Complete portfolio (final)

Professional Writing Portfolio

Anthony Ramos

Adrienne Arsht Center

1300 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132

June 17th, 2016

(Graphic found with Creative Commons and Pixabay)

Page 1 Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. Internship - Adrienne Arsht Center

o Internship Documents

§ My Résumé

§ Evaluation of Student Intern by On-Site Supervisor

§ Agency Evaluation Form

§ Work Log

o Professional Writing Internship Portfolio

§ Position Summary

§ Internship Journals

o Publications and Artifacts from Internship Site

§ Corporate Research Notes

§ Sponsor Benefits

§ Phone Charger Mock Ups

§ Driving for a Cause Grant Proposal

III. Academic - Barry University

Blog Posts

§ Literacy and Minecraft § Under the Sea, You’ll Feel Guilty

Portfolio Quality Papers

§ Definitional Argument - Marx, Castro, Sanders: What's the Difference?

§ Research Paper - A Chaotic Obsession: Humanity's Interest in the

Abnormality of Violent Clowns

§ Persuasive Comedy Paper - A Clerk’s Quest

IV. Conclusion

Page 2 I. Introduction

Introduction

In the field of Psychology, I learned a lot about humans and their different methods of processing information. As a result, I learned a lot about myself. I learned, in theory, why I do what I do and what makes me who I am. I also learned that Psychology was not the field for me. I made this conclusion pretty late into my college career, but better late than never. This is when I realized one of my most influential life lessons; it is never too late to change your desired goals. With one semester away from graduation, I made the arguably stupid decision of changing majors from Forensic Psychology to Professional Writing. It was my leap of faith. I do not regret my decision. In fact, despite surrounding criticism, I think this literal major change was one of the best things I could've done as a student. Psychology taught me why I express myself, but English taught me how I can express myself. And now, I am presented with the task of expressing myself in a professional setting. As a student majoring in Professional Writing, I am required to work at an applicable internship in order to graduate. After months of searching, I managed to land an interview at the Adrienne Arsht Center for Grant Writing, a position I was not expecting to obtain. However, it appears I made a good enough impression to land a position in the Center’s Advancement Department. As a Non-Profit Grant Writing/Research intern, my duty is to assist the staff in any way I can. Though I have not been given the specific responsibility of writing any grants, I have certainly reviewed my fair share. While my supervisors prospect for new donors, I am contributing by gathering research, recording new benefactors, and creating templates for various presentations and promotional stands. These tasks have forced me to utilize my college experience as a functioning member of a team. In school, the point is to get a good grade. It’s a selfish endeavor, even when assigned to a group. Of course, I have worked in many amazing groups with fellow students. But, in the end, we are all just looking after ourselves. At the Arsht Center, I am part of a legitimate team; one that requires good communication and team work. If one of us fails, we all suffer from the consequences. This portfolio aims to display a collection of my accomplishments both as a Barry University Student, and as an Adrienne Arsht Center Intern. First, this portfolio will display my updated résumé, along with two evaluations: an evaluation conducted by my supervisors, and my own evaluation of the Arsht Center. Next will be a summary of my position, along with a collection of journal entries documenting the various tasks and assignments I completed each week during my internship. Following that will be some examples of said Arsht assignments, as well as a few papers I wrote during my time at Barry University. With these credentials, this portfolio is meant to serve as physical proof that I, Anthony Ramos, am a Professional Writer.

Internship - Adrienne Arsht Center

As the focal point of performing arts activity in South Florida, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts serves as a showcase for the finest in established and developing performing arts programs. The Center acts as the foundation for established resident organizations who wish to build their programs and extend their reach. With this in mind, the Center provides its diverse audiences with opportunities to share South Florida’s many cultures, offering insights and understanding through theatre, music, and other live performances.

(Photo of the Adrienne Arsht Center)

Page 4 II. Internship ACC - Internship Documents

Internship Documents

This section of the portfolio will display the following documents:

My Resume – An updated Resume, which includes my newly acquired experience from the Adrienne Arsht Center

Evaluation of Student Intern by On-Site Supervisor – Two evaluations conducted by my On-site, Advancement Supervisors, Natalia Ortiz and John Copeland

Agency Evaluation Form – My own, personal evaluation of the Adrienne Arsht Center

My Work Log – Recorded documentation of my time at the Adrienne Arsht Center

Each one of these documents prove my contributions to the Adrienne Arsht Center. Furthermore, each one serves as reminder of my amazing experience as an Arsht Intern.

(A group photo of all the interns on Orientation Day)

Page 5 II. Internship AAC- Internship Documents - Resume

Page 6 II. Internship AAC- Internship Documents - Evaluation of Student Intern (Ms. Ortiz)

Page 7 II. Internship AAC- Internship Documents - Evaluation of Student Intern (Mr.Copeland)

Page 8 II. Internship AAC- Internship Documents - Arsht Center Evaluation

Page 9 II. Internship AAC- Internship Documents - Arsht Center Evaluation

Page 10 II. Internship AAC- Internship Documents - Work Log



128 hrs.

Page 13 II. Internship AAC - Professional Writing Internship Portfolio

Professional Writing Internship Portfolio

This section of the portfolio will cover my duties as a Non-Profit Grant Writing/Research Intern. By explaining my responsibilities, this portfolio will establish the skills and techniques I learned/utilized during my time at the Arsht Center. The documents displayed in this section are as follows:

Internship Summary – A summary of my duties and roles as an intern in the Center’s Advancement Department.

Internship Journals– A record of all the tasks and assignments I completed while interning at the Arsht Center.

(Graphic found with Creative Commons and Google Image)

Page 14 II. Internship AAC - Professional Writing Internship Portfolio - Summary

Position Summary

As a non-profit grant writing/research intern, my position grants me firsthand experience regarding fundraising, along with corporate and private research. My duties as a member of the Arsht’s Advancement team include the following:

Maintenance of databases that track education program outcomes, including data entry and administration of surveys

Drafting proposals, applications, and reports for special projects (i.e. Festivals education programs, special events)

Performing research on foundations and corporations as needed

Assist with maintenance of Center records

In other words, I go where I am needed. I primarily assist my supervisors John Copeland and Natalia Ortiz, but I have worked with everyone in our department. More detailed descriptions of my assignments will be presented in the next section, Internship Journal.

(A photo of my little cubical, and the greeting that accompanied it)

Page 15 II. Internship AAC - Professional Writing Internship Portfolio - Journals

Position Summary

Internship Journals

Journal One (05/14/16)

With graduation approaching, this journal entry will serve as a reflection of my time at Barry University. Throughout my school career, there has always been that one student in my class who rebelliously asks, "When am I gonna use any of this!?" I usually just ignored it considering most of my classmates asked this as a complaint. But now that I almost have a Bachelor's Degree, maybe it's finally time I considered this question. As someone who pursued two different majors, what can I do with the stuff I learned in college.

Action

I should first identify what that "stuff" is. When I first came to Barry I was originally studying Forensic Psychology; before I studied that logic of word, I studied the logic of the human mind. In these classes we would study the brain and its functions, analyze the actions of others, and research a wide selection of APA-styled experiments. Yet, among the all the observations and theories I realized it was not the field for me (at least not as a career). Then, during one of my English prerequisites, I was invited into my current major. Here, I explored rhetoric, I read different types of literature, I engaged in social activism, I even learned the most basic forms of coding. It was quite the jump, but it was worth it. Now I have the experience of two majors, and both provide their own unique skills and abilities

Reflection

With this in mind I am sure I can apply these professional skills to a future. Thanks to my teachers, I can now write effectively, conduct research, rhetorically analyze texts, psychoanalyze individuals, produce persuasive medias, develop websites; the list goes on. I am glad I switched majors, even if it meant delaying graduation. This professional knowledge will be a huge asset to my success, but they will also help me on a more personal level. Psychology helped me understand myself, while English introduced another way of understanding myself. My thoughts relate to my first major, but their expression relates to the second. And though I have much more to learn, I feel enlightened. I feel like I can confront the world and succeed as someone who is (more or less) informed and prepared. Let us see what challenges life brings!


Position Summary

Internship Journals

Journal Two (05/21/16)

For my second journal entry there is not much to be said, considering my internship's orientation has not happened yet. But, that does not mean I'm just going to sit around and not be productive. I applied for a position in Grant Writing, but, to be honest, I am not sure what a grant writer is suppose to do. So I decided to take this time to research my upcoming role. Luckily, the modern age provides an excellent array of tools to gather information. So, with Google's help,

Action

I was able to look at a variety of informative sources, and learn what grant writing is all about. Grant writers create proposals in hopes of acquiring grant funding. Grants are a lump sum of money given by an organization to fulfill a specific purpose. So it looks like I am going to be asking for money, but through the use of my badass writing skills. Of course it is not that simple, and it is described in more professional ways, but as a soon-to-be college graduate, I am ready to take the bull by the horns…sort of. I looked at few examples with a grimace, too terrified to make any sense of them. So, I looked up the process and became a little more relaxed. I see now that college has prepared me for this, more than expected. All this job takes is a lot of time and a lot of research. Nothing new really. It's just now I don't get a grade, rather, my organization gets a check.

Reflection

When I received the message of acceptance from the Adrienne Arsht Center, I was freaking out. Yes from excitement, but also from fear. The application described some of my basic duties, but I was still unaware of what a grant writer actually does. This brief introduction really helped calm my nerves. Not all of them of course, but now I know what I am dealing with. Furthermore, I learned that "what I'm dealing with" really isn't all that different than college work. Even in grant writing, writers still have to develop a story, a story that can both persuade and encourage. I'm excited to see what stories I'll come up with!


Position Summary

Internship Journals

Journal Three (05/28/16)

I have officially started my internship at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Before orientation, my anxiety painted the image of purely professional business types discussing deadlines and Xerox copies. But after orientation, I see I was overreacting. After meeting the other interns and walking through the various departments, I saw decorated cubicles and warming family photos. My supervisors met my fellow intern and I with big smiles and genuine interest. I still haven’t done any major projects, but I have been assigned various tasks to help lighten the department’s work load.

Action

Over the past few days, my supervisors have assigned me some relatively simple tasks. The very first thing they told me to do was research four companies: Target, Publix, Macy’s, and Western Union. One of my supervisors, John Copeland, is frequently out prospecting, meaning he meets with organizations to secure grants or other financial partnerships. However, before meeting with said organizations Mr. Copeland must gather information. That’s where I come in. I scoured corporate sites for any info relating to their fundraising programs and previous/ongoing contributions. After this, I assisted with some other assignments like changing the font and color of a few PowerPoint presentations, and inputting contact information. Later on, I sat in on a corporate meeting centered around the completion and development of assorted events at the Arsht Center. I did not interact much during this meeting, I was more of an observer. But, it was still a great experience.

Reflection

During my first official week of the internship, I am surprised to say that I actually utilized a fair amount of material from college. Yes, the corporate research assignment was expected, but when I was choosing the fonts for the PowerPoints I found myself consulting my past learnings of typography. After a quick Google search, I again became familiar with Serif and Sans-Serif styles of font. It's funny because during that period of college I wasn’t expecting put this knowledge of font to use. I was clearly wrong. However, the most valuable experience so far has been that meeting. With a time span of 2 hours, it was pretty exhausting (I didn’t fall asleep!), but it was an interesting discussion. Various topics were covered, but in a well organized manner. Each topic had a specific time limit for discussion, which typically included the event’s successes and failures. My fellow intern and I sat silently as we took notes, but hopefully we’ll get to engage next time. That’s one week down. So far so good!


Position Summary

Internship Journals

Journal Four (06/04/16)

As time passes, I am slowly getting use to the routine of the Adrienne Arsht Center. Each morning, Tuesday thru Thursday, I walk into the office and immediate head to my cubicle to work on my assignments. But, as of now, nothing has really changed since orientation. I have just been getting small research assignments. It seems I am in charge of the busy work. Regardless, I still feel like a valuable member of the team.

Action

The assignments typically vary, but my role is to lighten the work load. I finished last week's request of logging all the new contacts, so now I have a new project. When a sponsor is chosen, the next thing to do is develop a written agreement with the Arsht Center. In this agreement there is a specific list of commitments and benefits for both organizations must follow. My new assignment is to essentially look over these agreements and create a clear, bulleted list of everything the Arsht Center does for the sponsor and vice versa. It’s a time consuming process, which is made even longer considering I have to do it for multiple agreements for multiple companies. But, it's not so bad. It's kind of like at treasure hunt. With highlighter in hand, I glide over the paper marking anything of importance. Next, I log the highlighted information as paraphrased bullet points in a Word document. I am almost done too! I just two more agreements to go.

Reflection

I still desire to do something a little more worth while, something that truly displays my skills as a professional writer. But, for now, I guess this works. We all have to start small at the beginning. It may just seem like busy work on the surface, but it still needs to be done. By doing this, I really am helping with the prospecting process. Now, instead of my superiors looking through pages of corporate documents for the needed information, they can just consult my simple list. Furthermore, this assignment gives me the chance to hone my writing skills in relation to research and paraphrasing. So it does have its benefits. The experience is always welcomed, and it's great for the Resume.


Position Summary

Internship Journals

Journal Five (06/11/16)

And so ends my internship…at least in terms of graduation requirements. For graduation, I only needed to inter 120 hours at the Arsht Center, but I plan on staying till August. I could technically leave as soon as I reach the necessary amount of logged hours, but I refuse. I have developed a good relationship with everyone in the Advancement Department, and I do not want to let them down. Besides, this is an excellent opportunity to learn new professional skills, and a possible job position! I do not want to let my team down, and I look forward to spending more time with them over the next couple of months.

Action

This week was pretty eventful. I was tasked with helping other workers in the Advancement Department. With that came another collection of busy work, but nothing too challenging. I just had to do more data input and contact management. But, that is not all that happened. Though it does not relate to much to Professional Writing , I was asked to create a series of mock ups for some company sponsored phone chargers. The sponsored companies include Comcast, UHealth, Uber, Anidjar & Levine, and the Florida House Experience. Finally! An assignment where I can show off my skills. I am not building a bulleted list, I am creating a rhetorical medium that says "Hey people, come charge you phone with us!" Next, I was also asked to present at our most recent staff meeting. I presented the earnings of one of our previous shows, Marionetas de la Esquina, and the potential sponsor opportunities. I also assisted with one of the many high school graduation events held at the Arsht Center. I mainly pointed guests to their seats, but it was still a fun experience that brought back memories of my high school graduation.

Reflection

The busy work is always tedious, but it is rewarding. Working with my other teammates helped me establish better relationships with the department as a whole. But, I am really excited for this phone charger project. Not many in my department have Photoshop experience, so when I mentioned that I dabbled in the program they immediately came to me. I will admit, I was a bit rusty, but after a few quick skims of YouTube tutorials I was ready to go. I have completed the mock up for the Comcast charging stand, while the rest still need their finishing touches. I will be sure to include them into the completed portfolio. Engaging in the meeting was also an opportunity for me to show my stuff. I was no longer an observer like in past meetings. This time, I was actually part of the discussion regarding future projects and their development. I hope I get to do it again!

Page 20 II. Internship AAC - Publications and Artifacts

Publications and Artifacts from Internship Site

While I have only helped in the creation of one grant, I have certainly reviewed enough grants to understand their components and overall design. This knowledge has been an asset in my research of numerous corporate entities. Everything at the Center needs funding, which is why I am tasked with finding other companies who share similar interests, which serve as potential prospects. With this information, the Arsht Center’s Advancement Department can effectively cultivate new sources of funding. I have also used my computer skills in regards to graphic design. In some instances I was asked to use Photoshop to create mock ups for future advertisements, specifically phone chargers. This section of the portfolio will present the following assignments, which serve as professional examples of my work at the Center: Corporate Research Notes – A collection of research notes relating to companies

like Target, Publix, Macy’s, and Western Union. Sponsor Benefits – A listing of benefits sponsors receive for contributing to the

Adrienne Arsht Center. The following sponsor companies will include EPIC Hotel & Steinway & Sons

Phone Charger Mock Ups– A record of all the tasks and assignments I completed while interning at the Arsht Center. These mock ups advertise the following companies:

Xfinity Uber UHealth Anidjar & Levine The Florida House Experience

Driving for a Cause Grant Proposal– A draft of a grant still in production. While my department’s Grant Writer was away on vacation, I was asked to begin one of her assignments, a grant proposal for the Homestead–Miami Speedway’s Driving for a Cause Grant. Using previously written Arsht grants as guidelines, this is a grant proposal aimed at supporting the Arsht Center’s educational Kitty Hawk Production.

Page 21 II. Internship AAC - Publications and Artifacts - Research Notes






Page 27 II. Internship AAC - Publications and Artifacts - Sponsor Benefits - (EPIC Hotel)



Page 30 II. Internship AAC - Publications and Artifacts - Sponsor Benefits - (Steinway & Sons)

Page 31 II. Internship AAC - Publications and Artifacts - Sponsor Benefits - (Steinway & Sons)

Page 32 II. Internship AAC - Publications and Artifacts - Grant Draft




Page 36 II. Internship AAC - Publications and Artifacts - Phone Charger Mock Ups

Phone Charger Mock Ups The Arsht Center has a Graphics Department, but they are typically busy with their own specified projects. As a result, when other departments require digital design and promotional advertisements it can get a little hectic. This is why my department came to me. I was asked to create 5 designs for a phone charging stand that will be displayed at different points during the 2016-2017 season. The designs of these mock ups vary, since each one is meant to advertise a different corporate sponsor. It was an interesting experience, partly do to the fact that half way through my personal Windows Laptop broke. I bring this up because the only other available computer with Photoshop at the Center was a Mac. I had never used a Mac before, but we work what we have. Now I can say I have experience in both Windows and Mac, along with their different versions of Photoshop. The following images are the resulting designs I created:

This is the original template for the phone charging stand. It is pretty basic, and completely bland.


These are the resulting mock ups. Each one represents a different corporate sponsor. Each design was met with praise from my department. I can’t wait to see them when they’re made.

Comcast Uber


UHealth Anidjar & Levine


The Florida Home Experience

Academic - Barry University

Barry University is a liberal arts focused school that prides itself in being the ideal place for acquiring a degree. With the help of its curriculum advisors and experienced staff, Barry University helps provide its students with valuable experience and networking opportunities. And, with its wide selection of degrees, students are given the chance to pursue the field that truly interests them.

(Photo of Barry University)

Page 41 III. Academic BU - Blog Posts

Blog Posts

I have written things as a student. That number only grew when I took the prerequisites of Multimedia Writing and Writing for the Internet. For both classes, me and my fellow students were required to maintain a weekly blog on the site Wordpress. Though I was not familiar with blogging, I was familiar with weekly journal entries. But unlike those journal entries, which more or less focused on what we learned that day, blogging provides its authors with much more creative freedom. In this section of my portfolio, I present the following blog posts:

Literacy and Minecraft - A blog post that briefly explores the benefits videogames, like Minecraft, have on literacy.

Under the Sea! You’ll Feel Guilty - A personal post of summer fun and environmental guilt.

While I named my blog something simple for the sake of the class (anthonyramosblog), I decided to use my personal username of TonyGonzoCan. It was a name me and my friends made up in high school, and I like to think it serves as a symbol of my creative freedom. The following is the link to the Wordpress profile I kept after my Writing for the Internet course:

https://anthonyramosblog.wordpress.com/

Page 42 III. Academic BU - Blog Posts - Literacy and Minecraft

Page 43 III. Academic BU - Blog Posts - Literacy and Minecraft

Page 44 III. Academic BU - Blog Posts - Under the Sea

Page 45 III. Academic BU - Blog Posts - Under the Sea

Page 46 III. Academic BU - Portfolio Quality Documents

Portfolio Quality Documents

While at Barry I have experience two different sciences, each with their own unique style of writing. Psychology taught me the ways of APA and research, while English taught me the ways of MLA and rhetorical logic. I am proficient in both methods of citation, but it is clear that both styles vary greatly in content. APA is a style of facts and statistics. It is a very formal style of writing, one that is also extremely exhausting. No, I prefer MLA for it is a style with more creative freedom. It is better suited for the telling of a story. That is why this section of my portfolio will present three of my favorite MLA works. Two were recently written this past Spring Semester, while the other is an older paper that was recently edited around the same time. These three works will be the start of my Professional Writing career. These documents include: Marx, Castro, Sanders: What's the Difference? - A definitional argument aimed at separating Communism from Socialism. A Chaotic Obsession: Humanity's Interest in the Abnormality of Violent Clowns - A research paper that explores humanity’s interest in violent clowns and their ability to distort reality A Clerk’s Quest - A persuasive comedy paper that describes my arduous existence as a real life “Non-Playable Character”

(A photo of me being accepted into the Sigma Tau Delta Honors Society, and another of me sporting my Barry University backpack in Washington D.C.)

Page 47 III. Academic BU - Portfolio Quality Documents - Marx, Castro, Sanders






Page 53 III. Academic BU - Portfolio Quality Documents - A Chaotic Obsession











Page 64 III. Academic BU - Portfolio Quality Documents - A Clerk’s Quest




Page 68 IV. Conclusion

Conclusion

I have come a long way since my freshman year of college. Over the years, I met so many people who completely shaped me into who I am today. I do not regret starting with a Psychology major, because I was influenced by a lot of amazing teachers who taught me more about humanity as a whole. This educational transcendence only continued when I made the difficult decision to switch my field of study. Now, the focus was on the arts. I learned how to argue, how to persuade, and how to analyze. And now that I am on the verge of graduating, despite all of my complaints and hardships, I truly feel prepared to enter the work force. I am confident in my writing ability, and I am always looking to expand it. Since middle school I always dreamt of writing a story, a long one. I’ve tried in the past, but it never felt right. Now, I think I am going to try again. Now that I have the training and the experience, I think I can create something that is truly spectacular. I would like to thank all of my past teachers, the good and the bad. You all have made me who I am today. With your knowledge, I will be able analyze the world and truly make something of myself. My dream career is Voice Acting a profession that does not directly relate to Professional Writing. However, both are forms of communication. And I feel my skills as a professional writer will help me pursue my future dream job.

- Anthony E. Ramos

(Graphic found with Creative Commons and Google Image)