Leaders Reflection
Making Connections
The LeADERS program at Old Dominion University facilitates student engagement with courses and real-world activities spanning Leadership, ePortfolio, Academic Internship, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Research, and/or Service Learning.
This LeADERS ePortfolio illustrates how my involvement in Leadership, Diversity, and Research realms has bolstered my personal and vocational advancement. Through the LeADERS initiative, I discovered and participated in impactful courses and activities that greatly enhanced my academic journey. Courses such as Social Inequality, Social Research Methods, Criminological Theory, and even working in the ePortfolio studio, has given me so many skills to use for my future endeavors whether it is grad school or my future career.
Reflecting Back
Why did I join LeADERS
I joined ODU Leaders because one of my friends convinced me that I would get a shiny medal at graduation. I didn't really think much of it until I started working at the eportfolio studio. I saw so many beautiful eportfolios working there. I really connected with those who were in the criminal justice feild. I was actually really interesting learning about the program and the opportunities LeADERS present me. It really showed me that I can demostrate my skills to future employers, with the course I was taking.
What significant challenges did you encounter throughout your LeADERS courses and related experiences? How did you overcome these challenges?
My understanding of social inequality and social research methods really improved while I worked at the ePortfolio Studio, in my opinion. In the past, I had significant difficulties when it came to writing papers and doing research. But the ePortfolio Studio's organized setting made for a really life-changing educational experience for me. By means of careful time management and integration of priceless trial-and-error methods developed in the Studio, I was able to effectively apply these learned abilities to my involvement in coursework that is research-focused.
Regarding my involvement in the Applied Work-Based course, I believe it is important to recognize that working as an ePortfolio assistant has been both a challenge and a success for me in my professional and academic lives. Participating in the Eportfolio studio has offered a variety of experiences that are distinguished by their fundamentally complex and rewarding world. Being an Eportfolio assistant has been an important element in supporting essential personal and professional growth during my time there. It has provided me with a platform for active learning and given me insights into the small things of academic support and student engagement. Furthermore, the difficulties of being an Eportfolio Assistant have highlighted how important flexibility and resilience are when navigating a variety of educational environments. In addition, my participation in the ePortfolio studio has given me the chance to improve my networking skills and develop a strong professional brand. Through the utilization of my developed abilities and experiences, I have made an effort to establish myself as an active participant in the academic and professional fields.
How do you see all of your specific LeADERS experiences connecting to one another?
Criminal justice is my major of study. With the exception of my work as an ePortfolio assistant, the majority of my coursework in the LeADERS program is directly related to the field I have chosen to study. Specifically, my participation in classes like Social Research and Social Inequality has highlighted the importance of having strong social skills. Since protecting people is an important aspect of the criminal justice system, having strong interpersonal skills is obviously essential. This idea is further demonstrated by the fact that, in my role as an ePortfolio assistant, I regularly engage with a diverse group of students from a range of academic backgrounds and experiences, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of interactions.
As such, the essential importance of conducting thorough research has been an ongoing concept throughout these courses. This focus carries over into my studies of Criminological Theory, where the importance of thorough investigation before case management is emphasized. Regardless of the career path chosen; law enforcement, social work, or legal, has the need for thorough research as a requirement for taking meaningful action is always present in this diverse field.
Looking Forward
My main career goal is to bring about positive social change. Given current issues like corruption, police brutality, governmental inaction, and systematic inefficiencies, I feel obligated to actively participate in finding solutions instead of watching helplessly as these problems get worse. Despite the seemingly wide scope of my goal, my plan calls for pursuing a career in law enforcement or government. I want to take action with what I choose. I am not one to just sit behind a computer even if it's making an "impact". I believe my voice needs to be heard, especially being a black woman in society. With the help of the abilities I've developed in my academic pursuits, such as my ability to conduct effective research, my skillful writing, and the specialized knowledge I gained in classes like Social Inequality. I hope to make a significant impact in these fields going forward.