Duchesne Center | Reflection & Recognition

Reflection & Recognition

Integral to your academic and leadership development is the process of reflection. Reflection is the analysis of an event, thoughts, experiences, or insights into the impact of an experience or projected goals for the future. Reflection as assessment requires that you reach judgment and set appropriate future goals. Successful reflection enables self-awareness, personal and professional growth and improved service and learning practices. Reflection may include acknowledging and/or sharing of reactions, feelings, observations, and ideas about anything regarding the activity. Reflection can happen through writing, speaking, listening, reading, drawing, acting, and any other way you can imagine.

You will have opportunities to reflect on your experiences through on-going reflection gatherings and share with peers, cooperating teachers, supervisors and college faculty. Each will bring a unique perspective to your understanding of an “ethically and socially responsible leader in the global community.”

You may select one of the following reflection options below:

Research-based	Presentations
1. Case-study Report 2. Critical Events Journal 3. Essay 4. Interview	5. PowerPoint Presentation 6. Visual Presentation 7. Project Web Page 8. Change Letter

1. Case Study Report

Read and respond to the following case study and writing application. Writing Requirement: Minimum two (2) pages or 500 words .

2. Critical Events Journal

Record a critical incident for each week of the service project. The critical incident refers to events in which a decision was made, a conflict occurred, or a problem resolved. Best for semester long placements.

Writing Requirement: Minimum 10 entries, 100 words per entry

3. Essay

Reflect upon your service (not the job description) and describe how your service experiences have affected you throughout the semester. Reflect upon your development/changes, and write about insights you have gained as well as those shared with your clients. Consider incorporating the following ideas into your essay.

Discuss:

	How has your Manhattanville education, including extra-curricular activities, prepared you for socially and ethically responsible leadership in the global community?
	What has been the single most significant event, program, and/or project that has helped you to understand what it means to be an ethically and socially responsible leaders in the global community? Why was this significant? How did it change you or your perspective on leadership and/or issues, etc.? (If it is two or three events, projects, briefly explain each.)
	You might want to include how your perspective on socially and ethically responsible leadership has changed over the years (if it has) because of your experiences at or through Manhattanville

Seniors, It would be nice to end with a couple of sentences of advice to to other students on how they can take advantage of their college years to develop their leadership potential and preparation for responsibility in the global community.

Writing Requirement: Minimum 2 pages, 1-inch margins, 12-size font, Times New Roman

4. Interviews

	Manhattanville Faculty Member . Interview a Manhattanville Faculty Member about the role/impact of service and volunteerism in their respective field. Incorporate an assessment of both the service program and your experience in the interview.
	Volunteers/Clients/Community Partners . Interview volunteers, clients, and or community partners on their most recent service experiences and the learning that occurred in these experiences. Incorporate an assessment of both the service program and your experience in the interview.

Writing Requirements: Interviewees must respond to a minimum of 8 questions.

5. PowerPoint Presentation

Create a PowerPoint Presentation of your memories with the volunteer/learning project, including pictures, quotations, skills learned, challenges overcome, and so on. Presentation may include pictures-in-action of the project, thank-you letters from community members, and other literature related to the project.

Writing Requirement: Minimum 10 slides, in which each picture or visual must be explained

6. Visual Presentation

Make a video about the volunteer/learning project or about the topic related to the project.

Writing Requirement: Must be at least 30 minutes long, in which 15 minutes consists of personal diary entries.

7. Project Web Page

Create a website for your service project so that it can be shared in cyberspace with parents, students, community members and project partners.

Tips: Avoid long web pages ; Stick to one purpose ; and Do not bury information on your site .

Writing Requirements: Website must feature minimum 3 pictures and 350-word project/activity description .

8. Letter

	Letter to Community Organization . Compose a letter to your site supervisor offering five (5) suggestions for working with future volunteers.
	Letter to Politician. Compose a “change” letter to a named political figure addressing a social issue of your choosing. Propose a policy change.

Writing Requirements: Minimum 500 words, 1-inch margins, 12-size font, Times New Roman

The reflection and recognition gatherings below are used to facilitate the reflection process:

SPRING 2008

Mid-semester Reflection

Wed, March 19

French Parlor, 6-8pm

Recognition Dinner **

Wed, April 23

Ophir Room, 6-8pm

** Reflection submissions must be hand delivered to the Duchesne Center either during office hours (9am-5pm) or during the Reflection gathering/dinner.

Manhattanville College