National Running Day: Inspiration to Run for Something

As many of you may know, I've been working on a project to raise money for Women's Health's Run 10 Feed 10. I'm so encouraged by the support that I've gotten so far, and am really appreciating seeing the giving spirit in my friends, family and coworkers.

The website that is running the fundraising efforts is a fantastic (and what appears to be a fantastically fun!) company called Crowdrise, designed specifically to make fundraising for something you believe in easy and entertaining. Trust me, their emails really are :)

With today being National Running Day, I decided to browse around the site, and see who else is "running for something". The process gives me the same rush as running on a long race course, looking at the shirts of the runners around me. People running to save the lives of friends and family members, people running to honor friends and family that may have already been lost, people running to celebrate overcoming their own personal challenge (including this beautiful story from my most recent race). Even though I grumble about running sometimes/often- the aches and pains, the cost of races, the inconvenience of travel- doing it in a way that makes a difference puts it all in perspective.

Check Out These Crowdrise Projects That Feature Great People "Running For Something":

-My Team Triumph: working to allow physically challenged athletes to participate in endurance sports. They have a race this weekend, so check them out!
http://www.crowdrise.com/mttbellinrun2012

-The HydroWorx Underwater Marathon: a fundraiser designed to allow runners to run on underwater treadmills, to raise money for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers.
http://www.crowdrise.com/HydroWorxUnderwaterMarathon

-Youth Homes Run 4 Kids: this Montana group home cares for children whose families are in crisis, and they will be participating in the 2012 Missoula Marathon.
http://www.crowdrise.com/run4kids2012

-RMH Elliott Deedler Fundraiser: Elliott's dad Adam is running the inaugural Ann Arbor Marathon to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House that supported them during Elliott's bout of respiratory failure. Check out the project, it has 9 days to go!
http://www.crowdrise.com/deedler/fundraiser/emilydeedler

Happy National Running Day! What inspires you as you run? If you don't run, what causes do you work for or care deeply about? 

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears: Shakespeare Inspired Conference Presentations

So this started as this completely silly thing. Kate Kinsella, Lisa Endersby, and Joe Ginese started a conversation on conference presentations and plays with the following (completely true) observation:

If your program proposal has 7 co-presenters you are no longer giving a presentation, you are putting on a play. #conf30

This got Lisa's wheels turning about Shakespearean titles for conference presentations (does this defy the discussion about not pandering to a conference theme with a title? Maybe, but it's fun!)

Listed here are some of the submissions that we came up with.  The ones in red have been submitted after the initial chat!

If you have additions, please add in the comments! And if you want to make any of these a reality, PLEASE get in touch! :)

1. "The Lady Doth Protest Too Much: Squashing Gossip in All-Female Halls."
2. "To Be, Or Not To Be? Mapping Out Your Career in Student Affairs."
3. "Out, damned spot: Enhancing Your Relationship With Custodial Services"
4. "Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow: Cultivating Meaningful Relationships with Alumni"
5. "The Play's The Thing: Utilizing Roleplay In Student Training"
6. "Winter of Our Discontent: Spicing Up End of Fall Programming"
7. "Method in the Madness: Explaining the How AND the Why to Students"
8. "Be Not Afraid of Greatness: Inspiring Successful Students"
9. "Beware the Ides of March: Beating Burn-Out and Ending the Year on a High." 
10. "Fortune's Fool: Teaching Students About Privilege"
11. "I Am Constant As The Northern Star: Building Lasting Student-Advisor Relationships"
12. "Household Words: Orienting New Staff on Institutional Jargon" 
13. "This is to make an ass of me: Managing your reputation as a new professional" (submitted by Cassidy Sansone)
14. "Double, Double Toil and Trouble: Effective Crisis Management" (submitted by Cassidy Sansone)
15. "Love's Labour's Lost: Motivating Seasoned Professional Staff" (submitted by Megan Johnston) 
16. "These Are the Forgeries of Jealousy: Navigating Workplace Promotions" (submitted by Cassidy Sansone)
17. "As You Like It: When Things Don't Go Your Way" (submitted by Megan Johnston) 
18. "The be-all and the end-all: Navigating a Career across functional areas" (submitted by Megan Johnston) 
19. "All The World's a Stage: Creating and Maintaining a Professional Identity"
20.  "Arise, Fair Sun, and Kill the Envious Moon: The Benefits of Daytime Programming" (submitted by Cassidy Sansone) 
21. "For Thou Wast a Spirit Too Delicate To Act Her Earthy and Abhorr'd Commands: Ethical Dilemmas in the Workplace" (submitted by Cassidy Sansone)
22. "Here Comes My Man: Supporting Male Student Leaders in Predominantly Female Organizations" (submitted by Cassidy Sansone, who has abandoned the illusion of productive work in favor of this exercise)

#oneword 2012: The Six Month Check In

Here we are, inexplicably halfway through the year 2012 already. If anyone happens to find the first half of my year, let me know. I must have left it somewhere. 

But it's been a good six months so far. I have done my best to stick to my #oneword for the year- LEARN. At times, it's been pretty easy and fun. Other parts haven't been so easy, or I simply haven't given them the attention I had hoped.

The original blog detailing my goals for the year is here, but I'll include them here along with my progress on them. You care ;)

• The week before winter vacation, I purchased a copy of the Bible. Religion has been something that I've never formed an opinion on, because I never really had the information to do so. I want to spend at least a portion of my year learning about the Bible, and deciding for myself how I would best like to express my faith. This is the aspect of my year that I have admittedly spent the least time on, although leaps and bounds have been taken from any other year in my life. Trying to keep progress in perspective, but I'm a Virgo- the perfectionism is incurable :) I have gone to church only twice so far this year- once, for Easter vigil with Cassidy; and a few weeks ago in Denver with Jeff. The former was a regimented Catholic ceremony, and the latter was a far more informal nondenominational service. My verdict: I think I need something that straddles the two. I like the routine and solitary reflection that comes with Catholic service, yet also appreciate the practical application of the Bible's words that comes with nondenominational service. Still working at it, will keep you posted!
• A professional goal of mine is to start to pursue opportunities that could allow me to work in wellness education and promotion. That will include joining the American College Health Administrators professional association, working with student wellness groups on campus, collaborating with other student affairs pros to put together an ed session on mental health concerns for SA pros, and taking classes to become certified in nutrition. It seems like a tremendous opportunity to learn more about something I'm interested in now, and turn it into something I would be qualified to pass along to others. In stark contrast to the previous goal, this is the one that I have made the most progress on. Between Open Courseware and actually enrolling in a graduate certificate program in public health, the formal learning has progressed nicely. The content is fascinating, and I feel challenged in a way that I hadn't expected to after grad school. I did join ACHA and have kept up with their publications and newsletters. The ed session was proposed but rejected (no worries), and am looking at turning it into an article. And I'm starting to look at positions in the field of wellness education and health promotions, to start to see what programs I'd like to work in down the road and what it will take to make that happen. I'm excited for what the future holds there!
• I want to become more involved with professional organizations in student affairs, and will actively seek out opportunities to place myself in the position to learn from more experienced pros. Mixed reviews on this goal. I feel that joining ACHA can work toward this goal, as can going to conferences like NACA and the Student Activities Drive In this past weekend. Additionally, I have written an article that has recently been accepted for publication in Campus Activities Programming magazine (coming this November!), and will be attending the NASPA Region III/SACSA New Professionals Institute next week in Durham, NC. Can't wait to see what else I can do in this regard- I have been embraced fully by this profession, and am ready to give back!
• Other unexpected educational opportunities
• Volunteering at Second Harvest of the Big Bend, in particular with the School Nutrition program and about the implications of child hunger;
• Working with the Area Health Education Program to administer Quit Smoking Now courses, learning about smoking cessation and proven strategies to inspire it in others; and
• Taking it easy on my race schedule, and finding other ways to stay active. I'm realizing that the rest is making running infinitely easier and less painful, and that a shorter race schedule can be just as fulfilling if you pick right 

What about you? How is your #oneword going? It's not too late to pick one if you haven't designated one yet- what would it be?

Color Crashing and Colorado Camaraderie

This weekend was an adventure that I had been needing for far too long. The trip to Denver was a great way to clear the head, and wonderful to see Jeff Parker, a great friend who has been there through a lot with me. I'm happy I got to spend a few days seeing what his "next chapter" looks like. 


Predictably, he is having, as a cohort member of ours liked to say, "a whale of a time." Denver, its many places to explore, and the mountains are agreeing with him quite well. Ever the extrovert, he has found his niche with a great new group of friends who I got to meet as we ran the Color Run together. And most exciting of all, I get to meet the lady that is making his world shine, and she is truly a wonderful fit for him. 


We have a very unique dynamic as friends- incredibly opposite, but at the same time extremely complementary. We challenge each other and mystify each other, but are always there for each other when it counts. The dynamic has shifted somewhat in a lot of ways- distance and relationships have made things different, and the introvert in me honestly struggles to adjust at times. But through it all, we click. I think we always will. At the end of the day, we'd go to battle for each other, no matter what the opposition or the road there looks like.


Other Highlights of the Denver Adventure (Ad-Den-Ture?) Included:

• Colorado Itself! This may sound dumb, but Colorado is a highlight unto itself. Red Rocks, Garden of the Gods, the Columbine Memorial in Littleton, getting to spend time on the campuses of Johnson and Wales AND The University of Denver (#nerdalert), and seeing the D'Amicos in Colorado Springs are all things that made me confident that Colorado is a place I can hang. Good thing too, as I have more friends moving there!
• The Food! In reading labels leading up to my trip, I was convinced that there was not a ppm of gluten to be found in the city of Denver. Seriously, a great many gluten free foods are made there. And while that was not fully accurate, I found it so easy to eat! A GREAT brunch place, Snooze, was able to let me have pancakes out for the first time in over a year; and I got to go to the often mentioned, but not seen outside of Colorado, Udi's Bread Cafe! *swoon*
• Adjusting to Altitude: The only reason I was excited about the altitude was the opportunity to bake using high altitude directions. And I did, and it was very exciting :) I was convinced that being a mile high in the sky for four days would leave me gasping for air and pallid from all the blood I knew I would lose from my nose. But thankfully, I avoided some of the horror stories and managed to adjust admirably. Aside from a few gasping/dizzy spells my first night while I tried to sleep, I did okay. And that included during...
• The Color Run: This was the main event. Apparently I needed an occasion to go to Denver, and this was a good one. Held across the country, it features a 5k run with powdered paint showered over runners at each K of the race. Many like to start it wearing a solid color, and seeing what the end result is. The ruckus you see at the top of this post is a (mysteriously pixellated) image of the end of the race powder party, the finale that features color all over the place. It was a challenge to run at that altitude, and Florida is a horrible place to train for such a thing. But I made it through, running all but about 1/2 a mile and even making new friends along the way! A bonus: two contributors to the Student Affairs First Years blog, Katie Ericson and Katie Schmalzel were at the race as well! I always have a great time meeting people from the Internet world in real life, and this pair of ladies was no exception.
• In the interest of full disclosure, and as a nod to the name of this blog, this is the first race in which I was a fully unpaid participant. Race registration closed after I had already bought my ticket, and I neglected to try and register after more spots became available. So yes...I crashed. BUT, I did buy merchandise, so they did get some of my money! Shhh. Don't tell!

All told, it was a great adventure and had some moments. If you can't look over the vastness and intricacy of the mountains and think of anything in life you would do differently, well...I envy you. This was a great trip for me to reflect, a few days to think about where I am and where I want to be, and to do it in the company of old friends and new. Thanks Denver, it was a blast, and I'll see you soon :)

I already want to go to there again!

Ran for Something Pt. II: Cruisin for Cupcakes

Many of you may know that I've been working a lot toward incorporating health and wellness into my professional focus, given how important it is to me personally. And a lot of concern is being rightfully voiced about excess in nutrition- childhood obesity, diabetes, heart disease and the like. However, the country is starting to have its attention drawn to the opposite side of the spectrum: that of hunger in our country, particularly among children.

As you can see, this little boy is not going hungry. At least, not right this second. But there are a lot of kids who are. And this past weekend, I found a wonderful way to make sure that the kids not lucky enough to have cupcakes, or cereal, or fruits and vegetables, or milk. And it involves me running. But it also involves your help.

Women's Health has this fantastic project that runs through the fall (pun not intended, but definitely recognized) called Run 10 Feed 10. You commit to running a 10k, and once you do, Women's Health will provide 10 meals for kids in urban areas who have been identified as "hungry". However, there is a fundraising component for the runners involved, and that's where I need you. I will be donating money, but I need your help to meet my goal as well.

Hoping to make this mean a little more the next time around :)

I've been wanting to run for something meaningful for a while now, and injury derailed my last attempt to donate to March of Dimes based on mileage. (You might be wondering: "how do you know injury won't derail you this time?" Answer: I don't, but I won't let it stop me from trying!) But this time, I'm determined to use my time on the pavement to help me make a difference. I hope you will too. The link to my fundraising page is posted below, and I would greatly appreciate it if you gave. And the kids who aren't so lucky as the boy above to get cupcakes would appreciate it too.

http://www.crowdrise.com/cruisinforcupcakes/fundraiser/ammamarfo

We all have very busy lives, but want to make a difference. How have you made a difference in your community?

One on One? One on Four? How Do You Operate?

We are a field that LOVES its "one on ones". I like having that time with a student to talk about what is going on in his or her life, and also how I can best support him or her in the work being done. I know that students get varying levels of value from it- I have some students who will meet for their full hour, others who are in and out in only a few minutes. 

However, the nature of the one on one that I want to talk about today is the truly singular nature of the one on one. Ever since a very impactful work-life balance discussion at NACA, I've taken great pains to make sure that a one on one is just that: one student, one advisor. No interruptions, no phones, no email- I even turn my computer monitor off so it doesn't serve as a distraction!

However, this is not the case with everyone that I work with, and I know that students have noticed the stylistic difference. While some in our office appear like the picture above to our students, I prefer to be thought of more like this:

Well, maybe not just like this, but more like this than an octopus with goals of doing everything for everyone at every moment, doing it all at 100%. To me, it's a sign of respect that you can prioritize your interaction with a student over anything else that is going on, and I like to show that respect by being as attentive and present as possible. Some of the practices I employ:

• Be as timely as possible. Sometimes it's difficult, because our days are also full of meetings, but try to get to one on ones on time. If I realize I'll be late, I like to shoot a text- it doesn't interrupt what they're doing prior to our meeting, and it sets an expectation that they can do the same if they're going to be late- and all of my students do notify me if they'll be late.
• Meet about what you said you're going to meet about. When I conclude meetings, I like to have a talking point to consider over the course of the week. Typically, students put work into that directive. And I would hate to negate their work by brushing over it with seemingly more urgent matters. And while I'm talking about that...
• Set levels of priority. This is present in my mind because several students expressed problems with it. When our students do high levels and high quantities of work, we sometimes tend to set a long list of things for them to get done. However, if they don't know which ones are urgent and which ones can wait, they may feel either uncertain about what to attack first, or even paralyzed and unable to start anything at all! As you add an action item to a list, for yourself or the student, set a timeline as to when the task can/should get done. That way, they can move about their business in an efficient manner.
• Balance the personal and the professional. When looking for an office to work in, I accepted the offer at FSU because we have a staff that values the ability to get to know each other. We are friends outside of work, and understand who each other are not just as colleagues, but as people. I like to establish the same with our students. There are boundaries, of course, but the fact of the matter is they are more than workhorses: they are students, they are people. We should treat them accordingly.

What's your one on one style? Do you look more like an octopus than a person during your meetings?

I Got an Intern

Yesterday I had my first meeting with my summer intern. Hopefully her summer does not end like this member of the Team Zissou intern program.

The idea of doing internships in our office has been often vacillated on. At times, it has seemed unnecessary because of graduate assistants, and positions have been created to allow long term projects to be overseen by one person for their duration. At the same time, pressure to expand our offerings, combined with less consistent GA availability over the summer, has allowed for us to take on interns. And so here I am, working with one for summer programming efforts including the division-wide efforts, and planning for our fall welcome week.

I expressed some of my apprehensions about supervising a graduate assistant earlier this year (WOW, that was almost a year ago, I'm realizing! Whaaaat?), but with an intern it's different. Graduate assistants, at least in our office, are developed more intentionally, and the tasks they are given are substantive. I worry about my ability to do so for someone who's only in the office for three months, and for a few days each week. I find myself hoping that the projects she works on are substantive, that we develop a good mentoring relationship, and that she truly has an opportunity to learn the office in the time that she's here.

What do you do to make sure that your interns have a good experience? Is their training or level of work different from the graduate students in your office?