Check out all of this Fall's Staff Appreciation Week activities (October 21 - 25!) We look forward to seeing you there!
12 - 1 pm
Watch Emiliana's talk on-demand
Happiness in life predicts better health, more satisfying relationships, and overall success - and - it is what most of us want for ourselves and our loved ones. Where it comes from, and how to maintain or enhance it, however, can feel elusive. After centuries of deep inquiry into the “Good Life”, rigorous science has begun to unveil a blueprint for genuine happiness – as well as effective ways to strengthen it. This presentation will focus on a foundational premise: that true happiness comes from meaningful experiences and behaviors, grounded in supportive interpersonal connections, emotional agility, and wisdom, and contributing to what truly matters – the greater good. We will cover key constructs from happiness science like generosity, resilience, gratitude, and awe, and dispel some common, often counterproductive myths about why some people seem happier than others. The session will also include simple techniques for weaving meaningfulness into day-to-day life for fulfilling, lasting happiness. This talk will be led by Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Science Director at the Greater Good Science Center.
9 - 10:30 am
Join your colleagues for a caffeine catch-up at Goldie's. Staff can enjoy a free cup of drip coffee, tea, hot cocoa, pastry, or banana courtesy of People & Culture. Must be present and show staff ID to receive. Goldie's is proud to be an Eat Well Berkeley restaurant.
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
2 - 3 pm
Join our Staff Org Fair via this Zoom link
Connect with people who have similar interests as you and get to know some of the communities you can be a part of at UC Berkeley. Attendees will be entered for raffle prizes.
BAMPFA warmly welcomes you to drop in between 11 AM - 7 PM or come for a special guided tour featuring artist Rose D'Amato's stunning Art Wall project, Mission Chevrolet; the new collection-based exhibition To Exhalt the Ephemeral; and a behind-the-scenes look at the Art Lab, the Koret Reading Room, and our study centers. Note: Tours are limited to 30 people at 12 and 4pm.
9 - 11 am
Enjoy a peaceful morning with a complimentary cup of coffee courtesy of the Botanical Garden. Catch a ride to the Botanical Garden from campus on the HILL Shuttle, with departure times every 30 minutes from Evans Hall. Click here for full Directions and Parking.
12 - 1 pm
Join Queen Qui Qui via this Zoom link
Watch Glamourous Qui Qui from Screaming Queens perform, and play several games for a chance to win prizes.
We asked you in the September 2020 Employee Morale Survey which forms of appreciation were most meaningful to you as a UC Berkeley staff member. Explore offerings based on the top 3 responses:
Discover the key factors influencing equitable compensation adjustments at our upcoming event tailored for UC Berkeley employees. Learn the criteria guiding decisions on equity increases and stipends within current budget constraints. Attend this session to gain insights into fair and equitable compensation practices at UC Berkeley.
Due to limited time and the goal of making this presentation as applicable as possible for as many attendees, please note that we won’t be able to provide meaningful coverage on the following topics, but we’ve linked resources to help you better understand them:
Kick off your day in style! Join us bright and early to hang out with the Chancellor and her Cabinet, and indulge in FREE coffee, tea, cocoa, pastries, and fruit. Just make sure to bring your staff ID to get in on all the fun.
Grab your Cal 1 Card and treat yourself to a delicious discounted lunch with your colleagues! Thanks to People & Culture, you can savor a buffet feast at Crossroads. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a tasty break and some great company!
Various starting points on Campus all ending at Campanile
Take a fun pause with your colleagues and shake things up at our mental and movement break, brought to you by Be Well at Work! It’s the perfect chance to stretch, move, and refresh your mind together. Come on down and let’s get moving!
Oakland Coliseum
Score a FREE ticket - or snag some more at $12 each - and cheer for the home team with other Berkeley staff in our exclusive area and private lounge. It's the perfect spot to rally together and show your team spirit. Grab your ticket(s) and let's make some noise!
Seating Area
UC Berkeley has Sections 209 - 210 reserved for staff as a part of Staff Appreciation Week.
Private Lounge Area
The Stomping Ground is where we can congregate outside of UC Berkeley's designated seating area. It is located above Treehouse Plaza Sections 245 + 246.
Save time and money!
Did you know you can bring your own food and take the BART to the game? Read more details about food and taking BART on the Oakland A's website.
Dive into a game show with Matt from Here's Your Host! crafted just our Berkeley staff, featuring rounds of brain-busting questions on everything from general knowledge to pop culture. It's the perfect way to test your trivia skills and have some fun with your colleagues. Don't miss out—join us and show off your smarts!
Monday, Sept 18
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Turn down the volume of tension and anxiety. Tune into self-compassion through gently guided breathwork and nature imagery along with the calming soundscape of the singing bowls. Alchemy quartz crystal singing bowls can be impactful physically on the mind/body, as well as energetically on the subtle energy bodies. The vibrations support the brain entering a theta state (or pre-sleep) and engage the parasympathetic nervous system to help you access the full benefits of rest. If you’re very tired, you may even fall asleep. Learn more about the impacts of sound healing on Joy’s website,joyevansmsw.com/soundhealing
Preparing/cozying up for virtual sound healing with Joy:
- Please complete a Liability Form on Joy’s website (included in the SAW Registration Form) before the workshop and email Joy if you have any concerns or questions beforehand.
- Note your wifi connection will impact the quality of the live stream of sound.
- Use your best speakers (phone, computer, or headphones).
- Dress comfortably – this workshop does not include movement.
- Consider removing fur-babies from the room, if WFH (cats may like the sounds but dogs have mixed reactions).
- Make sure you have plenty of support for your neck and lower back for whichever posture you want to relax into (sitting or lying down).
- Have layers or a blanket to stay warm/cozy.
- Bring water to drink at the end of the workshop.
- Anything you need to create a relaxing environment for yourself: yoga mat, cushions, eye pillow, a do not disturb sign.
Remember, sound healing should never cause any kind of physical pain. If you experience physical discomfort--for any reason--please be kind to your body by removing yourself from this virtual experience.
Tuesday, Sept 19
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Location: Goldie's (MLK Student Union)
Head over to Goldie's for a free cup of drip coffee, tea, hot cocoa, pastry, or banana courtesy of People & Culture. Must be present and show staff ID to receive.
Goldie's is proud to be an Eat Well Berkeley restaurant.
Wednesday, Sept 20
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Multiple Cal Eateries!
Enjoy lunch with your colleagues for 50% (courtesy of People & Culture) off when you show your Cal 1 Card at Crossroads, Foothill, Cafe 3, CKC, and MLK Eateries.
Thursday, Sept 21
Stadium opens at 6:40 p.m.
Location: Oakland Coliseum
UCB staff can get a FREE special Cal/As co-branded hat (only by using the link below and picking it up at GATE A at the Coliseum).
Seating Area
UC Berkeley has Sections 207 - 210 reserved for staff as a part of Staff Appreciation Week (see map).
Private Lounge Area
The Stomping Ground is where we can congregate outside of UC Berkeley's designated seating area. It is located above Treehouse Plaza Sections 245 + 246 (see map).
Friday, Sept 22
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Location: Zoom
Interact with new colleagues as you work to escape the desert island
Must RSVP to participate. Please note teams are randomly assigned.
Monday, June 12
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Pauley Ballroom
Blue Muse and The Celestial Voice welcome you to a Sound Bath Experience! Sound healing creates the space for self-healing and transformation using the power of vibration to re-harmonize the entire body to its most beneficial state.
When we hear the frequencies, our cells become attuned to that vibration and this creates a harmonic state for healing within the body. The different frequencies emanated during the sound bath will help to quiet the mind, decrease stress and anxiety, improve sleep, release physical and emotional pain, and restore the body, mind, and spirit to a greater state of balance, creating a deeper sense of peace and well-being.
You will bathe in a sonic symphony of mystical tones and vibrations produced by;
Six Paiste Gongs and a 34" Grotta Sonora Gong, Crystal singing bowls, Hand pan, Mono chord, Chimes galore, Rain Sticks, Ocean drum, Native drum, Sansula, Angelic Vocals & more. The vibrations will transport you on a deep mystical journey!
Please arrive 15 to 30 minutes ahead of the start time.
WHAT TO BRING:
Monday, June 12
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Welcome to MAGIC HOUR - sound bowl healing and meditation led by Angela Cruz. In this session, we integrate the use of crystals, guidance, and meditation with soothing vibrations of sound healing.
What is sound bowl healing?
Sound bowl healing and meditation open up your chakras, (or energy and aura portals) to allow vibrational frequencies to help align, balance, and unblock the parts of you that need healing by using crystal quartz bowls. Binaural beats and frequencies enter your physical body to help you relax, while guided meditation and breathwork help oxygenate your bloodstream. The sounds of the bowls help carry energy to you for protection, balance, love, and grounding.
Here are some benefits of sound healing:
Included in this session:
Introduction to meditation, breathwork, Chakra activation, and using our personal crystals in our practices; ending with a sound bath.
Optional Items to use:
Wear comfortable clothing and try to be distraction-free for optimal healing effectiveness. Total session time will be one hour.
Please be aware: if you have any current medical issues, consult with your physician to see if participating in sound healing would be a safe practice for you.
Tuesday, June 13
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Location: Pauley Ballroom
Listen to live music by Hella Fitzgerald as you enjoy FREE coffee, tea, pastries, fruit, and chocolate fountains. Must show staff ID for entry.
Wednesday, June 14
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Campanile
Join your fellow colleagues, friends, and campus community for a mental and movement break sponsored by Be Well at Work! This event will feature music, fun treats, prizes, and more. We hope to see you there!
Wednesday, June 14
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Campanile
Enjoy a sweet all-natural treat from BlissPops outdoors with colleagues and ride the Campanile for FREE when you bring your staff ID. Then stay a while to play outdoor games.
Thursday, June 15
Stadium opens at 12:37 p.m.
Location: Oakland Coliseum
Get up to 2 FREE tickets (or more at a discount) while supplies last and root for the home team alongside other Berkeley staff in our sectioned-off area and private lounge. One lucky Berkeley staff member will also throw the first pitch at this game. Grab even more tickets at a discounted rate.
Friday, June 16
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Hosted by Qui Qui from Screaming Queens Entertainment - this virtual bingo game will have built-in entertainment and prizes to win!
Monday, October 17
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Meet Berkeley staff organizations and learn how to get involved!
Tuesday, October 18
Serving 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Location: Goldie’s at the Student Union
Head over to Goldie's for a free cup of drip coffee (provided by Peet's), tea, pastry, or banana courtesy of People & Culture. Must be present and show staff ID to receive. Goldie's is proud to be an Eat Well Berkeley restaurant.
Tuesday, October 18
3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Berkeley is known as a place that continuously disrupts the status quo. But not all advocacy efforts are as successful as others. In this session, Lasana Hotep, Director of DEIB at UC Berkeley, will share approaches gleaned from a career successfully advocating for change in a variety of organizations, institutions, and systems. Participants will leave understanding how they can strategically influence positive changes in their organizations.
Lasana O. Hotep leads the Office of DEIB at UC Berkeley. Lasana’s leadership experience spans broad educational and administrative arenas including his service as the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Equity for the Peralta Community College District, the Director of Multicultural Affairs at Estrella Mountain Community College, Dean of Special Programs and Grants at Merritt College, and the inaugural Dean of Student Equity and Support Programs at Skyline College.
As an educator, Lasana has delivered talks throughout the United States and internationally in Beijing, China, and Accra, Ghana. Lasana is published in edited volumes including; African American Men in College (Jossey-Bass, 2006), The Black Male Handbook: A Blueprint for Life (Atira/Simon Simon & Schuster, 2008), and is co-author of Minding the Obligation Gap: Striving for Equity in Community Colleges and Beyond.
Wednesday, October 19
3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Pauley Ballroom
Enjoy IN-PERSON Bingo at Pauley Ballroom with your colleagues and get a chance to win prizes!
Thursday, October 20
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom
RSVP and join us for VIRTUAL Bingo with your fellow Berkeley staff and win some great prizes!
Friday, October 21
12 - 1 p.m. & 3 - 4 p.m.
Location: To be shared with confirmed RSVPs
Whether you are new to campus, have recently returned after working remotely, or have been here for years, explore our beautiful campus on a guided tour. Choose from an hour-long tour at 12 pm, or 3 pm. Tours are limited to 35 people each, so register early to snag a spot.
Saturday, October 22
Location: Memorial Stadium
Be on the lookout for our Staff Appreciation Week reminder e-mail next week to get (2) free tickets for the Cal home football game on 10/22.
Monday, June 6
2:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. via Zoom Meeting
Watch the Recoridng - Money Talks
View the Money Talks slidedeck
Learn the 6 salary setting situations and 6 principles that are considered when determining equitable salaries at Berkeley, and negotiation strategies that will benefit everyone, especially women of color.
The session will include an overview of salary setting at Berkeley, contextualized by J.S. Henderson, Director of Total Rewards, and offers best practices and strategies presented by guest speaker, Jacqueline Twillie, a global expert on Women’s Leadership.
Tuesday, June 7th
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. via Zoom
Watch the Sound Bath Recording
Sound Bath returns this Staff Appreciation Week with Maryzelle Undo. Experience the healing frequencies and sounds of the crystal quartz bowls and bring balance, peace, and harmony into your physical, mental, and energetic body. The bath will be in service to you and will include an intentionally tuned 7- Chakra Crystal bowl set, meaning each bowl is tuned to the similar frequencies of each chakra in the chakra energy system. When received, this can look and feel like a promotion in sleep, mood, and health, and a decline in stress and anxiety. Please join Maryzelle for an hour of healing, grounding, and love. Learn more about Maryzelle and her sound healing practice.
Maryzelle is a San Franciscan-born Salvadorena-American who is passionate and committed to a life of music and healing. While exploring healing, love, and light in her inner universe, Maryzelle transmutes healing, love, and light to her outer universe by hosting and creating sound baths and sound-healing events across the Bay Area. She utilizes a range of instruments and mediums including crystal quartz bowls, Tibetan bowls, tuning forks, electric guitar, African drums, gongs, electronics, bells, divinity, and love. She also actively works in the San Francisco Music Industry as a Music Studio Assistant, a radio host, a co-director, a music promoting researcher, a photographer, and a music journalist. Her work can be recognized at Hyde Street Music Studios, 102.5 KXSF Radio, and Psyched Radio.
A panel discussion featuring national thought leaders: Dr. Keisha Blain, Jeff Chang, Rosa Clemente, and Tim Wise. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Ula Y. Taylor, Chair of African American Studies.
Watch the Presentation Recording
Presented by Maurice Evans and Justin Panarese
Join Maurice Evans, an 11-year NBA veteran for a moderated discussion on redefining success, channeling your inner resilience, and winning from any angle.
Watch the Presentation Recording
Often it seems there is an unspoken rule that we must have it all figured out - we need an entry career plan, a five-year plan, and even a plan for what we will do during retirement! The need to have ‘the answer’ to our careers implies there IS an answer, when in fact our careers (and lives) are unique, evolving, and impossible to define. This session will reframe career uncertainty and anxiety into healthy career exploration and an open-minded approach.
Presented by:
Rebecca Andersen, Director of Career Services & Alumni Relations at the Graduate School of Information
Rebecca has been on campus since 2007, starting in environmental protection. A career changer herself, Rebecca is a co-founder of the Berkeley Facilitator's Network, a working parent, and (for now) an educator to two little ones! Rebecca is also working on a doctorate in educational leadership at UC Davis, focusing on equity in STEM careers.
Watch the Presentation Recording
Expand your career strategy toolkit and your campus connections by learning how to conduct engaging informational interviews, even while working remotely.
Presented by:
Lisa Rykert (she/her/hers), Career & Professional Development Lead
Linda Lundberg (she/her/hers), Transition Services Lead
Lisa Rykert serves as the Career & Professional Development Lead on the People & Organization Development team within UC Berkeley People & Culture. Her focus on campus is to support staff career growth and mobility with the goal of helping people to love the work they do and do the work they love within a diverse and inclusive environment of belonging.
Linda Lundberg has been with UC Berkeley since 2009 and leads the Transition Services Program within Talent Acquisition, People & Culture. Linda has a passion for providing resourceful, innovative, and motivating career guidance, and is very enthusiastic about all things related to employment.
Watch the Presentation Recording
Learn tools to effectively navigate work during times of change and uncertainty. This session is designed to inspire you with ways to create joy in your day-to-day work and give you a sense of agency in your career goals.
Presented by:
Catherine Ciano, PhD, Psychologist
Emma Strong, Academic Advisor, Fall Program for Freshmen
Dr. Catherine Ciano is a Psychologist and Teaming Strategist who uses her understanding of people and processes to enable change. She hosts the Authentic Work podcast to help people align who they are with how they work.
Emma Strong is an instructional design and facilitation enthusiast with a passion for public speaking, learning, and training. She has led workshops at the UC Berkeley NOW Conference and has facilitated sessions for the Advancing Practice professional development program for academic advisors on campus.
