Samone Vail

December 11, 2015

Reflective Letter
Senior Colloquium Reflective Letter
Theres a quote I live by. The quote is by Marianne Williamson which says, Our deepest
fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure and
it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. This quote describes where I am in life
right nowpresenting my work to the world. I knew writing was something I wanted to pursue,
but the acknowledgement I received from peers often frightened me. In this reflective letter, I
will share how I joined the department, I will share my growth as a writer, and I will share my
plans after receiving my degree.
To begin with, I joined the program in 2011. I originally majored in Criminal Justice
when I became a freshman at UALR. However, I came to the realization that I enjoyed watching
crime on television than actually learning about it. It was during my freshman year that I enrolled
into Composition Fundamentals. Because the course is a remedial course, it sort of changed my
outlook on writing in a negative way. I felt as if I did not belong in the class. It was in that course
that I met Mary Ellen Kubit who pointed out great things about my writing. She cheered me on
the entire semester and my confidence was restored. This course helped me realize that I needed
to create content flow in my papers and it prepared me for Comp I and II. After Comp I and II,
my instructors (Professor Craig and Hal Karp) encouraged me to join the department because
they enjoyed reading my work as well. One professor said, Samone, you should consider
joining the writing department. Youre a good writer. I think you would enjoy it. He was right.
Before I joined the department, I was not knowledgeable about online portfolios. After
creating portfolios on Google sites, I became techno savvy. This enabled me to work with
freshmen students and adult learners who are not quite advanced in this aspect. The first key
thing I learned was the importance of an audience. In all I do, I include pathos, ethos and logos
in my writing. I consider how my story will relate to the audience and what they will take away
from it. I learned how to send professional emails to employers and how to create effective cover
letters and resumes. This program boosted my confidence. I wrote a paper about being an

introvert and the entire class related to it. They each offered encouraging words. My classmates
reassured me that Im a pretty cool because. After all, introverts are awesome. I learned that as a
writer, I have to be honest with the reader. I desire to relate to my audience. It was a good
learning experience. My strength as a writer would have to be my honesty. People often use the
word transparency. I know this is my strength because my readers relate to it. I love nonfiction
writing because it requires me to be honest and not fabricate a story. I love that the PTW major
consist of innovative assets. This is important because the world/workplace is constantly
advancing and we have to keep up.
I completed amazing courses in the department. The most effective courses were
Technical Writing, Persuasive Writing, Publishing Inside Out, Best-Selling Nonfiction,
Document Design, Grant Writing and the University Writing Center Internship. These courses
helped me grow academically and professionally. These courses helped me communicate my
writing more effective online or in person. The writing center internship encouraged me to share
all that Ive learned in the department with the clients I tutored. The courses offered here in my
opinion is the best aspect of the department. This program has prepared me to reach for more. As
you navigate through my portfolio, we will witness the growth Ive encountered.
My plans after graduation are to continue writing books and to attend graduate school in
the summer. Last summer, I published my first book called Components of the College Student.
Im working on my second nonfiction piece called When I Said Yes. I also blog on inspirational
topics to help readers get through a tough day or week. This program has definitely equipped me
with the tools to pursue my own writing and to help push a company forward.
I am thankful that I listened to my instructors years ago about joining Rhetoric and
Writing. The Rhetoric and Writing Department is one of the most effective departments on
campus. It is made up of awesome instructors who have already paved the way for the success of
writers.