Throughout the BIPS program, I have grown personally and professionally.

As I started

my core courses, I was able to identify my strengths and values. I was able to learn more about

myself and ways to incorporate my values into my projects. My core courses required that I

focus on human-centered problems. I’ve always found problem solving to be a bit intimidating

but the BIPS program has made me feel more comfortable about thinking through problems to

come up with the best solution. I was presented with different ways to approach problems such

as integrative thinking. Integrative thinking is something that has really stuck with me through

the BIPS program. I always think back to the different pathways that allow you to take elements

from each model or eliminate tensions to find the most effective solution. What made my

projects interesting was that I was able to include elements that I value into my solutions. A

course that assisted me personally was Self Awareness. It allowed me to get to know more about

myself which was imperative to me growing as an individual. This is where I learned about my

personality, strengths, and values. I noticed that most of my strengths aligned with my values.

This was important to me because I was able to recognize what makes me who I am and how I

carry out my values day to day in my professional and personal life. It also gave me the

opportunity to write out my ideal lifework. It put my personal life into perspective but also gave

me the opportunity to reflect on what I want in my professional life.

I started out in the BIPS program with no real professional plans except to earn my

degree. I was unsure of what I wanted to pursue through my career but as I have gone through

the program, I have a better understanding of what I value in a job and plan for my future. As an

introvert it has always been a challenge for me to find something that I would enjoy doing day to

day. I enjoy being active and want my career to be something that I feel passionate about. I have

recently been working at Amazon and it allows for me to be in an environment where I am

comfortable. I genuinely enjoy working with the people and find that it is a place I could grow

my career. I am just working as a part time associate but plan to advance through the company as

I work towards completing my degree. I feel more comfortable taking on a leadership role from

what I learned in Ethical Leadership. I never had the confidence to evaluate all of my options and

make decisions but I now see that it is something I am perfectly capable of taking on. I also took

an elective, Writing for Professional/Entrepreneurs, that was very important in shaping my

professional life. It gave me the opportunity to write important professional documents, such as

resumes and cover letters, and build my LinkedIn profile for future jobs. I feel more secure and

confident approaching my professional life. The BIPS program has let me break out of my

comfort zone and has given me a clearer perspective of what I want throughout my career.

The BIPS program allowed me to learn new skills that assisted me in working towards

my degree. My courses were a mixture of human-center problem solving and the skills I could

utilize to solve problems and project design. When conducting research, I was able to evaluate

sources and understand the data I was receiving. I was able to use different systems and thinking

strategies to look at all aspects of a problem. This made it easier for me to come up with

solutions that were beneficial and effective. I also learned how to evaluate and convey messages

along with what it means to be literate in Contemporary Media Literacies.

I enjoyed going through the BIPS program and feel it shaped me as an individual. My

time in this program gave me a chance to reflect on my life and set goals that I am interested in

pursuing in my professional life. I feel more confident about my future plans and solving

problems I approach along the way. I got the opportunity to know more about myself and learn

skills that will help me throughout my life, personally and professionally.