Within the marketing field, a successful branding technique is usually credited as one of the primary contributors to the success of an organization. Primarily, the technique adds visibility and credibility to one of the products of a company and helps it stand out within a competitive market. At the same time, as nurse scholars, people have the chance to build their brand to amplify the visibility and credibility within the field. One of the most effective ways of attaining this is by creating an academic portfolio that serves as a show of commitment towards academic excellence and the commitment of Walden University towards social change. Therefore, this discussion contains two critical strategies for integrating academic activities and accomplishments into professional development goals, primarily focusing on how the techniques align with Walden’s mission of fostering social change.
Strategies for Building Academic Portfolio and Enhancing Social Change
One of the techniques that will be useful in building an academic portfolio and enhancing social change is research and publications. Through research and publications, one can access a wide range of articles (Dokuka et al., 2020). Primarily, these articles may include peer-reviewed sources, conference presentations, research projects, and dissertations, to mention a few. The articles accessed could be helpful to the topic and discussion of social change. Typically, research is valuable as it demonstrates one’s expertise. Including research and publications in the portfolio helps to prove that one is skilled in a particular field or subject (Chae & Lee, 2021). It demonstrates an individual’s knowledge and understanding of the topic, subsequently enhancing credibility. At the same time, research and publications can prove one’s academic contributions. Whether it is a peer-reviewed journal article or a book chapter, research can help to show that Pone has made substantial progress and contribution to the field. Specifically, this helps in enabling one to elevate to positions of being rendered suitable to attain academic positions and grants.
Community engagement and advocacy are the second strategies for building one’s academic portfolio and enhancing social change. Beyond one’s academic successes, Walden University values engagement with the community and advocacy. Mainly, this should be included in the portfolio (Păunescu et al., 2022). Involvement in initiatives that bring forth positive change in healthcare and nursing practices would contribute to one’s portfolio substantially, sharing outcomes of the community efforts that one has engaged in and some of the transformations made would be a critical part of the process of building one’s portfolio academically (Brown & Baltes, 2017). For example, when one indulges in activities that target underserved populations, highlighting the impact of an individual’s involvement in the community and how it aligns with the mission of fostering positive social change should be included in the portfolio, making it more credible.
Conclusion
Nurse scholars are enriched by their commitment to academic excellence and shared dedication to promoting social change at Walden University. Building one’s academic portfolio requires integrating research and publications and engaging with the community through advocacy. These strategies would help one to have a credible and robust academic portfolio. People enhance professional credibility and contribute to the advancement of nursing and healthcare with a significant emphasis on social justice. Even when one builds their brand, there is a need to align it with the values and goals of Walden University, hence showcasing one’s academic activities to catalyze positive and meaningful social change within the world of healthcare and nursing.
References
Brown, M. S., & Baltes, B. (2017). The relationship between social change involvement and education. Journal of Social Change, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.5590/josc.2017.09.1.13
Chae, S. J., & Lee, Y. W. (2021). Exploring the strategies for successfully building E-portfolios in medical schools. Korean Journal of Medical Education, 33(2), 133-137. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2021.188
Dokuka, S., Valeeva, D., & Yudkevich, M. (2020). How academic achievement spreads: The role of distinct social networks in academic performance diffusion. PLOS ONE, 15(7), e0236737. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236737
Păunescu, C., Nikina-Ruohonen, A., & Stukalina, Y. (2022). Fostering research with societal impact in higher education institutions: A review and conceptualization. Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management, 153-178. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84044-0_8
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