CATA 321 JUNIOR COLLOQUIUM

Dr. Lee McGaan  

  Office:  WH 308  (ph. 457-2155);  email:  lee@monm.edu
  Home:  418 North Sunny Lane (ph. 734-5431)

Fall 2008 Office Hours:  MWF: 9-10am & 11am-1pm; TTh: 10:30am-noon; & by apt.  |       copyright (c) by Lee McGaan, 2008
Description Syllabus 2010 Portfolios Course Resources Assignments Career Planning CATA Major Goals

The Personal Goals Statement

 

Due date:   Optional (by email and posted to the personal goals page of your web portfolio)

 

Assignment:

 

Your next assignment involves determining personal goals for yourself for next semester and your Senior year.  Begin by asking yourself this question.  “What would make me say, ‘My last two years at Monmouth were really successful’?”  Make a list of ideas that come to mind.  After you have made a list, group the goals you created into the categories:  Academic Goals, Personal/Social Development, and Life Skills Development. 

 

For the assignment you should pick at least one goal for each category and enter it on the goals form provided.  In the second column enter a brief set of concrete steps for accomplishing the goal this semester and beyond.  Use the third column to list things that may prevent or limit your success in meeting your goal.  In writing goals you should make the goals specific and something that you can realistically expect to accomplish before next semester (or by the end of next year at the latest).

 

Advice on creating goal statements:

 

1.  Be specific.  Vague, abstract goals are hard to describe and unlikely to be accomplished.  Often, it is difficult or impossible to determine if you have actually achieved them. Use concrete language.

 

2.  Some examples of goals

 

Academic Goal — “Get a 3.5 GPA this semester.”    Plans for Accomplishing it — “See a writing tutor at the TLC 1-2 days before each paper is due.”  “Set up a weekly study schedule.”   “Meet with each professor 3-5 days before each assignment or test to check on expectations and to discuss assignment strategies.”

 

Personal Development — “Gain some leadership skills by volunteering to chair a committee for a student organization next semester.”    Plans for Accomplishing it — “Talk to the group president / develop ideas on what the committee can do / volunteer 1st.” 

 

Career Goal — “Discover and research 3 or 4 specific jobs in my field that I might want to go for after graduation.”     Plan for Accomplishing it — “Visit the Career Doctor web page at www.studentcenter.com and other career web sites.”  “Set up meetings over break with professionals who currently hold jobs I might like to discuss career plans and internship options.”

 

3.  Write them down and review them at the end of each semester or break. 

A survey of Harvard University Alumni 30 years after graduation showed the following:  Less than 5% of these alums had written goals for themselves while undergraduates.  The net worth of those alums (5%) who had written goals as undergraduates was greater than the combined net worth of all the other 30 year alums combined.  Food for thought!!