Sylvia Jarvis
South Piedmont Community College Associates in Art Capstone ePortfolio
Introduction
I grew up in the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland, and my family moved to North Carolina just before the start of 8th grade when I was 13. My mom, one of the most successful people I will ever know, has had an immense influential impact on me ever since I was little. In elementary school, the counselors held career days every year, and every year we had to complete activities concerning what we wanted to do when we grew up. I had never thought that far in the future before, so I always wrote something along the lines of, "I want to be like my mom when I grow up." She worked three jobs while earning her doctorate, and never once faltered. She then advanced on her career path and even branched out by working in drastically different industries. She knew what she was capable of and she knew how to compensate for her shortcomings. I always admired her self-confidence.
Mother tells me that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. So, I made up my mind and did everything in my power to be self-confident like she was. Every condescending and insecure individual did their best to put me down. Sadly, I let them, which disregarded any sense of control that I had. I had forgotten one of the most important concepts of self-confidence.
"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." ~ William Ernest Henley
I regained a sense of control and chose to attend Union County Early College because of the fast-paced curriculum. The program is intertwined with South Piedmont Community College, which allows me to work toward my high school diploma and my associates degree simultaneously. While in attendance, I took part in the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS). A year after participating in this society, I also joined the Cyclone Support Mentoring Program and began to mentor lower-classmen, namely 9th graders, with both school and self.
I was able to find myself in this new environment. I discovered my affinity for numerical values. Comprehending a situation represented through numbers provided an objective point of view. In doing so, I have recognized that I learn best visually. I would rather read a textbook than attend a lecture because I am able to acquire information more effectively by observing or reading. This allowed me to realize one of my shortcomings is reading comprehension. As a result, it takes a while to understand what message a passage is trying to convey. To compensate, I annotate liberally and reorganize my thoughts using the Cornell Notetaking method.
To continue to improve my self-confidence, I identified a major that allows me to control my career path. When I graduate, I plan to enroll in a Computer Science masters program. I know that it is rather odd for me to pursue a technical field when I began my journey with an Associate in Art. I chose to complete the AA program because I wanted to improve my writing abilities. Nevertheless, I will be able to have mobility and freedom in my career. Although, I plan to intern at Bank of America and hopefully secure a job in the Model Risk Management branch of the organization.
This was a picture that I took while I was visiting my mom at her office. She told me that this building was where all of the important leaders work. It inspired me to work harder than ever.
Outside of academics, I enjoy dabbling in the world of art. The digital illustration above was created on my phone. It was a challenge to work on a platform so small compared to a sketchbook or laptop.
This was from a drive to the beach. Before COVID-19, my family used to travel a bit, as my parents had the freedom to do so. Having this sense of choice and freedom while working under someone else is important to me.