Personal Reflection: putting it all together
Paper details:
Part 1: Reflect on where you were in your personal and professional life when you started at University of Phoenix.
Part 2: Create a personal mission statement in 100 words or less. Your Mission Statement will help you to identify who you want to be, to what you will dedicate your life, the ideals that you hold dear, and the legacy you wish to leave.
Part 3: Review the six stages of critical thinking development from Critical Thinking.
Part 1:
Reflect on where you were in your personal and professional life when you started at University of Phoenix.
• How did you feel about the role of learning and its importance to your personal growth and development?
When I decided to start taking courses with UOP I had a passion for learning because I was stationed (military) at a US embassy where I was surrounded by Foreign Service officers, senior federal agency attaches, and senior military officers. I knew that if I wanted to be in their professional position someday then and I needed to make learning and personal development my priority.
• What was your level of professional competence in problem solving, written and oral communication skills, information retrieval and utilization, and collaboration?
When I started taking courses with UOP, I was 26 years old and had served 9 years in the Marine Corps with 2 years left on my contract. I was a Staff Non-Commissioned officer (E-6) and by being accepted to the special duty for a 2nd tour, I had a good level of professional competence.
• What were your career goals?
My career goals were to attain the highest rank (E-9) at the earliest age possible and use my military experience and accomplishments to secure 2nd career with the Department of State.
Evaluate the growth you experienced during your program of study.
• Evaluate how your courses and experiences contributed to your growth, problem solving, written and oral communication skills, information retrieval and utilization, and collaboration.
• Identify the two general education courses and the two core courses during your program of study that had the greatest effect on your current or potential employment. Explain why you selected these courses and how they affected your personal or work life positively. Be specific.
• Recommend any changes or accommodations that would have enhanced or improved your experience. Explain how your recommendations enhance or improve the program for future students.
Analyze the effect of completing the bachelor’s program on your current and future professional goals.
• Now that you are completing your program, how do you feel about the role of lifelong learning and its importance to your personal growth and development?
• What are your personal, professional, and educational goals for the next 5 years?
o What programs will you attend?
o What skills or competencies will you develop?
o What professional organizations have you joined or will you join?
o What conferences or workshops will you attend?
o What additional degrees might you pursue?
Part 2:
Create a personal mission statement in 100 words or less. Your Mission Statement will help you to identify who you want to be, to what you will dedicate your life, the ideals that you hold dear, and the legacy you wish to leave.
Answering the five bullet points below will help you define your passions.
Consider the following in your mission statement:
• How will your unique skills or strengths shape your future work?
• What do you believe?
• How can you use your academic major to make a difference in society?
• What is the one thing you have learned from disappointment or failure?
• If “Groundhog Day” the movie, or a time warp, allowed you to go back to your first day at University of Phoenix, and begin again – What would you do differently?
Part 3:
Review the six stages of critical thinking development from Critical Thinking.
• Are you at the same stage of critical thinking as you were when you started in your academic program?
• How have you grown in your current program?
• What can you do to include the six stage theory in your personal mission statement?
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.