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Self Assessment of Capstone Presentation … My final post (for class).

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The presentation for “Do You Support the SAVE Act?” occurred at the New Leaf Initiative in downtown State College. New Leaf is an organization that arranges co-working space for various professionals and students focused around sustainable topics. The room used was in the corner of the space with a glass wall and door at the back. There was a flat panel TV mounted to the wall that allowed for viewing the presentation. An iPad Mini was used to connect to the TV via an HDMI cable to show the powerpoint. The room itself include a number of tables in the center of the room with over fifteen chairs around the tables, and more along the edge of the room.

The presentation was scheduled for 30-40 minutes followed by a panel discussion including the presenter, a realtor, an auditor, and a lender. The presentation actually lasted a little over 40 minutes, with the rest of the time filled with panel discussion and questions.

The crowd included realtors, auditors, lenders, a professor and student from Penn State, along with two residents. All attendees were interested in the presentation and the conversation that followed. The residents engaged the experts with questions that related to their own personal situations, and the professionals engaged in conversation around the details of the Act and the need for action.

The feedback provided at the end of the night was all positive. A lender from Penn National Bank commented on the detail of the presentation and need for action, along with his hope that something be done. One of the residents commented that the presentation was very thorough and as it progressed, it covered all his general questions. More questions did come to mind as the experts discussed unique cases. None of the questions were a surprise, nor did they go unanswered with the breadth of expertise in attendance. The professor from Penn State even contributed as she is currently running a study on home energy efficiency.

Scot Chambers, the host, commented that it was very well done and invited me to help with a series of talks this summer as well as representing my research in the Fall to state representatives. Scot commented that he wasn’t paying attention to the legislative calendar as the day of the presentation was the first day back in session, so a number of interested elected officials were either in D.C. or Harrisburg.

The powerpoint worked flawlessly and the combination of the flat panel TV and iPad Mini worked perfectly as there was no podium in the room. There were no technical problems and New Leaf was very accommodating from the time I arrived.

Overall the presentation went as expected and couldn’t have planned it or presented it in a more appropriate environment. The setting was perfect for conversation and the presentation. Presenting it was also flawless, from the technology used, to the comfort level with the material and the audience. I wouldn’t have changed anything, or done anything differently.

While the presentation has not opened any job opportunities to date, the experience was one that was rewarding. While there may have been nerves here and there prior to presenting, once the powerpoint started everything flowed seamlessly. As mentioned before, the presentation opened the opportunity to collaborate on another speaking series over the summer regarding home energy efficiency as well as an invitation to present my research again in the Fall. The presentation also created a network of individuals that may be in touch on a more regular basis.

For anyone that will be working on a Capstone Project in the coming semesters I would highly recommend planning ahead in order to find the “right” sponsor. The right sponsor with the right connections can fill the crowd with the right people. The thought of how impactful this presentation might have been had it not landed on the first day back in session for elected officials is amazing. The presentation possibility in the Fall in front of that crowd is going to be an experience. Finding a sponsor with the connections can create opportunities, not only to present, but to meet influential people, to connect with other professionals with a like mind, and to open the door to collaboration opportunities that might not have been known without that Capstone Project.

The last piece of advice I could pass on would be to think about the topic of your Capstone Project, and address it with passion. Being passionate about the topic makes the work, less like work, and more like what you want to be doing as a profession.

One last thing, leverage the experience and knowledge of your advisor throughout the process. Vera Cole was influential and significant during the process. The guidance she provided was more like a coach or mentor, she used the right questions to get to the real answers. A few conversations later and she had guided me to research that took off, an enjoyable paper and well prepared presentation. Not only did she provide the guidance and support to finish the project a month early, but she believed in the quality of my work enough to assist in submitting my work for the first award for Undergraduate Research on Sustainability and the Environment.

— Vera was right, I won first place.


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