Ch. 8 “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” –Walt Disney, Animation Industry Pioneer

As you are working to complete your capstone project, you’ll want to remember to use these project sections for your finalized format:

Section I          Introduction

The introduction should identify the focus of your project and explain the relevance to your major and connections with your applied field of studies that you have built upon in your B.S. Applied Studies Option in Management.  Are you submitting to a supervisor, a board?  Be sure to identify your intended audience.

Section II         Project Outcomes

List your project outcomes that you developed in the Project Analysis phase of your work.

Section III        Literature Review 

Present your literature review noting best practices in the field, as well as the conclusions you’ve drawn from the literature review.

 Section IV        Project Content

Describe your project and include all materials associated with it so that the reader develops a good sense of what the project entails.    Show your implementation and evaluation plans.

 Section V        Conclusions and Reflection

Appendix       This section will contain any supplementary information and/or supporting documentation.

At this point in your capstone project work as you are finalizing content, tweaking evaluation plans, and for some of you getting ready to roll out new business plans, it is important to also take time to reflect on all that you have accomplished through your research and your innovative approach to accomplishing your capstone project objectives. Reflection involves engaging with your work in a manner that incorporates your knowledge with your experience and articulating that in a meaningful way.

As you develop your conclusion, consider your process, the lessons you have learned, what went well and what you may have done differently given the opportunity to repeat the process. Consider your capstone project development as a professional development opportunity that you will bring with you into your organization, your career and your approach to personal growth and enrichment.

Reflect on your accomplishments in a manner that brings perspective around achievement, success and continuous improvement. Utilize your critical and strategic thinking skills to analyze how your project work synthesizes your academic journey with your professional goals. Reflection is a powerful tool that helps us to recognize how we’ll utilize what we’ve learned to support our present and future goals and challenge ourselves to be innovative.

In her article, Time to Reflect – Why Does it Matter in the Workplace, Karen Liebenguth educates us on the empowering ability of reflection to help us make better decisions, decide on a course of action and broaden our thinking.

Congratulations on your accomplishments, not only in your capstone work but in completing your journey toward degree completion. As the 50 well-known entrepreneurs share in their advice in the following video, finding work that you are passionate about, that brings you great personal reward and motivates you is priceless. My wish for each of you is that you dedicate yourself to lifelong learning and you recognize great personal and professional success in whatever form brings you the greatest joy!