In the realm of marketing, a successful branding strategy is one of the most important contributors to organizational success. A solid branding strategy can help add visibility and credibility to a company’s products.
Similarly, nurse-scholars can build a personal brand to add visibility and credibility to their work. You can begin building your brand by developing and maintaining an academic portfolio. Such an activity can help share the results of your efforts and contribute to your success. This Week’s Discussion asks you to consider and share strategies for building your portfolio.
To Prepare:
Reflect on strategies that you can pursue in developing portfolios or portfolio elements that focus on academic achievements.
Review one or more samples from your own research of resources focused on portfolio development.
Post an explanation of at least two strategies for including academic activities and accomplishments into your professional development goals. Then, explain how those goals may align with the University’s emphasis on social change. Be specific and provide examples.
Full Answer Section
- Be selective. Don't just include everything you've ever done. Choose the pieces of work that are most relevant to your goals and that showcase your best skills.
- Organize your work. Your portfolio should be easy to navigate and understand. Create a table of contents or use dividers to separate different sections of your work.
- Include reflective statements. Along with your work, include reflective statements that explain your thought process and how you've grown as a learner.
- Get feedback. Ask your professors, mentors, or peers to review your portfolio and give you feedback. This will help you to identify areas where you can improve.
Aligning Academic Activities and Accomplishments with Professional Development Goals
Your academic activities and accomplishments can be a valuable asset to your professional development goals. By including them in your portfolio, you can demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities to potential employers or mentors.
Here are a few strategies for including academic activities and accomplishments in your professional development goals:
- Identify your goals. What do you want to achieve in your career? Once you know your goals, you can start to think about how your academic activities and accomplishments can help you to achieve them.
- Be specific. When you're describing your academic activities and accomplishments, be as specific as possible. This will help employers or mentors to understand how your skills and knowledge can benefit them.
- Use keywords. When you're writing about your academic activities and accomplishments, use keywords that are relevant to your field. This will help your portfolio to be found by potential employers or mentors who are searching for candidates with your skills and knowledge.
- Highlight your impact. When you're describing your academic activities and accomplishments, focus on the impact that you've made. This could include the impact on your own learning, the impact on your peers, or the impact on your community.
Aligning with the University’s Emphasis on Social Change
The University's emphasis on social change is reflected in its mission statement, which states that the University is "committed to advancing knowledge and understanding, promoting social justice, and preparing students for leadership and service."
There are many ways to align your academic activities and accomplishments with the University's emphasis on social change. Here are a few examples:
- Participate in research that addresses social justice issues.
- **Volunteer your time to a social justice organization.
- **Write about social justice issues in your coursework or in your portfolio.
- **Present your research or findings at a social justice conference.
By aligning your academic activities and accomplishments with the University's emphasis on social change, you can demonstrate your commitment to making a difference in the world.
Conclusion
An academic portfolio is a valuable tool for showcasing your skills, knowledge, and abilities. By following the strategies outlined in this article, you can create a portfolio that will help you to achieve your professional development goals and make a difference in the world.
Sample Answer
An academic portfolio is a collection of your work that demonstrates your skills, knowledge, and abilities. It can be used to showcase your accomplishments, track your progress, and apply for jobs or scholarships.
There are many different ways to build an academic portfolio. Here are a few strategies to get you started:
- Start early. The best time to start building your portfolio is as early as possible. This will give you time to collect a variety of work and to reflect on your progress.