As I approach the halfway point in the marathon called the Independent Study & Mentorship Program, the journey thus far has been amazing. From late night research to productive professional interviews, the ISM program has taught me the vital skills for survival in the professional world. And with the Research Showcase 48 hours away, I plan on reflecting exactly what I’ve learnt to the numerous commentators that I hope will come visit my board.

In this past week itself, I finalized the logistics for the Research Showcase, including board setup, portfolio setup, and communication with invited guests and mentors. I had the opportunity to be creative with my board as I represented the research I have conducted through the semester and its culmination into my Original Work. In addition, I updated my portfolio to include my business plan for presentation purposes. In addition, I indulged on a large-scale marketing campaign to advertise the event as I distributed invitations to family friends, my mentor, my parents’ colleagues, my teachers, and my classmates.

Looking ahead, I am personally very excited for Research Showcase. Although I have attended the event before, this time I will be attending from a different perspective and will be able to connect and showcase with other aspiring student and industry professionals. In addition, I have the unique opportunity to present ISM to middle school students this upcoming Friday and am looking to prepare for that event as well.