I can maintain a balanced lifestyle. Prioritization was a huge factor as well since I have to know when to say “no,” as not to take on too many responsibilities.
SUCCESS THAT I HAD THROUGHOUT MY LeADERS COURSES
Through the Leadership experiences, I improved my leadership skills and got more comfortable with public speaking and networking. I am also able to identify my most relevant skills to take to any organization. This is my most successful area because I was involved in three different leadership experiences that made me so much more comfortable with embracing being a natural leader.
With my Research course, I gained real-world marketing experience that helped me think about what to do after graduation. The exposure to personal branding made me rethink how I have branded myself as a student and a professional, and how to improve. The group work also made me more comfortable sharing my ideas, and being okay to let someone else take the lead on a project every now and then.
Lastly, my Diversity course helped me to focus on different aspects of the marketing industry as well as the community. I experienced insight from professionals in my prospective industry who explained how important it is to understand people as well as consumers.
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MY LeADERS COURSES
All of my LeADERS courses and experiences have shown me that there are multiple aspects to becoming a leader. My Leadership experiences entailed aspects of Entrepreneurship and Research, helping me understand how organizations function and going over business operations. Even though I do not have a formal entrepreneurship background, it taught me the skills that you need to be your own boss and run a company.
Delving deeper into marketing with my Research course showed me that it takes effort to try and be a good leader because you need to find examples of quality leadership. The research itself is very diverse because it is a broad subject matter.
Diversity and understanding others is a huge part of being a leader because you need to be open to other people. It helped me see ideas from a different perspective, whether or not I agreed with them. Moreover, I was taught how to be inclusive and avoid bias, to be a compassionate individual.
LOOKING FORWARD:
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS AFTER GRADUATION
My professional goals are to obtain a job related to my degree and interests, that will jumpstart my career. I want to start establishing the career path that I will continue for the rest of my working years. I do not have any educational goals at the time, because I am not sure if I want to get a Master’s degree or continue with formal education. As for personal goals, I just want to focus on my overall health and have a stable work-life balance. However, I have considered pursuing an MBA in the next few years.
HOW LeADERS PREPARED ME FOR GRADUATION
Specifically, my Research course showed me how important personal branding is, and made me really think about how I was going to present myself on my eportfolio. I was not going to put anything about my hobbies and interests; it was going to be strictly professional and educational. However, my professor encouraged us to show everything that people can’t see on a piece of paper.
In my Leadership course and experience, I was able to understand that I already have some great leadership qualities and to hone in on those professionally. In the past, I didn’t want a managerial role. However, my experience made me think about how much I actually love teaching others and leading teams.
As for my Diversity course I saw that there are so many options out there for me, even beyond marketing. There is a myriad of positions that I could pursue, so I don’t have to be focused on only fitting into one “box.”