Health and Human Services Professional Development

Strategies for Communication and Organization When Struggling in Classes During the Pandemic By: Jill Bowers & Sabrina Roley It is always best to turn  the assignment in early or by the due date. Yet, we have been living in a pandemic. I am a graduate student and know that a lot of students struggle with online classes though that is their only option right now. Some of us work at least part-time while navigating a full course load and have family responsibilities. Some students are trying to home-school a few children and or struggling to access the Internet from home because everyone in their home is online at the same time. The struggle is real. But, we will get through it, and there are many things that we can do to take responsibility for our course work and life. Small changes can also influence how professors respond to us. Professors continuously hear about students needing or asking for extensions with assignments, yet some individuals take the wrong approach with thei...

Putting Off Until Tomorrow…Stop Procrastinating by   Jill Bowers   on   July 30, 2013 Many successful leaders have said, “never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Easier said than done sometimes. Procrastination, or postponing a inevitable task, is easy to do. Mark Twain put a different twist on it when he stated, “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well.” But what if an important deadline for school or work IS tomorrow? Are you a procrastinator? Do you tell others (and yourself) that you “work better under pressure”…Do you ACTUALLY work better under pressure or might you simply be a habitual procrastinator? And if so, you are not alone. According to the  McGraw-Hill Center for Teaching and Learning , many [even successful] individuals procrastinate, and the causes of procrastination are rooted in psychology (i.e., your own fears and anxiety) rather than laziness or poor time management skills. They stat...

Asking for Letters of Recommendation by   Jill Bowers   on   December 27, 2014   Dear Professor, I am applying for graduate school. The online application system requested that I put in 3 individuals who might be willing to write me a letter of recommendation. I listed your name, so you can expect to receive an email from them soon. If you cannot do this, I understand. But, hopefully you can. It will only take like 5 minutes because it’s an online form. Oh and, it is due in two days. No, no and no. Your letters of recommendation are critical as they could play a significant role in your acceptance into graduate school or success on the job market. As such, you should approach professors or others who you are asking to write you a letter with thoughtfulness, organization, and gratitude. A few tips…. Carefully choose your letter writers.  Individuals who know you well and care about your future will likely write the best letters for you. Asking a me...