ePortfolio Project

What is an ePortfolio?  Essentially, an ePortfolio is a digital showcase of an emerging professional’s best work, their professional journey (i.e., blog, work diaries), and traditional professional documents like personal statements and resume. Given the increasing emphasis on social media and digital competencies for those in the modern workforce, an ePortfolio represents a proactive way to create and maintain a positive online presence while completing one’s degree, and hopefully beyond.

 

Why Communication?  Modern communication students are often hired into roles where digital competencies (e.g., social media proficiencies, web development, communication and web broadcast platforms) are expected. Developing an ePortfolio throughout their junior and senior years allows for students to take greater professional ownership of their writing and multimedia projects: Instead of just “for a grade,” these projects take on new life when they are uploaded to their personal ePortfolio page, contributing to a developing professional identity and online presence.

 

The End Game?  Ultimately the goal is for each participating student to upload assignments as a part of courses throughout the student’s junior and senior year. As the student lines up interviews for pre-senior year summer internships, or for employment post-graduation, a developed ePortfolio serves as digital resource for the student, advocating for their skills and education. The link to the ePortfolio can be inserted at the top of cover letters, in the signature line at the bottom of emails, and even on a business card. 

 

Teachers obviously hope their courses inspire and reinforce the values of hard work and curiosity.  In a job-seeking capacity, courses go beyond just line-items on a resume under the subheading:  Relevant Coursework. Courses and their assignments become additional opportunities to meaningfully invest in ideas that develop a student’s sense of professional self, and separate them from those without this demonstrated “professional maturity.”