My practicum experience at the University of Massachusetts – Boston (UMB) is in the advising center for the College of Science and Mathematics. All of my learning outcomes are centered on some aspect of academic advising. Advising students is my primary activity, and I have demonstrated Foundational mastery of this competency area in my work at UMB.

One of my learning outcomes for my practicum at UMB is to plan and execute a workshop that promotes student success. My artifact for the Advising & Supporting competency area is a workshop I have designed to meet UMB students where they are developmentally and to address gaps the in their needs. One of those needs is self-empowerment. Therefore, my workshop was designed to show students that they already possess the inner resources they need to meet their goals. By reframing the challenges present in their lives, they can often turn these challenges into strengths. The activities I selected help students engage in decision-making processes, reflect on their strengths, and set goals for the future. The workshop was presented one time for the college community and another for a group of Peer Advisors.

The artifact that represents my growth in this area is the flyer used to advertise my workshop. A detailed PowerPoint is available, however, the file is very large because I filled it with pictures and GIF files to fully engage students. The full presentation and presenter’s notes is located within the Contact Me tab of my website.