TO: Professor Sid Alvis

FROM: Camden Bowers

DATE: December 2nd, 2023
RE: Professional Development Memo

Over the Fall 2023 semester, I participated in Maximizing Academic and Professional Success
(MAPS) coaching. I started my first meeting with the coaches Kate and Kyle Vanhorn, but had to change
my coaches due to a time frame issue with my class. My regular MAPS coaches were Alex Traybnhan
and Noah Silverman, with some help from Angel Koshy. We met every Monday morning from 8:30 to
9:30 in Smith 369. There were a handful of other first-year engineering students in the meetings. These
meetings weren’t very demanding and the tone of the meetings were laid-back and comfortable.
The MAPS sessions helped to further my academic and professional image through resume
workshops and guides on how to create my LinkedIn profile. They were very helpful in making me look
professional and giving tips on how to correctly put myself out there. The resume workshop was
especially helpful as that was what I gave potential employers at the engineering career fair.
The MAPS program also taught me skills that would be useful for my college life and future
career, such as networking. I learned that networking didn’t have to be stressful and intimidating and
that just talking with other people and exchanging contacts was networking. They showed me ways to
get a job on hire-a-niner and using undergraduate research. There was also skill-building on teamwork
and leadership qualities which is essential to every aspect of life.
The MAPS program also helped my academic journey as my coaches have gone through the
classes we are taking. They helped with questions about upcoming classes, and how to set up my
registration for Spring class, which is wildly competitive for every student. They helped talk about what
teachers to take and avoid and what to expect from which classes. They encouraged us that even
though our workload would increase, we would get stronger and better able to handle it.
The value of the program as a whole was precious and helped me think about my development
every week. The skills and resources shown and offered are valuable to any first-year to get a solid hold
onto college life. If I had the chance to talk to rising freshmen in the Lee College of Engineering, I would
urge them to attend this program.

I have neither given nor received any unauthorized help on this assignment, nor witnessed any violation
of the UNC Charlotte Code of Student Academic Integrity.
Camden Bowers 11.27.23