Professional Development for Graduate School: ePortfolio and Networking

The development of an ePortfolio offers a digital introduction during networking events in an increasingly technology-driven society. Throughout one semester in Biomedical Sciences Careers, MCB 3933, I developed an ePortfolio with components like a resume, personal statement, individual development plan, and elevator speech. In my ePortfolio, I had three areas of focus that showcased my highlights and skills in my undergraduate education: the academic skill sets I developed, my relevant research experiences, and my time as a teaching assistant for multiple courses. As part of the course, students were required to contact at least four people in their desired field to develop their networking and communication skills. I reached out to nine people since the start of Biomedical Sciences Careers. I contacted four people while taking the class, and the other five were contacted after finishing the course. Of the people contacted, a little over half responded to initial and following emails, and over half that responded agreed to meet in person or virtually. Overall, I had a 33% response rate, with three out of the nine contacts agreeing to meet with me to discuss what a career in academia is like. Developing an ePortfolio allowed me to stand out while networking and showcased my personal mission statement and academic career goals. Moving forward, I see myself fully utilizing my ePortfolio to develop my digital brand further and help me network with more people in the biomedical science field.https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2023fall/1039/thumbnail.jp