Capstone Excellence

Name: Jiwon Choi

Major: BS in Computer Science

ePortfolio: https://buffalo.digication.com/ubc-399-jiwon-choi

Expected date of graduation: May 2020

Plans after I graduate: I applied to graduate schools to study more in the robotics field. As seen in my ePortfolio, I worked on robotics so far under the guidance of Dr. Nils Napp. As I discussed with my adviser, he recommended me to study more in-depth by going to graduate school, and I also feel that I still lack knowledge although I am now about to complete my bachelor's. So far, I got admitted to UB's MS in Computer Science with automatic admission, but I am looking forward to hearing from other schools as well.

How did the Capstone help you reflect on your college career?: Without the Capstone, I would not ever look up what I have done for my general education courses, but also extra-curricular activities that I have done so far. By filling out my ePortfolio, I realized I have done a lot of things throughout my college life, both courses, and even outside of the classroom. By looking at these, it made me to think about the main takeaways from each class and activity, and how they are applied in real-world situations.

What was your most valuable part of your general education coursework?: I have taken a lot of courses that are not related to my major, and I was able to get a wholesome education that includes all different aspects and not just from my major. This made me to open up my eyes to the field that I am not used to, and understand various aspects of my professional life and gave me a more balanced academic experience.

What did you learn about yourself in the Capstone course?: By completing the assignment each week, I was able to reflect on all the courses that I have taken, and made me to realize the growth I experienced, throughout my college years. Therefore, after I finish the Capstone course, the main takeaway I got about myself is about how I grew as an individual and how I developed the most essential skills that are required when I enter the workforce.

Advice for future Capstone students: I would firstly say, save all your coursework beforehand, and it is good to have soft copies of them -i.e. essays that you have submitted, lecture notes, and etc. It is also a proof that you took the course, and you can refer to those anytime you need -I sometimes refer to some of my lecture notes even these days as well. Also, it is better to start early, and have enough time to brainstorm what you would like to put. Get a pen and paper to brainstorm your ideas based on the given rubric. After you merge your thoughts on the ePortfolio, try to proof-read and see whether you have met the requirements on the rubric or not. This will let you to take a ladder of success.

Name: Megan Dwyer

Major: Biological Sciences

ePortfolio: https://buffalo.digication.com/megan-dwyer-ubc-399

Expected date of graduation: May 2020

Plans after I graduate: Post-graduation, I plan to pursue a Master of Science in Genetic Counseling. 

How did the Capstone help you reflect on your college career?: The Capstone project required me to think critically about the classes I have completed in the last 3 and 1/2 years, particularly the skills and knowledge I gained, and how I've applied those skills and that knowledge to my studies and career. I did not always understand the relevance of my curriculum courses while I was taking them; however, looking back during the creation of my portfolio, I realized how important they all were for my development as a student and a future healthcare professional. 

What was your most valuable part of your general education coursework?: I think the most valuable part of my general education coursework was the opportunity to complete classes abroad. I took all three of my Global Pathway courses at the Lorenzo de' Medici Institute in Florence, Italy. These classes were hands-on, including activities ranging from art museum field trips to cooking traditional Italian recipes, so I was very engaged in my learning. They were also quite different from my major courses, which challenged me to think differently and put myself outside of my comfort zone. 

What did you learn about yourself in the Capstone course?: Through the Capstone course, I recognized how much I've grown during my time at UB. As a freshman, or even a sophomore, I would not be able to make the connections between my courses, extracurricular activities, and eventual career path that I did for this class. 

Advice for future Capstone students: I would tell future Capstone students to be intentional and open-minded when choosing their general education coursework--selecting courses that you enjoy and that provide you with diversity in your studies, will make it easy to reflect and discuss what you learned when creating your final ePortfolio. Also, at the end of each UB curriculum course that you take, be sure to pick one or two of your favorite assignments and save them in a place that you will be able to access in the future, to include as artifacts on your portfolio pages.