Running head: SOCIAL INEQUALITY 1 SOCIAL INEQUALITY 2 Social Inequality The existing imbalance in the distribution and acquisition of opportunities and resources within the society according to the social stratification and social norms is what sociologists’ term as social inequality. The social hierarchy dictates which group gets what, how as well as why. This is done according to the social status, positions, class, gender, age, race, wealth and income as well as educational level. According to Karl Max who develops the conflict theory, he indicates that social inequality is caused by the difference in power where the group with the higher power in the society tends to exploit the lesser group. In this process, the ideological difference eventually results into cultural hegemony. The functionalists stated that social inequality is inevitable and desirable which affirms that social inequality plays a significant role in the society. Their idea is that meritocracy exists in a society and is significant since the group occupying higher positions as a result of social stratification should be rewarded much better than the group below them. For these reasons, the essay aims at discussing social inequality in details to help come up with the best explanation the sociologists have agreed for the past few years. Wealth and income difference bring about the difference in social classes in society. Depending on the wealth of an individual, it results in upper class, middle class as well as a lower class which is the poor class(Kurz and Blossfeld, 2004). The various classes have access to entirely different opportunities and resources within the same society. While the upper class has unlimited access to the higher positions and better social services, the lower class can only access the poor services due to wealth difference. The wealthy class lives in mansions while the lower class is made up of the homeless and those who live in poverty in poor conditions. The upper class which consists of the smallest number of people in the society have the advantage of accessing all the better services since they can afford and also according to the social norms, they are highly respected and feared people, and thus they can have what they want. The difference in these social classes leads to social inequality given that only the upper class is entitled to better treatment and they tend to exploit the lower class(Neckerman, 2004). Running head: COMMUNITY POLICING 1 COMMUNITY POLICING 2 Community Policing Brian McNeil Grantham University Introduction Crime is a major cause of economic, social, psychological, and health impacts on victims and the entire community. Crime is a critical societal challenge that is detrimental to people’s and communities’ life. Response to crime has influenced the society to develop community policing as an institution where the community partners with the police to create a safe and secure environment for all.

1. Running head: SOCIAL INEQUALITY 1
SOCIAL INEQUALITY 2
Social Inequality
The existing imbalance in the distribution and acquisition of
opportunities and resources within the society according to the
social stratification and social norms is what sociologists’ term
as social inequality. The social hierarchy dictates which group
gets what, how as well as why. This is done according to the
social status, positions, class, gender, age, race, wealth and
income as well as educational level. According to Karl Max
who develops the conflict theory, he indicates that social
inequality is caused by the difference in power where the group
with the higher power in the society tends to exploit the lesser
group. In this process, the ideological difference eventually
results into cultural hegemony. The functionalists stated that
social inequality is inevitable and desirable which affirms that
social inequality plays a significant role in the society. Their
idea is that meritocracy exists in a society and is significant
since the group occupying higher positions as a result of social
stratification should be rewarded much better than the group
below them. For these reasons, the essay aims at discussing
social inequality in details to help come up with the best
explanation the sociologists have agreed for the past few years.
Wealth and income difference bring about the difference in
social classes in society. Depending on the wealth of an
individual, it results in upper class, middle class as well as a
lower class which is the poor class(Kurz and Blossfeld, 2004).
The various classes have access to entirely different
opportunities and resources within the same society. While the
upper class has unlimited access to the higher positions and
better social services, the lower class can only access the poor
services due to wealth difference. The wealthy class lives in

2. mansions while the lower class is made up of the homeless and
those who live in poverty in poor conditions. The upper class
which consists of the smallest number of people in the society
have the advantage of accessing all the better services since
they can afford and also according to the social norms, they are
highly respected and feared people, and thus they can have what
they want. The difference in these social classes leads to social
inequality given that only the upper class is entitled to better
treatment and they tend to exploit the lower class(Neckerman,
2004).
Running head: COMMUNITY POLICING 1
COMMUNITY POLICING 2
Community Policing
Brian McNeil
Grantham University
Introduction
Crime is a major cause of economic, social, psychological,
and health impacts on victims and the entire community. Crime

3. is a critical societal challenge that is detrimental to people’s
and communities’ life. Response to crime has influenced the
society to develop community policing as an institution where
the community partners with the police to create a safe and
secure environment for all. Law and order in the society were
traditionally maintained exclusively by police officers and in
disregard of active collaboration with members of the society.
The police faced challenges in tackling crime and were
criticized for their unfriendly nature when dealing with
members of the public (Mulugeta & Mekuriaw, 2017).
Community policing was established after the realization
of the necessity of community partnership and involvement.
Despite the establishment of community policing and a wide
range of efforts by law enforcing agencies to minimize crime
levels globally, social disorder and crime are still on the rise.
Signs of multiplicity and complexity of criminal acts and
offenses are seen with the growing globalization, urbanization,
and national development. The benefits of service learning in
affecting community policing includes encouraging students to
take part in their own affairs, and to stop seeing police as
strangers or a problem, but see them as developmental partners.
Learners as community members should act as co-producers of
quality police service and justice. Students should conduct
service learning in community policing to involve the entire
society, the police, and the local government to collaborate in
tackling crime.
Community Policing
The policing concept has existed since time immemorial.
The current role of the police is to perform community duties
that were previously conducted by local citizens such as
peacekeeping, dealing with family problems, conducting
emergency services, and providing assistance during civil
emergencies. Community policing differs from the traditional
policing because the police are no longer the sole protectors of
social order and the law as all members of the society are
actively involved in enhancing the quality and safety of

4. neighborhoods.
Community Organization
The effectiveness of community policing is determined by
the perception of how law enforcers interrelate with the society
and the extent to which police officers believe the public
cooperates with them (Nalla, Modic & Meško, 2014). The
reactive strategies of policing in the past alienated the police
and citizens from one another resulting in a wide range of
reforms instituted by police organizations globally to emphasize
public support. The perceived attitudes by police officers on the
relationship with the community members impact effective
public cooperation with law enforcers and service delivery.
Community policing emphasizes on community organization as
a problem-solving technique establishing a relationship between
the community and police to develop a plan of action to conflict
community problems. Community organization is key in
allowing group cohesion and growth and builds dialogue while
enhancing collaboration. The organization facilitates consensus
and participation within the community in identifying problems
and developing phases of community programs as well as
policies targeting crime prevention (Wiatrowski & Campoverde,
2016). A community partnership in community policing
provides members of the community opportunities to take part
in problem-solving and reflect at the policing process.
Cross-cultural Challenges
Policing in a multicultural society presents a wide range of
issues to the police officers and the community residents. The
most profound change that impact community policing in the
nature of diversity, making police officers struggle with the
issue of race and ethnicity. The struggles have become complex
and challenging because of globalization that has increased the
number of immigrants seeking religious, economic, and political
freedom (Shusta, Levine, Harris & Wong, 2012). Community
policing in a heterogeneous society face considerable
challenged from cross-cultural issues such as language,
ethnicity, culture, and social expectations. Policing is further

5. challenged by cultural and racial tensions and the strongly held
fear and suspicion of the police officers that immigrants have
from their countries of origin.
Humanitarian Considerations
Community policing has made progress in helping
communities in need through social work. The police
departments work in collaboration with social workers to
address community issues to ensure effective intervention,
prevention, and stabilization. Policing has been a critical part of
social services, working alongside the enforcement of the law
against offenders and victims of crimes. Community policing
also emphasize the importance of police officers remaining
secure, safe, and out of harm's way while performing their wide
range of services (Lamin & Teboh, 2016).
Volunteers
Community policing has a police support volunteer program for
individuals willing to spare their time in assisting the local
police force supporting staff and officers. The volunteers are
involved in general administrative work, manning police station
front counters, and role-playing for staff and officer training.
The skilled volunteers are involved in professional work in
areas such as marketing and social media, vehicle maintenance,
CCTV monitoring, and criminal investigation support.
Volunteering in community policing is essential in involving
the public with policing and to become part of the policing
family with the needs and interests of the community at heart.
Barriers to Community policing
Community policing suffers from inherent problems and
limitations just like any other initiative. The main challenge is
organizing community participation because it involves
addressing multifaceted issues such as managing doubts,
motivating community members, and harmonizing divergent
interests (García Chávez, 2012). Implementation of community
policing is challenged by low awareness level of principles of
community policing among members of the society and law

6. enforcers as a result of inadequate sensitization and training.
The policing is also inhibited by the accessibility to community
policing resources, administrative and structural weaknesses as
well as socio-cultural issues.
The policing department faces departmental challenges in
hiring, recruiting, and retaining service-oriented officers. Most
departments operate will a large staff shortage, some shortages
being the result of budget cuts, retirement, profession, and lack
of qualified candidates. Policing is also challenged by
disengaged communities, inability to institute change, publics
of public safety, and funding shortfalls.
Future Vision
The community policing is evolving rapidly in most police
departments across the world. As leaders look and plan for the
future on meeting the needs of the continually changing
communities, they should work on how to collaborate with the
society in addressing crime and disorder issues. The efforts
should be sustained to improve the community’s quality of life
over time. Community policing can be advanced to the next
level through consistent and progressive leadership. The efforts
can be achieved by ensuring rank and file officers are
supportive of the community policing philosophy because they
are the front-line of community policing. The future of
community policing can be promoted by cultivating a new
generation of leaders. This can be achieved by the department
taking advantage of training opportunities to improve specific
skills and create leadership abilities (Diamond & Weiss, 2009).
Improvements
Community policing can be improved by addressing
barriers to its implementation. The government in collaboration
with non-governmental organizations should offer in-service
training to law enforcement personnel in community policing
(Brown et al., 2017). The capacity of the community to
participate in community policing effectively should be built by
the community policing forums organizing more sensation
meetings to community members. The community policing

7. forums and police officers should be provided with adequate
resources by the government in order to conduct their work
effectively. Capacity building of law enforcement authorities
and community forums addressing matters of community
policing administration should be well facilitated by the
government through training. More understanding should be
created to eliminate mistrust that negatively impacts the
implementation of community policing by sensitizing the
government and other stakeholders on the social dynamics of
the community.
Conclusion
Community policing focuses on preventing crime in
collaborative efforts between the police and the society. The
policing is effectively implemented when the police officers are
skilled and trained to mobilize and organize members of the
community to engage actively in the security issues. The gap in
the implementation of community policing can be highlighted
by examining the police department’s activities and seeking
local political support in ensuring an effective future of
community policing. Student learners have a role to play in
engaging in activities that support a broader governance
approach to public safety. Students can also engage in the
policing profession to continue developing and supporting
professional development through training and networking
opportunities to encourage ongoing education.
Reference

8. Brown, R. T., Ahalt, C., Rivera, J., Stijacic Cenzer, I., Wilhelm,
A., & Williams, B. A. (2017). Good Cop, Better Cop:
Evaluation of a Geriatrics Training Program for Police. Journal
of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(8), 1842-1847.
Diamond, D., & Weiss, D. M. (2009). Community policing:
Looking to tomorrow. US Department of Justice, Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services, Police Executive
Research Forum.
García Chávez, T. G. (2012). Perspectives on community
policing: a social constructivist and comparative analysis
(Doctoral dissertation, University of Birmingham).
Lamin, S. A., & Teboh, C. (2016). Police social work and
community policing. Cogent Social Sciences, 2(1), 1212636.
Mulugeta, E., & Mekuriaw, D. (2017). Community Policing:
Practice, Roles, Challenges and Prospects in Crime Prevention
in East Gojjam Administrative Zone. Sociology and
Criminology-Open Access, 05(01). doi: 10.4172/2375-
4435.1000160
Nalla, M. K., Modic, M., & Meško, G. (2014). Community
Policing Reforms and Organizational Changes: An Assessment
of Officers' Perceptions of Community-Police Relations in
Slovenia1. Revija za kriminalistiko in kriminologijo/Ljubljana,
65(4), 272-286.
Shusta, R. M., Levine, D. R., Harris, P. R., & Wong, H. Z.
(2012). Multicultural law enforcement: Strategies for
peacekeeping in a diverse society. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Wiatrowski, M. D., & Campoverde, C. (2016). Community
policing and community organization: assessment and consensus
development strategies. Journal of Community Practice, 3(1), 1-
18.

9. Running head: SERVING LEARNING ORGANIZATION
ROUGH DRAFT 1
SERVING LEARNING ORGANIZATION ROUGH DRAFT 2
Serving Learning Organization – Rough Draft
Ray Wilson
Grantham University
General Education Capstone – GU299
Combatting Senior Isolation with Volunteerism
Senior isolation is a social issue that many of our senior
citizens face today. It is estimated that 40% of our senior
population suffers from senior isolation. Senior isolation in the
elderly has been linked to an increase in illnesses, mortality,

10. depression, elder abuse and a higher incidence of the elderly
needing long term care services. It is one of the largest risks to
our aging senior’s health and well-being. Volunteer work can
help combat senior isolation and have a positive impact on a
senior’s health. Senior citizens make up 15.2 percent of the
total population of the United States according to the 2016
census bureau and it is reported that by 2060 the number of
senior citizens will double. Senior volunteer programs that
promote involvement can assist in combating isolation and the
negative health consequences while keeping our seniors healthy
and active within their communities.
Senior Corps is an organization that currently engages
roughly 220,000 older adults between the ages of 55 and above
within America in service to their communities through its
Foster Grandparent, Senior companion and RSVP programs
according to Nationalservice.gov. Utilizing the strengths and
assets of our seniors today not only keeps our seniors from
isolation but also benefits the communities in which they live.
The primary focus of Senior corps is to utilize the strengths,
skills and attributes of seniors 55 and above to help tutor,
mentor, care for and volunteer to meet the needs of others
within their community while also having mutually positive
benefits to the health and wellness of the aging senior
population. Senior Corp programs not only improve the lives of
those served but also the lives of the senior volunteers.
Service learning opportunities within Senior Corps could
produce beneficial outcomes for the American communities that
Senior Corps volunteers, the partnering universities and the
student service learners reside. The collegiate service learning
students can play an instrumental role in increasing awareness
with marketing strategies including recruitment events and
informative meetings to promote participation, and enrollment
into the programs. Creating and implementing marketing plans
while utilizing their technology skills and social media
platforms, collegiate service learners can assist Senior Corps in
increasing the number of senior volunteers enrolled within each

11. of the programs. Intergenerational learning can promote
valuable relationships and partnerships that help bridge the
generation gap. Service learners in intergeneration settings
report “positive outcomes related to a better understanding of
the older generation, enjoyment of interacting with the elders,
appreciation of the life experiences and personal insights shared
by the elders, and most importantly, they agreed that
intergenerational learning was achieved” Tarn, M. (2014).
Senior adults report physical health, mental health, and
decreased morbidity benefits related to volunteerism. Roland,
C., & Van Puymbroeck, M. (2007). Senior volunteerism can
combat senior isolation and lead to health and wellness benefits
for participating seniors. It is vital that more of the senior
population is aware of the risks associated with senior isolation
and get involved. Service learners at Senior Corps can be
instrumental in promoting volunteerism and increase the number
of senior volunteers nationwide.
Senior Corps helps meet many needs of American communities
while also providing benefits to their senior volunteers. The
Senior Corp programs of Foster Grandparent, Senior Companion
and RSVP were originally separate but combined into one
organization in 1993 under the corporation for National and
Community service by president Bill Clinton according to
Nationalservice.gov. Foster Grandparents utilizes the
experiences of the volunteers to assist and tutor children and
mentor children with difficult lives. The Senior Companion
program pairs volunteers with other older Americans that need
assistance with every day activities. The programs goal is to
keep seniors in their homes longer and provide companionship
to the elderly senior and any possible caregivers. The Retired
and Senior Volunteer Program or RSVP program serves a
variety of needs within communities ranging from disaster
relief, education needs to future needs. Utilizing the senior
volunteer strengths gives the senior a sense of community and
also helps diminish biases against the elderly. Service learning
opportunities within Senior Corps have the ability to build

12. relationships between generations helping to change the way
that younger generations perceive seniors. The learning
experiences within Senior Corp could benefit many different
degree programs ranging from human resources, business
administration, human services and marketing to name a few.
The experience of marketing Senior Corp, recruitment strategies
and administrative duties could be a beneficial attribute for
students in their occupations after graduation.
Senior Corps has partnered in the past with many large
corporations such as the AARP, Catholic Charities, and the
United Way. They also have many corporate supporters such as
Google, Southwest Airlines and Walmart. These partnerships
would provide valuable experiences for the student service
learner to have a greater understanding of how collaboration
from these partnerships leads to new and innovative ideas, a
greater understanding of civic duties and how they can make a
difference within their communities. Student service learners
could collaborate with senior Corp volunteers, corporate
supporters and corporate partnerships to outreach to the
communities and raise funds and supplies needed for the senior
volunteers and the population that they serve. Taking this
intergenerational approach together can benefit both the student
and the senior volunteer. Student learners could be involved in
project management agendas to increase corporate partnerships
with other organizations that would benefit from the skills of
the senior volunteers and assist in meeting their needs of the
organization.
The Senior Corp organization relies on volunteers of the ages
55 and up to provide the volunteer needs of their established
programs. The volunteers work with the organization to decide
the best placement and use of their skills and assets within the
three programs. Service learning students can assist the senior
volunteer with the administrative duties that surround correct
placement within the programs. Increasing senior volunteer
enrollment and senior participation within Senior Corps is vital
for continued growth and success of their organization. Student

13. service learning opportunities within the recruitment of seniors
can dramatically impact the future of Senior Corp.
Senior Corps approaches the needs of the communities they
serve with mainly a solidarity approach. Challenges of service
learning at Senior Corps may include acceptance, respect,
differences of beliefs associated with diverse locations and
diverse clientele within communities. Addressing these
societal, cultural, and potential risks can also serve as learning
opportunities for the service learning student. The programs are
designed to enhance and set in motion change for the future
populations they serve to work together for betterment of the
community. “Communities must embrace senior citizens as a
resource, instead of considering them merely a client group that
must be served” (Keating, Tornishima, Alessandri, 2002).
Valuing our seniors and bridging the biases associated with
aging can create unified communities of which value is placed
on all ages and lead to increased health and well-being of the
senior population. Shadowing the senior volunteers assigned to
the three programs would enhance the service learning students
understanding of the programs and lead to a greater passion
with recruitment, placement and other administrative aspects
that benefit the senior volunteers. Combining the skill set of
the senior volunteer with a student has shown to “enhance
psychological and social well-being of the older adult and the
student” (Au, A.,Ng,E, Garner, B., Lai, S., & Chan, K. (2015).
Senior Corps vision is to utilize the strengths of the senior
population to strengthen the communities throughout America
by improving the lives of those in need and improving the lives
of seniors. The health benefits of the senior volunteer programs
are reported to decrease health issues, anxiety, depression and
social isolation of the volunteer senior. Senior Corp volunteers
report “enhanced physical capacity, and higher life satisfaction”
according to Senior Corps.com. Wilhelm 2007, reported that
senior volunteeringhelps strengthen social ties during a
potentially difficult time in life. Addressing the community
needs while engaging senior volunteers assists in combating

14. senior isolation and helps strengthen communities throughout
America. Challenges exist in the marketing to potential senior
volunteers and continued funding to the programs themselves.
Service learning opportunities with a focus on recruitment and
community outreach to senior living communities, community
centers, churches and libraries to name a few can be performed
by the service learning student to help address these challenges
and reach potential volunteers. A study as reported by
SeniorCorps.com in 2014 on their Foster Grandparents and
Senior Companions programs found that approximately 90% of
Foster Grandparents and 83% of Senior Companions were
women. In addition to 41% of Foster Grandparents and 38% of
Senior Companion volunteers were African American.
Recruitment strategies and events to increase the number of
male volunteers paired with strategies and events to increase the
number of volunteers of diversity would assist Senior Corps in
better serving a diverse community. The inequality of gender
situation not only prevents men from enjoying the benefits of
helping others but also deprives charities of their skills
according to Gienow.M. (2009). The student service learners
can personally utilize the information provided by service
learning to “develop strategies, create marketing plans, and
improve internal operations or at a minimum provide reference
or support for their previous thoughts” Visenor, N., Souza, T.,
& Ertmer, J. (2016). Administrative assistance within the
administrative office to keep funding avenues open with items
such as potential grants can also offer student learning
experiences for the student learner. Zedlewski, S. & Schaner S.
(2006) note that Congress should consider the value of
expanding programs that target senior volunteerism such as
Senior Corps and other volunteer opportunities as boomers
approach their retirement years. Volunteering is believed to
assume an especially important role among the elderly,
particularly if they are retired, since it can help protect them
from the pitfalls of retirement, physical decline, and inactivity,
becoming serious leisure, Wilson and Musick (2000).

15. Participation in volunteer programs and increasing the
awareness of the health benefits can assist in tackling the issues
surrounding senior isolation. Service learning experiences
within Senior Corps has the potential to dramatically increase
the number of senior volunteers participating and increase the
health and wellness of our seniors and future generations.
Promoting senior volunteerism by educating seniors on the risks
associated with senior isolation, by increasing recruitment and
outreach to the senior population. Through service learning at
Senior Corps the students will gain intergenerational
experiences helping address the biases associated with the aging
population and set in motion positive change. Service learners
at Senior Corps would experience collaboration between the
youth and the aging population utilizing resources from both
generations for the betterment of all the communities served.
Increased recruitment of senior volunteers is fundamental to the
health and well-being of our senior population.
REFERENCES
Au, A., Ng, E., Garner, B., Lai, S., & Chan, K. (2015).
Proactive Aging and Intergenerational Mentoring Program to
Promote the Well-Being of Older Adults: Pilot Studies. Clinical
Gerontologist, 38(3), 203–210.

16. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2017/cb17-
100.html
Gienow, M. (2009). Wanted: More Men Committing More Time
to Charities. Chronicle of Philanthropy, 21(22), 21.
Keating, L. M., Tomishima, M. A., Foster, S., & Alessandri, M.
(2002). The Effects of a Mentoring Program on At-Risk
Youth. Adolescence, 37(148), 717.
http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/senior-corps/senior-
corps-and-health-benefits
https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/senior-corps
Roland, C., & Van Puymbroeck, M. (2007). Research Update:
Seniors Benefit from Volunteerism. Parks & Recreation, 42(5),
26–29.
Tam, M. (2014). Intergenerational Service Learning Between
the Old and Young: What, Why and How. Educational
Gerontology, 40(6), 401–413.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2013.822201
The Health Benefits of Volunteering for Older Americans a
Review of Recent Research, Fact Sheet, May 2012
Visenor, N., Souza, T., & Ertmer, J. (2016). Benefits of
participating in service-learning, business-related classes:
Assessing the impact on community partners. Journal for
Research in Business Education, 58(1), 1-15.
Wilhelm, I. (2007). Volunteering Leads to Longer and Healthier
Life, Report Finds. Chronicle of Philanthropy, 19(15), 33.
Wilson, J., & Musick, M. A. (2000). The effects of volunteering
on the volunteer. Law and Contemporary Problems, 62(4), 141–
168.
Zedlewski, S. & Schaner S. (2006). Older Adults Engaged as
Volunteers. The Retirement Project, Productive Aging. Number
5, pg. 5

17. GU299 WEEK 7 REFLECTION
GU299 Week 7 Reflection Journal
Nicole Jensen
Grantham University
How did you experience and practice the university learning
outcomes in previous courses at Grantham University?
Through posting and responding to both instructors and fellow
students on discussion boards and by critiquing others work.
How did you experience and practice these university learning

18. outcomes in this course?
By implementing what I’ve learned in my daily routing and
continued interaction with other students and instructors.
How would you like to continue developing the skills associated
with the university learning outcomes outside of the classroom
– what specific actions can you take? What obstacles might
exist and how might you overcome those? What resources or
help might you need? How could you find this help?
Lifelong learning, public speaking and communication. As I
will be working in administration and business management, it
is apparent to me that I will never stop learning how to better
my communications skills and dedicating my time to take more
classes to discover ways of bettering those skills and in keeping
up-to-date with updated laws and/or procedures will benefit me
greatly.
How will the skills associated with the university learning
outcomes contribute to your career goals?
I’m certain my writing skills will be of great contribution in my
chosen career as well as the budgeting and business law and
public speaking courses as these directly relate to
administration and business management.
Write down at least one question you have about your
organization, your research project, or this course in general?
I don’t have any questions as they would relate to my chosen
organization, research project or this course in general. I would
like to address that I enjoyed this course as the questions asked
in a few discussion posts forced me to discuss and respond to
things widely out of my comfort zone. And for that, I am
grateful.

19. Running head: REFLECTION JOURNAL1
REFLECTION JOURNAL 8
Week 5 Reflection Journal
Nicole Jensen
Grantham University
· How do Communication skills connect with the course
material this week? How did Communication skills help you

20. with your research this week?
I have discovered how communication relates to students
involved in service learning and their mentors.
· Write down at least one specific aspect of Communication
that you need to still develop and describe how you could work
on developing that aspect.
Confidence in sharing my skills. At times I stand tall and
trust in my ability but then there are days when I lack in that
ability. Improving on that, it might help to expose myself more
to situations in which I am actively being challenged to step out
of my comfort zone.
· How does Communication connect to achieving your career
goals?
Communication carries a lot of weight in my current career. As
an independent photographer I am in constant communication
with my clients and those who I might collaborate with on a
professional level. This will carry over into Business
Management as it too involves constant communication with
clients and employees.
· Based on your work in the course as well as general education
courses at Grantham University, explain what Communication
means to you.
Communication is the sharing and receiving of information.
Actively listening and responding. Not only in verbal form but
also through social media, email, text, and actions.
· Describe a specific assignment, presentation, or project you
worked on in one of your past courses at Grantham University
that allowed you to develop your Communication skills?
Intro to Public Speaking. Throughout this course I was
challenged with every assignment, to communicate clearly and
precisely. Assignments were to make short video recordings of
myslef in which I would communicate specific items. For
example, making my favorite dessert from scratch and
communicating step-by-step instructions while actively doing
them.
· Write down at least one question you have about your

21. organization, your research project, or this course in general?
Being a Den Leader in the Scouts directly involves active
communication from mentor to mentees. As we are currently
discussing communications, wouldn’t you agree that my
research organization fits this week’s subject matter perfectly?
Reflection Journal
Nicole Jensen
Grantham University
· How does Critical Thinking connect with the course material
this week? How did Critical Thinking help you with your
research this week?
I believe I use critical thinking in every aspect of my live not
just with my research work. However, this week I did not do
any research as I simply used what I had already worked on and
used that as my inspiration for this week’s assignment.
· Write down at least one specific aspect of Critical Thinking
that you need to still develop and describe how you could work
on developing that aspect.
I need to work on synthesis. I can improve on that by actively
participating in things that challenge me to think outside the

22. box.
· How does Critical Thinking connect to achieving your career
goals?
In management, I believe this to be a great part of my career.
Being able to find the best possible solution for everyone
involved will most likely challenge my use of critical thinking.
· Based on your work in the course as well as general education
courses at Grantham University, explain what Critical Thinking
means to you.
Keeping an open mind in order to find the best conclusion.
· Describe a specific assignment, presentation, or project you
worked on in one of your past courses at Grantham University
that allowed you to develop Critical Thinking?
I remember taking an entire course on critical thinking. I was
challenged to pick a subject and give my thoughts and
arguments on the subject while considering the opposing sides
therefore, finding the best possible solution.
· Write down at least one question you have about your
organization, your research project, or this course in general?
How would a mentor best explain to a student that thinking
critically will aid in their success while volunteering?
Week 2 Reflection Journal
GU299 General Education Capstone
Week 2 Reflection Journal

23. Nicole Jensen
Grantham University
Professional, Ethical, and Social Responsibility
1) How does Professional, Ethical, and Social Responsibility
connect with the course material this week? How did
Professional, Ethical, and Social Responsibility help you with
your research this week?
Social responsibility is ethical. Simply put, it’s an organization
or individual, acting in ways which benefit society at large.
This week’s course material relates to social responsibility in
ways of introducing both direct and project-based service.
Project based service for example, refers to group efforts in
reaching a common goal while developing the required process
in order to achieve it. Ethical responsibility means to be able to
identify, understand and act upon principles and values as they
relate to the standards within a context. While studying this
week’s course material, I’ve discovered that as a student it is
my ethical responsibility to identify and clearly understand the
skills needed to carry out a given project and that I should be
aware of the consequences if acting beyond responsibilities as
they have been agreed to. Professional responsibility essentially
means to act in a professional manner, avoid conflicts of
interest, and put the interests of clients first. The course
material addresses, negligence, intentional or criminal
misconduct and invasion of privacy. This, I believe, ties into
professional responsibility. In short, the meaning of the three

24. responsibilities are all very similar in context. They address
legal and moral responsibilities. It provided the basic standards
an organization should follow which helped me with my
assignment research.
2) Write down at least one specific aspect regarding
Professional, Ethical, and Social Responsibility that you need to
still develop and describe how you could work on developing
that aspect.
Personally, I feel I should work on bettering my social
responsibility. Volunteering has not been my focal point until
just recently. As my son now attends a local charter school,
parents are required to volunteer at least 24 hours of service
hours. This has introduced me to many new things I actually
enjoy which makes it much easier for me to take that step.
3) How does Professional, Ethical, and Social Responsibility
connect to achieving your career goals?
Keeping these three responsibilities in the foreground, I am able
to reach my professional goal of maintaining the integrity of all
aspects within business management. To successfully manage
any business, one should always understand the most beneficial
outcome while maintaining the legal and ethical standards.
4) Based on your work in the course as well as general
education courses at Grantham University, explain what
Professional, Ethical, and Social Responsibility means to you.
I personally relate these responsibilities to mean acting in ways
which reflect in a positive manner, both moral and professional
while accomplishing a goal.
5) Describe a specific assignment, presentation, or project you
worked on in one of your past courses at Grantham University
that allowed you to develop your Professional, Ethical, and
Social Responsibility?
Grantham Universities Business Law course challenged me in
ways which directly reflect these three responsibilities as it
provided scenarios which were all mostly social, ethical and
professional in context.
6) Write down at least one question you have about your

25. organization, your research project, or this course in general?
I am having difficulties in understanding the difference in civic
engagement and volunteering. Isn’t volunteering to be a scout
or den leader within the boy scouts a civic engagement?
Running head: RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
1
Running head: RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
4
Reflection Journal
Week 3 “Respect for Diversity”
Nicole Jensen
Grantham University
How does Respect for Diversity connect with the course
material this week?
Respect for diversity relates to the composure of various
qualities and elements (BLANTON, 2012). This week’s course
material addresses issues which impact diversity. Working as a
team is essential as work environments consists of diverse

26. groups, working together in achieving a common goal or solving
challenges. Therefore, promoting respect for diversity in race,
gender and/or beliefs.
Additionally, this week's material covers creating cultural
connections as well as the importance of it and the necessary
steps in creating cultural connections.
How did Respect for Diversity help you with your research this
week?
Week 3 course material focuses on the importance of breaking
cultural barriers. Respect for diversity has strengthened my
ability to approach anyone of a different ethnicity, race,
religion and/or gender without concern. I believe my research
relating to this week’s material has been motivated having
understood the importance of respecting diversity.
One specific aspect of Respect for Diversity I need to still
develop and how I plan to work on developing that aspect.
I believe there’s room for me to develop a better understanding
in gender-neutral for groups which originally were gender-
specific. It’s a personal challenge to adapt to these changes,
even if I understand the concept behind it, I don’t agree that
these are necessary changes. Now that I am directly involved in
such a change, as my son is now a cub scout and gender-
neutrality has been integrated into the scouts, I find myself
motivated to better understand the concept and soon I hope to
find a level of acceptance to this change.
How does Respect for Diversity connect to achieving my career
goals?
In administration and management, as well as any other
business we most likely always work with a diverse group of
people. Therefore, we should learn to respect various diversities
as to adjust to many environments. In a personally aspect,
Respect for Diversity has shaped me to accept and work diverse
groups of people. Knowing and understanding the importance of
diversity aids in realizing project goals.
What Respect for Diversity means to me

27. My interpretation of Respect for Diversity is the ability to
embrace all races, religions, genders, cultures, as well as ethnic
communities. Therefore, making it easier to achieve a common
goal and negating possible obstacles these differences might
have caused if I hadn’t embraced them.
Specific project relating to Respect for Diversity
I wouldn’t just pin point my experience to one project or
assignment, as I believe all discussion posts enabled me to
develop Respect for Diversity. What’s interesting here is that
everyone posting here is diverse in gender, culture, and sexual
orientation as well as social and economic background. This
level of diversity coupled with the need to achieve the common
goal of helping each other better understand course materials,
empowers us to work together in meeting course requirements.
This has strengthened my acceptance to diversity which aids in
my Respect for Diversity.
One question you have about your organization, your research
project, or this course in general.
As I will most likely be working in leadership positions, I’m
interested in how you would advise a student or employee
having difficulty working with groups of varying backgrounds,
based on your experience teaching Respect for Diversity?

28. References
BLANTON, C. (2012). Respecting Diversity: What does this
mean?. [Online] Daughters of Eve. Available at:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/daughtersofeve/2012/03/respecti
ng-diversity-what-does-this-mean/ [Accessed 27 Jan. 2018].
Bolkus, N. (2012). Political Aspects of Diversity - Social
Justice in a Changing Australia. [Online] Australian
Government- Department of Social Services. Available at:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/003138306010789
93 [Accessed 27 Jan. 2018].
Running head: WEEK 4 JOURNAL 1
GU299 General Education Capstone
Week 4 Journal
Nicole Jensen
Grantham University

29. 1. How does Life Long Learning connect with the course
material this week? How does Life Long Learning help you
with your research this week?
Lifelong learning relates to this week’s material by the
enhancement of social inclusion and personal development.
Learning expands beyond the classroom and workplace.
2. Write down at least one specific aspect regarding Life Long
Learning that you need to still develop and describe how you
could work on developing that aspect.
I find it difficult to pinpoint just one aspect I could improve on.
In life, I find myself learning new things daily. With every new
day, comes a new challenge and discovering how to solve or
master these, lets me experience unique and new aspects of life.
3. How does Life Long Learning connect to achieving your
career goals?
In my current career I have reached my short-term goal. It is my
long-term goal to advance into a higher leadership position and
eventually open an independent affiliation. It is only through
learning that I will achieve this goal.
4. Based on your work in the course as well as general
education courses at Grantham University, explain what Life
Long Learning means to you.
Personally, I find the meaning of Life Long Learning to be
learning and discovering new things daily and being an active
member of the community while becoming a well-rounded
person.
5. Describe a specific assignment, presentation, or project you
worked on in one of your past courses at Grantham University
that allowed you to develop Life Long Learning?
Public speaking. This course helped me develop and master my
skills in being more comfortable with presenting a topic to large
group of people.
6. Write down at least one question you have about your
organization, your research project, or this course in general?
As this relates to Life Long Learning, I find myself wondering
why it is a graded course? The term itself indicates that these

30. are life lessons which everyone discovers in a unique way while
experiencing life. I’m still unclear as to why Life Long
Learning is a graded course.
Week 1 Reflection Journal
GU299 General Education Capstone
Week 1 Reflection Journal
Nicole Jensen
Grantham University
Upon the successful completion of this course, I will have
received my associate degree in both business administration as
well as business management. With the receipt of my degree it
is my long-term goal to take my administrative career to its
highest level. Optimally, I plan to work full-time in my career
field and obtain maximum experience which will award me the
knowledge to successfully operate a small business of my own.
By taking the step to commit to a degree program, it was
my ultimate goal to set a good example for my son and to
provide a better future for my family. Additionally, I hope to
secure a lifestyle which will bring me pride and joy, and one

31. that makes me feel fulfilled as well as successful.
Social, Ethical and Professional Responsibility were
introduced to me at new levels which resonated most with me in
regard to respect for diversity when I worked on several
assignments within the strategies for decision making course
offered by Gantham University. During the course, I was
continuously challenged to consider all aspects of possible
scenarios I am likely to face as I grow in my administrative
career. By studying these strategies, I was able to strengthen
my abilities in thinking more objectively. This opened my mind
to a new-found respect for diversity, strengthened my
communication skills and provided me quality lifelong learning.
With that, I recognize that I have yet to strengthen my
communication skills. I find public speaking to be my weakest
skill as I have yet to master my tone and how to best present
myself to a crowd. On the other hand, I find my strongest
ability to be respect for diversity. As a military child, former
active duty service member and spouse to a retired U.S. Army
soldier, I have been exposed to diverse cultures. I have learned
about and found respect for varying mannerisms as well as
beliefs.
Community service could help me strengthen my
communication skills as I might encounter a service which
requires me to speak with a crowd of people in order to
motivate them to participate in activities. With that, I am
simultaneously gaining in my strongest asset as I am able to
identify varying cultures and how interact in ways which will
honor their beliefs.
As I research the boy scouts, one bias I might encounter is
allowing members of the opposite sex to become members. The
name in itself indicates that this is an organization consisting of
just the male gender. However, having served in the military at
a time when there was still a lot of gender profiling, I have
learned to be much more objective to gender neutrality. This
could be a great tool in overcoming my personal bias in
allowing the merge of both genders within the boy scouts.

32. One question I hope to find an answer to while researching
the boy scouts is why it was decided to allow the merge of
genders in the first place. This might open my mind to many
more questions in the future which will fuel my curiosity much
more and hopefully provide me with the proper tools to
complete this course successfully.