Choosing a Major

Choosing a Major

The two majors I have chose to conduct research on are Business Administration and Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS). I have chosen these majors because I find them very compelling and interesting. The Business Administration program here at the UW is highly competitive and requires many things in order to be accepted. First off, you must have a minimum cumulative 2.50 GPA for all college coursework and a minimum cumulative 2.50 GPA in all required business coursework. Admissions into the Foster School of Business is based off of four factors: overall scholastic record, grades in pre-application courses, written communication skills, and evidence of leadership skills, community activities, and the promise of achievement in a business or professional career. As for the Digital Arts and Experimental Media major at the UW, it is also highly competitive. The first requirements of this program is a minimum cumulative 2.50 GPA. Student are suppose to show a significant level of computing skill and general technology literacy. Students who are interested in this major must take DXARTS 200 Autumn quarter, DXARTS 201 Winter quarter, and since enrolled in DXARTS 201 you are eligible to submit and application to this program. However, prior to the application a student must have taken CSE 142, PHYS 114, PHYS 121, MUSIC 120, ART H 203, and MATH 120. These requirements are only to be submitted into the program. To major in Digital Arts and Experimental Media you must have 64-74 credits in DXARTS courses, 20-30 credits in additional DXARTS courses from a list of approved electives, and a minimum of 2.0 grade in all DXARTS courses. From researching these two majors I discovered that these two programs are very competitive and will require a lot of hard work to be accepted. There are many things that you can do with these two majors. For Business, there are many jobs available for one with a degree in Business Administration. Jobs that you could have would be an accountant, business risk consultant, commercial loan processor, credit manager, fashion merchandising technician, financial analyst, and a human resource manager along with many other jobs as well. These are only a few. With a degree in Digital Arts and Experimental Media there are fewer options in jobs but options aren't entirely eliminated. With this degree you can find jobs within major animation companies along with jobs revolving around video games, movies, and advertisements. With this specific major a graduate program is crucial in order to gain credibility. Personally, I think I am a better fit for the DXARTS program than I am with the Business Administration program because I am a very creative person. I tend to enjoy and value the arts much more than the math and sciences. I love being able to create art which is what this major is based on. Although I could see myself doing something in business as well. I really like planning and interacting with people to accomplish a common goal. A enjoyed a lot of my time working in ASB for a food drive and I think many of the aspects that I enjoyed during that experience are aspects that would be great for business. In order to achieve these majors I must set goals for myself. One goal is to maintain a good GPA that will allow me to get into these programs. Another goal would be to start planning now what courses I must take in order to apply my sophomore year. Another goal would be to  further research these majors and make sure that it is something that I really want to do. 

Blog Post Image #10: The Gardener's Job

2. I would choose the chess and checkers Habitute. How to implement IDEA on them regarding check and checkers:

I-  I would fist verbally teach them what chess and checkers means. I would tell them that when you play checkers, you are treating every piece the same. But, when you play chess, every piece is different and  you have to learn how to work with different kinds of people.

D- I would then model what chess and checkers is. This would be a great representation of a sports team and the coaches responsibility to treat every player differently because no person is the same or has the same skills. Then, knowing how to manipulate those skills.

E - A first hand experience of chess and checkers would be on a basketball team I played for. Not everyone handles adversity the same and my coach knew that so she knew how to work with us individually in order for us to be successful.

Self-Assesment

1. Who are you purposefully investing in right now?

I am investing in my friend Margot.

2. How are you "watering" them and creating environments of growth? Asses the following:

       a. How do you paint pictures?
           I paint pictures by giving them an image in their mind of what being a good leader looks like.
       b. How do you provide handles?
           I provide handles by giving them a simple route to which it can be to be a good leader and how leadership can be provided.
       c. How do you supply roadmaps?
           I supply roadmaps by showing her the way to being a good leader through 4 goals. One being the road to avoid.
       d. How do you furnish laboratories?
           I do this by providing a safe place to make mistakes and an area where she can try again.
       e. How do you give roots?
          I give roots by always being there for her through the process.
       f. How do you offer wings?
          I do this by offering help whenever they need it.

Blog Post Image # 9: The Waldorf Principle

1. Why do you think that some leaders resist the idea of sacrificial service? If you identify with resisting servant leadership, what is your honest level of desire to change?

I think that some leaders resist the idea of sacrificial service because they have too much pride in them self. They are usually self absorbed people weather they are doing it subconsciously or not. I think I occasionally identify with resisting servant leadership. It is usually not because I'm doing it on purpose but I'm usually focused on everything that is going on in my life. My honest level of desire of change is high because the story about the clerk is very inspiring as well as the story of the man who sold his white-sox tickets for the World Series after he had never missed a game in 30 years.

2. Do you know anyone who models servant leadership? Are they more influenced because of it?

At the moment I can't think of anyone who models servant leadership. But I would imagine that anyone who does model servant leadership would be more influenced because of it. One would learn that servant leadership does pay off and makes you wore willing to do it again. In fact, it would probably become a life style at that point.

Self-Assesment

1. What does it mean to serve sacrificially? How are you doing in this area?

I think to serve sacrificially means to serve someone when you are sacrificing something that belongs to you weather that is money, pride, are things. I think I could definitely work in this area but I don't think I'm oblivious to this kind of servant work.

2. When you serve others, do you just do the bare minimum, or do you exceed their expectations?

I believe that I do both. But more often it is the bare minimum. I definitely could work on this.

3. Look at the "Paths over Power" list again. What paths do you tend to follow most?

I tend to follow the path of exchange. I feel like I usually follow people because they can do something for me but I also feel that thats why people follow me as well. Which if you think about is kind of sad.

Blog Post Image #8: Pocket Change

1. Reflecting on a leader that you admire, give an example of how he/she has gained pocket change, earning credibility in the eyes of their team. -- My basketball coach a few years ago was such a good coach, she was always positive and energetic all of the time. Sometimes she would be having a bad day and didn't seem as motivated as she always was. Even though she was having a bad day, the team still respected her and knew it was just one day. She had accumulated so much pocket change over the year that she could afford to loose some that one time because we knew she had enough to spare and we knew she would gain it back another time.

2. Write down some of the ways that leaders throughout history have lost pocket change. How did they get a hole in their pocket, losing credibility. -- For example, Hitler was a VERY bad leader and he lost all his credibility/pocket change over time. Another example would be Sammy Sosa, the baseball player. Many people loved Sammy Sosa and thought he was everything. He had a lot of change in his pocket to start. But, when people found out that he had been corking his bat, he lost all respect from the baseball world. He essentially, had a hole in his pocket and lost all of his change.

3. Do you agree that leaders gain respect more by their actions than by their words? Why or why not? Share an example form your own life. -- Yes, I agree that leaders gain respect by their actions. A leader can talk all they want about doing this or doing that but until they have actually done it you can respect them. In my life, for example, I have had people talk about how they have ran a mile "this" fast but I have never seen them do it. One time, we were in PE and we ran the mile and the person ran a much slower mile than they said they did. Before, I was envious of the person for their mile time but once I figured out that they were lying I lost all respect for them. Here, actions are speaking louder than words.

Self-Assesment

1. When a problem has to be solved, do others look to you? Which is more true about you: Are you simply looked at as a friend, or do people respect and follow you as a leader? -- I like to think that people respect and follow me. I think I'm a very kind and responsible person that makes good choices so I do believe that people respect me.

2. What are the signs of others losing trust in you and your leadership? -- I would say when people stop asking you questions or they stop looking up to you. When people start asking other people questions that they used to ask you. Or maybe just simply withdrawing from you.

3. What's your track record for decision-making? Do you have a history of wise or unwise decisions? Do you follow through on your decisions? -- I think I have a really good track record for decision making. I always make good choices. Yes, I will make a few bad choices here and there but overall I think I'm very responsible. I think I always make choices that would make my parents proud.

Blog Post Image #7: The Velvet Covered Brick

1. Think about some of the great leaders you've observed who have adopted the velvet covered brick style of leadership. Describe a time when they balanced the paradox of being both tough and tender. -- I had a basketball coach a few years ago that was great at balancing the paradox. I remember in the middle of the season our team wasn't doing so good for a period of time and in practice she would get on us for not working hard enough and that kind of thing. Though, whenever she was hard on us in practice, at the end of the practice she would always tell us how proud of us she was for working so hard in a time where it's easy to get discourages. Sometimes she would even start tearing up when she was telling us how proud she was.

2. In contrast, what pitfalls have you observed about leaders who fail to embrace the velvet covered brick style of leadership?-- I have also had coaches that don't balance the paradox and the outcome never leads to success. I had a soccer coach in middle school who was always angry and we never really saw an emotional side to him that felt real. Most of the team didn't like him because of this and a lot of team members ended up quitting.

3. From the "Confrontation 101" section of this Habitude, list three steps that are most difficult for you to put into practice. -- The most difficult steps for me are initiating the contact, encourage them to respond, and affirming my love and respect for them.

Self-Assesment

I think I'm a mix between a Teddy-Bear and a Fox. I tend to like to make peace with someone when there is a conflict but I also don't mind if we both win and lose a little as long as we can move on from the situation positively.

Blog Post Image #6: Hot Air Balloon

1. As you read the stories about the Korean War POWs, how would you explain the connection between encouragement and success? -- In this story of the POW there was no connection between encouragement and success. They weren't receiving any form of encouragement or hope therefore they gave up on life. Encouragement has a direct effect on someones success and a good leader can acknowledge this.

2. One of the most important ways we connect with others is by lifting them up. As a leader, who or what are you most likely to point people toward during times of crisis? Why? -- I feel like as a leader I try to point people in a positive direction. For example, the other day my teammate was getting down on herself because she's injured and is afraid when she comes back that she won't be as good as she was. I tried to encourage her and tell her that she's really talented and is a hard worker and will come back stronger than she was before. I could tell that she had already felt encouraged after that and it was really nice to see. I feel like I am a positive person because I know what it feels like when someone is acting negative towards you and it doesn't help either person.

3. Like any skill, it takes intentional effort to speak encouraging words to your family, friends, and team members. Think of a particular person an practice giving him or her a genuine compliment. Remember to make it sincere, specific, public, and personal. -- Dad, I just wanted to let you know that you are doing a great job at work. I notice how hard you work everyday to keep our family on track and it doesn't go unnoticed. Keep up the good work!

Self- Assessment

1. How would you rate yourself as an encourager?
8, because as a child in sports I once had a really discouraging and mean coach and I think it effected the way I viewed myself and what I was worth and ever since then I feel like positiveness is the only way to go because I know the effects.

3. What's one thing you could do to improve in this area?
If anything, I think I need to improve on staying consistent in this area. It's is easy to me encouraging once or twice but staying positive all the time is more challenging.

4. In the analogy of the invisible bucket and dipper, do you tend to pour into others or dip from others buckets?
I think that I pour into others buckets. Like I said before, I think I'm pretty good at encouraging others and not taking away from their buckets.