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Undergraduate Studies ePortfolio

Elvia Adame Psychology, 2010

Personal Statement

Graduating from college has been a dream since I was a child. I remember learning that an education and a career were

important transitions in a person’s life towards a successful and gratifying life. Growing up, my family, teachers, and my own quench

for knowledge kept me strong to reach my goals and eventually continue my education towards a Bachelor’s degree after high school.

The road towards obtaining a degree in Psychology began at Wilbur Wright Community College: one of the city colleges of Chicago. It

was in this institution that I began to explore different areas that could interest me in pursuit of a degree. I remember taking business,

art, criminal investigation, anthropology, political science, biology, and psychology courses to help me decide which career path to take.

It was narrowed down to Psychology when I took a General Psychology course with Instructor Tylka. Her passion for this field inspired

me and filled me with interest. I discovered that Psychology was a field that could help people from many walks of life. It was a

combination of science and the ability to help others: the perfect combination I was looking for.

After finally deciding that Psychology was the field I wanted to continue my studies in, I did my research on the field

and came yet to another decision which was to obtain a master’s degree and a doctorate degree. I knew this was going to be challenging,

yet, just like I had envisioned to continue with school after high school when I was a child, I started to envision myself walking the

stage with a doctorate degree. There were obstacles I knew I had to overcome. My father was laid off from his job and I had to find a

job in 2008. I started working as a Food Service Assistant at Costco Wholesale. Working and going to school were very challening and

also rewarding. Through this change in life, I learned how to prioritize, how to time manage, become more responsible, and more

ambitious.

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Personal Statement

I finally graduated in May, 2009 from Wilbur Wright Community College after three years of taking required courses and

the electives I took to try and discover what I really wanted to do. It was a constant indecision because I learned great things

from each field of study. Thanks to instructor Tylka I heard about Argosy University. She recommended the school and after

looking for information about the school, I had fallen in love with it. Argosy University - Chicago sounded like a great place

to get my Bachelor’s Degree not only because it was what I was looking for as a student, but also because it’s a sister school

to the Professional School of Psychology. At this point I knew that my determinism was stronger than ever. I was accepted at

Argosy University shortly after graduating and as I waited for the fall semester to come around, I had goals to move up the

company. I moved up to Costco Wholesale’s Midwest Regional Buying Office after applying for the position as Inventory

Control Specialist. The process took me three interviews that were challenging and at the same time a learning experience. I

was surprised to get hired at the buying office because I knew there were going to be other applicants with more experience

than myself: I barely had a year with the company. As of today, I consider my position as an Inventory Control Specialist

very rewarding. I have learned and continue to learn a lot of things about the company, people, and decision-making.

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Personal Statement

When I began my first semester at Argosy, I was very excited and also afraid. I had a full-time job and was a full-time

student. This was another challenge I decided to take. My position as a full-time worker and full-time student still continues

and I enjoy every minute of it. I have learned so much in the lapse of a year and a half from my career at Costco and my

pursuit at getting a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Argosy University. As I get closer to graduating, I am looking

forward to taking the skills I have learned from Argosy and Costco into my endeavor towards graduate school. I am also

looking forward to acquiring more skills from graduate school that will make me a competent and successful professional.

My goal at this point in life is to become a Clinical Psychologist. I am aware that perhaps things will get much more

challenging in graduate school than what they are in undergraduate school. I am hoping that the skills I have learned to help

me succeed at work and at Argosy also help me during graduate school. Now that I am older and look back, I must say that I

agree with those that kept reminding me how important school is. My quench for knowledge continues to be as strong as it

was when I was a child dreaming of attending college. I am thankful fow how life has turned out to be and I am looking

forward to helping people and contributing to the field of Psychology as a Clinical Psychologist.

Resume

Elvia Adame936 N. Harding • Chicago, IL 60651 • (773) 563-1502 • adame_elvia@yahoo.com

Objective Seeking a position where my diligence and creativity, will aid in productivity.

Qualifications • Ability to prioritize tasks and complete tasks accurately and on time in deadline-sensitive settings. • Knowledge of Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, FileMaker Pro, and Photoshop. • Computer knowledge: Internet web browsing, rebooting, programming. • Bilingual: Spanish-English. • Typing Skills: 66 wpm. • Detail-oriented.

Experience Costco Wholesale, Chicago, IL Inventory Control Specialist, October 2009 – Present ·Enter and update computer records and reports for buying staff of nationwide retail club warehouses. ·Review department inventory reports weekly and track item replenishment and purchase orders.·Send and track vendor contracts; Send ad and logo agreements.·Communicate with regional buying offices, depots, warehouses, vendors, and members to relate and gather information, and to resolve issues.

Food Service Assistant, August 2008 – October 2009• Provided prompt and courteous member service by greeting members, and thanking members. • Prepared and, sold food and drink items to customers.• Processed sales and collected money. • Cleaned kitchen and eating areas following proper safety and sanitation procedures and standards.• Responsible for opening and closing the department on assigned days.

The Institute of Cultural Affairs: The Learning Basket, Chicago, ILInternship/Translator, February 2007 – July 2007 • Assisted program manager at parent meetings and translated activity instructions. • Translated program evaluations and inserted the information on FileMaker Pro software.• Engaged in light administrative tasks such as data entry, and filing.

Unique Photo Studio, Chicago, IL Photographer Assistant, June 2004 – July 2005• Consulted with customers by phone and in person; answered questions regarding prices, order concerns, and other inquiries. • Processed orders for customers. • Enhanced pictures for customers according to their expectations using Adobe Photoshop.

Education Wilbur Wright College, 2006 – 2009, Chicago, IL Associates Degree in Applied ArtsGPA: 2.7Argosy University, 2009-Present, Chicago, IL Concentration: Psychology

Reflection

When I graduated from my community college, I began to get really excited about finally being able to take the tougher and relevant courses to a Psychology major. I had picked Argosy University as the institution from which I was to acquire a Bachelor's Degree and fulfill my goal towards a life-long career. Since I can remember, I used to imagine myself walking the stage and graduating from a University. This happened perhaps because my parents instilled in me that education was very important if I wanted to succeed in life. Due to that contribution during my process of socialization, I grew up truly grasping their concept about education and treasure those great lessons that today have made me who I am and whom I want to become.

        At Argosy University, I learned so many concepts and theories that have opened my eyes to the world of Psychology. I have learned so much from instructors, classmates, and textbooks. Each time something fascinates me, I have never resisted sharing it with others or applying it to real life situations. I have become more aware about certain social, cultural, and world-wide tribulations that can hinder the way we perceive our surroundings. Having learned the basics of the field,  has prepared me for what I can imagine has yet to come - a more challenging and hands-on journey towards a Master's degree. I have learned that my strengths at  Argosy have evolved into the ability to grasp new ideas and learn concepts and theories pertaining to the field of Psychology. My experience at Argosy has also allowed me to write concisely with relevant information to back up the main focus of my assignments. While I write my  assignments, not only do I show my instructors that I comprehend the material and that I can back it up but I also learn more about the material myself. At Argosy, I have expanded my knowledge about APA format and how to use it approproately. Being able to recognize this format and apply it to my course work has allowed me share valuable information while I credit the original author. Plagiarism is definitely something that is not torelated and therefore learning APA format has become a valuable skill.

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Reflection

It would be selfish to say that all the great skills I have developed at Argosy  are strengths. I have also been able to recognize my flaws and weaknesses as a student. I have learned that I can struggle with having so much information to apply to an assignment but unable to begin the process due to reader's block. I have also learned that although I can understand complex concepts, sometimes it becomes hard to explain them to others. Finally, because of my fascination for acquiring information is huge, I tend to distract myself from acquiring the necessary information for one assignment and read on about other concepts that don't pertain to that specific assignment. This can be a strength as well as that new information can be useful for other assignments however, it takes time away from developing and finishing assignments.

        Today, I am able to recognize that learning is a lifelong experience. Each time, the new skills and information I acquire can be complex but valuable. I cherish my experience as a learner and definitely don't call my program completion at Argosy University the end of my learning experience. Learning is not a part of my self-actualization because learning is something that has no end. What is part of my self-actualization is using knowledge successfully. That is precisely what I am striving for. I am proud to say that as I get closer to completing my program requirements I will be glad to say that I am part of the Argosy Alumni.

 

 

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Reflection

Strengths:

- Ability to grasp new ideas and learn concepts and theories pertaining to the field of Psychology.

-Ability to write concisely with relevant information to back up the main focus of the assignment.

-Ability to understand APA format and use it appropriately.

-Ability to create, organize, and deliver oral presentations.

-Weaknesses:

-Ability to understand complex ideas but sometimes unable to fully explain it

-Need more practice summarizing statistical and evaluative tools

Table of Contents

Academic Work Throughout the Program [Preview can be submitted upon request]:

Cognitive Abilities: Critical Thinking and Information Literacy

– “Stroop Effect”: A paper on measurements of alertness.

Research Skills

– “Shyness and Social Settings that Trigger Measures of Social Behavior Related to Shyness”: A review paper in which findings are on shyness and its correlates.

Communication Skills: Oral and Written

– “Effective Counselors”: A paper on how counselors can make the therapy process successful.

Ethics and Diversity Awareness

– “Confrontation and Ron”: A paper that talks about Gestalt theory and ethical standards a therapist should follow.

Foundations of Psychology

– “Confrontation and Ron”: A paper on helping a person with personal problems based on Gestalt Theory and therapy.

Applied Psychology

– “Women Psychology”: A paper where a program is designed to help battered women.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

– “Design Communications Manual”: A paper on how leadership in the workplace can be better communicators and make the workplace more effective.

My Future in Learning

• Learning is a lifelong experience. I will continue to learn on new concepts, research findings, and experience situations that will aide me throughout my career.

• Argosy has helped me develop skills that will be useful throughout my career and through graduate school.

• My undergraduate program at Argosy has opened my eyes to a vas majority of topics that are relevant to real life social situations.

• Psychology is a field that encourages the well-being of people.

Contact Me

Thank you for viewing my ePortfolio.

For further information, please contact me at the e-

mail address below. adame_elvia@yahoo.com