Artifact H: Portfolio Process Assessment 1

Reflection

Looking back at the entire process of creating my portfolio and my general experience in

the program, I have realized I have grown and developed personally and as a professional in

more ways than I thought.

The first lesson I have learned is the power of reflection. Coming into the program, self-

reflection was a natural practice for me. I would reflect on my experiences, interactions, and my

overall day. However, attending the program and going through Jesuit education has made me

reflect at a much deeper and more critical level. I have been challenged by my environment and

my experiences to critically reflect on my everyday actions and most importantly how my work

in the field of student affairs can affect the student experience. Through reflection I have come to

realizations about who I am, where I come from, and how that effects my interactions with

others.

The second lesson I have learned is the strength of the interconnectedness of my graduate

assistantship, internship experience, and my coursework. Throughout my time here, for the most

part, I have mentally siloed each of these experiences into their separate departments and did not

critically assess how they are all interwoven with one another. However, after building my

portfolio, reflecting on my experiences, and synthesizing the knowledge I have gained from each

experience, I have realized the intentionality of heavily emphasizing reflection in my experience

here. Through reflection, I was able to exercise theory to practice and have it inform and guide

my work. I saw how some of the lessons and knowledge I had gained form the coursework were

present within my everyday work in student conduct and has helped me tailor my services to

students within my internships.

Artifact H: Portfolio Process Assessment 2

The last lesson I had learned, and I think is the most important, is that personal and

professional development is a never-ending process. As I had mentioned in my portfolio

presentation, coming into the program I thought I fully understood who I was and my

capabilities. However, I was humbled by the experiences I had during my time in the program.

Coming out of the program and compiling my portfolio, I have learned that I will continuously

be tested and challenge, and it is through those experiences where I will have a better sense of

who I am. I would not have been able to fully come to that realization without the portfolio

process.