JACOB MAKOFSKE - LEADERSHIP SCHOLAR PORTFOLIO
Spring 2023
Employment
Ithaca College - Office of Residental Life
Resident Assistant - East Tower
Was responsible for:
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As an RA, my main priority is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for my residents. During my time as an RA, I have helped to facilitate many conflicts to ensure my residents' safety, comfort, and well-being. Through my job as a Resident Assistant, I have learned a lot about communication, conflict facilitation, and overcoming unexpected challenges to support the people around me.
Park Productions
Producer/Director
Was responsible for:
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This semester, I have been able to take on a much larger leadership position on the Park Productions team and work as a mentor for some of the younger employees.
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Through Park Productions, I have been given the amazing opportunity to work as the Behind-The-Scenes Producer/Director for a Coca-Cola Refreshing Films commercial. In this position, I led a team of eight student filmmakers to produce deliverables for Coca-Cola and create content for social media to promote our project and provide career opportunities for students working on it. Throughout the project, I communicated regularly with Coca-Cola representatives, created detailed shot lists, and collaborated on the production schedule to ensure that my team and I could capture every program requirement and branded deliverable, many of which may be utilized by Coca-Cola, Red Digital Cinema Camera Company, Cinemark, and Ithaca College. I served as a central point of communication between my team and Coca-Cola. I ensured every member of my team had a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, helped to set expectations, and made sure deadlines were met. In this position, I was able to serve as a mentor and provide guidance to my team by making sure they had the knowledge and resources they needed to successfully complete their jobs - all while working hard to set a tone of excitement and possibilities so that even when facing the inevitable challenges, my team felt supported and that their time working on this project has been a truly positive and rewarding experience.
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Additionally, I was able to work on smaller projects for Park Productions such as Pitch it to Produce It and the annual film festival we put together.
Organizations
CREW (Men's Rowing)
Was responsible for:
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As a student-athlete and member of the Ithaca College Crew team, I strive to support my team and serve as a role model. Even though I had never done Crew before attending Ithaca, I am dedicated to learning and improving by practicing 3-4 hours per day, 6 days a week. I hope to show others who might be thinking of trying something new that through hard work and perseverance, they too can successfully achieve their goals. My time on the crew team has allowed me to lead by example and motivate my teammates, creating a positive team culture and environment. Rowing has taught me how to work effectively in a team and stay focused under pressure.
Community Service
Row For Humanity
(Habitat For Humanity)
Was responsible for:
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This semester, I participated in the Row for Humanity charity event for Habitat for Humanity. The distance I rowed with my teammates was used to raise money that will go to Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing to those in need. To do this, I helped advertise the event and spread the word by mailing out flyers to friends and family. Participating in "Row for Humanity" was an incredibly meaningful experience for me. It allowed me to contribute to an important cause while also bonding with my teammates through our shared efforts to make a difference in the lives of those in need of affordable housing. This opportunity was also a very new way to engage with community service for me and a huge physical challenge. In an hour, I was able to row well over 10k to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.
Professional Development
What the Heck is ‘EQ’? - An Intro to Emotional Intelligence
The Mime Approach to Problem Solving
Fuel Your Body and Mind Through Food
“What the Heck is ‘EQ’? - An Intro to Emotional Intelligence” provided me with useful insights into recognizing and regulating my emotions as well as how to communicate more effectively with others.
“The Mime Approach to Problem Solving” utilized miming techniques and improv to illustrate how problem-solving can be approached in creative and effective ways. This SLI taught me about the importance of thinking outside of the box and how to walk through a problem step-by-step to arrive at the best solution.
“Fuel Your Body and Mind Through Food” taught me a lot about how nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress can all have a significant impact on day-to-day functioning. Leaders who prioritize nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress management are better equipped to manage their responsibilities effectively and are able to promote self-care within their organizations.
