Making Connections
Old Dominion University’s LeADERS program connects students to courses and real-world experiences in the areas of: Leadership, Academic Internship, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Research, or Service Learning. This LeADERS ePortfolio shares how my experiences in the areas of Leadership, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Research, and Service Learning have supported my personal and professional development.
Looking Back
I joined the ODU LeADERS program because I thought it would be a neat opportunity to illustrate what I have learned throughout my academic career. When I joined the program, I had already fulfilled the requirements for the Leadership and Research components, and I was already planning on fulfilling Service Learning and Diversity components. I had heard about the importance of ePortfolios but did not know where to start. Joining the LeADERS program would give me the opportunity to learn how to create a place to showcase my work.
Throughout the LeADERS program, the most significant challenge that I encountered was being able to manage my time. Completing an ePortfolio was a daunting task, and on top of a full courseload and busy schedule, it was a challenge to keep up with the requirements. By staying organized and producing quality work throughout my academic career, I was able to gather supporting materials to put into this ePortfolio.
Another challenge presented by completing the LeADERS program was having to branch out into various disciplines. Many of the experiences and courses through this program were related to my field of study but were unique from the majority of Exercise-Science major courses. For example, taking an entrepreneur-business course that required creating a business from the ground up with a group of diverse peers had a completely different format when compared to taking scientific-based courses that focused on calculations and memorization. Each component of LeADERS required me to “think outside the box” and focus more on reflective-based learning. By shifting my mindset, I was able to learn a great deal from these courses and experiences.
Overcoming these challenges led me to success. The assignments in these courses have challenged me to reflect and think creatively, which taught me more about my values, my creativity, and myself as a learner. In Cross-Cultural psychology, I learned a great deal about my views of other cultures through the weekly blog posts and assignments. In my entrepreneurship course, I learned to be innovative by creating a business plan in a team structure. In my service-learning and leadership requirements, I learned about my leadership style and the value I place on helping others through communication and teaching. In my research course, I learned experientially through actively participating in the research process under the supervision of a medical student. Overall, my drive, dedication, and discipline to produce quality coursework in a timely manner contributed to the successes in this program. These experiences combined have helped me to grow personally and academically throughout my college career.
The best way to connect all my LeADERS experiences with one another is through connecting the skills I have learned from each course. For each of the LeADERS components outlined in my ePortfolio, I created a graphic outlining skills employers are seeking that I gained from the experience. Below is another graphic showing how all the experiences gained through the individual experiences in this program has contributed greatly to my overall skill-set.
Blue-and-White-Bar-Chart-PresentationLooking Forward
Following graduation, my main goal is to complete ODU’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program and become a physical therapist. I would love to incorporate my love for helping others with the field of Health and Wellness, along with possibly becoming an entrepreneur. The Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program is a three-year, intensive graduate program. I believe that the experiences LeADERS has provided has prepared me for this rigorous program. Many of the skills I have improved upon, illustrated above, are crucial for not only completing the program, but also for becoming the therapist I envision myself becoming.
For example, the “Communicate Verbally” skillset I have developed from my Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Research, and Service Learning experiences transfers to the field of physical therapy because I will need to effectively communicate my knowledge and health information to my future patients. The skillset “Create and edit reports” developed from my Entrepreneurship, Diversity, Research, and Service Learning experiences will be useful in a graduate program, and as I complete paperwork that comes with a job in physical therapy. Not only that, but if I become an entrepreneur, I will have the right skill set to develop a business plan. Working in a team structure, as I did in my Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Service Learning experiences will greatly benefit me as I work in a team of healthcare professionals. The other skills I have gained from these courses and experiences are just as important. These are further discussed in each section of my ePortfolio.
Overall, the LeADERS program challenged me, helped me grow academically, exposed me to other disciplines and ways of learning, and prepared me for what is to come following graduation. I would recommend this program to any student at ODU because the completion of this program helped me to gain a well-rounded education.