EDU 220 Final Project

Part 1: Personal Action Plan

If you have a dream, you can spend a lifetime studying, planning, and getting ready for it.
What you should be doing is getting started.
-Drew Houston, Founder/CEO of Dropbox

The purpose of this project is to integrate and mobilize your new skills, resources, experiences and knowledge into a plan
you can use to create meaningful action toward your personal and career-related goals. This final project, your Action Plan,
along with your Meta-Reflection, will allow you to consolidate your new competencies and understanding of yourself, as
well as options in the world of work that are relevant to you.

Checklist to complete this project:

Answer the following prompts and complete the action plan on the following pages. Please complete this
electronically by filling out this document.
Complete a career coaching appointment with a career coach in the OPCD to review your action plan for feedback.
Write your meta-reflection based on the prompts provided after this action plan worksheet.

Please follow the prompts listed here and integrate 8-10 resources from our course as supporting material, evidence for
your plan, or new information that informs your future actions. You will start by reviewing your progress and citing the
experiences that have created impact and opportunity.

This project is a template you can use now and as your goals unfold, or shift in the future. Ive provided this blank template
for your Action Plan on Sakai and our ePortfolio website. Keep it and feel free to use it in the future.

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First, begin by answering these questions for yourself. Be as complete as you can, using a sentences or two for each prompt:
I enrolled in this course for this primary purpose or because: I wanted to learn more about the options in the world of
work and how to construct my own roadmap to reach my goals.
When I started this class, I was considering this/these options in the world of work: I was considering a career in the
medical field.
At the beginning of our course, these were my initial assumptions/thoughts about myself and the world of work as it
related to me
1. I could see myself helping others and working with children.
2. I envisioned myself traveling around the world and to different communities.
3. I thought about all the schooling it would take me to reach my end goal and I realized that I am willing to commit
and sacrifice what I to need to become a doctor.

Next, continue by considering the results of your self-assessment undertaken through our course. You may wish to review
the Self-Assessment section of your ePortfolio. Write a sentence or two to answer these prompts:

What are the key points you have learned about yourself as it relates to your current ideas related to career goals?
Which projects, experiences or readings provided this learning? List 3-5 key learnings and the rationale/or sources for
class that help clarify this self-assessment.
1. I thought the Strong Interest Inventory test told me a lot about myself and showed me the way that I have changed
over the years. For example, I used to hate science and now I want to dedicate life studying it in order to help
people. I scored a 56 on Investigative, which compared to the other categories, was quite higher.
2. The family career genogram was my favorite project we did this semester. I learned that I have both science and art
in my blood. This gives me inner confidence to pursue science because I know if other members in my family did it,
I can do it to and make them proud. Additionally, art is a big part of my background. To see art weaved into my
moms side of the family makes me proud and gives me a greater understanding of where I come from and what I
am capable of doing with my creativity whether that is in science or in the world.
 3. One of the most wonderful, unforgettable experiences I got from this class was my job shadow. Being able to get a
taste of the end goal, by shadowing a doctor, fueled me to keep fighting for what I love. I learned so much in the four
hours that I was there. When my job shadow was over, I walked out of the ER room knowing that I could not
imagine myself becoming anything else but a doctor.
4. The Reflective Review Frankl Quotes was another resource that really made me think about how I am approaching
my journey and time at Wake. The quote, those who have a why to live, can bear with almost any how, is
probably one of my favorite quotes. In fact, this quote reminds me of why I am doing what I am doing and that I
can handle anything because of my why.
5. Reaching out to Wake Forest Alumni and building connections through LinkedIn was another great resource. I am
always looking for advice, and when I was able to talk with alumni about their time at Wake, they all were able to
give me some great advice on how to handle my work load. This made me realize that what I am feeling now is
normal, and that I will, and I can, get through it.

What has been the most valuable piece of information you have learned about yourself as it relates to opportunities of
value to you? How did you learn this as part of our course?
I learned that I can truly doing anything with the right mindset, preparation and attitude. I was able to come to this
conclusion through the books we read, the class exercises, and through talking to Wake alumni. I think the biggest
takeaway I got was what I learned through my job shadow I dont have to know it all to become a doctor. In the
beginning of the year, I was really worried about how much information I should be knowing or needing to retain for
the MCATs. It was hard for me not to get flustered every time I opened up my 1000+ page biology textbook. After I
realized that it was impossible for me to know it all, it actually helped me study better and more efficiently. For
example, I stopped trying to write down every single thing the textbook said on the lecture notes we would cover in
biology class. I decided to trust the process, and only write down information that added to my class notes. From doing
this, I able to pinpoint my focus on what was truly important and feel less overwhelmed.

Now, think about the exploration and research you have conducted and write a sentence or two to answer the following for
yourself. Again, you may wish to look at your Career Research and Exploration section of your ePortfolio.

How did you explore and research career-related opportunities and options? How would you summarize the
resources/experiences that have been most helpful?
For the Career Research and Exploration PowerPoint, I researched Allied Health. The OPCD directed me to a wonderful
website (https://explorehealthcareers.org/field/allied-health-professions/). This website was very helpful because it
gave information on all the possible careers in Allied Health, how many years of schooling required for each position,
and the average salary. The medical field is so big, and there are so many options to choose from, so this website really
helped me understand all the possible career choices I could pursue, in addition to giving me a better understanding of
the role of each type of job and what is required in order to be successful.

What do you need to be doing now based on your class year at Wake Forest and the options you are currently
exploring? hint: take a look at the OPCD site (it lists activities by year and the explore careers tab here:
http://career.opcd.wfu.edu/explore-careers gives a timeline for specific career fields)
When I went to the OPCD website and clicked on Health, it brought me to the Prehealth website for WFU. This website
is great because it has different sections on program planning, how to be a competitive applicant, resources and so
much more in order to help premed students find their way. Personally, I just created an AdviseStream account to set
up a meeting with a premed advisor to make sure that I am on the right track. Additionally, I am going to start
volunteering at the Wake Forest Baptist Hospital to get involved with the Winston-Salem community.

My list of key points and valuable personal learning is the following:

1. Always remember why I do what I do
2. To keep the big picture in mind
3. To not compare myself to others
4. To know that my best is good enough
5. To remember that everything is a process and that it will come in time
6. To trust myself
7. To know that if I need support, I will be able to find it
8. To remind myself daily that what I am doing is not easy, so I should not be so hard on myself
9. Take the advice of others and use it to my benefit
 10. Know trust that I am where I should be

My plans for growth are:

Next semester, I sent in an application to an organization called Take the Fight. Take the Fight works with cancer patients,
and provides an opportunity for students to apply and train to become a cancer strategist. Students will be able to volunteer
with patients and attend their appointments. This program is a commitment, and if I am selected, I must volunteer four
hours during the school week. Last week, I found out that they received my application and they said they were very
impressed! I am advancing to the second round, and having an interview in early December. If I get selected for this
program, I know it will be hard to balance 16 credits and volunteering, but honestly, after my job shadow, I realized that
being able to work with patients is my outlet. I hope, if I am lucky enough to be part of this program, I will be able to
learn more about oncology, expand upon my medical knowledge, learn more about myself, and get my foot in the door.

Options in the World of Work: Career Action Plan

[December 6th, 2017]
Please type your action plan goals below and provide the rationale (the reason you plan to do this) and course-related
source for this goal. Excellent action plans will draw on 8-10 different sources from class (e.g. projects, experiences,
readings, lectures, resources). It is important to anticipate barriers to reaching your goals. This may be as simple as time
limitations during finals week. If we can identify barriers or obstacles, we can also identify resources that will help us
overcome these obstacles so out momentum on reaching the goals is not diminished.

Step 1: Self-Assessment
Based on what you have learned about yourself, the world of work, values and career related interests, list your most
important information about yourself (column 1). I also expect you to describe the rationale and source of this learning (e.g.,
Strong Interest Inventory, Career Genogram, Values Lecture, journal entry, etc.).
Self-Assessment/Career Related Knowledge Course Citation/Experiential Source
I have what it takes to be successful in science Family Career Genogram
I can achieve success in different ways Luck is No Accident John D. Krumboltz
I can see myself being a doctor Job Shadow

Step 2: Short-Term Goals for the Next Thirty (30) Days

In Step 2, Im going to ask you to set some short-term goals based on what youve learned about yourself above. These goals
may be based on information you received in an informational interview, from your job shadow, perspective gained at an
OPCD workshop, data you explored on particular career-related web sites or from our readings or experiences. Example
short-term goals might look like:
Apply for 10 different marketing related internships before April 30 th. Rationale: I need to build professional experience
on my resume before junior year (source: informational interview with alumni contacted through LinkedIn as part of
Informational Interview Projects).
Arrange 2 Job Shadows in hometown for June. Rationale: increasing my network gives me more access to hidden job
market (source: Job Shadow Preparation Presentation).

In this table, list two (2) short-term goals for next thirty (30) days and action steps to reach them. Include a date to complete
the goals and action steps (column 1). You should support your goal with an appropriate rationale/source from the course
or your exploration that explains your reason or motivation for the short-term goals (column 2).
Short-Term Goals for the Next Thirty (30) Days Rationale/Source from Course or Exploration
Goal 1: To start volunteering in the Winston-Salem
Community 1. To build my resume, give back to the community and get
By the end of December (to get plans aligned and finalized more exposure to the medical field and working with
for volunteering next semester) patients.
Action Step a. Get involved with Take the Fight (a cancer 1a. OPCD website (where I was then sent to the pre-health
organization that works at Wake Forest Baptist Health) website)
 Action Step b. If the organization does not select me to
participate in their program, I will sign up for Wake
Forests Baptist Healths College Volunteer Program 1b. Job Shadow- advice given from Dr. Glenn

Goal 2: To go into second semester feeling confident and

like I can manage my work load an achieve a balance
By the end of December I would like to complete this goal.
Action Step a. Make an apt with a pre-health advisor and
get into a genetics class since I had to drop chemistry in the
fall.
2. I want to make sure that next semester I will come closer
to finding a balance at Wake so I can be the best student I
can possibly be.
2a. After looking at the pre-health website, which I was sent to
from the OPCD website, I found a course suggested layout online
of what I should be taking over the next four years at Wake.
Since I did not take chemistry first, I want to make an apt to get
some guidance to make sure that I am on the right path.

2b. This idea came up when I went to my first career counseling

session. Both the counselor and I thought it would be a good idea
to get some advice and make a connection with a professor in the
Biology department. (Aspen actually has a recommendation for
Action Step b. Find a Biology Professor Mentor me!)

Now that youve spent some time identifying your short-term goals for the next thirty (30) days, I want you to think about
any potential obstacles you may encounter in the process of reaching these goals and completing your action steps.
Additionally, please identify resources you may use to overcome these obstacles (e.g., identify the tools, information,
planning and/or people who can help you).
Potential Obstacles to Completing Short-Term Goals Resources to Overcome Potential Obstacles
1. Doubting myself 1. Finding a Biology mentor for guidance and advice
2. Create a to-do list with an allotted amount of time to complete
2. Struggling to find a balance each task
3. Stay aware of how much work I am doing each day and plan one
or two social activities so I do not burn myself out. Planning social
activities will allow me to have some time for myself so I dont
3. Managing my workload vs social activities burn out or, in other words, make time for class Sarah.

Step 3: Long-Term Goals for the Next Three (3) Months

Now, in Step 3, I want you to set two (2) long-term goals and actions steps to help you reach them. Example long-term goals
might look like:
Join the Executive Committee of Wake and Shake. Rationale: recruiters like to see leadership on a resume (source:
Internship Presentation in Class & OPCD Job Search Workshop)
Conduct informational interview with attorneys in my county by end of August. Rationale: explore law schools that may
network or offer recruiting options within my home state/region to determine top choices for law school applications
(Source: Graduate/Professional School Panel information)
Take Computer Science course next semester. Rationale: basic programming important skill for one of my industries of
choice (Source: informational interview #2 with alumnus at Red Ventures)

Long-Term Goals for the Next Three (3) Months
Goal 1: Trust the Process and that I am where I am meant
to be
Action Step a. Keep exploring options at Wake
Action Step b. Reaching out to professors + work on
getting my foot in the door
Rationale/Source from Course or Exploration
1. I sometimes have difficulty trusting the process and
coming to terms that I am where I am meant to be. I think
having more trust in the system (and that my journey will
lead me to where I am meant to be) will allow me to have
more inner confidence and strength as I move forward.
1a. OPCD website, LAC, clubs
1b. Biology Department, Wake Forest Alumni in the healthcare
field, Road Trip Nation, Career Mapping Exercise (one of my
favorite exercises that we did).

Goal 2: To be able to handle 16 credit hours
Action Step a. Finding a tutor at the math center first
week back second semester
Action Step b. Managing how much time I spend on each
subject
2. 16 credits will allow me to complete more classes and
keep me on track for graduating in May of 2021.
2a. LAC center and Wake Forest resources found on the OPCD
website
2b. Career Interview #1 when I talked with Lauren about how to
manage the workload at Wake in a healthy manner

Just as you did with your short-term goals, I want you to think about any potential obstacles you may encounter in the
process of reaching your long-term goals and completing your action steps. Additionally, please identify resources you may
use to overcome these obstacles (e.g., identify the tools, information, planning and/or people who can help you).
Potential Obstacles to Completing Long-Term Goals Resources to Overcome Potential Obstacles
1. Reminding myself to keep the big picture in mind. Journaling
1. Letting the little mistakes cloud my judgement may help me see my growth over time.
2. Remembering that my biology tutor told me that is a dangerous
thing to do this and that I am individually unique. If I am having a
serious self doubts career wise, I will most likely contact him to get
2. Comparing myself to others his advice and guidance.
3. Going to office hours, being honest with my professors, using
tutors, and maybe even talking to a counsel if I find that necessary.
Furthermore, I actually think that making time for me will help
create a balance for me. Having a balance will fuel me with energy
to complete my work and will give me time to reflect on how I am
3. Getting overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to doing in class. I also need to remember to stay calm and slow
do in each class down.

Accountability Partner (with whom will you share this plan): Sophia Tompkins

After you have completed the Action Plan and had it reviewed by a career coach in the OPCD, take some time to write up
your meta-reflection for the course using the prompts on the next page.

Action Plan OPCD Appointment:

Part 2: Meta-Reflection
Ive really enjoyed these past few weeks being in Options in the World of work. I remember at
the beginning of class we did an exercise called Possible Lives, where each student drew about twelve
circles on a piece of paper and labeled where he or she might see his or herself in the future. I wrote
down things like grad school, working with children, making a difference in a community, and
becoming a doctor. You also had us draw an additional circle and write down a class goal. My class goal
was to find an outlet to pursue my passion. I am happy say, that at the end of this semester, I did just
that.

The first tool that was really helpful was reading the assigned books. I thought that Road Trip
Nation and Luck is no accident were two of the most helpful books. It was interesting to read all the
stories of how people were able to achieve success in different ways. Additionally, it was comforting to
see that nobody in these books, for the most part, had a straight path to success. I will always remember
one interviewee saying that exploring is just as important as doing work. Reading all these success
stories and receiving tips and advice from Luck is no accident helped me figure out the best way I can
approach my work, and plan my future career here at Wake.

The second tool that helped me grow was both the informational interviews and the job shadow.
I learned so much about the healthcare field, and I was able to receive great advice on how to handle and
approach my workload at Wake. I think one of the most valuable things I learned from shadowing Dr.
Glenn is that doctors dont have to know it all. When I realized this, it gave me the confidence to keep
going and trust that I have what it takes. After I completed both the job shadow and three interviews, I
found myself reflecting back on the books I read this semester and referring back to my Possible Lives
exercise. I began to see how the materials and exercises fit together, and I felt like all these wonderful
resources were building on top of each other, elevating me towards my goal.

I took a look at back at my eportfolio, and I can see the growth I have made. It was a great to
have this website to track my progress and reflect back on my assignments. It also helped me organize
my thoughts and has given me ideas for different outlets to build my resume. Additionally, I plan to use
the eportfolio and share it my premed advisor, parents and personal mentors to show my growth and
interests. Having this eportfolio has allowed me to visualize my path from writing my original thoughts
down on paper, to finding out through my career genogram that science and the arts run in my family.
From there I could see the results of my Strong Interest Inventory test and learn more about different
careers in medicine. I was then able to get more hands-on experience through the information interviews
and shadow experience with Dr. Glenn.

From the resources given in class, I have come to the conclusion that I want to pursue a career in
the medical field and achieve the goals that I wrote down on my Possible Lives activity. I have learned
how to network, make connections, and advocate for myself. In fact, after this class, I realized that I
wanted to get more involved in volunteering in a hospital setting in the Winston-Salem area. Not too
long ago, I got an email through AdviseStream, which I was able to sign up through the OPCD website,
with an application to apply to be part of Take the Fight, a cancer volunteer organization, where they
train students to be cancer strategists. I am happy to say that I applied, passed through round one, and I
have my interview scheduled for December 1st. If I get the position, it will start next semester and it will
be four hours a week.
 In conclusion, this class has helped me evaluate my sources, future lifestyle and career, make
connections, and has given me an idea of how to create my own game plan and reach my goals in a
healthy manner. I think that this class is something all undergraduate students should take because it
exposes students to so many helpful resources and tools.

Now that you have a clear action plan developed for yourself, the second part of your final project involves taking a step
back and thinking about all that youve learned, in class, as well as through your career research, exploration and
experiences.

To begin your meta-reflection: Review your progress

First, take a few minutes to review the readings we used from the beginning of our course (Path Finding, Road Trip
Nation, Luck Is No Accident). Now, think about the career beliefs and interests you had as you entered the course.
What did you believe about the world of work and specifically, your engagement with or vision for yourself in it?
You have explored a host of perspectives, had real experiences and gained competencies that may have been new
or refined though this course. You have documented your progress and gained skills with the construction of your
ePortfolio.
What do you notice about your ePortfolio and what it says about your growth and preparation?

Then, look at your ePortfolio. Review your results from the Strong Interest Inventory, re-read your first informational
interview and compare it to your last. Review your job shadow or activities summaries.
What do you notice in the difference between the way you conducted or synthesized information early in the
course and how your thinking has evolved?
What was the process you used to select your informational interview subjects or areas of exploration?
What kinds of activities items might you now be considering?

Think about how youve changed. What changes do you notice in your thinking as a result of creating your ePortfolio
and your experiences in class? What do you notice in your ePortfolio? How do these examples demonstrate that you
have learned (made a measurable change) as a result of this process?

Now, here are the questions to guide your written reflection:

BIG PICTURE
Describe how focusing your attention on exploring the world of work, has impacted your thinking? How do you see
your own growth and changes in your perspective? How is your individual education preparing you for your
professional aspirations as you currently understand them? How will you use the rest of your time at Wake Forest
as a result? In other words, what is next for you in this process?
THE PROCESS
Look at your ePortfolio as a whole. How has the creation of the ePortfolio impacted your thinking regarding
yourself as a young professional, as a student engaged in preparing for a career and the career development cycle?
GROWTH AND VALUE
What has surprised you in the process of completing informational interviews, networking, exploring resources
and evaluating your options? What has been most valuable in light of your goals? How can this process be helpful
 to all undergraduates?

Youve done a lot of work this semester! This project gave you the opportunity to develop concrete action plans for your
future and also to think about what youve learned throughout the course. Post both your Action Plan and Meta-Reflection
(you can use this document as a template) in your e-Portfolio under the Research and Career Exploration area AND bring a
copy to class. Please review the rubrics on the following pages to make sure youve met all the assignment requirements.
Please note, there are two (2) rubrics, one for each part of this project. Each is worth 25 points.
 Rubric
Personal Action Plan
25 points total Sophisticated Competent Not Yet Competent

Action plan has two both

Action plan has both
Action plan academic or career-related
academic and career-related Action plan has only academic
demonstrates short- goals listed for next 1-3
goals listed for next 1 or 3 or career goals but not both;
term career goals and months (short and long term)
months and has rationale for rationale missing or
rationale and includes, action steps,
some but not all or rationale incomplete
(7 points) rationale/source from
unrelated to coursework
coursework

Action plan has 2 goals, time-

Action plan has 2-3 action
Action plan bound action steps created Action plan has 1-2 goals or
steps that created and citing
demonstrates use of and cites more than three action steps but does not
6-8 references from projects,
long-term goals and references from projects, have both; or, does not cite
experiences or information
rationale experiences or information learning from course as
gained as part of course
(7 points) gained as part of course rationale for action steps
objectives
objectives

Action plan includes

name of accountability Name of accountability
partner, potential partner is listed, Not located in ePortfolio
obstacles and resources obstacles/barriers and and/or does not have
to overcome resources to overcome accountability partner listed
barriers/obstacles obstacles/barriers are listed.
(3.5 points)

Action plan answers

Action plan includes answers Action plan includes a few but Action plan does not include
prompts demonstrating
to prompts to questions listed not all answers to answers to
growth or perspective
for pre-planning for prompts/questions listed for prompts/questions listed for
from start of course
document pre-planning for document pre-planning for document
(3 points)

Student completes
career coaching Student attends coaching
appointment to review session with career coach to N/A N/A
plan review action plan
(3 points)

Action plan added to

Action plan added to
ePortfolio and printed
ePortfolio and turned into N/A N/A
copy turned in on time
class on time
(1.5 points)
 Rubric
Meta-Reflection
25 points total Sophisticated
Reflection on overall Reflection includes 4-6
experience of specific references of, and
ePortfolio creation reflections on, aspects of
(5 points) ePortfolio creation
Reflection includes 3
references to actual process
Reflection on process of selecting artifacts, creating
(5 points) ePortfolio and editing
portfolio for a targeted
audience
Reflection includes 3-5
examples of students
Reflection on growth
specific learning and growth
and progress
achieved during class through
(5 points)
specific experiences and
activities
Overall reflection indicates
Quality of reflection
consideration of topic and
(5 points)
planning
Reflection meets writing
Writing conventions conventions; virtually zero
(2.5 points) punctuation, grammar,
formatting errors
Timeliness Meta-reflection added to
(2.5 points) ePortfolio and turned into
class on time
Competent
Reflection includes 3-4
references of, and reflections
on, aspects of ePortfolio
creation; lacks specificity in
terms of examples or
experiences
Reflection includes 2
references to actual process
of selecting artifacts, creating
ePortfolio and editing
portfolio for a targeted
audience
Reflection includes 2-3
examples of students
specific personal learning and
growth achieved during class
through experiences and
activities, not specific
Reflection indicates some
consideration of topic; feels
rushed
Reflection meets some
writing conventions; contains
2-4 punctuation, grammar,
formatting errors
N/A
Not Yet Competent
Reflection includes 1-2
references of, and reflections
on, aspects of ePortfolio
creation; lacks specificity in
terms of examples or
reflection
Reflection includes 1
reference to actual process
of selecting artifacts, creating
ePortfolio and editing
portfolio for a targeted
audience
Reflection includes 1-2
examples of students
specific personal learning and
growth achieved during class
through experiences and
activities, not specific or tied
to projects, experiences or
activities
Reflection indicates
inadequate consideration of
topic and no planning;
rushed quality to writing and
thought
Reflection does not meet
writing conventions; 5 or
more punctuation, grammar,
formatting errors
N/A