Ethan Lawson 

Reflection Paper 2 

06/09/2025 

ODU Summer 2025, CRN 35529 

Professor Teresa Duvall 

Southwest Virginia Community College 

Internship Reflection Paper 2 

Second 50 Hours 

Working the second fifty hours has given me new insight and skills. I have slowly become more familiar with the ticket system and the Windows operating system we use here at Southwest Virginia Community College. This ticket system allows the IT staff here to communicate remotely and efficiently, especially on busy days. It lets students, staff, and faculty communicate their technical issues and come directly to our email. On our side, we have many options such as closing a ticket, commenting, and figuring out when we can assist them based on prioritization. I have used the Windows operating system my entire life and have taken quite a few classes that cover it. Nevertheless, I feel more familiar with it than ever before by navigating and troubleshooting a wide range of issues daily. Working with the ticket system and Windows has helped me meet the learning objectives about troubleshooting/supporting software and documentation practices. I commonly depend on many parts of Windows such as active directory, local users and groups, control panel, settings, task manager, device manager, file explorer, quick assist, Windows update, and command prompt. Furthermore, these hours have given me increased confidence when confronting new or unfamiliar issues. It is important to develop steps or guidelines that can be improved and applied to a wide range of technical problems. Lastly, these hours have provided invaluable experience for the career path I wish to pursue. Our IT department covers a wide range of issues, and speaking with the rest of the crew is guiding me towards the career path that interests me the most.  

Some of the most significant things I have learned working the second fifty hours are how to adequately give non-technical explanations and to try the easy things first. Also, I have developed a new-found respect for the behind-the-scenes work, discipline, and routine it takes to work in a real-world environment. Working in a technical field and communicating with others in your department on a daily basis immerses you in technical terms and jargon. However, the majority of people do not have the familiarity needed to understand this terminology. It’s crucial to develop your communication skills to voice solutions and issues with a non-technical vocabulary. Computers, software, and other technological devices are intricate and sophisticated. As with many issues involving technology, there are usually many things that could be the culprit. This is why the easiest solutions should be tried first, especially regarding new issues. Doing so reduces risk, saves time, is cost-effective, and most of the time common problems are simple to fix. Outside of helping faculty, staff, and students, a lot of IT work is done behind the scenes. Duties such as researching issues, setting up cameras, speakers, microphones, and live streams make important events such as graduation possible. Most do not pay attention to the time and effort spent performing these duties unless something is causing trouble. However, our administration, faculty, and staff here are very appreciative of the work our department does and regularly show gratitude. This has been my first adult “job”, and it has made me respect my parents, the discipline, and routine required more. Balancing schoolwork, this internship, and still trying to enjoy summer with friends has been a chore. However, waking up at 6:30am and being stuck inside when it is beautiful outside has been the hardest for me. In the future, I hope to get a remote job that gives me a little more freedom, such as choosing where I work from.  

In addition to work, I have learned that technical issues are usually just part of the problem, how to adapt to unexpected challenges, and the importance of professionalism. Technical issues have a tendency to reveal deeper underlying challenges. For example, an implemented solution may disrupt other systems that are connected to it. Then you have to decide on another course of action, like finding another solution or fixing the new issues that arose. Learning to adapt to unexpected challenges on the fly requires an individual to be open-minded and flexible. Professionalism is important because it helps maintain mutual respect, clear communication, and a positive work environment, all of which is especially important in time-dependent situations. Learning these things has met the learning objectives concerned with troubleshooting hardware/software and strengthening professional communication practices.  

Overall, these second fifty hours have given far more than improvement to my technical skills-I have also been taught perspective, purpose, and motivation for what lies ahead. I have been introduced to the diverse roles and responsibilities that each IT position entails. The improved understanding of these roles has changed my perspective on career paths I wish to pursue in the future. Completing one hundred hours has made the purpose I serve the IT department, faculty, staff, and students clear to me. It has also given me a better idea as to what purpose I want to serve in future positions. This field allows us to pursue an incredible range of jobs, and I want to pursue something I deem meaningful. Finally, these hours have motivated me to further my education by completing certifications such as CompTIA A+ and Network+ to improve my odds of landing a technical job after this internship. Also, seeing and being able to apply what I have previously studied motivates me to apply myself to schoolwork even more.