Capstone Project Reflections

Looking back on these last few years of taking college courses at Old Dominion, I have gained a great deal of textbook knowledge. One thing that stood out to me is that media is ever-changing, and we have to do our due diligence to be informed consumers of media rather than simply accepting one side of the story. We have to be deliberate about the information we take in and honest about the information we share.

However, apart from the textbook theories and concepts, I’ve learned more about lifelong skills that can help everyone no matter where they are on their journey.

Being a fully online student has taught me how to prioritize all of the responsibilities that come with being a mother, a full-time employee, a wife, and a student. I have had to learn how to manage my time wisely. Prioritizing homework, readings, tests, and quizzes sooner rather than later has its benefits. I’ve learned that waiting and procrastinating have never been the best use of my time, and when I do procrastinate, it is often reflected in my grades.

This journey has also taught me humility. Despite what you think when you enter a class, there is always so much more to learn than you ever imagined. Each course has challenged me to think differently, question what I thought I knew, and remain open to new perspectives.

Working on my capstone project, The Foundation of Trust, reinforced another important lesson: scholarly research can not be rushed. Research takes time. You have to find credible scholarship, read it, reflect on what you’ve learned, make connections, and then determine how that information can be applied to your project.

The feedback I received every step of the way was phenomenal. This class was a true example of the metaphor, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”  What initially seemed like a huge project became manageable when it was broken down into phases.

What I especially appreciate about this capstone is that it allowed me to draw on many of the skills I have learned over the years. Public speaking, English, crisis communication, leadership courses, communication research, and critical methodologies all contributed to this capstone project. I was able to conceptualize all of my research and turn it into something tangible, reputable, and worthwhile that I will be proud to look back on years from now.

Every research assignment and project I’ve done in these last few years has built me into the person I am today. More knowledgeable, more experienced, more educated and informed, being able to bring a higher competence to the work that I do, not just in my educational life, but also in my daily life. For that, I am grateful.