Siena College’s e-Portfolio is a vital resource that should be utilized by all students! For those who may not know, an e-Portfolio is a tool for students to show what they have been doing while at Siena. It is a concise, direct and easy way to reveal to future employers or graduate schools what you did in your college career during an interview. There are many different experiences that you can include in your e-Portfolio, like academic achievements, essays, extracurricular activities, internships, research and so much more. Your e-Portfolio is essentially your social media page, but for your school or work-related accomplishments!
When creating an e-Portfolio page, the site will direct you to a career survey in which it tells you what your career interests are, the skills you have, and your personality traits. The best part is that these survey results contain information that can be added to your e-Portfolio! This page is also a resource to show your true identity outside of how well you can do in a school or work environment. Additionally, there is an opportunity for creativeness in your “About Me” section. You can add photos, fun facts or simply what you love about Siena. There is a lot of information that can be covered within your e-Portfolio which can seem daunting at first. However, your e-Portfolio is an ever-evolving work in progress that will change as much as you do during your four years at Siena.
Within the e-Portfolio site, many tools can be utilized so the “Home” page is the best place to start! This is where you will find your e-Portfolio page, which is located at the top left. You can see how many people have viewed your page as well as how long it has been since you last updated it with new information. Just below your page, there is a section for courses, assessment groups and community. These are three sections you can join and you can also add courses that you have been enrolled in and similar assessment groups.
To get the most out of your e-Portfolio, you need to stand out! Personalize your space so an employer can get the most detailed picture of you. For instance, you can add a cover photo to display your unique personality so that a potential future employer can get to know you better. It is important to populate your e-Portfolio with information about extracurricular activities so that potential employers see your hobbies and interests and understand that you spend your free time productively. While your personality and interests are extremely helpful with building your portfolio, it is a good idea to add any valuable work experience or outstanding essays or projects. The Siena e-Portfolio page is intended to give an employer a representation of the student as a whole person, not just someone who can work at a desk for eight hours. The Siena e-Portfolio will not only help you with life outside of Siena, but it provides you with a space to remember and reflect on what you achieved in the four years at Siena.