Running head: PORTFOLIO PROCESS REFLECTION

Portfolio Process Reflection

Jacob A. Hartz
Seattle University
SDAD 5900: Capstone Seminar
Erica K. Yamamura, Ph.D.

PORTFOLIO PROCESS REFLECTION

Creating my portfolio turned out to be more of a challenge than I initially perceived it to

be. I think I started out the process by looking at my portfolio as just a collection of work,
specifically, my best work throughout my time in the SDA program. However, the more I began
to click, drag, and curate documents for my portfolio, the more I understood the process as a
visual snapshot of my journey and more about how I have transformed rather than what I have
completed. With this understanding, I shied away from the idea of just showcasing what I
thought to be my best work, and instead refocused on what the SDA program has meant to me
and how it has informed large portions of my life.
Initially I found it difficult to proceed from this change. I was constantly rethinking what
documents I should showcase, how much of me do I put on display through my portfolio, and
what do I want the key takeaways from my portfolio to be. The SDA program and the portfolio
process has been an interesting balance of being my authentic self as well as what the SDA
program ultimately produces, Student Affairs professionals. Considering my shift in professions
nearly halfway through the program, I struggled to understand my professional interests in light
of the program. The portfolio process assisted in consolidating my experiences and producing a
final narrative for me to reflect on. I found that by allowing myself to critically reflect on the
documents that best demonstrate who I am as a person and as a professional, my portfolio began
to form organically. For instance, in all honesty, at first I did not at all want to showcase My
Philosophy on the Student Affairs Profession as Artifact C3. Not because I do not think it is well
written, but more because I felt the content does not adequately reflect who I have grown to be.
However, after thinking it over, I decided that this artifact really helped to formulate my
understanding of the profession and where my interests lie within it.

PORTFOLIO PROCESS REFLECTION

By understanding the portfolio as a process to demonstrate growth and development, I

recognize that my decision to include this paper is a large step for me in terms of developing
contentment around my role in the program and its impact on me. As I mentioned, navigating
two different professional focuses, blending course content into a new environment, and
realizing the implications of my choice to pursue a different area initially caused some
discomfort. However, the portfolio process really allowed me to showcase who I have become
how I have applied what I have learned through Seattle University.