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BreakDrink (Source: iamharrietthespy) |
After two+ years working at UT Austin, I finally completed my LGBTQ Ally Training through the Gender and Sexuality Center, and received my office placard to display in my window as a subtle reminder to the campus community that my office is a safe space for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
For years I have been a strong advocate of LGBTQ ally development programs - having been trained at four other institutions, served as a trainer for two, served on the SafeZone Development Committee at my former institution, and served as the GLBTQA Co-Chair for the National Orientation Directors Association. While these experiences have provided me with a wealth of knowledge and breadth of experiences educating others on creating safe spaces, they also instilled in me the importance of continuing my education and respecting the process.
Because there isn’t a national LGBTQ Ally Development Training Program that could verify one’s experiences in trainings as they move from campus to campus, there’s also not a clear curriculum for what should be included, and therefore there shouldn’t be an assumption that one is an ally based on their previous training experience(s). Additionally, a lot of work goes into putting together the curriculum of a training program, cultures vary from place to place, and knowledge is ever-changing, so I believe in the value of continuing my education and participating in trainings regularly.
As a gay man, I’ve occasionally run into people questioning whether or not it is important for members of the LGBTQ community to display a Safe Space placard, which I have always thought was an odd question. Just because I identify as a part of the LGBTQ community does not make me an expert on LGBTQ issues, nor does it automatically rid me of any homophobia, sexism, or genderism… and quite frankly, I think there are plenty of people in the LGBTQ community who could use a lesson or two in acceptance and support of others. (sidenote: THANK YOU GLEE for addressing this issue head-on in the February 21 episode, “On My Way” - if you missed it, please check it out now!) LGBTQ-identified people learn about their own community in many of the same ways that heterosexual people do, and unfortunately this results in a lot of bad behaviors and terrible treatment of others - what a sad way to welcome someone into a community!
So here’s a picture of my ALLY placard (beside two totally awesome and lovable gender-neutral Valentine’s robots - they’re allies, too). While my hope is that the campus community can safely assume that I will be supportive and encouraging when discussing LGBTQ issues, adding the placard to my office door always helps, and may even encourage more open conversations in my office. It also fits right in with my core value of Authenticity, which is always a good thing.
I returned home yesterday after a WONDERFUL four days in San Antonio, Texas for the 31st Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience, hosted by the NRC, and I feel completely rejuvenated and excited about our profession. This annual professional conference is among my favorite professional development experiences, as it provides plenty of outstanding practical sessions and a plethora of theoretical and research-based presentations, that compliment each other so well. I appreciate that the sessions I went to with conceptual takeaways to consider implementing in my programs were rooted in a theory-to-practice framework, providing clear justification for implementation and often provide clear assessment capabilities for such programs. Beyond the sessions, there are also fantastic exhibitors and publishers who provide great resources, as well as opportunities to meet and hear from some fantastic and influential authors. The nerd learner in me is so excited!!
At the 2012 FYE Conference, I found two themes in the content of the sessions I attended: Balance and Reflection. The first is one of the buzzwords in our profession that we preach to our students and staff regularly, and unfortunately often do a pitiful job living it out ourselves. In one presentation, the presenter said she overheard someone on her campus refer to her as a pinball - always bouncing around from one meeting to the next, never in her office or accessible, etc. - which led her to provide an opportunity during a conference session for participants to stop and reflect on their own lack of balance, and identify one personal goal to implement in order to begin setting better boundaries. I felt so connected with this colleague, and found her session to be the most beneficial to my conference experience. In our profession, it seems we rarely take a moment to reflect on ourselves and identify ways to find a healthier work-life balance. The questions she and her co-presenter provided will hopefully prove to be useful with my team on campus, and I hope we are able to dedicate time to reflection sometime this spring.
Which brings me to my other theme: Reflection. Not only did this session (and another fabulous one on authenticity and spirituality) provide conference participants with the time and space to reflect, but many of the other sessions I attended provided fantastic frameworks within which to introduce and/or implement structured reflection into our programs and courses on our campuses. Many of these sessions provided theoretical models and research findings to support many benefits from structured reflection, including the development of critical thinking skills and the understanding of and commitment to values-based living and the importance of wellness - which, of course, connects back to my first theme of balance. I am so excited to take time considering our programs and courses and identify ways to introduce more intentional structured reflection!
Beyond the professional development love, conferences also provide me with the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and friends from around the globe, which is always wonderful in the moment and sad when it ends ever-so-quickly. During this particular conference, I was able to spend quality time with two of my best friends, to reconnect with other fabulous professionals, and to meet some great new people in the process.
At the start of the spring semester, I decided to build today in as a vacation day, partially due to my birthday yesterday, and also because I knew I would be super tired after two very busy months and an exciting conference experience, and I must say, I feel GREAT! During the balance presentation, one of the questions posed was what I would do if I had an unexpected day off after the conference, and I was thrilled to answer that question, knowing that the day off was coming soon.
Today, I slept in, read and responded to birthday wishes from friends and family on facebook, ate at one of my favorite places, read for pleasure, went shopping, had dinner with a great friend, and came home to write this reflection on my conference experience before watching an episode of Greek. What a WONDERFUL way to end my day!
I just returned from an outstanding retreat with students from a mentor program that my colleagues and I have been planning for months. This was the first time our office was able to provide an off-site retreat for the program participants (thanks to a generous donor), and I was so impressed with the outcome, and am excited to see how this impacts the program this semester in comparison to previous semesters. The retreat was full of getting-to-know-you activities, teambuilders, and low and high ropes course elements, including a giant swing where a team would pull on a rope to raise one person high into the air (much like you would raise a swing by pulling it backward), and then the person in the air would release a rope that would send them swinging back toward the ground and then up again, with the initial descent feeling like a free fall. While this element was RIDICULOUSLY cool and the other ropes elements were incredible, too, I am mostly impressed with the hard work of my colleagues to help me put this retreat together, and with my students’ willingness to fully engage and participate in the retreat.
There’s just something about ‘getting away’ that brings a new depth to relationships within a group. Hosting the retreat away from campus was really helpful in setting the tone for the day. While the activities were fun (from my perspective), the takeaways really came from the students’ active presence. Today, we saw elements of challenge and support, boundaries breaking down, friendships made and deepened, much laughter, and a lot of fun and excitement - and this is just the beginning of this group’s time together this semester! I can’t wait until Tuesday when we get together again, to see how this retreat really changes the way the students interact together in and out of the weekly leadership workshops.
Right now, I’m feeling humbled, blessed, grateful, pumped… aaaaaand exhausted! :)
Sweet Dreams!
GOOD Idea is a regular feature for Critically Acclaimed that focuses on service projects and positive ways to impact the world around you. Read more about it here.
Earlier this week, I found this fantastic article about an Act of Kindness Day event created at New Mexico State University in honor of a student there who passed away late last year. Emily Lein was 19-years-old, very enthusiastic, kind, compassionate, and living with autism in college. She was apparently very active on the college campus and supported as many sporting events and programs as she could. The event was created to honor Emily’s life and to leave a legacy of her kindness that she provided to others on the campus. Her freshman year suitemate Madison Marritt said of Emily, “She didn’t care how people acted, she just knew that people needed kindness. She knew they needed to be helped, and she wanted to help them.” What an incredible woman!
The Aggie Day of Kindness was advertised throughout January and February, with the official day taking place yesterday, February 9, 2012. Participants were encouraged to perform acts of kindness to others all day in honor of Emily, and to share about their experiences with the day on facebook.
I am inspired by the beautiful way the university decided to honor Emily, and by the incredible impact her life has left on their university community. The story also brings to light the importance of giving everyone a fair shot and treating each person you meet with dignity and respect - just as it appears that Emily did - and unfortunately in contrast to the way people frequently respond to people who live with physical, mental, developmental, and emotional disabilities.
Wouldn’t it be great if every campus honored Emily through an Act of Kindness Day? Perhaps we could make that happen. :)
(Source: nmsu.edu)
I’ll admit, this hasn’t been my best week ever. Far from it, actually. I’ve been feeling ill all week, but not to the point of needing to not be at work - just your run-of-the-mill under-the-weather type of feeling. Additionally, being understaffed has been trying over the past six months, and this week in particular felt like ten crammed into one. There is so much to do, and I am finding that my ability to be super human and make everything perfect is being challenged by the fact that I am actually regular human and only capable of so much.
I’ve been down a lot this week, and have had a crummy attitude overall. (sidenote: is that supposed to read, ‘crumby’? And if so, what does that even mean?) I’ve also noticed myself acting/reacting in ways that I don’t typically advocate others to do, and then beating myself up about it later. “Way to set a positive example, jerkface!” Like I said, not my best week.
Despite my high stress, upset stomach, and headache-y week, when I stop to really consider it, I actually have quite a few gems that should really stand out more this week. I’ve had three fantastic one-on-one chats with students past and present throughout the week that have reminded me of exactly why I do what I do, and why I care so much about it.
This morning, I met up with a student I worked with in the past who bought me a surprise coffee and shared a lot of wonderful things with me over our brief coffee date. She is such an impressive young woman, and has been through some very significant life experiences that have left her stronger than before, and I really enjoyed the chance to catch up and hear how things have been going lately. Additionally, one of my current students saw straight through my not-so-affective everything-is-fine mask today and sent me a wonderful email afterward to tell me how much I am appreciated - which totally and completely blew me away at the impeccable timing of the message.
I ended the day watching 75+ students meet for the first time, and move quickly into talking and laughing comfortably with each other in a little over an hour, and - thanks to my amazing supervisor’s perfect-as-always in-the-moment comments - I was able to take a step back and just enjoy the moment that was created for these students in part by my work.
I’ve committed this year to reflect on the purpose and meaning behind my job more frequently, and I am so blessed to have my supervisor (and best friend) help me stop for a moment and see the bigger picture. I guess it wasn’t such a bad week, after all.
GLEE-Inspired Flash Mob at Ohio State
The opening of the brand new Ohio Union at The Ohio State University paid homage to GLEE, with a fantastic flash mob dance, set to the GLEE Cast rendition of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’. Thanks to my friend and colleague Kristen for sharing. Awesome!
In Spring 2011, the University of Texas at Austin will open our new Student Activity Center. I am starting a movement to include a GLEE-inspired flash mob for our opening, too! Would you like to see a Longhorn Flashmob, too?
Check out this article about the various diverse Greek-letter organizations at Florida International University (my former employer), and others around South Florida! Great press for some good student groups!
Thanks to my friend, Steve Rothaus, for sharing this positive news on his Gay South Florida Miami Herald blog.
During the summer between my first and second years of graduate school, I interned at Suffolk University in Boston. My co-intern rekindled my love of reading, and I picked up a fantastic summer read, Three Junes by Julia Glass, which I flew through before having to head back to South Carolina to finish my Master’s.
Upon graduating in May 2007, I found I had much more time to pursue pleasure reading than before, and began to read avidly. I had originally thought my newfound love of reading was, in fact, new, but upon further reflection, realized I had quite the extensive history with reading - both for pleasure and academics.
As a child, my private elementary school participated in the Pizza Hut Book It! Reading Incentive Program, which turns 25 this year. Genius, really. After all, what’s a better incentive to read than pizza? I recall reading the entire Indian In the Cupboard book series (to this day, my favorite children’s series). I also remember my Dad’s encouragement and support of this hobby. Having purchased The Chronicles of Narnia, he offered to reward my finishing the series by purchasing a toy of my choosing from Wal-Mart. (I chose the Bang-a-Rang Attack Raft from the movie Hook…)
Being that my love for reading began with Pizza Hut’s program, it only made sense to unofficially name the Higher Education Book Club after the program.
Book It: The Higher Education Book Club began in Fall, 2007 when Allison and I decided to read Blink together. It slowly grew to its current membership of 19 dedicated higher education professionals on our campus. We meet every other week to discuss the book we’re currently reading, and find ways to apply it to our personal and/or professional lives. So far, the club has read (and I recommend) the following:
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary by Joseph Michelli
The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) by Seth Godin
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown
Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas
Goat: A Memoir by Brad Land
Beyond Book It and other personal reads, I also loosely participate in a book club with friends from South Beach, whom I first connected with through the chorus, when I have the time to dedicate to another read.
Posts tagged with The Book Club will share insight into the books I’m reading, and provide you with a glimpse of what turns me on to an author, a plot, a character, or other things literary. Some may be full-fledged reviews, where others may share an inspirational quote or thought-provoking moment, or possibly just to a reference to a recommended read.
Recommendations always welcome. :o)
Happy Reading!
