Genesis Bonilla

During this event with the Wise Path Program, I learned more about FAFSA, the different types of financial aid available, and the importance of completing the application to receive financial assistance for college. I also learned how to fill out the FAFSA, which scholarships I may qualify for, and which ones I do not need to worry about. The session was very informative because it gave me the opportunity to ask questions and receive helpful answers. Whenever the team could not answer a question directly, they provided information about the right people or resources to contact. Overall, I really enjoyed this session because it helped me better understand the financial aid process and what steps I need to take to prepare for my next semester. I would also like to thank the Wise Path team for taking the time to organize this event and answer everyone's questions.

During this meeting, I learned some helpful tips about academic planning. One of the main things I took away from this event was the importance of talking to my assigned academic advisor and planning which courses I still need to complete for my major. It also reminded me to explore different options that could help me succeed in my future studies. This event was especially informative because I am currently attending a two-year college, and I was initially confused about how to plan my course path and prepare for transferring to a four-year university. Although I have already completed many of the steps discussed during the meeting, I still have questions about my next steps. As the presenter advised, I plan to meet with my assigned advisor to review my academic progress, discuss my remaining courses, and make sure I am on the right path toward my educational goals. Overall, this meeting helped me understand the importance of academic planning and reminded me that asking for guidance can make the transfer process easier.

During these meetings, I learned about the importance of taking care of my mental health and the difference between regular stress and burnout. I learned that burnout happens when stress becomes long-term and starts to affect your daily life beyond the situation causing the stress. We also discussed how stress can affect students, especially during exams or when receiving a low score. Some strategies to manage stress and prevent burnout include being kind to yourself, taking breaks, asking classmates or counselors for help, and making changes to your daily routine. Overall, these meetings helped me understand why reflecting on my mental health is important and taught me different ways to manage stress and take better care of myself.

During this meeting, I was able to learn about the requirements to successfully transfer to UMD’s business school. We learned more about the Maryland Transfer Advantage Program (MTAP), how important this opportunity is, and how it can help community college students transfer to UMD. We also discussed the requirements, including how many credits we need to apply, the minimum GPA, and which classes we should have completed or be close to completing to improve our chances of being accepted into the business school. Another important thing we learned is that we can only apply once for one major, so it is important to choose carefully. The meeting also explained the application deadlines for each semester and provided helpful tips on how to strengthen our applications and increase our chances of being accepted into UMD’s business school.

During the Virtual Interviewing Workshop and the "What Employers Want" (WISE) session, hosted by Career Development and Internships, I learned how to refine my cover page, optimize my preparation techniques, and navigate virtual interviews effectively ahead of the Virtual Career Fair. The workshops highlighted key skills and competencies employers look for, common interview questions and strategies for answering them, and practical ways to connect with recruiters online. Ultimately, I gained a clearer understanding of how to communicate my strengths and maintain a high level of professionalism to make a strong first impression in a digital setting.

I attended the “Build Your Resume with No Work Experience” workshop. There was a lot of lag during the presentation, so some parts were difficult to understand completely. However, from what we were able to understand, we learned that we can use AI to help us with our resumes, but we should not let AI create the entire resume for us because it can be very obvious. We also learned what information we should include in a resume and what things are unnecessary or not important. Overall, the workshop helped me understand how to make a resume even if I do not have much work experience.

I attended the “Resumes That Work” workshop, and it was very informative and helpful. I learned how to create a professional resume that stands out to employers and recruiters, what information to include and what to leave out, and how to organize my resume and cover letter. We also learned about different resume formats and how references and college courses can be included. Overall, the workshop gave me useful tips that I can use to improve my resume and prepare for future job opportunities.

I attended the GivePulse Demo Training, and it was a helpful experience. I learned how to navigate the GivePulse platform, search for volunteer opportunities, register for events, and properly submit and record my service hours. I also had some questions answered and learned different ways to submit my impacts. Overall, the training helped me feel more comfortable using GivePulse and understand how important it is to keep track of my community service hours.

For the Strive kickoff, we had to sign in for attendance and were asked about our plans for the weekend. I learned about the vision and mission behind Strive, which focuses on creating a supportive community where every student has the guidance, resources, and encouragement they need to succeed. We also discussed the benefits of being part of Strive. Then, we went over different Strive activities, such as workshops and Power Circles. Afterward, we participated in a trivia activity to see how much we learned.

I attended the Refresh Session, where we reviewed important information about college. We learned who our advisors are and how they can help us. We also discussed the mandatory hours we need to complete, financial aid, GPA requirements, and the deadline for dropping a class. The session was helpful because it reminded me of important dates, requirements, and resources that I can use to stay on track with my college goals.