Running head: PORTFOLIO REFLECTION

Portfolio Reflection

Irene Ziemba

 

PORTFOLIO REFLECTION 2  

Revisiting  my  time  in  the  SDA  program  through  crafting  my  portfolio  has  

been  a  helpful  reminder  of  how  much  I’ve  gained  throughout  the  program,  and  how  

much  further  I  have  to  grow  throughout  my  professional  career.  It  was  incredibly  

satisfying  to  remember  where  my  knowledge  and  professional  confidence  was  at  

the  beginning  of  the  program,  and  to  realize  how  much  I  have  grown  and  improved  

in  my  skills  and  identity.  I  am  leaving  the  SDA  program  and  the  portfolio  process  a  

much  more  knowledgeable,  responsive,  and  effective  professional.  

Three  lessons  became  very  clear  to  me  throughout  my  portfolio  process.  

Firstly,  I  realized  that  I  was  able  to  integrate  much  more  of  what  I  learned  in  classes  

to  my  professional  practice  than  I  had  initially  thought.  Courses  like  Foundational  

Counseling  Skills,  Student  Development  Theory,  Research,  and  Practice,  and  

Leadership  and  Governance  for  Postsecondary  Education  really  increased  my  

knowledge  around  the  work  I  do  and  the  context  it  is  situated  in.  This  knowledge  

has  made  a  difference  in  my  work.  Second,  I  realized  that  there  is  just  so  much  more  

to  learn.  While  I  have  gained  significant  skill  and  knowledge  in  a  variety  of  areas,  

developing  and  reflecting  on  my  competencies  and  five  year  plan  allowed  me  to  

realize  that  I  have  only  begun  to  scratch  the  surface  on  a  variety  of  topics.  I  look  

forward  to  continuing  to  develop  my  knowledge  and  skills  as  a  lifelong  learner.  

Finally,  this  process  made  me  realize  that  so  much  of  my  significant  learning  came  

from  connecting  with  other  professionals,  through  both  work  experiences  and  

professional  associations.  Continuing  to  learn  from  the  knowledge  and  experiences  

of  others  will  be  critical  to  my  future  development  as  a  professional,  and  I  look  

forward  to  taking  advantage  of  the  knowledge  I  can  gain  from  future  mentors.