Resources
Preparedness, Professionalism, and Setting Expectations
Your participation in all Kogod events, as well as interactions with employers and alumni, involves developing your personal brand, reputation, and professionalism. Therefore, we expect you to act with the highest standards of integrity, good judgment, timeliness, honesty, and open communication.
When in doubt, ask yourself: "What would I do if this was my job and my boss, colleagues, and clients are all aware of and impacted by my actions?" Consistently making the right decisions will build your professional reputation while positively impacting every Kogod stakeholder, including fellow students, alumni, employers, faculty, and staff.
For site visits:
- Professional business attire is required for site visits. A jacket and slacks/skirt, professional dresses, or a business suit with a pressed shirt are appropriate. Please wear pressed and comfortable clothes appropriate for meeting senior business professionals and also moving through the city.
- Please bring a government-issued photo ID to pass through building security.
- Students should wear comfortable closed-toe shoes and not wear high heels; there may be a walking portion of the site visit.
- Students should bring something with which to take notes--tablet, notebook, etc. Please remember to PACK LIGHTLY when attending site visits. You should not bring your laptop to the site visits
For academic sessions:
- Business casual attire is required for academic sessions.
- Students should bring a laptop to academic sessions and final presentations.
- Business casual attire is required throughout the practicum.
- Please bring a government-issued photo ID to pass through building security.
- Students should bring a laptop with project data loaded to each session.
Building a good professional reputation requires consistent positive decisions and actions; one negative act can damage your reputation and possibly impair your career. Similarly, as part of the Kogod community, your individual actions help (or negatively impact) the Kogod brand and all of its stakeholders, most importantly current and future students.
Examples of failing to meet these expectations may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Not dressing appropriately for an event.
- Tardiness or general lack of professional courtesy for faculty, staff, speakers, site visit hosts, and other students
- Failure to participate as part of a group project team
- Disrupting academic events through use of cell phone
The faculty take student professionalism into consideration in the participation grading component to the course. Points may be deducted for tardiness, failure to attend, or disruptive behavior.
If you have any questions about these expectations or need clarification, please contact us at onlinebusiness@american.edu
