Reflection

While in the process of crafting this e-Portfolio, I wanted to be sure to represent my experiences in this class well. Like many people, I chose a college major that aligns with my long-term goals and passions. As someone who is passionate about English and has extensive experience excelling in it, I did not expect to encounter difficulties with learning even at the collegiate level. I am glad that I took this class, as it not only provided an intellectual challenge but also made me rethink career possibilities within my field of study. I have always enjoyed writing and want to pursue a career in journalism; however, this class helped me develop my design and editing skills so much so that with more practice and training, I believe that I can pursue a career in technical writing, editing, or creative design as well. That being said, it was important for me to not only display my work in this class but also highlight outside work that displays how I have applied the skills I have learned. 

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To display the work I have done in class, I decided to include in my portfolio the two major assignments we completed earlier in the semester. The first major assignment was an open letter geared toward social justice, and we were required to use rhetorical and persuasive skills in our composition, and also use design skills in crafting a visually appealing letter. I chose to make the subject of this open letter the Tallahassee homelessness crisis and to directly address a lawmaker who has the ability to enact change. Composing this project was difficult, as I was required to adjust my writing to appeal to both sides of the political aisle: it was important to me that regardless of political affiliation, a member of Congress would be able to read this and be moved into action. The design element was somewhat easier. I used bright colors and minimal design elements to maintain professionalism and appeal to credibility while being eye-catching. 

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The second project I included was the feature layout and design article, where I investigated the intersection between fashion and inequality. I love fashion and I believe in its power as a transformative medium, and I wanted to display this through my design choices. I chose bright colors and an engaging cover image to reel readers in and keep them interested. Composing this project was not easy, as it involved interviewing two people and meshing their stories together. In the end, I am really proud of the way it turned out, and hopefully the subject matter is appealing to larger audiences. 

 

A versatile aspect of creating a digital portfolio is the fact that any works that I have published can be linked to the website, so I decided to include extracurricular writing in my portfolio. I write for the school’s newspaper, FSView, as well as Her Campus. Including those works in this digital portfolio makes it easy to adapt over time, and I’m glad that I was allowed to include them. The process of ENC 3416 would not have been possible without my amazing professor, Ms. Sanders, as well as the engagement of my peers in class. The professional design skills that I learned in the class will be of great use to me as I develop my career.