Implementation

For first-year students in the MPA program, the portfolio project begins in the summer with a seminar that introduces the course/project. This seminar includes presentations on professional and academic portfolios. Program alumni share their portfolios and discuss ways they have seen their value. At this time, we also present students with various models or competencies for effective government management, which will center their portfolios. During this first year on campus, students are encouraged to form working relationships with the portfolio project director, faculty, alumni, and supervisors as they begin developing their portfolios.

All students begin their portfolio work with Ray Davis. The introduction includes a PowerPoint presentation, a panel of graduates who discuss the experience, and examples of portfolios to view. Ray encourages students to find a mentor that they will work with throughout the project. He tells them to look around, ask questions, and be purposeful as they identify a person who matches their interests.

In the second year of the program, students have full-time internships. Faculty and staff meet with students three times during the year for week-long professional development seminars, a time when the portfolios begin to take shape. At the first meeting, students reflect on their work experiences in a structured format. The second meeting is devoted to leadership traits, and the last meeting finalizes the portfolio as a tool for their ongoing development. Students are encouraged to write outcomes for faculty and mentors as they reflect on their work experiences.