E-FOLIO MEMOIRS

■ What were the best and worst parts of the Senior Project/Senior Seminar?
The best parts of my Senior Project/Senior Seminar were learning valuable things that I will need in the future. I
learned what career I want to pursue via my Senior Project at Mayo Clinic. I learned a lot about different kinds of
financial information that will be extremely useful in being a responsible adult. The worst part of my Senior
Project/Senior Seminar was the nervous anticipation going into these things. I wasn’t really sure what to expect,
so walking in blind was a little nerve wracking.
■ List three things you now know after completing your Senior Project.
After completing my Senior Project, I now know that there are numerous careers in the Allied Health Science Field
that not a lot of people know about. These careers do a lot of behind the scenes work that not many people notice
but are vital to the healthcare team. I also learned that lab work is not suitable for me. I prefer working hands-on
with patients rather than working with materials in a lab. Finally, I now know that Respiratory Therapy is what I
want to pursue as a career in the future. Going into this project, I didn’t really think much of Respiratory Therapy,
but after completing the program, I was pleasantly surprised and extremely interested in doing it in the future.
■ Which aspect of the Senior Project/Senior Seminar stretched you the most? How did you feel about and react to
this challenge?
One part of my Senior Project that was the biggest stretch for me was meeting new people and being in a
professional environment. I am not the most outgoing person, so being in a new environment with new people
made me a little nervous. However, I made friends very quickly and was able to confidently interact with the staff
and my peers in professional environments.
■ How has the Senior Project/Senior Seminar changed you (skills, attitudes, work habits, capabilities, confidence,
poise, presentation, etc.)?
This Senior Project/Senior Seminar experience has taught me a lot of professionalism through my experiences at
Mayo Clinic, the mock interviews, and the presentations from other speakers and my own. My confidence in these
areas has increased dramatically, and I will carry these skills with me in the future.
■ Has this experience influenced your future plans?
This experience taught me that, of all the careers I was shown, Respiratory Therapy is the one I want to pursue in
the future. I plan to attend North Dakota State University and get my bachelor’s degree in Respiratory Care.
■ What would you do differently if you had to do the whole Senior Project/Senior Seminar process again?
If I were to do the senior project over again, I would have kept a more open mind. During my Senior Project at
Mayo, I went in thinking there were some programs that I didn’t have much interest in and others that I was
extremely interested in. On more than one occasion I was surprised with how interesting some of these careers
were. For example, I didn’t think much of the Respiratory Therapy program, but it ended up being the career field I
want to go into in the future.
■ What advice do you have for next year’s seniors?
One piece of advice I have for next year's seniors is to keep an open mind during the Senior Project and Senior
Seminar. I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this and how much I would learn from it, so having an open
mind can really help to soak in all of the information and be able to apply it for life as an adult.
■ What grade would you give yourself for your Senior Project and what justification do you have for that grade?
I would give myself an A for my Senior Project because I went out of my comfort zone and volunteered for almost
all of the activities they offered during the programs which helped me to get some hands-on perspective. I was
asking questions and engaging with all of my peers and the staff, which helped me gain confidence in my skills.