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Believe it or not, we are getting to the conclusion of this process. Your action plan is derived from everything else you have done so far:
The written reflection is an attempt to answer the "OK, so what? What difference does it all make?" questions. The action plan is the attempt to answer the "Where do I go from here?" question. All of you enrolled in this class are probably nearing the end of your "formal education." Within a year (or perhaps two, at most) you will be out making your way in the world. However, even for those who will graduate at soon as December 2004, the self-understanding you have gleaned from this process may influence your coursework in the fall and/or your pursuits after graduation. Ideally, the process to date has enabled you to arrive at a better understanding of yourself, your goals, and the personal tools you have developed which will enable you to achieve your objectives. Presumably, you found some gaps. These may be short run (before I graduate I really need to get more courses that enable me to practice written communication) or long run (my objectives really require an advanced degree). So, the task now is to identify the (hopefully short) list of things you really need to do before graduation. In the case of those who might be juniors, you may want to differentiate between the "before senior year" items and the "before graduation" items. The basic question you should be asking is: "What courses do I need to take (or what activities should I get involved in or what experiences should I pursue) between now and (fill in the date) that will enable me to learn what I need to learn, practice what I need to practice, or develop the skills I need to develop? Whatever it is you need more of, talk with faculty members, your advisor, or the undergraduate advisor in the School of Business. We are all here to help you think through these sorts of things. Take advantage of the resources available to you. You may also want to talk with potential mentors (acquaintances already out in the "real world," internship supervisors, or former or current employers). After you have done this research, work out your action plan. What courses will you take during the '04/'05 academic year? There are may be opportunities to rearrange your spring '05 schedule. The more specific your action plan, the easier it will be to follow through. It will be easier to be specific about things that are to be done sooner. Longer term items like applying to graduate schools will be more general; where and when you apply may depend on intervening events that cannot reasonably be anticipated. |
Copyright © 2008 Gerald M. Myers
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