Preparing your portfolio

Portfolio. That word we all dread. Getting ready for graduation can be pretty stressful, especially when you have to put your college life for the past two years or more into a six-item booklet. 

But fear not! Putting together your portfolio isn't as bad as it sounds. You may even have some fun putting it together and reminiscing on your years here at Kishwaukee College. 

"There are six items that go into a student's portfolio," explains Terese Dudek, biology instructor. "The portfolio reflects the growth of the learner and the institutional effectiveness in producing graduates with appropriate skills. Students often get anxious because they receive no feedback on their portfolios, but what they need to understand is that it's not a representation on them as a student; it is an assessment on how well the faculty and staff are doing their jobs and whether they have the skills, abilities and knowledge that the institution expects."

The items that are needed in the portfolio are something that every student should have encountered in their college experience. There is a list of requirements on the Kishwaukee College website that guide you through exactly what you need to incorporate in your portfolio. Basically, the six items are as follows:

1. Introduction to your portfolio.

2.Applications of terms, facts and/or concepts.

3.Application of mathematical or scientific reasoning.

4.Multi-source research paper

5.Higher level thinking

6. Significant Kishwaukee College experience.

Before submitting your portfolio, be sure that you include one very important detail. Fill out the application for graduation! The application can be found on the Kishwaukee College webpage at http://www.kishwaukeecollege.edu/academic_information/graduation_require....

All you need is a few hours and some dedication to put together a great portfolio. The portfolio deadline for Spring 2012 graduates is April 5, so be sure to have it handed in by then! 

There is only one major change that has been made to the portfolio requirements this semester. Instead of turning your portfolio in to the information desk, students should submit their portfolios to the circulation desk located in the library.

Terese continues, "The students don't need anything special with their submissions. We only ask that they bring the six mentioned items. The students' work will be put into an envelope and they will be handed a checklist to ensure that they have all the required materials. Once a day the staff collects the portfolios and checks them to make sure that all of the components are there. Whether the portfolio is complete or not, the students should receive an email saying so."

The library is currently accepting portfolios, so make sure to have it in by the deadline.

"My advice to the students would be to make sure that you apply for graduation before anything," Terese suggests. "Go to the workshops. They really do help clear things up. As for the portfolio itself, I would personally say that one good item could be used for multiple categories in the six items that are required. If students need any help, they can stop by my office as well in B-305. "

The portfolio submissions must have college-level work. This means that no developmental class work can be submitted. It also means that even if you transferred from a different college, that college work can be added to your portfolio along with your work here from Kishwaukee. Graded copies of materials are unnecessary. If you have work that is unreadable, retype or rewrite it in question and answer format on a clean sheet of paper. 

If you need any help at all, there are available how-to workshops that are being hosted on March 6 from 9-10:00am in room L-202 and on March 7 from 2:30-3:30pm in room L-202. You can also visit the library for portfolio guidance and talk to either Anne-Marie Eggleston of library services or Karen Fenske, coordinator at the Learning Skills Center. 

So don't stress out this semester. Take it one step at a time and use as much time as you need to create a portfolio you can be proud of!

For more information on portfolios, visit the Kishwaukee College website at http://www.kishwaukeecollege.edu/portfolio/index.php?page=385.