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Added Note for your Revised LinkeDin profile: please use this check listhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1QJknHtArUkayUO0PVPSPTNqhcsKmxjA5/view?usp=sharing: ‣Added note: for your revised LinkedIn profile, please use this checklist: https://tinyurl.com/vardvu84
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Why would ARPL even require creating a LinkedIn profile as an assignment?
Even some mentors asked this question — and here is the explanation, along with guidance on how to create one.
At this moment, LinkedIn is the least “social media–ish” social media platform. It has evolved into a professional identity tool. For young researchers, scholars, and student leaders, LinkedIn becomes:
This module will guide you through creating, shaping, and maintaining a strong LinkedIn profile that reflects credibility, ambition, and authenticity.
A strong LinkedIn profile begins with the way you present yourself visually. Your profile photo should be clear and professional, taken in natural light with a simple background. A neat shirt or modest professional clothing works well, and the goal is to appear friendly, confident, and approachable. Students should avoid selfies, overly casual settings, group photos, and distracting backgrounds. (The ALA headshot works, by the way.)
The background banner at the top of the profile can further communicate identity and interests. Clean designs, school crests, research-themed graphics, or a photo from a professional event are excellent choices. This banner should be simple and not visually overwhelming.
Your headline is one of the first things viewers read, and it should represent both who you are and what you aspire to be. Rather than simply saying “Student,” ARPL participants should create headlines that reflect their academic interests and roles. A strong headline might look like: Student Researcher | Public Health & Neuroscience Enthusiast | ARPL Scholar or Aspiring Engineer | Climate Innovation | Youth Leader. A meaningful headline shows direction, curiosity, and ambition, helping people understand your identity instantly. You can take a look at the profiles of ARPL mentors, shared on Canvas.
The “About” section is where you tell your story in your own voice. This paragraph should be sincere, focused, and reflective of the experiences that shaped you. Begin by introducing who you are and what motivates your interest in research or leadership. You can describe how your background, community, or academic journey influenced your goals. Then highlight key experiences such as research projects, leadership positions, community involvement, or competitions. End by sharing your aspirations: what fields you want to study, what problems you want to tackle, or the kind of impact you hope to make. The goal is not to sound perfect, but to sound real—honest, driven, and aware of your path.
Many students believe they lack “real experience,” but almost everything you participate in as a student qualifies. Research programs, science fairs, online courses, tutoring, leadership roles, volunteer work, youth initiatives, school clubs, and really anything can be listed. Each experience should have a clear title, the organization name, the dates, and a short description of what you did. Use action verbs such as “conducted,” “assisted,” “organized,” “led,” or “analyzed” to show initiative. Even smaller responsibilities, like helping plan an event or completing an online course, have value when described clearly and honestly. Later you may delete fewer valuable experiences.
The Education section is straightforward: list your high school, expected graduation year, relevant coursework, and any awards or leadership positions. You may also add skills that reflect your academic and personal strengths; examples include scientific research, communication, critical thinking, teamwork, writing, data analysis, problem-solving, and others.