LEARN Expo

Poster Content

Your poster will showcase your Experiential Learning (EL) project. Add a Project Title, Names of Participants, Type of Experiential Learning experience (i.e., internship, clinical, or service-learning class; undergraduate research project/community work-study program, etc) at the top.

Include the three sections noted below. Scroll down or click each title to read details about each section. 

Describe your EL project

Connect your EL project to academic learning or professional skills

Reflect on what you've learned from this EL project

Design your poster to highlight your experience and be prepared to share it with attendees. 

• Use clear headings and organization
• Keep text readable (see font information below)
• Include visuals, graphs, photos that help showcase your experience 
• Practice explaining your project clearly and confidently  

To earn the highest score, your poster and presentation should provide detailed information, make clear connections between your experience and academic/professional learning, include thoughtful reflection supported by specific examples, and be presented in a visually engaging format.

Section 1: Describe Your EL Project  

In this section, introduce your EL project or experience.
Think of the following questions:

• What is your EL experience (e.g., research project, a service-learning/clinical/internship class, a community-work study program)?
• What did you do as part of the EL experience?
  • What was your specific role, task, or duty in the project?
• What was the main object of your EL project?
• Did you work independently or as part of a team?
• Who did you collaborate with (e.g., faculty, peers, community members)?
• Where did you experience take place (e.g., on campus, in the community, virtually)?
• When did you do it?
  • How long did the project last and how often were you involved?
• Did the project evolve or change over time?
• What kind of organization or community did you work with?
• What were the key phases or milestones of the project?

To receive the highest score, clearly explain:

• Your role and responsibilities
• The project's objectives
• Who you collaborated with
• Where the experience took place
• The timeline and duration of the project
• Major milestones or phases
• How the project changed or evolved over time
• The organization, community, or population served

Section 2: Connect Your EL Project to Academic Learning or Professional Skills 

In this section, explore the academic connections and professional growth through EL.
Think of the following questions:

• How was this experience related to academic concepts or major?
  
  • Choose a specific topic or several ideas relevant to course or major
• How did this experience deepen your understanding of a specific concept or theory from your coursework?
• What professional skills (e.g., communication, leadership, time management) did you strengthen through this experience?
• Did this experience prepare you for future career goals? How so?
• What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them in a professional context?
• What did you learn about yourself through this experience?
• If working with a community partner, how did this experience enhance your civic development?

To receive the highest score:

• Identify a specific course concept, theory, framework, model or academic principle you applied during the experience
• Describe a challenge or obstacle you encountered and explain the strategies you used to overcome it
• Explain how this experience contributed to your personal and professional development
• If you worked in the community, organization, or with a public-serving partner, explain how the experience increased your understanding of community needs, civic responsibility, or social impact. 

Reflect on what you've learned from this EL project

In this section, reflect on the lessons learned through this EL experience. Think of the following questions:

• What have you learned by being involved in this project/program?
  • Describe an "aha" moment...
• What did you learn that you may not have learned in a traditional classroom setting?
• How did this experience confirm or challenge what you thought you knew?
• Did you encounter a failure or mistake that turned into a valuable learning opportunity?
• What feedback did you receive that helped you grow?
• How has this experience shaped your understanding of your role in your field or community?
• How do you plan to use the skills you have learned beyond this course?
• What was the most exciting experience with this project?
• What skills or knowledge from the EL project be more useful in your future?

To receive the highest score, communicate:

• Feedback you received from your supervisor, faculty, peers, or community partners, and how it influenced your growth. 
• Describe a meaningful "aha" moment, unexpected insight, or experience that changed your understanding of the project, field, or community. 
• How this experience helped you learn something that would not have been possible through coursework alone. 

Step-by-step Poster instructions:

Download a Poster Template and follow the steps below to create a poster on PowerPoint. You can also visit YouTube for a Video Tutorial.

If you use a MAC, please save your file as a PowerPoint, note that fonts and images may need to be reviewed if you work on Keynote. 

Open PowerPoint and select Blank Layout.

Size your poster 48" (width) by 36" (height). This will enable the printout to fit in a trifold, which will be provided for your use.

To add text, insert a "Text Box" where desired. Select legible fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri.

Recommended Font Sizes:

• Title: 72-120
• Subtitle: 48-80
• Section Headers: 36-72
• Body Text: 24-48

Insert pictures by going to Insert > Menu > Picture > From File > select picture. You can resize the image and place where desired

Be sure to compress pictures in order to submit your poster. You can do this by selecting pictures and selecting "Compress" in the Picture Format Tab.

You can add a background to your poster. Be sure your background color is light for optimal printing purposes. We review colors and may ask you to resubmit if the background is too dark. 

Save your poster under your name as a (PowerPoint Slide) and submit as part of the Registration Form.  

You will receive a confirmation email within five business days. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please email learn@tamiu.edu.

Poster Tips

• Your poster should read from top left to bottom right, like if you are reading a page.
• Maintain good contrast between your text color and background color.
• The color that you see on your computer monitor will not reproduce exactly the same on a printed poster, as monitor color settings vary. You can expect that there will be a color shift of 2 or 3 shades.
• To avoid low resolution pictures, do not enlarge images in your PowerPoint slide. To adjust an image and retain proportion, hold down the SHIFT key on your keyboard and click and drag with your mouse on one of the corners in order to scale image.
• Avoid hard to read fonts, such as cursive and script.