Retrospective Reflection

Who I Am as an Emerging Professional

I am a storyteller in the business world, someone who uses the power of narrative to illuminate truth, solve problems, and drive innovation. While my love for storytelling began with fiction, the Honors College helped me discover that stories don’t only belong in books. They live in data. They unfold in strategies. They emerge through collaboration. Through courses, contracts, and real-world application, I’ve learned that storytelling is not bound to pen and paper; it’s a tool that can inform, persuade, and inspire change across disciplines. 

The Honors program prepared me for success in three critical ways:

1. It refined my voice as a writer, a communicator, and a professional.

2. It equipped me to think critically and creatively about both abstract ideas and practical challenges.

3. It gave me the confidence to take the initiative and advocate for my ideas, even in spaces where I was the least experienced in the room.

These outcomes didn’t happen all at once. They unfolded gradually, and my artifacts show the arc of that transformation.

Growth from H200 to Now 

When I first entered H200, I was passionate, driven, and full of ideas. I knew I wanted to write, to lead, and to make an impact. What I didn’t yet know was how to bring those ideas into focus or how to channel them into a clear, professional identity. 

That changed through experiences like: 

• My honors contract in ENG-W206, where I defended the literary value of fantasy fiction, going toe-to-toe with a professor who disagreed with my thesis. This wasn't just an academic assignment; it was a turning point. I took a stand, blended research and creative writing, and proved that imagination has a place in serious scholarship.

• My work in I-Core, where I learned to collaborate across disciplines to build a business solution from scratch. I helped design and pitch an AI-powered financial advising app, FinTime, to a panel of industry experts. This experience forced me to apply what I’d learned in leadership, rhetoric, and marketing, and showed me how much I’d grown since H200.

• My internship at Scale Computing, where I began applying storytelling in a real-world business setting, writing technical content, creating marketing processes, analyzing reports, and collaborating with executives. For the first time, I saw that data and technology could become my new medium.

Each of these experiences reflects a different part of my journey, but together, they chart a clear trajectory: from writer to communicator, from learner to leader, and from student to storyteller in business.

Showcased Artifacts and Their Impact

My ePortfolio includes a range of artifacts, but three in particular illustrate my growth best: 

• “Going Home” Honors Project: A creative short story grounded in literary research, showcasing my ability to blend scholarship with original thought. I used allegory, symbolism, and world-building to convey spiritual and ethical themes while also defending fantasy fiction as serious literature.

• I-Core Final Presentation and Deliverables: Developed and pitched a full AI-driven financial solution with my team. These documents demonstrate my capacity for research, market strategy, technical writing, and cross-functional collaboration. Our Capital Budgeting plan, Executive Brief, and Final Presentation reflect the heart of our work. 

• Scale Computing Internship: Through blog posts, emails, reports, and process designs, I applied my communication skills in a fast-paced tech company. These tasks weren’t theoretical, they had a real impact on internal operations and external marketing.

Each artifact connects to faculty I’ve learned from, theories I’ve studied (such as rhetorical strategy and literary symbolism), and experts I’ve engaged with in class and in the field.

Final Reflection: From Passion to Profession 

Through this program, my perspective on education and vocation has shifted. I once believed I had to choose between creativity and practicality. Now, I see that they belong together. The power of the Honors College is that it didn’t just teach me content; it shaped how I think, how I lead, and how I tell stories. 

As I prepare to enter the MSIS program and pursue a future in marketing and tech, I carry this foundation with me. I now know how to:

• Use research to inform creative solutions

• Speak across disciplines with clarity and confidence

• Take initiative and thrive in the unknown

Honors has given me more than a title, it’s given me a trajectory.

“You have done an exceptional job completing and surpassing expectations.” – Honors I-Core Faculty Feedback. 

That quote reminds me why this journey mattered. I came in with questions. I leave with direction. And I carry the same passion, only now, it’s sharper, tested, and ready for what comes next.