Summer Recap

Hello Friends,

I’m back! After a busy summer, I’m beyond excited to share with you all of the amazing events going on at Cal as we dive into the new academic year! I hope that everyone enjoyed their summer and had some time to enjoy the sunshine. I tried to make it to the beach as much as possible (as my sunburn keeps reminding me!) and finally learned how to surf.  

Other than being a beach bum as much as possible, there were so many staff events that occurred. I thought it would be fun to reflect on some highlights of the summer here at Berkeley:

Summer Bitmoji
  • 2018 NOW Conference: Perhaps I’m biased because I was a member of the planning committee, but this event was AMAZING. It was such an honor to be able to participate in the planning of the conference, while also attending the event! The keynote and workshop presentations provided staff with knowledge and skills related to their professional development. My favorite part of the day was meeting staff from all different departments across campus. I have always loved meeting new people, but sometimes it can be hard to interact with individuals in other departments when the organization is so large. At the conference, I felt that I was expanding my network and creating a broader community of fellow Berkeleyans.
  • Summerfest: Summer Staff Appreciation Week was awesome this year. I had my first Summerfest experience...and it lived up to the hype! So many food trucks with tasty lunch options- I went with the gyros! Staff were dancing by West Crescent, attendees were given great shirts, and lots of campus staff groups were advertising their programs. I volunteered for an hour at a food truck collecting tickets, and (other than getting pretty sweaty) I loved greeting staff from across campus. I thought that this experience provided staff with some much needed fun after working hard over the past academic year. It’s important for us as staff to have some fun at work from time to time! Keep an eye out for more info on the upcoming Fall Staff Appreciation week festivities.
  • WorkFit: I signed up for WorkFit at the end of this summer. Now, admittedly I have not yet done a class, BUT I promised myself that I am going to try a few classes during my lunch break. The deal was too good to pass up, so now I just need to get myself to the classes ;) I love the concept of this program because it is affordable, convenient, and a great opportunity to get moving with your coworkers!
  • Staff Service Awards: This was yet another event that I became aware of that’s hosted by Central HR for staff. The Staff Service Awards are intended to celebrate milestone years of service for staff, starting at 10 years. While I have not even made it to my 1 year mark of service here at the University, I had the privilege of planning the event. There was a Luncheon for those who have served 20, 25, 30...years, and a reception for those who have served 10 and 15 years. There was live music, yummy snacks, and some wonderful remarks from senior leaders on campus, including EVCP Paul Alivisatos and Chancellor Carol Christ. Being around these campus leaders as well as the staff on campus who have put so much time and dedication into UCB was truly inspiring. I now have 1 year down...just 9 more to go!
  • Staff Org Leadership Reception: I had never been to the Chancellor’s House until organizing the Staff Org Leadership reception. First of all, I have to say that the Chancellor has a beautiful garden (green with envy!). I have been trying to grow a garden since I moved out here and have only managed to grow one lonely marigold. Anyway, this inaugural reception acknowledged the work of staff on campus who have volunteered time and effort to play a leadership role on one of the many Staff Organizations/Communities of Practice. Staff orgs provide opportunities to engage with those of similar interests. Head of HR Jo Mackness gave some heartfelt remarks and then Chancellor Christ wonderfully expressed her gratitude for the influence that these campus leaders have. In my time here, I’ve noticed the conscious effort that our campus leaders, including the Chancellor and Jo, have been making to acknowledge and appreciate all the wonderful work that staff here at Cal do. I left motivated to get more involved in the staff orgs in this new fiscal year.

Staff Org Leadership

NOW Planning Committee

Staff Enjoying Summerfest

I hope that you all had a wonderful summer as well, and have been enjoying the new academic year so far! I am super excited for everything going on this fall. Stay tuned…

Fall Bitmoji