Natasha reflects on what she has learned in her professional writing class. She discusses key lessons around newsletter creation, communication skills, the importance of peer review, and developing professionalism and patience. Natasha recognizes the value of these skills for her future career goals. She is motivated to challenge herself each semester and make a difference through taking on opportunities like creating a logo for her club and running for a leadership position.

1. Final Reflection
Professional Writing
Natasha DeVita

2. What I’ve Learned
• I thought this class couldn’t get much better
when doing my midterm project. The class
was already so intriguing that I figured that is
how it would continue to be. To my surprise,
the class got even better.
• I have learned so much that I don’t even know
where to start. Here are my main points to
cover:
– Newsletter Use
– Communication
– Peer Review
– Professionalism/Patience

3. Newsletter
I always read newsletters and wonder how they are done since I
am in a club that could issue out newsletters! Here is what I
gathered:
• I learned that there are websites that offer help with making a newsletter.
I also learned about the format necessary to catch the reader’s attention
and even how to write a small paragraph that would get the most
attention!
– This is important to learn because in the business world, newsletter
are used like they are bottles of water, which is constantly!
– It was also great to learn about the writing needed to get the readers
attention throughout the newsletter!

4. Communicatio
nI learned so much about communication,
mostly from the proposal we had to write.
Good examples of how I learned about
communication are:
– I communicated with my professor and got good
ideas and tips about the proposal, along with
understanding more about the proposal.
– I also took what my peers had to say into
consideration when starting the proposal. They all
truly enjoyed my topic when it was posted for
approval!
– You can never learn too much about
communication and it is INCREDIBLY important if
you are considering getting involved with a
successful career!

5. Peer Review
Throughout the semester, the people I had reviewing my papers didn’t help very
much and I was waiting for someone who actually cared enough to help. My
reviewers for the proposal were absolutely incredible and they helped me more
than they will ever know!
• I have learned from my proposal reviewers that it is very important to take
other people’s work seriously because in the end you will have helped a peer
take their paper to a new level!
• It’s important to learn this because as a growing student, I want others to take
my paper seriously but first, I have to do the same for them.
• I enjoyed seeing what my peers had to say and having two people review my
paper was brilliant because I got two perspectives and some things that one
student caught, the other didn’t and vice versa!

6. Professionalism & Patience
I learned about these two qualities through the proposal
paper because of the paper I had to review from a peer.
She absolutely did not like the club that I’m passionate
about because it changed my entire life. This is what I
learned throughout the course, which I used here:
– Wait and come back after you have cooled down
– Remember to stay professional even if you disagree with
someone’s viewpoint.
– Make suggestions, not demands, so that the writer can review
their thought process.
I found this to be the best lesson I learned since it’s
important to remember that we are professionals just
looking to help each other.

7. Future use for what I have learned:
• Every single class requires communication, patience, and professionalism,
among many other things. The future jobs I will do my best to succeed in will
demand these characteristics from their workers and this was a process for me
to find out that I truly possess the traits that are needed to succeed. This course
truly has helped me grow to the next level, preparing me for what is to come.
Goals I will set:
• My goal is to challenge myself every semester to make something that will make
me proud of what I have accomplished. I want to make a difference and the first
step to making a difference is going out and DOING it!

8. This class truly gave me the courage and confidence to try things that I
wouldn’t have. As I’d usually pass the opportunity to do something
great, I have taken my chances and shown that I can make a difference.
 My first step: I created the logo that will represent DROP
from now on and have turned the proposal in to the clubs
officers, along with running for secretary of the club.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Natasha DeVita

9. D.R.O.P.
Dominican Republic
Outreach Program
D.R.O.P.
Dominican Republic
Outreach Program