Gone Boarding has given me tools that I have utilized to further my professional career. It has provided me with valuable, team-based experience that I have referred to in job interviews, personal statements, and applications to colleges and prospective employers. Based on my own experience, I believe that Gone Boarding, a class where students collaborate on a unique project team, can provide students with material experience to refer to when they are asked, “Do you have experience working on a project team? Explain how you handled a situation where your team disagreed about how to solve a problem—how did you overcome it?” Having now experienced multiple internships and school application processes, I appreciate the ability to draw from experiences in my life like Gone Boarding.

Gone Boarding also sharpened my project-management and team working skills. This is important to me because problem solving skills and team working skills are a valuable attribute in most types of work. Challenges that my Gone Boarding groups had to overcome while building a board included choosing a team leader, if necessary, coming to a group consensus on a design, figuring out how to finish a project by the deadline, delegating tasks, and dealing with unexpected problems with the project plan. Speaking from my personal experience, these skills are important for young adults to learn, and they will serve them well in higher education and in the workforce.