SYLLABUS
PORTfolio 311: Director's Seminar Fall 2004
Instructor
Dr. Tom Fanney
phone: 455-3372 (VWC), 963-6983 (home)
e-mail: trfanney@vwc.edu
web: http://www.facultystaff/~trfanney
Meeting times
Each Wednesday evening, beginning September 1, 6:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.
Readings
PORTfolio 311 Director’s Seminar (1 Credit)
Like most PORTfolio courses, PORT 311 is a blend of the practical and the theoretical. Designed to provide a venue for PORTfolio students to investigate in depth some topic of relevance as well as have an opportunity to stay abreast of current developments in career and graduate school planning, the class meets one a week over dinner with visiting speakers and presentations by Career Services staff. Prerequisite: Sophomore status in the PORTfolio Program or permission from the director of PORTfolio. Offered each fall.
This semester's topic is: What is really important in your life and why?
Some questions we will ask ourselves:
• How do we establish what's important?
• What are the values, the people, the practices, the experiences, the things, which have priority in our lives? How do you determine them?
• When and where are these priorities relevant?
• How do they shape our daily lives?
• Can what's important change?
• If so, how does what's important change?
My world is made meaningful not by what I can evaluate and define, but what I can
appreciate and adore. I find there is a profound difference in what I find interesting and what is important.
—Ann E. Hossler, organist (Sacred Journey, June 2004)
First I though my life 's work was ... And then I thought my life's work was ... Then I
thought my life 's work was ... Now ...whatever I'm doing now is my life 's work, even if it 's siting by the window.
—Ram Dass, (interview in Whole Life Times, Oct. 2003)
I can't help but think that at the end of your life, when you look back, there'll be a tone. And that tone will come from the essence of how you live your day-to-day —what you did in that between time—because that is really your life.
—Richard Linklater, film director (MovieMaker, spring 2003)
The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.
—Martin Luther King
What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers.
—Martina Homer, President of Radcliffe College
Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.
—H. L. Hunt, oil tycoon
What's really important in life ? Sitting on a beach ? Looking at television eight hours a day? I think we have to appreciate that wetre alive for onlya limited period of time, and we'll spend most of our lives working. That being the case, I believe one of the most important priorities is to do whatever we do as well as we can. We should take pride in that.
—Victor Kiam, entrepreneur
Set priorities for your goals. A major part of successful living lies in the ability to put first things first. Indeed, the reason most major goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.
—Robert J. McKain, inspirational author and speaker
Class Participation: Attendance at all class sessions is required as well as active participation in class and on-line discussions. There will be no excused absences. Emergencies will be handled case by case. On-line discussion: By Monday noon, each week, you are to make two postings on BlackBoard: the first should be a reflective summary of and personal response to that's week's speaker, presentation or discussion, the other should be a thoughtful reaction on someone else's posting.
Reflection Paper: You will write a three-page essay, reflecting on and explaining what's important to you. If you, as a result of something in this course, your priorities have changed or how you regard what is important in your life has changed, document that. This is to be posted on your PORTfolio web page as well as handed in as a hard copy. These are due at noon Monday, December 6.
Course Policies
Attendance: Students are required to attend class. Missing class means missing a key component of learning that is to take place in this course. There is no reasonable manner in which this experience can be recreated. Thus, no class absences will be excused. Each absence will result in your final grade being decreased by 5 percent. I realize that it may be impossible for you to attend class because of circumstances beyond your control. Such emergencies will be handled on a case by case basis. As persons who respect others time and effort, we all should be on time. Tardiness is a sign of disrespect to the instructors, your classmates and our invited guests. Personal responsibility is an important value necessary for success in life. Personal responsibility begins with showing up on time and prepared.
Academic Honesty: Other important values are mutual trust and honor. Any community, certainly a community of scholars, cannot flourish without them. In the academic world, it is an unacceptable breach of trust to represent the thoughts or writings of others as your own. Disrespect for this ethical standard in the form of cheating, plagiarism, or any other act intended to advance your comparative standing in this course by deceit or interference with the work of others will be treated as a violation of the Virginia Wesleyan Honor Code. All work handed in to be graded should be the work solely of the person (or persons) whose name is placed on it. Any violation of this would fall into at least one of the categories in "Section II: Definitions" of the Honor Code and will be handled as such. If evidence of such exist, penalties may include failing this course and being turned in to the Honor Court for further disciplinary measures. Please read the relevant sections of the current STUDENT HANDBOOK for further information about policies and procedures of the VWC Honor Code. Having said that, I assume each student is honorable and will comply with the Honor Code.
Accommodations for students with special needs: The standard procedures for meeting the responsibilities associated with this course can be modified for students with certain disabilities. To qualify for such accommodations, a student must provide the college with appropriate professional documentation that confirms to our satisfaction the presence of the disability. To begin the confirmation process or for further information about it, contact our coordinator of disability services, Fayne Pearson, at 455-3246.
Component Percent
Class attendance and participation 30
On-line reflections 30
Reflection paper and presentation 35
Evaluation 5
Grading Scale
93-100 = A 83-87 = B 73-77 = C 63-67 = D
90-92 = A- 80-82 = B- 70-72 = C- 60-62 = D-
88-89 = B+ 78-79 = C+ 68-69 = D+ 0-59 = F
Weekly Schedule
September 1 Introduction
September 8 Investigation of belief/value systems (Shafer Room)
September 15 The Mechanics of Researching and Applying to Graduate School by Karen Halman, Career Services and How to Apply for an Internship by Lisa Fentress, Career Services (Shafer Room)
September 22 How Graduate Schools Evaluate Applicants, Dr. Alice McAdery, Director of Graduate Admissions, ODU (Shafer Room)
September 29 lst speaker on What's important (Princess Anne Room)
October 6 VWC President W. T. Greer on What's important (Princess Anne Room)
October 13 The Importance of Networking in the Job Hunt and for Career Advancement, Mr. Bob Peavey, Vice President, American Express (Princess Anne Room)
October 16 Saturday 10 am: hike through First Landing State Park
October 20 Discussion of the two What's important speakers (Princess Anne Room)
October 27 3rd What's important speaker (Princess Anne Room)
November 3 4th What's important speaker (Princess Anne Room)
November 10 Business and Social Etiquette Dinner, Debbie Hicks and Leslie Hines, Career Services (Shafer Room)
November 17 Discussion of the last two 'What's important' speakers (Princess Anne Room)
November 24 Thanksgiving (your dining room)
December I changed? Begin the writing of the essays. (Princess Anne Room)
December 8 Presentation of essays (Princess Anne Room)
