High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2023

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Course Code

MCB

Course Number

3933

Faculty/Instructor

Dr. Alicia Hawthorne

Faculty/Instructor Email

alicia.hawthorne@ucf.edu

About the Author

My name is Wesley Lim, and I am a senior studying Biomedical Sciences at the University of Central Florida. I intend to apply to graduate school to obtain a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences and hope to become a professor one day.

Abstract, Summary, or Creative Statement

The development of an ePortfolio offers a digital introduction during networking events in an increasingly technology-driven society. Throughout one semester in Biomedical Sciences Careers, MCB 3933, I developed an ePortfolio with components like a resume, personal statement, individual development plan, and elevator speech. In my ePortfolio, I had three areas of focus that showcased my highlights and skills in my undergraduate education: the academic skill sets I developed, my relevant research experiences, and my time as a teaching assistant for multiple courses.

As part of the course, students were required to contact at least four people in their desired field to develop their networking and communication skills. I reached out to nine people since the start of Biomedical Sciences Careers. I contacted four people while taking the class, and the other five were contacted after finishing the course. Of the people contacted, a little over half responded to initial and following emails, and over half that responded agreed to meet in person or virtually. Overall, I had a 33% response rate, with three out of the nine contacts agreeing to meet with me to discuss what a career in academia is like.

Developing an ePortfolio allowed me to stand out while networking and showcased my personal mission statement and academic career goals. Moving forward, I see myself fully utilizing my ePortfolio to develop my digital brand further and help me network with more people in the biomedical science field.

Keywords

ePortfolio; Professional Development; Networking; Graduate School; Research; Teaching; Integrative Learning Experience; IE; College of Medicine; Burnett Honors College;

Professional Development for Graduate School: ePortfolio and Networking


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