Loras College

Fall 2017

Journal Entries/Critical Reflection

Reflection should be a deliberate and regular habit during your experience. Although reflection and recording
can overlap in some ways, they are different. The primary purpose of reflection is to evaluate what you are
learning and how you are growing. “Reflection is a fundamental concept in experiential learning. In order to
turn your experience into learning you need to stop, recall events, analyze and process them” (Sweitzer 9).

Journal Questions

Week 1 Date _____2/26/18_________ Total Hours ____15__________

Record you’re the date and your hours here.
Refer to eLearn assignment “Week 1 – Picture & Description” for this week’s assignment.

Week 2 Date _3/5/18________ Total Hours _________15_____

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning in this experience. How would you draw a connection
between your academic learning, professional goals, & social awareness of the “common good”?
Response: The main tasks that I am in charge of through this internship include the formation of an excel
sheet with the Museum’s donors and their information along with assisting Vicky Sutter and Missy Wersinger
in the merger of two databases consisting of member information and donor information. These duties along
with daily office tasks like data cleansing and volunteer scheduling are teaching me the basic office skills
needed in the professional world, proper communication skills and behavior in the office setting, and a better
understanding of my likes and dislikes when choosing a career option. This internship is my first real
experience in an office setting job and I am while I’m learning valuable office skills I’m also learning what I
dislike when looking at career options. Being able to take on this internship and have a first hand experience
into the real world is a great way for learn what I want to look for when choosing a job to make a career out of.

Week 3 Date ______3/12/18___________ Total Hours _____15__________

What role does this organization play in the community? Does this organization contribute to the “common
good”&/or display an understanding of social responsibility – in what way(s)?
Response: The National River Museum and Aquarium serves as an informative, educational, and
entertaining organization in the community. The museum covers areas from the historical elements of Dubuque
like iron works and shipping, to the natural disasters of the Mississippi floods and the wildlife that can be found
around the Dubuque area. Through this use of entertainment and education the museum contributes a better
understanding of the history of Dubuque to the public and educates society on the natural wildlife that can be
found in the Mississippi and throughout Iowa. This information creates a better understanding for people on
how to interact with wildlife and nature, and the proper steps to take to avoid hurting it or yourself. Through the
historical elements society learns what shaped Dubuque the way it is today and the importance of preserving
that history.

Week 4 Date _______3/19/18__________ Total Hours _______15________

What does this experience point out to you about your own attitudes, biases, or preferences? How does this
internship fit with your values?
Response: In this experience I am spending a lot of time in an office and a lot of time behind a computer. In
this setting I have come to realize the need for actual interactions with people throughout the day. I personally
need to socialize during my work or I become tired and bored with the same task. In the office where I work the
occasional breaks that come with another co-worker stopping by to talk are definitely welcomed and needed. I
value conversing with others as well as I can get my work done at the same time. Through this internship I am
learning to balance the work load and being able to take the occasional break when someone stops by to talk.

Week 5 Date ________3/26/18__________ Total Hours _____38.5__________

When reflecting on your work environment? What are two things you would keep and two things you would
change about your work place? How would you effectively & ethically implement those changes?
Response: In my work environment two things I would keep and enjoy are the friendly and casual
atmosphere in the office and the combination of closeness and openness of the offices. One thing I would
change or add would be a central location where employee’s can take breaks together or enjoy lunch together
rather than going out or staying in their office’s. Changing the current small kitchen/breakroom that is in the
office into a more accessible location would be more beneficial to employee’s and allow them to stay together
and at work rather than leaving on their lunch break. Another change I would implement in the office is

Week 6 Date ______4/2/18____________ Total Hours _______11.5__________

What insights have you gained about yourself? How could your gifts & challenges effect the workplace?
Response: Through my work in the office I’ve become confident in my ability to work through problems or
make different tasks easier. Once I’m assigned a task and taught how to do it I can occasionally figure out an
easier or faster way to complete the task. I can add my knowledge of different office tools and my problem
solving abilities to help accomplish talks faster in the office.

Week 7 Date _____4/9/18_____________ Total Hours ______15_________

In recognizing your knowledge & skills, how can you use those gifts to impact the community in which you
decide to spend your professional career?
Response: While working at the museum since it is a non profit organization I see a lot community
involvement dealing with donations and sponsorships. Giving back to benefit the community as a whole is a
great way for people to make use of their wealth. Being a part of a larger trusted organization that has the
opportunity to give back to the community and better it makes me feel good about the work I am doing. I want
to be able to see the change I am making in the community and feel proud of making the image of a town or
community improve.

Week 8 Date _______4/16/18___________ Total Hours _____21__________

What are you learning about yourself in terms of communication style, adaptability, and contribution to the
professional setting? How do these qualities/skills impact others in your work environment? How are you
impacted by those qualities/skills of others?
Response: During this week I participated in the final Dubrewque event the museum had been hosting during
their brewing history exhibit. Compared to the first event I attended I was able to converse more easily with
people in the crowd and felt more confident even though I didn’t go with anyone. I talked easily with the
speakers and talked with a few of the employees I saw on a regular day. Feeling more confident I was able to
have better conversations with people and connect more with the group. By the end of the night I was feeling
apart of the team that worked at the museum and could see myself as a part of a professional organization

Week 9 Date __________4/23/18________ Total Hours _____15.5_________

What gaps do you recognize in your knowledge and/or skills related to this experience? How will you address
those gaps?
Response: While working in the office I was introduced to the software system Blackbaud used by many
nonprofit organizations. In the beginning I wasn’t familiar with it at all but as the year went on I became more
comfortable navigating it and I was trusted with more work revolving the software. As I continue working with
it over the summer I plan to watch tutorial videos explaining different tasks I can perform with it.

Week 10 Date _________4/30/18_________ Total Hours _______15________

Based on this experience, what will your leadership style be when/if you are in a supervisory role in the future?
How can you put those leadership skills to good use within your community?
Response: If I am ever in a leadership position I plan to be very casual with those following me and make
myself available to anyone that needs my help or time. Having a boss that is very involved in everything that is
going on to the point that you feel their support in what you’re doing is a successful organization in my eyes. I
try to make myself available and as a person that can be approached if someone needs help. I want to be viewed
as someone who can be counted on to those around me.

Week 11 Date ____________5/7/18______ Total Hours ______15_________

What is one challenge you have faced in this internship? What problem-solving skills & ethical standards did
you use to respond to this challenge? Would you do anything differently if faced with this challenge again?
Response: During the internship I was faced with taking on many different projects at a time and jumping
around from half finished work to just starting a new project. It was a lot to deal with when I started but as I got
used to the environment in the office I was able to divide my work accordingly and efficiently. Assigning a time
to things that aren’t as demanding and coming to them as I have free time works well for my schedule and once
I was able to set that up my work flowed much more smoothly.

Week 12 Date _____________________ Total Hours _________________

What have you accomplished in your time in this internship that you hadn’t expected? What have you been
unable to accomplish that you had hoped?
Response: One task I wasn’t expecting to do was have to make phone calls. I had to make close to 80 phone
calls to different businesses around the community which was a little uncomfortable for me. I eventually started
getting used to it and was able to find a groove in what to say and how to approach each caller. I was able to
reach all of my initial goals and exceed the skills I hoped to learn through this experience.

Week 13 Date _____________________ Total Hours _________________

You will soon have to represent this internship on your resume. If a future employer were to ask you to name 3
key points of this experience how would you answer him/her?
Response: Three key points of this internship included creating the 2018 mailing list for gift matching
organizations, learning the blackbaud software Altru, and assisting in the sponsorship of the Da Vinci exhibit.

Week 14 Date _____________________ Total Hours _________________

As you reflect on the totality of your experience, what skills do you hope to further develop? How can you use
those skills to pursue your career goals while also making a positive contribution to society?
Response: I hoped to further develop my office tool skills mainly and improve on my office etiquette and
professional etiquette. These skills are the basis of any future career I plan on having and a continuous
improvement on them will result in my confidence and comfortability in a workplace setting.