The document provides an outline and reflection of the author's academic experience at University of Phoenix. It discusses the value of completing a higher education degree and plans for their academic and career future. It reflects on topics learned in class, including time management, university resources, and critical thinking.

1. My Academic Experience
Week 9: My Academic Experience
Fatimah M. Myers
US/101
April 13, 2013
University of Phoenix
Instructor – Annette Kubalanza
Outline – My Academic Experience
1. The Value of Completing a Degree in Higher Education
2. Plans for My Academic and Career Future
3. Reflections of Topics in Class A. Time and StressManagement B. University Resources C.
Critical Thinking
THE VALUE OF COMPLETING A DEGREE INHIGHER EDUCATIONAmerican society values
higher education. College provides many opportunities for developing a variety of social networks,
both formal and informal. Obtaining a college degree will be such a valuable and...show more
content...
Having a Bachelor's, in addition to my years of experience, makes me eligible to be promoted to an
Operations Manager, or a Director at my current job. I can also be a Billing Manager at a hospital.
All of which are careers I am interested in. The final plan in my academic future is to earn my
Master's Degree in Social Work. After completion of my Master's, I can pursue the career of my
dreams, a Hospice Social Worker.
REFLECTIONS OF TOPICS IN CLASS
I have learned so much in this class to prepare me for a successful college experience. There were
some topics that caught my attention more than others. Such as, time and stress management,
University resources, and critical thinking.
Time and Stress Management
How I manage time is a reflection of what I value. Managing my time corresponds to how
successful I will be in college and throughout life. Knowing and setting priorities to meet goals,
carrying out plans, taking control of time, and staying focused are some events that are involved
with time management. For many of us, balancing school with work and family is the greatest
challenge involved with prioritizing. Good advance planning will help in meeting these challenges.

2. Staying focused is usually difficult, especially for first–year students. Staying focused entails
remembering and dedicating to the most important purpose for being in college. Sacrificing
unnecessary commitments and keeping my
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3. Ethnic Background Essay
I was born into a mixed family much like Tiger's. My mother's father was Chinese–American,
orphaned by his birth–family and raised in the South. My mother's mother was African–American
and, following the family legacy, she received a degree from Fisk University in Nashville, TN. My
relatives were instrumental in the foundation of the Avery Normal Institute in Charleston, SC, an
educational institute for African–Americans founded in 1865 (now associated with the College of
Charleston). My mother grew up in a segregated society where choices were rarely available. She
received her Master's degree in Library Science from HBC University. My father's family is of
German/Scottish/Irish/Danish decent. When faced with racial classification forms,...show more
content...
Ironically, since acquiring my husband's last name, people assume and accept without hesitation
that I'm Irish. I have curly hair like a "good Irish girl" or often hear, "Susannah O'Connor sounds
like a "good Irish name." Judging by my married name alone, I have been shuffled into the
Irish–American–Caucasian check–box.
I was raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. Silver Spring was a diverse community, our
neighbors were Yugoslavian, Korean, Italian, and included many others. There were many
ethnic–specific markets and restaurants near our house where we tried many different foods. Our
community pool was located in a conservative orthodox Jewish section of Silver Spring. Outside of
swim season, our family was included in many Passover seders, sukkoh parties and Bar/Bat
Mitzvah's through relationships developed on our swim team. I felt comfortable in our culturally
dynamic neighborhood and felt fewer pressures to be classified into a specific ethnic category.
When I was in middle school my father inherited his parent's house and our family made an
uncomfortable transition to Chevy Chase, Md. In contrast to the Silver Spring community, Chevy
Chase is a White, upper–class, wealthy suburb of Washington, DC. Many of our neighbors belonged
to one of the three local country clubs that, until just a few years ago, did not admit minorities. Other
than neighborly requests for babysitting duties, our
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4. My Education Background
My education began in kindergarten in 1993. It wasn't easy for me, because school was the first
place I ever got to interact with other people, mainly children. Before I started school, I was pretty
much kept indoors, and not allowed to have contact with other people, except for members of my
own family. This was all because I was a little girl. During the first 5 years of my life, I figured
that was all I was entitled to, and even though I hated it, I lived with it. In first grade, I had to
interact with other kids for the first time, which was not easy. I did eventually learn that I could
make new friends with them, and soon settled down into school. The quality of education that
first year was not bad, I learned a lot and grew a lot during that year. I had great teachers too, who
really gave me the help I needed. Second grade at that school was a different story though, I had a
different teacher, who was not very good, and seldom offered the help I needed. I was also treated
like I was lower than the rest of the students. I don't know what her problem with me was, but it set
me back a great deal, both academically and emotionally. When I needed help, it was not given and I
was often ignored. She felt that it was not worth it to help those students who needed it. Fortunately,
my parents saw this and intervened, first trying to negotiate, then after that broke down, transferred
me to another school. The new school was very different, being more structured than the first.
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5. Essay on Academic Career Goals
Introduction Societies and organizations are evolving on the ability by individuals to develop career
oriented goals. Lifelong planning is what drives to learning institutions to develop skills for our
current and future needs. In the business environment, people are looking for motivated
entrepreneurs to transform the outlook of their societies through investment. Planning enhances
personal development, helps us to determine our strength, and enhances competitiveness and
employability. One of the most difficult things in life is adapting to change. The new skills and
ways of critical thinking is quite a cumbersome paradigm shift, yet once you adapt to new changes
which are aimed at transforming your business thinking and ideology,...show more content...
The research will also focus on the development needs analysis of my plan and will conclude with
appendices.
Personal Development Plan Self evaluation is part of strategic learning through which we reflect on
personal abilities or potentials to prosper in life. My development plans are geared at seeing me
through my academic struggles in the career part of advanced practices. We are presented with
academic resources and opportunities which I should use for my benefit. I need to develop a
good culture of reading extensively, critically thinking about what am reading and how such
material is relevant to my career path. Another plan is developing a good art of academic
research and writing, formulating learning styles that are appropriate to my learning. I should also
develop the art of managing my learning environment and understanding how to write academic
papers. I should also be in the course of my study to develop the employability skill and prepare
myself for internship. Once I accurately develop these skills in the course of my study I would be
on the road to career success in advanced business practices.
Development Needs Analysis According to Asselin(2010, p.5), developing a good culture of reading
is part and parcel of any academic excellence in life. Throughout our studies we are presented with
resource materials that are relevant to our disciplines. This means that the materials
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