Jessica Tu

I attended this mini-session in hopes of understanding how social media influences and impacts me, as I use it a lot in my free time. I learned about how social media has set up standards, given us the desire to compare, and driven others into the fear of failing. I also learned about the behaviors and thought patterns from within myself and others that reflect the perfectionism we/I have for ourselves. Such as excessive checking (I do this a lot), procrastination (this too), and avoiding challenges (this too). However, this session did provide ways to break from this--like detoxing from social media (setting boundaries), adapting a growth mindset, celebrating progress, etc. I hope to apply these to my lifestyle. This session was very enlightening.

I attended the Resume Refresh workshop in hopes of improving my resume, which I know will be important for my career. This workshop helped me with tailoring my resume (clean, concise, format, etc.) and what it needs to contain (contact information, name, projects, experience, etc.). I learned how to make my achievements stand out, I'd need multiple resumes, and how to use action verbs correctly. I learned about different resources that would undoubtedly help me create and improve my resume, like Grammarly and Resume.com. As well as let me know about how Adobe gives free access to students.

Verifier: Internships@pgcc.edu

I attended the SGA Town Hall/ Q&A meeting with PGCC's President because I wanted updates on what PGCC has in store currently and in the future. I learned about upcoming events such as the Get Connected with CAR: Networking Mixer. I learned that PGCC has inaugurated new organizational domains to advance institutional goals, like equity, culture, and talent. I learned in-depth what eLearning has to offer. As well as new updates/developments for syllabi. This session was very informative for my stay here in PGCC.

I attended the “Show Me The Money!! Scholarship, Scholarship, Scholarship” workshop to find more information about funding college. I learned how to differentiate between loans, scholarships, and grants. I learned about programs and scholarships I hadn’t heard of before, like the Southern Management Leadership program. I also got a refresh from the last mini-session about financial aid and scholarships, which is welcome. Additionally, I learned about resources like scholarships360.org to help with finding legitimate scholarships.

This mini-session was informative when it comes to navigating Navigate. I learned how to find who my advisor is via the student portal, how to set up an appointment with them via the Navigate app/website and when the best times to make them, how there were different types of appointments, the difference between an SSP report (initiated by the student, submitted once, etc.) and a Navigate progress report (the opposite). As well as what I’d need to do to drop a class.

I attended “You are What You Eat: Fueling Your Body For Success” workshop in hopes of nurturing myself better for a better mindset for success. I learned what makes a healthy living style, which is to eat smart, move more, and be mindful. I learned a lot of tips on grains, hydration, produce, and others in the food pyramid from the hosts and my peers. I learned how to eat healthier while budgeting. I learned how to balance my healthy living with my environment (school, work, etc.). This workshop allowed me to start on taking care of myself better in order to work less stressfully.

Verifer: wow@pgcc.edu

I attended the "University of Maryland College Park: Transfer 101" workshop in hopes of learning more about the process of transferring. I was reinforced on the basics, like credits, deadlines, and scholarships/financial aid. I learned that UMD has a program plan tool that measures out what the schedule for a major would be like. I learned how to check if my credits would be accepted via the Transfer Course Database. It was engaging, in which I got my own questions answered by peers and the host. I also ended up with a point of contact for transferring questions.

Point of Contact: wow@pgcc.edu

I attended the "NASA Internship Opportunities" - by Dr. Sagirah Wheeler, NASA Zoom. NASA is an amazing place to work and develop your career, so I attended in search of career opportunities. This allowed me to learn more about NASA internships, what it’s like to be an intern, and how to apply. Additionally, I learned about NASA Pathways (a work-study program at NASA) and STEM Gateway (a portal to access various STEM opportunities). Not only that, but I learned a lot about how to write a letter/statement that can be applied to internships and job opportunities—like how I need to be direct, specific, and enthusiastic in my words and never be vague. This event was very insightful and informative.

Point of contact: thakurnx@pgcc.edu

This session was very insightful when it comes to transferring to four-year universities. I understood the broken-down financial aspects of it. I learned of fees I haven't heard of and costs that I did not account for (insurance fees, parking fees, etc.). I learned more about scholarships, such as need-based and merit-based. I also learned that college transcripts can be very tricky and should be handled critically. From this session, I can now move forward in managing my transfer with confidence.

I attended the STEM Collegian Center Beginning of the Semester Meeting. This was an opportunity given by my peer/friend. This Zoom introduced me to a STEM program (STEM Collegian Center) that allows me to network with people in my field, offers internship and scholarship opportunities, and mentorships. This meant that by joining (I joined), I can alleviate myself in the STEM field. This is important because I understand that networking would help me progress in my career and prepare me for it. This Zoom was the chance for me to advance my career.

Point of contact: dirkste@pgcc.edu