Mountain State University

Eatonville, Washington
arc@msu.edu

arc
ACADEMIC REFLECTIVE COMMUNITY
PORTFOLIO WORKBOOK

inside this workbook

purpose of the ARC program

and portfolios

how to be an ARC member

and portfolio creator

examples of past ARC

members' portfolios
 arc

ARC MISSION
ARC provides a space for members to create community to learn about their academics and themselves
by immersing themselves in community.

OUR COMMUNITY
ARC members will meet with their mentors biweekly.
Official meetings of ARC houses (divided by college) will be held monthly, cohort meetings will be held
quarterly, and all ARC members will meet at the beginning and end of each academic term. Houses
and cohorts may choose to meet more often.

Engage with fellow ARC members, staff, and faculty through fireside chats, socials, lectures,
research, volunteering trips, and more.

PARTNERS

Office of Service Learning

Career Services
Mother Earth Farms
After-School Tutors
Eatonville Family Agency
 VALUES

SCHOLARSHIP
& REFLECTION

GLOBAL
CITIZENSHIP

SHARING
WEALTH &
KNOWLEDGE

FOUNDATIONS

Bronfrenbrenner's Ecological Model

LEAP Principles of Excellence
LEAP High-Impact Practices
Kolb's Theory of Experiential Learning
Bandura's Self Efficacy Theory

What have you learned that you want to add to our foundational principles?
Ask to your mentor about your rights as an ARC member.
the power of
reflection
"LIFE CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD BACKWARDS;
BUT IT MUST BE LIVED FORWARDS."
- SØREN KIERKEGAARD

At the end of your time as an ARC member, you will have a reflection journal about your time in
college and eportfolio you may share with employers, collaborators, and your future self. You
will also be part of a community built on shared experiences.

Practicing reflection will help you discover and cement your values, passions, and dreams.
Reflection will also help you develop motivation internally, rather than relying on external
motivators like grades or feedback. While your work is important to your professors, it is more
important that you create work of which you can be proud.

In these next few years, you will build a self-sufficient, adult life through knowledge, reflection,
and celebration. We are excited to be your community on this journey.

RECOMMENDED READING
with your mentor:
What the Best College Students Do by Ken Bain
what would you like to read with your house? with your cohort?
MAJOR

CLASS STANDING

FAVORITE CLASS

FAVORITE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY

CLASSES & ACTIVITIES I AM EXCITED ABOUT

VALUES SKILLS

PROFESSIONAL GOALS PERSONAL GOALS

WEEKLY JOURNAL PROMPTS
JOURNAL
Reflect on your past week through a
journal entry. This journal will be read by
no one but yourself without your consent.
Think of what you have done in the past
week to fill each section in your wheel of
wellness (shown below).
What communities do you belong to?
What have you learned in class?
What have you learned about yourself?
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Deep learning occurs when you can make
connections from course concepts to your own life.
Try to make these connections in your journals.
Talk to your mentor, house, and cohort about these
connections. What do these connections teach
you about the subject? About yourself?
"NO SOCIETY CAN LONG
SUSTAIN ITSELF
UNLESS ITS MEMBERS
HAVE LEARNED THE
SENSITIVITIES,
MOTIVATIONS AND
SKILLS INVOLVED IN
ASSISTING AND CARING
FOR OTHER HUMAN
BEINGS."
—URIE BRONFRENBRENNER
portfolio
categories
Here are the traditional ARC portfolio categories. You may
complete more than one reflective activity or capstone project
for each category.

The category will serve as the primary subject for your

portfolio piece; however, as an ARC member you will be
expected to link your experiences and learning, and most
portfolio pieces should include multiple categories.

01 CLASS CONCEPTS
02 WORK/INTERNSHIP
03 GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
04 SERVICE LEARNING
05 RESEARCH/
RESOURCE-MAKING
06 FINANCIAL LITERACY
07 PERSONAL JOURNALS
08 CAPSTONE
Your capstone project will be the final project you complete.
You and your ARC mentor will work on this project beginning
the summer of your third year as a culmination of everything
you have learned about your subject matter, yourself, and
your values.
Elena Braun's
Portfolio
Y1 EXPLORATION
I took multiple core classes during my first
year at MSU, and I found I really enjoyed
Health & Wellness. View my case study
where my team and I advised an elderly
client on her senescence. I also applied to
the ARC program and began my journal.

Y2 MAJOR THEMES
In my second year at MSU, I changed my
major from Philosophy to Dietetics, and I
began working as a student assistant in the
Bone and Body Composition Lab. I chose
to connect my work at the BBCL and course
concepts from my Phytochemicals class
into a whitepaper for DFCS workers.

Y3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
I became a volunteer at the MSU food and
hygiene pantry and began teaching
cooking classes. View my mini cookbook.

S3 VOLUNTEERING VISION
I volunteered over the summer at Mother
Earth Farms, where I was able to grow my own
vegetables to study in the phytochemicals lab
and meet some wonderful folks in the
community, which I documented on my blog.

Y4 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Reviewing my journal helped me see
themes in my values, studies, and activities
over my college career. This year, I am
creating my eportfolio and will create a
guide for parents of picky eaters for my
capstone project.
Sean Millet's
Portfolio
Y1 TRADITIONAL MEDIA
I enjoyed painting and drawing, so I entered
MSU as an art major and began my journal
after seeing an upperclassmen with hers.
My advisor suggested I join ARC, so I
applied in the spring of my first year.

Y2 ABSTRACT
Talking to my friends in the Arts House and
writing in my journal helped me understand
why I liked digital media but not sculpture.
I always used to share my art when I made
it, but a fellow ARC member suggested I
keep some private, and I could finish pieces
even if they weren't perfect. View my
favorite digital media project here.

Y3 MOVEMENT & FLOW

I used my new skills in digital art to create
the images for an on-campus newspaper
covering students advocating for a more
accessible library & student center.

S3 C4 ARTIST EATONVILLE
Over the summer, I found a nonprofit that
helps artists in the Pacific Northwest learn
valuable skills like how to market their work,
manage workloads, establishing a brand, and
paying student loans. I created some of their
flyers and took courses myself.

Y4 CAPSTONE & EXIT SHOW

As my joint capstone and exit show project, I
helped create materials for disability
advocates on campus and in the community.
arc
ACADEMIC REFLECTIVE COMMUNITY
RESOURCES
WE ARE SO GLAD YOU ARE AN ARC MEMBER AND PART OF OUR
COMMUNITY. PLEASE VISIT OUR OFFICE AT ANY TIME OR EMAIL US WITH
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CELEBRATIONS.

OFFICE HOURS IN HOCHSCHILD HALL 9AM - 5 PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY

MSU.EDU/ARC | ARC@MSU.EDU