As a prospective fish and wildlife technician, I have gained a refined set of skills that promotes success in multiple working environments. Through the study of data collection, independent learning, and the utilization of technical skills, I have concluded that adeptness in each area is vital for overall success. As such, my experiences at Fleming College have molded me into a competitive candidate for a lasting career in the environmental sector.

While I have faced many challenges over the past semester, the Trends Analysis Assignment was the most complex. The idea was to determine an environmental trend, perform secondary research, and organize my findings into a formal report accompanied by a customized letter of transmittal. I decided to analyze the trend of declining herptile populations throughout southern Ontario, which is closely related to my program of study and personal interests. Over several weeks, I conducted extensive secondary research, which included key findings in the forms of statistics, charts, graphs, and the professional opinions. What made this process unique was the volume of work required. It was an intensive undertaking and my final grade of 97% is a testament to the time and effort that went into this project. This project strengthened my time management skills, exposed me to statistical data, taught me vital report formatting techniques, and offered valuable insight into a trend that is rapidly becoming apparent in the environmental sector.

An additional component of COMM202 was the completion of the Discourse Community Assignment, which had me creating a formal document introducing inexperienced enthusiasts to the community of herpetology. My research offered me valuable insight into a specific area of study and taught me how to compile information into a format that others may use for career guidance. My instructor was so pleased with the final product that she commented “[a] well researched and written report Shawn! Would you mind if I used your report as an exemplar for future semesters?” (Rishor, 2019). Few students are ever approached this way, and to be asked by a skilled and qualified educator to use my work as an exemplar to assist future students is an honour of the highest degree.

I encourage you to take a look at the following collection of writing samples, which you will see are reflective of some of my best work throughout my first year of college. You will find excerpts of the Trend Analysis, the Discourse Community assignment, a COMM202 blog entry, a GNED49 discussion post, and the Stock Portfolio summary from NATR8. For each entry, I have written a short introduction that briefly provides context for the assignment from which the excerpt was taken.


Reference

Rishor, N. (2019, June 23). Discourse Community Analysis [Rubric]. Retrieved from
https://fleming.desire2learn.com/d2l/lms/dropbox/user/folder_user_view_feedback.d2l?db=54725&grpid=0&isprv=0&bp=0&ou=104866

Writing Sample One (from COMM202)

My first writing sample is a section from my Trend Analysis in Comm202. I chose it for my portfolio because is displays an in-depth level of knowledge on a topic related to my professional field. This piece shows potential employers that I am a capable researcher and well informed on trends occurring within wildlife populations. It is also a prime example of my exemplary writing skills, which carries over into the workplace as well.

Habitat loss in the forms of residential development and agriculture has contributed to their decline the most. Important areas that sustain high numbers of herp species, such as wetlands, shorelines, and mountain valleys, are highly sought after and readily settled by humans (Canadian Herpetological Society, 2017). Southern Ontario is well known for its developmental potential, which makes the land an attractive option for real estate and industrial expansion. Utilizing these areas for non-sustainable purposes often results in lost habitat that cannot be replaced. This is especially true when associated with wetland drainage and development, as many herp species rely on these natural areas for feeding and breeding purposes. An estimated 80 to 98 percent of wetlands adjacent to Canadian urban areas have already been lost and are no longer fit to support wildlife in any capacity (Canadian Herpetological Society, 2017). Such an extreme loss of territory causes mortality rates that populations simply cannot recover from.

To coincide with habitat loss, habitat fragmentation is another leading cause of reptile and amphibian decline across Ontario. Fragmentation occurs when only specific areas of a land zone are developed, which splits up the natural range of the animals living within. With development comes the addition of roads and highways, which create deadly hazards for local fauna. Migrating herptiles are especially vulnerable to vehicular strikes, as they are usually slow-moving and will often travel hundreds of kilometers across all forms of terrain in search of prime breeding grounds (Canadian Herpetological Society, 2017).

References

Canadian Herpetological Society. (2017). Habitat loss and fragmentation. Retrieved from Canadian Herpetological Society: http://canadianherpetology.ca/species/threats/habitat.html

Canadian Herpetological Society. (2017). Road mortality. Retrieved from Canadian herpetological society: http://canadianherpetology.ca/species/threats/roads.html

Writing Sample Two (from COMM202)

My second writing sample comes from my Discourse Community assignment in Comm202. I selected this piece because it was my favourite assignment of the course, as it allowed me to learn the inner workings of the particular branch of wildlife study that interests me the most. I put an immense amount of effort into this passage in the hopes that it may act as a reference for those hoping to enter the field. Potential employers will also take note of my fluent writing and grammar skills found throughout.

Herpetology is a specialized branch of zoology that involves the study of reptiles and amphibians. As such, a herpetologist is a researcher who carries out related tasks, such as physical examinations, habitat study, and conservation efforts of reptile and amphibians around the world. While many specialize in precise fields, herpetologists must have detailed knowledge of the anatomy, behaviour, status and range of an extensive array of herp species (EnvironmentalScience.org, 2019). This is especially true when it comes to their selected region of employment.

The degree of related education depends on how involved you want to be. Succeeding as an employable herpetologist generally requires an extensive educational background. To start, enrolment in a post-secondary wildlife-specific program is an absolute must. From there, a degree in a related field, such as zoology, biology, or ecology should be pursued, as there is often fierce competition for jobs in this field (EnvironmentalScience.org, 2019). Elective courses should also focus exclusively on the study of reptiles and amphibians. Any sort of extracurricular exposure to herpetology, such as public seminars, workshops, and online research, are also worthwhile. The more you know, the better your employment chances will be.

References

EnvironmentalScience.org. (2019). What is a herpetologist? Retrieved from EnvironmentalScience.org: https://www.environmentalscience.org/career/herpetologist

Writing Sample Three (from COMM202)

My third writing sample is from a blog post that I completed for Comm202. I selected this post because it shows that I am a hands-on person that is willing to conduct primary research in my own time. The entire article is related to my program of study and is evidence of my willingness to explore any environment in search of answers. Potential employers will note my bravery and exploratory nature here as well.

[S]norkeling has also offered me a first-hand look at a variety of aquatic habitats and ecosystems. Over the years, I have examined everything from rocky substrates to submerged log structures, and it has given me an intimate view that few have experienced. It has also helped with locating species in their natural habitat. If I am searching for one in particular, I have a general idea as to where I should start looking. For example, certain minnow species can only be found close to shore and around aquatic vegetation, whereas others prefer fast-flowing river systems. You can read about preferred habitat ranges in a textbook, but it pales in comparison to seeing the real thing with your own eyes. Any career pertaining to fish and wildlife would surely benefit from such knowledge.

Finally, snorkeling has made me a braver person and honed my peripheral senses in a way that I never thought possible. Whenever I am underwater, my active senses trigger and I become extremely aware of my surroundings. While surprises still happen from time to time, I can usually handle stressful situations without panicking (a snapping turtle swimming directly above me, for example). Interestingly enough, many people actually have a fear of deep water. While I was a little apprehensive of exploring deep, murky waters at first, I quickly learned that the payoff was worth it. As with the above examples, competence in stressful circumstances is a vital asset that employers look for.

Writing Sample Four (from GNED49)

The following writing sample is from a discussion post in my Indigenous Studies course, which explores many of the complex issues surrounding Indigenous culture and related past events. The assignment required that I select a seminar topic and discuss how my knowledge base has changed after reviewing the information in class. I chose Residential Schools as a topic of interest. Not only is this work an impressive display of my articulate nature and strong grammatical skills, but it also showcases my knowledge of Indigenous history and the reasons behind their modern societal struggles. Future employers would appreciate this, as projects within the environmental sector are often interconnected with Indigenous communities.

Indigenous Studies has been an eye-opening experience for me, as it has expanded my understanding of many Indigenous issues of both the past and present. While each topic thus far has been an informative look into the inner workings of a fascinating culture, one topic has stuck with me throughout my time here at Fleming College. It is a very significant part of our past that few acknowledge and even fewer discuss. Of course, I am referring to the long sad history of the Indigenous people trapped within the residential school system.

Residential schooling is a subject that is hard to learn about and even harder to teach. It often comes as a shock to those who live outside of Canada that this country does not sport the squeaky-clean reputation that it would have you believe. Having graduated from the Police Foundations program, I was exposed to the topic of residential schools through the content of my past curriculum, but the level of suffering that I learned about back then was nothing compared to the information that I encountered in Indigenous Studies.

I have developed a new level of understanding when it comes to Indigenous survivors of the residential school system. Their high addiction rates and disproportionate representation within the Canadian criminal justice system often stems from the suffering caused from residential schools and the degradation of the Indigenous people as a whole. As terrible as that is, it certainly makes sense and gave me a chance to learn the reasons behind such pain.

Writing Sample Five (from NATR8)

My final sample is from a stock portfolio group assignment that I completed in the Skills for Stewardship and Sustainability program. Two other students and I were issued $10,000 of fictional money and were tasked with investing in real-world stocks to determine if we could make short-term gains. While the project was group-oriented, each written submission was completed and submitted individually. I selected this excerpt because it not only displays my knowledge of the modern market system and processes behind our financial selections, but it also highlights my ability to successfully operate as a team.

We first acknowledged the fact that we currently attend an environmental college that supports a number of green initiatives, so delving into stock options based around sustainability was a natural move. Our research lead us to a number of noticeable companies (Brookfield Renewable Partners) and started our investment process off with several sustainable stock purchases. Also, the recent Canadian legalization of marijuana has seen a number of businesses spring up and take the stock market by storm, so we felt that a moderate investment in one of the leading cannabis production companies (Canopy Growth Corp.) would be a worthy venture. We could not access a stock data webpage without reading some form of praise for this unique brand of investment.

That being said, the three of us knew that there are many less-than-green companies on the market today that are fantastic money-makers for investors. Due to this fact, we wanted to create a diverse portfolio that looked into just how well some of these corporations do in terms of share prices. Like two sides of the same coin, sustainable and profit-driven stocks exist in the same market and are in direct contact with one another. We figured that this was an excellent opportunity to compare the two types of stocks and see how each does in the long run. This is what led us to invest in companies like Amazon, Phillips, and AT&T. Our group was also able to take advantage of temporary stock price drops in order to buy into more expensive companies.