The Environmental Professional

All of your work for this class will be uploaded to a shared Google Drive folder rather than using a Moodle dropbox. This should address any upload issues you have experienced using Moodle and makes it easier for me to comment on your documents. Please follow these instructions to create and share your Google Drive folder with me.

Homework assignments should be uploaded to your shared folder by midnight on the day they are due. See the syllabus regarding my late work policy.

Assignment #1: Personal Assessment

Please copy this file to your Google Drive and complete the required 2-page summary (described at the end of the document). This is the only 'reflective' style assignment in the course. We need a common point of reference to move forward thinking about internships, jobs, careers, etc. Please take this seriously, I can't help you develop a strong resume, cover letter or internship proposal if you are not thoughtful about the 'why' behind these goals.

Assignment #2: Social Media Professional Development

Based on the gaps you identified in your personal assessment, I'd like you to identify approximately 10-12 social media accounts, organizations, or people you will 'follow' over the course of the semester. You should bookmark, like, pin, etc., content you find helpful or informative. We will talk about ways to archive this content in class.

Assignment #3: KSA Worksheets

Please visit https://www.usajobs.gov/ and identify a job you would like to apply for. Download and complete the two files provided in the course schedule below. You can hand your KSA assessment in as a paper copy and do not need to share them using Google Drive.

Assignment #4: Letter of Reference

One of the most important things you can do while you are in college is work closely with a faculty member. This might happen during an undergradute research assistantship, serving as a teaching assistant, collaborating on a community project, or just taking numerous courses with the same faculty member. These relationships are often the basis for letters of reference you will request when applying for internships, graduate school or employment.

I would like you to write a letter of reference for yourself as a Google Document and share it with a faculty member you think you might be willing to write you a reference. Ask them to provide feedback on your percieved strenghts and weaknesess, either within the shared document or set up a face-to-face meeting with them.

Assignment #5: Cover Letter Template

A strong cover letter often includes a personl snippet or nugget included to lure the reviewer to keep reading. Please submit a shared Google Document that you think best serves as a personal nugget. This might describe a personal experience that made your choose your major but there are many possibilities (we will talk more about this in class).

Assignment #6: Revised Resumes

After working through a KSA example and reviewing your course syllabi, I would like you to submit a revised resume as a shared Google Doc. This document should include your original resume, an updated resume and matrix representing the knowledge, skills, and abilities you identified for each of the courses you explored.

Assignment #7: Class Presentations

You will each develop an in-class presentation that will be recorded and shared with you. Everyone will complete this presentation rubric for each speaker.

I encourage you to develop your presentation on a platform you haven't used before, for example? Google Slides file, YouTube video, Slideshare, Prezi, HTML slide decks, etc.

Assignment #8: Internship Review

Please share a Google Doc summarizing what type of proposal you are going to write (internship, grant proposal, graduate school application, award application, etc). If you are going to write an internship proposal please indicate your major, your concentration and whether you've started looking, applied, or need help. You should also join and explore the GMC JobLink if you don't know where to start looking for ideas.

Assignments #9-11: Internship Drafts & Final Proposal

You will provide two drafts of your internship proposal before submitting a final version to meet the April 24th deadline. Please use the following guidelines to help you during this process:

• Environmental Studies Guidelines
• Natural Resource Management Guidelines
• Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production Guidelines
• REED Guidelines

Assignment #12: Social Media

Early in the semester asked you to start identifying relevant organizations or people to engage with on social media. I won't require you to actually engage with them but for this assignment I want you to provide a single-page document summarizing who you followed (or politely stalked) and your thoughts on exploring and using this medium in a professional context.

Assignment #13: Final Portfolio & Gap Assessment

You will create a personal portfolio assessing your overall learning, demonstrating your strengths and weaknesses, and elaborate on future goals. This portfolio will be compiled electronically and shared through an electronic medium best suited to each of your goals (this means some of you may submit this in another fashion than a shared Google Drive). Portfolio materials will include - but are not limited to - the sections are outlined below:

• Personal assessment & goals statement
• Extracurricular & personal skills assessment
• Resume and cover Letter
• Examples of ‘best’ work
• List of faculty references & letter of reference
• Gap assessment
• Evaluation of online presence

To complete your gap assessment, please look at your personal assessment (Assignment #1) and write a one-page summary of any gaps or weaknesses in your portfolio and an action plan for addressing them.