Competency #1 - Communication

The need to communicate is a basic human need. To share our thoughts, ideas, and to inspire change and progress we must be able to communicate. Our culture has required that we write, speak, read, and listen everyday. I have learned in college how to do these things with grace and intelligence.

In addition, I learned how to use digital media to communictate ideas and feelings often reserved only for words. My project in the capstone class required me to create a digital story, combining spoken narrative, images and music in story form.

Below you will find examples of how I have effectively learned to communicate my thoughts and opinions at school. My review of The Crucible would be appropriate for a newspaper that would serve to inform others about this play. My fictitious fundraiser letter is an example of how to effectively communicate to the potential donor. My digital story, Thoughts On Food, shows my command of new media.

• Review of The Crucible
  
• Fundraiser Letter
• Thoughts On Food
  

Competency # 2 - Quantitative Skills

The process of mathematics teaches many things, including patience, logical reasoning, and persistence, just to name a few. Developing these qualities is invaluable because so many in our culture do not have them and fall short of their goals because of it, while those who do produce quality work.

My work with math while at UAS was a short, but passionate, love affair. I was scared to take the classes, so I waited until the end of my college career to attack them. While it turned out to be one of my favorite subjects, I believe it also improved all of the other subjects I was studying, especially English. Math requires you to think analytically and logically and it pours over into all other areas of life making you a more generally knowledgeable citizen. The links below show evidence of my work in this area.

• Statistic Homework Chapter 10
  
• Statistics Homework Chapter 19
  

Competency #3 - Information Literacy

An overwhelming amount of information is available to us today. The result is that accessing information has become more important than remembering it. Because of this students should know where and how to access a variety of credible sources appropriate to their topics.

If there is one invaluable thing that I learned in college, it is how to research. I have learned that before I begin and decide on a project, I should research potential projects. After I have decided on a topic, I know how to learn more about it. I know how to access and use academic journals, search engines, libraries, and reference librarians. Having this knowledge turns me into a lifelong learner, capable of pursuing my own research interests. I am also prepared to conduct research in most areas, regardless of the profession I choose.

Here are two projects that demonstrate my competency in information literacy:

• The Laramie Project: A Powerpoint presentation that demonstrates my used of the research process
• The Pavement Predicament: A research paper on the road out of Juneau
• The Pavement Predicament: works cited

Competency #4 - Computer Usage

Understanding how to use computers and information technologies is essential in today's world. Computers are used not only to process information, but to communicate with colleagues, potential employers, friends and family. University classes required the use of a range of technologies in order to prepare students up to participate in the workforce.

In college I have used a computer almost every day. I have become excellent with Microsoft Word, web navigation, online class discussion boards, and Microsoft's Powerpoint. I have also learned to use Excell, a blog, projectors, and Moviemaker (a media production program), and technologies such as scanners and projects, just to name a few. The following projects demonstrate my competency in computer usage.

• Thoughts On Food: Humanities Capstone New Media Project
• The Building of a Flat for Perseverance Theatre's Noises Off: a Powerpoint Project
  

Competency #5 - Professional Behavior

Developing professional behavior at UAS helps students transition to the outside world. Students need to learn to produce quality, timely work because that is what employers need and expect from employees. In addition, having a good attitude and a sense of appropriateness should be learned during college to prepare students for the world beyond it.

I have demonstrated professionalism in not only through my work ethic, but also through the quality of my work. As a theater minor, I worked at Perseverance Theatre, a professional theatre, on many occasions during my college career. I operated the lightboard for a show (which takes extreme focus), for all of my roles on stage I completed research for the play and character, I learned all of my lines, and came to rehearsal warmed up, ready to work, and on time. While employed by this organization I also received credit for some of my projects. Below are references to my professional work. The first is a newsletter I created weekly while interning for their summer children's theatre, among many other tasks, including recruitment and assistant directing the show Children of Eden. The second demonstration of my professional behavior is through photos of a play that I had a lead role in.

• Parent Newsletter for Summer Theatre Arts Rendezvous (STAR) at Perseverance Theatre
• Photos of lead role in Perseverance Theatre's production of Much Ado About Nothing (all video is copy-righted and therefore cannot be used)
• Click here to see photo
• and here
• and here
  
• and here also
  

Competency #6 - Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves not only finding information, but also knowing how to think about and use it. Whether considering a concept, idea, problem or project, critical thinkers are able to disregard the unimportant details and focus on its essential elements. They use the essential elements as a springboard for thought. Critical thinkers can think about something in multiple ways, and therefore develop a more thorough, holistic understanding of it.

Instead of being overwhelmed by a concept or project, I have learned to pick it apart and connect it to things I do understand. Once I can see the parts of the whole, I can then analyze and interpret the parts and, in turn, understand the whole. Below you will find an analysis of the play Hair, in which I consider and evaluate the different aspects of the production. You will also find a link to a paper arguing against the road out of Juneau, in which I had to develop a detailed understanding of the situation and generate convincing and informed arguments.

• Hair Review
• The Pavement Predicament: an argumentative research paper
  

Competency #7 - Language Arts and Communication with a Theatre Minor

A student studying Language Arts and Communication should be able to communicate effectively through writing, speaking, and media. With a theatre minor the student should also understand the many aspects of theater, including technical theatre (design and building of: lighting, sets, props, sound, and costume), history of drama, acting, arts administration, directing and Shakespeare.

I had never participated in any theatre before I took Acting I at UAS. While at UAS I have had the increidble opportunity to work professionally with Perseverance Theatre and use the stage to communicate, with language and emotions, characters who are tangible, believable people. Participating in theatre made me a more confident speaker and performer. I was also able to find a great writer within myself and now take pride in my abilities as a writer. I have developed a strong sense of voice as a writer, as well as interesting, readable pieces.

Here are demonstrations of this competency:

• Photos as Hero in Perseverance Theatre's version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
  
• Click here to see a photo
• and here
• and here, too
• Hash City: an informative paper demonstrates my ability to communicate effectively through written language