Two donor-supported awards celebrate students’ work on ePortfolios:

  • The Junior ePortfolio Award for PWR and ENG Majors and PWS Minors ($500) recognizes an outstanding portfolio-in-development by a current junior majoring in Professional Writing and Rhetoric or English or minoring in Professional Writing Studies at Elon University. Submissions are due the third Monday in April. Submit your ePortfolio URL to Dr. Jessie Moore (jmoore28@elon.edu) and include “ePortfolio Award Submission” in your email subject line.
  • The Senior ePortfolio Award for PWR Majors ($500) recognizes an outstanding senior portfolio by a graduating senior in Professional Writing and Rhetoric. Submissions are due November 30th, when senior portfolios are due for external review, and the winning portfolio will be selected by the external reviewer.

Requirements for the Junior ePortfolio Award for PWR and ENG Majors and PWS Minors

Entries for the Junior ePortfolio Award should include the following items:

  1. A letter to the reader, introducing yourself and your portfolio. Your letter is an opportunity to explain the organizational structure used in your portfolio and to highlight the strengths of your developing professional identity (which should be showcased in your portfolio). Although this is one of the first items readers see, it likely will be the last element you compose.
  2. A strong overall organizational plan, reflecting your strengths and goals. For example, if you have strong visual skill sets (perhaps a minor in digital art?), then you should include a section in your portfolio devoted to Visual Rhetoric or Visual Design. This section might feature web designs, brochures, fliers, advertisements, and even PowerPoint presentations. If you have developed successful strategies for collaborative writing, perhaps you’ll include a section showcasing one or two collaborative projects. Ensure that your areas of expertise within PWR, ENG, or PWS are reflected by your portfolio’s major sections and organizational structure.
  3. Juniors should have a collection ranging from 5-8 entries. There should be a diverse mix of documents – both different genres and different lengths (e.g., a mix of long and short reports, memos, advertising campaigns, brochures, art projects, etc.). Process pieces (i.e., a rough draft, feedback, and a revised draft) count as one collective entry.
  4. A significant reflective element, usually called “contextual narratives,” that provide the “story” of each portfolio entry. For example:This entry was an assignment for class X, and we were expected to contact a client who needed PR materials, interview them, analyze their existing documents, and come up with a new set of materials for them. We approached this project by….we decided to choose this font and color because……We feel this project was quite successful because…. This project showcases my ability to…Outside evaluators and employers repeatedly report that they find the contextual narratives the most interesting and valuable part of the portfolio projects. Well-developed contextual narratives typically are 1 to 2 full, single-spaced pages long.
  5. A copy of your updated resume.

Requirements for the Senior ePortfolio Award for PWR Majors

Seniors should follow the portfolio requirements outlined on the major’s website.