For my practicum I took a class this Fall 2020 semester called Innovation and Social Change: Do Good Now (PLCY388D). In this class I learned how to plan a social action project. I learned about the barriers that make it difficult to create social change and how to overcome them. For the final project, I researched the social issue: air pollution caused by manufacturing corporations.
How my practicum helped me grow... This class helped me grow as a leader, student and professional. This discussion post I completed in class demonstrates this because it shows that I understand the role key elements play in an ecosystem. Social issues are complex and involve lots of people and rules. I learned that it is important to accurately understand a social issue so you can create more effective solutions.
Practicum applications to real life... I will apply this practicum experience to my life moving forward by creating my own social project to combat climate change. This class made me realize that climate change is an issue I am passionate about. In the future, I will use what I have learned about air pollution to lobby for stricter regulations on manufacturing corporations that contribute to air pollution.
Future plans... My plans for the rest of my time at UMD is to take more art classes so I can practice art. I want to learn how to use graphic design software and make more digital art in my freetime. I am excited to pursue a career in the field of graphic design or animation after I graduate.
I will incorporate what I have learned in the Public Leadership program into my job search by including important skills that I have acquired through this program to my resume. For example, I added soft skills such as flexibility and active listening to my resume. Additionally, in the class for my practicum, I conducted informational interviews. I will use my practice with conducting interviews to handle job interviews better in the future. I have learned to prepare beforehand to keep the conversation going.