GEN 101 Final Project Example: SMART Goals, Action Plan, Reflection, Live Learning and UAGC Support Network

GEN 101 Final Project: SMART Goals, Reflection and Support Network (UAGC)

1. Write your academic and professional SMART goals.
2. Write two paragraphs reflecting on what you have learned in class and how this knowledge can help you reach your goals.
3. Complete a self-assessment of skills you have learned in this course.
4. Write about your Live Learning experience.
5. Demonstrate how you are building your UAGC Support Network.
6. Visit Handshake, where you can register for this free service.

Section 1, SMART goals and plan: state your academic and professional SMART goals, and for each create an action plan with two strategies, two Student Support Center resources, how you will monitor progress, and how you will know you have completed the goal (timeline).

Section 2, Reflection: (1) In a minimum of 200 words, identify a roadblock/challenge you experienced while taking GEN 101 and explain how being aware of your strengths and UAGC resources helped you persevere. (2) In a minimum of 200 words, explain how developing grit, integrity, and a growth mindset will support your success in achieving your SMART goals and contribute to your career journey.

Section 3, Self-Assessment: rate your comfort with course skills from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) and total your score.

Section 4, Live Learning Connection: in a minimum of 200 words, describe a key takeaway from your Live Learning session and how it will contribute to your success in your next course.

Section 5, Building My UAGC Support Network: contact your academic advisor by phone or email, and join a UAGC student group (UAGC Connect, Facebook groups or military-affiliated groups).

Section 6, Career Services: register on Handshake, the career development platform available to UAGC students.

Original example for study purposes. Replace it with your own goals and experiences.

1. SMART goals and action plans

Academic SMART goal: I will maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher during my first year in the Bachelor of Arts in Health Care Administration program by submitting all assignments on time, using the Writing Center for every major paper and completing my first eight courses by December 2027.

Professional SMART goal: I will obtain an entry-level position as a medical office coordinator or patient services representative within six months of completing my associate-level coursework by updating my résumé, applying to at least five positions per month on Handshake and attending two virtual career events.

2. Reflection

Roadblock and perseverance. The biggest challenge I faced in GEN 101 was managing my time while working full time and caring for my two children. During Week 3, my son was sick and I fell behind on a discussion post and an assignment, and I started to wonder whether I could handle college. Instead of giving up, I used what I learned about my strengths. Reflecting on my strengths in class showed that I am organized and responsible, so I made a new weekly schedule that included time early in the morning before my children woke up. I also contacted my instructor to explain the situation, and I used the Student Support Center to find tutoring and Writing Center resources so I could catch up efficiently. The Writing Center’s feedback helped me revise my paper quickly, and knowing that support was available reduced my stress. This experience taught me that challenges are normal for adult learners and that asking for help is a sign of responsibility, not weakness. By recognizing my strengths and using UAGC resources, I completed every assignment, and I now feel more confident that I can balance school with my other responsibilities in future courses.

Grit, integrity and growth mindset. Developing grit, integrity and a growth mindset will be essential to reaching my SMART goals. Grit, which combines passion and perseverance for long-term goals, will help me keep going when courses become difficult or when life gets busy, because earning a degree and starting a new career are long-term projects. Integrity means doing my own work, citing sources correctly and being honest with my instructors and employers; in health care administration, integrity is especially important because professionals handle confidential patient information and must follow privacy laws. A growth mindset, the belief that abilities can improve through effort and learning, will help me view feedback and low grades as opportunities to improve rather than as signs of failure. For example, when I received suggestions on my APA formatting, I practiced with the Writing Center until I improved. In my career journey, these qualities will help me learn new software and procedures, handle challenges with patients and coworkers, and continue developing professionally. Employers value people who persevere, act ethically and keep learning, so these qualities will support both my academic success and my long-term career growth.

3. Self-assessment

Use the exact skill statements in your course template. Example ratings:

4. Live Learning connection

My key takeaway from the GEN 101 Live Learning session was the importance of using a weekly planning system and reading assignment instructions and rubrics carefully before starting work. During the session, the instructors showed how to break a week into smaller tasks, such as reading on Monday, posting the initial discussion by Thursday and finishing assignments by the weekend. They also demonstrated how to use the rubric as a checklist to make sure every requirement is addressed before submitting. Before the session, I usually read the instructions once and started writing, which sometimes caused me to miss parts of the assignment. Seeing the instructors walk through a real assignment helped me understand how points are earned and why details such as word counts and citations matter. I also appreciated hearing questions from other students, which made me realize that many of us face similar challenges with time management and APA formatting. This takeaway will help me in my next course because I will create a weekly plan on the first day of each week and use the rubric to guide my work. I believe this approach will reduce stress, help me submit higher-quality work on time and support my academic SMART goal of maintaining a 3.0 GPA. I also plan to attend Live Learning sessions in future courses because they provide direct interaction with instructors and classmates, which is valuable in an online program.

5. Building my UAGC support network

Advisor contact: I located my academic advisor’s contact information in myUAGC under Contact Your Team and emailed [advisor’s name] on [date]. We discussed my experience in GEN 101, confirmed my next course and talked about how to plan my schedule around my work hours. My advisor also recommended the Writing Center and reminded me about tutoring availability.

Student group: I joined UAGC Connect by signing into myUAGC, selecting Get Involved, locating UAGC Connect, joining the community and completing my profile. I joined the [name of group, for example a health care or parent student group] because connecting with students who share my goals will give me encouragement and networking opportunities.

6. Career services

I registered on Handshake on [date] and completed my profile with my education, work history and career interests in health care administration. I saved three job postings for medical office positions and signed up for an upcoming virtual career fair, which supports my professional SMART goal.