My Eportfolio. Final Project for UG School.

1. 1 Undergraduate Studies ePortfolio Elaina Wilson Psychology, 2011

2. Personal Statement While attending Argosy University I have enjoyed many opportunities to learn about my chosen career field, Psychology. Throughout my time at Argosy and in Junior college my interest in Psychology was sparked not only through personal experience but through the lectures and professors that have greatly influenced my thinking. The field of psychology is a growing industry and people in our society will always be in need of assistance whether it be marriage counseling, drug/addiction problems, or in everyday struggles of life. Our society is full of diversity and we are all human, none of us are perfect and we all have our own life struggles. I have chosen this career path because I truly would like to influence the minds of those in my community seeking help to better themselves and their lives. I see myself working in Psychology as a counselor for young women with drug/alcohol problems and addictions such as eating disorders. Having personal experience and by knowing those with similar problems has given me the drive and longing for a fresh start and the opportunity to provide others that are the same shoes I have been in with assistance, motivation, compassion, and support. I found that those with personal experience can be the best teachers in life. I hope to one day touch the lives of many.

3. Personal Statement Continued… My past education has prepared me to pursue the career of my dreams. I have my Bachelors Degree in Psychology and my Associates Degree in General Studies. During my time in Junior College, I took many additional courses related to Psychology and Sociology. I have a deep desire to work with the public and help change the lives of others. I have drive and discipline as I excelled in many of my courses throughout my college education. I will leave Argosy with a 3.72 grade point average. I plan to pursue my Graduate degree in Social Work or in Education Counseling, to go on to counsel those in my community.

4. Personal Statement Continued… I will have worked for the Merced County Office of Education for 5 years in July of 2011. I have excelled and expanded my knowledge of the educational system and have had many opportunities to work with those in my community such as teachers, parents, students and community leaders to provide the best educational setting for students in my community. I currently work in the Special Education Department in the Preschool Autism Program. I am an Administrative Assistant and I enjoy expanding my knowledge of the rapidly increasing cases of Autism in children. I feel this position has only led me to be more aware of growing issues in the field of Special Education. I have also given back to my community through helping at community events in which I was involved in through my current position with Merced County Office of Education. I have volunteered at community events that provide information to parents and caretakers in regards to Autism awareness, early childhood education, and programs in the community that are available to parents with special needs.

5. Personal Statement Continued… Resume Throughout my adult life, I have had diverse experiences which have shaped my perspective toward relationships, work, academics, and the human condition. My experiences have not only shaped who I am as a person but provided me with the compassion I believe it takes for one to counsel others. I have the ethics, work ability, and the drive to achieve great success as a counselor.

6. Reflection I have spent the past 2 years at Argosy focusing on a huge goal, obtaining my Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology. While attending school completely online, I have learned what hard work, dedication, and determination really are. I had a goal in mind and now at the end of this week I will walk away with a huge accomplishment. I found myself searching for more in life. Not only was I seeking a better paying job and a higher education, but I was seeking a career in which I love and can help others on a daily basis. I had the opportunity to learn from some wonderful instructors and experience working with others in the online environment. I found my biggest weakness to be learning how to manage my time, however I learned to set weekly calendar reminders in Outlook that I found to be very helpful in managing my time and when assignments and projects were due. I also found it hard to not be able to actually speak to someone when I was in need of help, I wanted answers and assistance immediately. Thankfully, my instructors were quick to respond and assist me with anything I needed help with.

7. Reflection continued… I found my biggest strength to be the motivation to succeed and achieve my end goal. No matter how tough things got or how hard a concept was to understand, I kept the end result in mind. This helped me tremendously. I think one of my best strengths was that I am able to effectively engage in ethical thinking and I learned much more about how to articulate the best practices pertaining to individual cases. To be successful you must realize your strengths and your weaknesses and do what you can to develop skills in your weak areas to better yourself as a professional in the field of psychology. To be successful you must realize your strengths and your weaknesses and do what you can to develop skills in your weak areas. Time to reflect……

8. My Future in Learning Learning is definitely a lifelong process especially in a field in which clients may have so many issues and the need for much assistance. My future in learning will continue on throughout my career. I plan on finding myself in a career that I love and continuing to learn and educate myself by attending trainings, conferences, and educational opportunities that will guarantee to keep me in the loop as far as psychology, diversity, and ethics evolve. I truly believe in an old Chinese proverb that says “learning is a treasure that will follow it’s owner everywhere”. Our world and society is constantly changing. It is important to keep ourselves educated in the field of psychology to be able to provide the best assistance possible to our future clients. “The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live”. ~Mortimer Adler

9. Contact Me Thank you for viewing my ePortfolio. For further information, please contact me at the e-mail address below. Ellie9985@sbcglobal.net