Gateway to University Honors
The Gateway to University Honors course is a one credit-hour class at the University of Cincinnati, designed to introduce students to the vast array of possibilities and opportunities that exist within the program. Below are a couple of the assignments I completed during the course.
Reflection on Personal Passions/Interests
As an up and coming student at the University of Cincinnati, I have developed many interests. The interest that has become the most prominent is diversity. Diversity refers to the many things that make people different ranging from age to race to background etc. I am passionate about diversity because of all of the benefits that come out of being a part of a diverse community.
Diversity in many situations add unique opinions and perspectives that may not have been thought of in an environment that lacks diversity. This is significant because diversity not only helps you learn about the numerous unique ideas that people have, but it also gives you that competitive edge when unique ideas may need to be brought to the table. I believe that diversity is necessary in order to be successful in team oriented environments. Teams that lack diversity often times lead to conformity which overall doesn’t allow the team to reach its absolute potential.
I have had the unique opportunity to participate in diverse environments which have helped me become a well-rounded individual as I strive to succeed in any setting. Diversity also leads to a mutual benefit for those involved as people who differ in some way, have the opportunity to further their understanding by learning from each other.
Diversity has impacted me in many ways as I progress through my college career. Thanks to participating in diverse environments, I now have a reliable diverse community of people who I learn from about various subjects every day. This has been very impactful because it allows me to take the perspectives of those I’ve learned from, and apply them towards other areas of my life in order to apply different takes on subjects. This has allowed me to grow from a knowledge perspective, and has also allowed me to get better at communicating with in a diverse environment.
Programs such as the Emerging Ethnic Leaders Program or Business Fellows, have contributed to my personal increase in open-mindedness towards everything that occurs in life. Often times, people who don’t have the opportunity to experience diversity think with a form of tunnel vision that leads to them not taking other points of view into consideration.
With a passion in diversity, I plan to increase diversity in my community, which includes my work and social environment. I am currently planning to work in diverse environments which allows me to gain additional insight from multiple perspectives. I have also been staying in contact with diverse people, as well as taking on roles that involve working with diverse students. Among these roles includes the ICATS International Mentorship Program which allowed me to understand how the perspectives of international students differ from those who are more accustomed to the country such as myself.
Overall, I plan to increase diversity by emphasizing inclusion. Lack of inclusion on a team may lead to social loafing, however, the opposite is the result when all people are involved and participating. I believe that my efforts in diversity initiatives at UC will most likely result in an increase in diverse students participating and contributing to the University as a whole.
Diversity in many situations add unique opinions and perspectives that may not have been thought of in an environment that lacks diversity. This is significant because diversity not only helps you learn about the numerous unique ideas that people have, but it also gives you that competitive edge when unique ideas may need to be brought to the table. I believe that diversity is necessary in order to be successful in team oriented environments. Teams that lack diversity often times lead to conformity which overall doesn’t allow the team to reach its absolute potential.
I have had the unique opportunity to participate in diverse environments which have helped me become a well-rounded individual as I strive to succeed in any setting. Diversity also leads to a mutual benefit for those involved as people who differ in some way, have the opportunity to further their understanding by learning from each other.
Diversity has impacted me in many ways as I progress through my college career. Thanks to participating in diverse environments, I now have a reliable diverse community of people who I learn from about various subjects every day. This has been very impactful because it allows me to take the perspectives of those I’ve learned from, and apply them towards other areas of my life in order to apply different takes on subjects. This has allowed me to grow from a knowledge perspective, and has also allowed me to get better at communicating with in a diverse environment.
Programs such as the Emerging Ethnic Leaders Program or Business Fellows, have contributed to my personal increase in open-mindedness towards everything that occurs in life. Often times, people who don’t have the opportunity to experience diversity think with a form of tunnel vision that leads to them not taking other points of view into consideration.
With a passion in diversity, I plan to increase diversity in my community, which includes my work and social environment. I am currently planning to work in diverse environments which allows me to gain additional insight from multiple perspectives. I have also been staying in contact with diverse people, as well as taking on roles that involve working with diverse students. Among these roles includes the ICATS International Mentorship Program which allowed me to understand how the perspectives of international students differ from those who are more accustomed to the country such as myself.
Overall, I plan to increase diversity by emphasizing inclusion. Lack of inclusion on a team may lead to social loafing, however, the opposite is the result when all people are involved and participating. I believe that my efforts in diversity initiatives at UC will most likely result in an increase in diverse students participating and contributing to the University as a whole.
MOCK SELF-DESIGNED PROPOSAL
(PROPOSAL FOR A FUTURE HONORS EXPERIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI)
Provide a detailed abstract of your proposed honors experiential learning project
The Corporate Exposure would be a one week spring break trip to Washington D.C. for students to learn professional development and leadership skills in a professional environment. The trip will involve visits to over eight various company headquarters and regional districts. These business visits will allow each student to learn about the corporate environment and participate in workshops that involve successfully utilizing leadership skills. Extensive research of each company to be visited must be done in order to fully take advantage of the program. Assessments are also distributed afterwards in order to reflect off the experience. One or two corporate visits take place during six of the seven days of the trip. Transportation to the city will be provide by bus which will allow the 20 participating students to get to know each other prior to the trip.
My goals for the trip include learning essential business leadership skills, develop effective business communication, and to expose myself to the different areas and industries of business which students may have to look into further when deciding on a future career field.
In the Corporate Environment, it is essential for people to develop leadership skills in order to stay successful and progress through the positions of the business. The Corporate exposure allows for this by partnering with businesses such as Google, NBA, and AT&T to create engaging activities where students will have the opportunity to transfer the skills they have learned in college, into the corporate environment.
Clearly and thoroughly address how each of the following elements will be exhibited in your work:
Connection to Learning Outcomes within the Honors Thematic Area
The multiple corporate environments that students are to be exposed to during the trip, facilitates an easier transitional role for students to develop as a leader. Leadership styles needed differ from varying situations. Characteristics of leaders also vary from person to person. The purpose of this trip is to teach students about the different leadership roles that are necessary in different business industries.
· Has the ability to relate, communicate and work effectively with peers
The Corporate exposure selects a twenty person community of students to participate in the event. Students who may not be comfortable with communication both with fellow students and with professionals, are forced to step out of their shell and deliver presentations and elevator pitches that help them become much more comfortable with public speaking. Developing these communication skills are very important for developing future leaders.
Connection to Goals and Academic Theories (include reference list, as appropriate)
A. As I am preparing to choose a career in the near future, I most first develop my abilities to conduct myself professionally in corporate environments. My goal is to excel in the corporate environment by demonstrating impressive work ethic and leadership. With the Corporate exposure showing students so many different industries and business environments, it is much easier to attain my future goals by knowing what professionals expect from students like me who aspire to work for the business environment.
B. Leadership is a major focus on the Corporate Exposure experience. One academic theory related to leadership relates to the different leadership styles associated with various leadership situations. For example, delegating is a necessary leadership style in many situations, however, coaching may be necessary depending on your role in a corporate environment. The Corporate exposure helps students develop these different leadership styles in which they can utilize them in their daily lives and in future professional experiences.
An additional theory includes developing the all-important communication skills necessary to make an impression when choosing a career. Because the Corporate exposure involves opportunities to speak, students will be able to conquer the communication skills necessary to succeed in these various professional environments.
Initiative, Independence, and/or Creativity
My unique contribution to the experience would be to discourage group conformity and social loafing. As a future leader, I would make it my responsibility to make sure that everyone participating in the experience participates to the fullest extend over the duration of the trip. This would be unique from other peoples’ roles which may involve sharing business or professional experiences with people who haven’t been exposed to the corporate environment. The group of people participating in the experience would most likely not know everyone, which would inspire me to help mend the group into a close community.
Reflection
After participating in the experience, I will reflect upon many things. The first, being the different avenues of communication and leadership that are needed for different corporate environments. This will not only help me understand how to act in different settings, but will also give me a better understanding of what profession I will want to go into in the near future.
The second, is the progression of the group who is participating in the experience. As the participating individuals learn and develop new leadership and corporate concepts, I know that each visit to the next company will run smoother than the last. I look to reflect on the growth of the people in the group, especially myself, as develop into a future professional.
Dissemination
Presenting this experience in front of organizations and freshman classes at the college of business will most likely be the best dissemination method. This is because, presentations are able to effectively communicate the information needed for people to make the decision to participate in the experience. Organizations would be a prime target because they are already forming a community, which they may wish to build upon by participating in this experience. Freshman are another good target because many are open to forming new communities and gaining corporate environment experience.
The Corporate Exposure would be a one week spring break trip to Washington D.C. for students to learn professional development and leadership skills in a professional environment. The trip will involve visits to over eight various company headquarters and regional districts. These business visits will allow each student to learn about the corporate environment and participate in workshops that involve successfully utilizing leadership skills. Extensive research of each company to be visited must be done in order to fully take advantage of the program. Assessments are also distributed afterwards in order to reflect off the experience. One or two corporate visits take place during six of the seven days of the trip. Transportation to the city will be provide by bus which will allow the 20 participating students to get to know each other prior to the trip.
My goals for the trip include learning essential business leadership skills, develop effective business communication, and to expose myself to the different areas and industries of business which students may have to look into further when deciding on a future career field.
In the Corporate Environment, it is essential for people to develop leadership skills in order to stay successful and progress through the positions of the business. The Corporate exposure allows for this by partnering with businesses such as Google, NBA, and AT&T to create engaging activities where students will have the opportunity to transfer the skills they have learned in college, into the corporate environment.
Clearly and thoroughly address how each of the following elements will be exhibited in your work:
Connection to Learning Outcomes within the Honors Thematic Area
The multiple corporate environments that students are to be exposed to during the trip, facilitates an easier transitional role for students to develop as a leader. Leadership styles needed differ from varying situations. Characteristics of leaders also vary from person to person. The purpose of this trip is to teach students about the different leadership roles that are necessary in different business industries.
· Has the ability to relate, communicate and work effectively with peers
The Corporate exposure selects a twenty person community of students to participate in the event. Students who may not be comfortable with communication both with fellow students and with professionals, are forced to step out of their shell and deliver presentations and elevator pitches that help them become much more comfortable with public speaking. Developing these communication skills are very important for developing future leaders.
Connection to Goals and Academic Theories (include reference list, as appropriate)
A. As I am preparing to choose a career in the near future, I most first develop my abilities to conduct myself professionally in corporate environments. My goal is to excel in the corporate environment by demonstrating impressive work ethic and leadership. With the Corporate exposure showing students so many different industries and business environments, it is much easier to attain my future goals by knowing what professionals expect from students like me who aspire to work for the business environment.
B. Leadership is a major focus on the Corporate Exposure experience. One academic theory related to leadership relates to the different leadership styles associated with various leadership situations. For example, delegating is a necessary leadership style in many situations, however, coaching may be necessary depending on your role in a corporate environment. The Corporate exposure helps students develop these different leadership styles in which they can utilize them in their daily lives and in future professional experiences.
An additional theory includes developing the all-important communication skills necessary to make an impression when choosing a career. Because the Corporate exposure involves opportunities to speak, students will be able to conquer the communication skills necessary to succeed in these various professional environments.
Initiative, Independence, and/or Creativity
My unique contribution to the experience would be to discourage group conformity and social loafing. As a future leader, I would make it my responsibility to make sure that everyone participating in the experience participates to the fullest extend over the duration of the trip. This would be unique from other peoples’ roles which may involve sharing business or professional experiences with people who haven’t been exposed to the corporate environment. The group of people participating in the experience would most likely not know everyone, which would inspire me to help mend the group into a close community.
Reflection
After participating in the experience, I will reflect upon many things. The first, being the different avenues of communication and leadership that are needed for different corporate environments. This will not only help me understand how to act in different settings, but will also give me a better understanding of what profession I will want to go into in the near future.
The second, is the progression of the group who is participating in the experience. As the participating individuals learn and develop new leadership and corporate concepts, I know that each visit to the next company will run smoother than the last. I look to reflect on the growth of the people in the group, especially myself, as develop into a future professional.
Dissemination
Presenting this experience in front of organizations and freshman classes at the college of business will most likely be the best dissemination method. This is because, presentations are able to effectively communicate the information needed for people to make the decision to participate in the experience. Organizations would be a prime target because they are already forming a community, which they may wish to build upon by participating in this experience. Freshman are another good target because many are open to forming new communities and gaining corporate environment experience.