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, academic internship, and service learning have supported my personal and professional development.

I joined LeADERS because the program would enable me to gain valuable skills which employers are always looking for.  The courses within LeADERS would also help me to think critically and improve on my interpersonal skills and be able to build networks with employers and industry leaders.  Being an enlisted active duty military service member, I want to enhance my navy career and apply for a commissioning program, and the LeADERS designation on my transcripts and my experiences will help boost my application and increase my opportunities for selection as a naval officer.

Some of the significant challenges that I encountered throughout my LeADERS courses were technical in nature.  I took most of my major courses while deployed in a small Island in the middle of the Indian Ocean called Diego Garcia.  Since I was completing the courses online, the internet capabilities there are very limited.  It called for a lot of patience and being able to communicate with my professors frequently and work with my Navy leadership to afford me opportunities to use the internet for school purposes.  Looking back, I am proud to have been able to successfully complete those classes, because I was just one of a handful Sailors that were able to go to school while deployed.

During my limited time off, I spent time on the pristine beaches of Diego Garcia, writing papers, doing research, and studying for exams while my peers were playing beach volleyball.  Sometimes I questioned myself as to why I was taking classes but the knowledge and experiences I was gaining could not compare.  The Sailors that I led, and my supervisors were proud of my achievements and I happily shared what I had learnt because some of it applied to our day to day operations.

My educational goals after graduation are to start a master’s degree in healthcare administration.  In the meantime, I can apply to a Navy commissioning program with my bachelor’s degree and if selected, will be commissioned as a naval officer and spend two years pursuing a master’s degree before my first assignment as a Medical Service Corps officer. 

LeADERS courses have enhanced my skills most of which employers are seeking.  In the military we rely on teamwork to get work done, and some of the courses have helped me to be effective in working in a team structure, communicating, making decisions and solving problems.  My academic internship taught me how to organize and prioritize work, create reports and update dashboards, and enhance my computer skills. And for the first time I was able to create a WordPress website without prior knowledge, something that I will continue to work on and maybe start a blog! Thanks ODU LeADERS for the OPPORTUNITY!