Reflection: After the Experience

These exercises will help you reflect on what you've gained from your experiential learning. They will help you to:

  • realize which skills you have developed through experiential learning and how you’ve grown in them,
  • describe how those skills relate to your future plans, and
  • practice communicating your skills to others, building your confidence for future job searches or grad school applications.

This reflection has two parts:

  • Part 1: Looking Back, you will explore how you developed three Power Skills through your experiential learning.
  • Part 2: Self-Evaluation, you will complete the same self-evaluation that you took in Reflection: Before the Experience, to see your growth in the Power Skills from where you started.

Individuals associated with your experiential learning, such as your course instructor or your student employment supervisor, may ask you to share your results with them. At the end of the survey there will be an opportunity for you to have your responses emailed to yourself. You can then share that email as needed.

See the Grading Rubric Learn More About this Reflection

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Are you doing your experiential learning as a course? (If you are enrolled in an internship or other experience for credit, click yes)

Part 1: Looking Back

Dragon Power Skills are transferable, always-needed skills that are essential for success in today’s workplace. These skills will help you in almost every aspect of your work and personal life. They help you transition smoothly into the workplace, equip you for long-term career and personal success, and give you an edge that employers notice when hiring.

If you are completing your experiential learning for credit, you may be graded on this section. Your grades will be based on the specificity and completeness of your response, not whether your reflections, experiences, choices, or feelings were "right." There are no correct answers. We are looking for your honest reflection.

Critical & Creative Thinking

Definition: Dragons will be able to analyze problems, make informed decisions, and generate thoughtful, innovative solutions.

Critical & creative thinking isn't just for the classroom, it's how you make good decisions when the "right answer" isn't obvious. Every job asks you to gather information, question assumptions, and choose a course of action, often with incomplete information. MSUM's regional employers ranked critical thinking as the #1 skill they look for, because they need people who can troubleshoot and make sound judgment calls independently.

The following questions will help you recognize how you are already developing your critical & creative thinking skills through your experiential learning.

What Happened

The Basics:

Dragon Power Skills are transferable, always-needed skills that are essential for success in today’s workplace. These skills will help you in almost every aspect of your work and personal life. They help you transition smoothly into the workplace, equip you for long-term career and personal success, and give you an edge that employers notice when hiring.

If you are completing your experiential learning for credit, you may be graded on this section. Your grades will be based on the specificity and completeness of your response, not whether your reflections, experiences, choices, or feelings were "right." There are no correct answers. We are looking for your honest reflection.

Critical & Creative Thinking

Definition: Dragons will be able to analyze problems, make informed decisions, and generate thoughtful, innovative solutions.

Critical & creative thinking isn't just for the classroom, it's how you make good decisions when the "right answer" isn't obvious. Every job asks you to gather information, question assumptions, and choose a course of action, often with incomplete information. MSUM's regional employers ranked critical thinking as the #1 skill they look for, because they need people who can troubleshoot and make sound judgment calls independently.

The following questions will help you recognize how you are already developing your critical & creative thinking skills through your experiential learning.

What Happened

The Basics:

Diving Deeper:

Diving Deeper:

These are example behaviors of what it looks like to have critical & creative thinking skills. Which of them did you do when solving the problem or making the decision? (check all that apply)

What I Learned

What I Learned

What's Next

What's Next

Grit

Definition: Dragons will be able to demonstrate resilience and flexibility.

In the workplace plans change, priorities shift, and we sometimes get challenging feedback. Grit is about being able to adapt and move forward when these setbacks and challenges happen. Employers don’t just want Dragons who work hard when things are going well, they want people who can recalibrate when things go sideways and stay committed to the goal anyway.

The following questions will help you recognize how you are already developing grit through your experiential learning.

Reminder: If you are completing your experiential learning for credit, your grades will be based on the specificity and completeness of your response, not whether your reflections, experiences, choices, or feelings were "right." There are no correct answers. We are looking for your honest reflection.

What Happened

The Basics

Grit

Definition: Dragons will be able to demonstrate resilience and flexibility.

In the workplace plans change, priorities shift, and we sometimes get challenging feedback. Grit is about being able to adapt and move forward when these setbacks and challenges happen. Employers don’t just want Dragons who work hard when things are going well, they want people who can recalibrate when things go sideways and stay committed to the goal anyway.

The following questions will help you recognize how you are already developing grit through your experiential learning.

Reminder: If you are completing your experiential learning for credit, your grades will be based on the specificity and completeness of your response, not whether your reflections, experiences, choices, or feelings were "right." There are no correct answers. We are looking for your honest reflection.

What Happened

The Basics

Diving Deeper:

Diving Deeper:

These are example behaviors of what it looks like to have grit. Which of them did you do when you encountered the setback/challenge? (check all that apply)

What I Learned

What I Learned

What's Next

What's Next

Professional Presence

Definition: Dragons will be able to demonstrate reliability and initiative, contributing in ways that strengthen their organization and communities.

Professional presence isn't about acting like someone you’re not, it's about demonstrating reliability and initiative, which are qualities that make people trust you with more responsibility. Showing up on time, following through on deadlines, and picking up on unstated expectations (like how your team communicates or what "business casual" actually means in your office) signal that you're someone others can count on without having to double-check your work. Employers notice who takes initiative and who waits to be told what to do, and that difference often determines who gets the next opportunity or promotion.

The following questions will help you recognize how you are already developing your professional presence through your experiential learning.

Reminder: If you are completing your experiential learning for credit, your grades will be based on the specificity and completeness of your response, not whether your reflections, experiences, choices, or feelings were "right." There are no correct answers. We are looking for your honest reflection.

What Happened

Diving Deeper

Professional Presence

Definition: Dragons will be able to demonstrate reliability and initiative, contributing in ways that strengthen their organization and communities.

Professional presence isn't about acting like someone you’re not, it's about demonstrating reliability and initiative, which are qualities that make people trust you with more responsibility. Showing up on time, following through on deadlines, and picking up on unstated expectations (like how your team communicates or what "business casual" actually means in your office) signal that you're someone others can count on without having to double-check your work. Employers notice who takes initiative and who waits to be told what to do, and that difference often determines who gets the next opportunity or promotion.

The following questions will help you recognize how you are already developing your professional presence through your experiential learning.

Reminder: If you are completing your experiential learning for credit, your grades will be based on the specificity and completeness of your response, not whether your reflections, experiences, choices, or feelings were "right." There are no correct answers. We are looking for your honest reflection.

What Happened

Diving Deeper

These are example behaviors of what it looks like to have professional presence. Which of them did you demonstrate during your experiential learning experience? (check all that apply)

What I Learned

What I Learned

What's Next

What's Next

Part 2: Self-Evaluation

Dragon Power Skills

This is the same self-evaluation you completed before the experience, to help you see your progress in the "Dragon Power Skills." You have developed many of these seven skills through your experiential learning.

If you are completing this as a part of a for-credit experience, this section is only graded based on whether you complete it and not based on how you score yourself. Please answer honestly as the specific responses you choose are for your own development.

Critical & Creative Thinking

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Not yet” to “Consistently”

Dragon Power Skills

This is the same self-evaluation you completed before the experience, to help you see your progress in the "Dragon Power Skills." You have developed many of these seven skills through your experiential learning.

If you are completing this as a part of a for-credit experience, this section is only graded based on whether you complete it and not based on how you score yourself. Please answer honestly as the specific responses you choose are for your own development.

Critical & Creative Thinking

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Not yet” to “Consistently”

I gain a deep understanding of a problem before solving it by asking questions, understanding the context, and checking my assumptions.
I gather information from diverse sources and individuals and consider the quality of the data.
I thoroughly and logically analyze data to solve problems.
I generate multiple ways to solve a problem, drawing on innovative thinking to explore unexpected solutions.

Grit

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Not yet” to “Consistently”

Grit

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Not yet” to “Consistently”

I continue working toward a goal after a setback or failure, treating setbacks as opportunities to grow.
I respond to challenges by seeking feedback, asking for help when needed, and using available resources to adjust my approach based on what I learn.

Professional Presence

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Not yet” to “Consistently”

Professional Presence

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Not yet” to “Consistently”

I demonstrate dependability by consistently being on time and prepared, completing tasks by deadlines, and prioritizing effectively.
I take action without being prompted and continuously look for ways to improve the quality of my work.
I act with respect and conduct myself in ways that reflect the expectations of my organization or community. (This includes explicitly stated rules and unstated norms/expectations)

Additional Power Skills

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Not yet” to “Consistently”

Additional Power Skills

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Not yet” to “Consistently”

Communication: I actively listen and communicate clearly and effectively across contexts, formats, and audiences.
Collaboration: I work effectively with people of all backgrounds and perspectives to achieve shared goals.
Leadership: I lead positive change by demonstrating self-awareness, building support for a shared vision/goal, and navigating conflict effectively.
Technology & AI Literacy: I approach technology, and AI, with curiosity and adaptability; use it intentionally and effectively; evaluate it outputs and impacts; and apply human judgment to create meaningful, ethical, and responsible work.

Confidence & Preparedness

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree.”

Confidence & Preparedness

Please rate yourself in the below areas, from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree.”

I am confident in my ability to articulate my skills to a potential employer (or graduate school).
I am prepared to explain the value of this experiential learning experience to a potential employer (or graduate school).
MSUM has helped prepare me for my career.