Constructive Conversations for Societal Change

Podcast: Population Healthy Podcast

I am listening to a lot of podcasts while I work from home and Population Healthy really stands out. Great information from the University of Michigan's School of Public Health.

About Population Healthy 
Population Healthy is a weekly podcast that digs into the important public health topics that impact our everyday lives. Produced by the University of Michigan School of Public Health, the show brings together experts to discuss population health issues from a variety of perspectives—from the microscopic to the macroeconomic, the social to the environmental—and to explore the factors that affect the health of all of us at a population level.

Coronavirus Information

While I don't let myself get sucked into too much COVID-19 news (gotta' stay sane, man), I do like having some go-to resources to peek in on.

• MAP: Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU)
• State of Michigan's Coronavirus website
• CDC's Coronavirus website

The University of Michigan also has some great stuff, too:

• Campus-related news: Public Affairs’ COVID-19 website
• Public Health in the news: School of Public Health Information
• Michigan Medicine expert advice: Michigan Health Blog

And of course, a great tune to wash your hands to:

UM Alumni Education Gateway

Journey through the Alumni Education Gateway
February 2019

Imagine being a U-M student all over again. Only this time, you can study whatever you want, online or in-person. You can listen to a podcast on the gig economy, watch a video about climate change, or take a class on web design. Welcome to the Alumni Education Gateway, where more than 3,000 pieces of content from U-M await your exploration. Developed with the goal of housing many of the digital resources of U-M’s schools and colleges in one place, the website allows alumni to find it all in one easy, curated digital location.

...

Though all the content has been selected specifically with U-M alumni in mind, the Alumni Education Gateway is open to all, so start by having a look around. 

Michigan at the cusp of its third century

"As we embark on Michigan's third century, I believe our future success will be defined in part by our ability to contribute to the solution of society's most daunting problems, bringing to bear the full intellectual might of our academic breadth and depth."  

"More than any other university, we have the potential to be so much more than the sum of our many excellent parts. It's this potential to have a positive impact on the society we serve that represents our greatest value as a university. It drives our work. It reflects our values as a 200-year-old public university. And I hope it inspires our elected leaders, donors, partners and all members of the public to support our faculty and students."

~Mark Schlissel 

Source: Looking back and forward, Schlissel stresses U-M's impact on society 10/3/17

"What's the point of being a world class university if you're not going to help change the world?" 

~ Jim Burnstein

Why I give - Day 7 - It's my job.

I am a fundraiser for a living. Sometimes I'm a part-time librarian, but for my main bread and butter, I raise money for the University of Michigan-Dearborn, my alma mater. Being a part of the Michigan development family has be a joy and an honor and I've learned so much. Perhaps the most important thing I've learned is that I'm in the right place, doing good for an institution that I love very much. Sure, it gets busy and crazy sometimes, but I rest my head each night knowing that the work I do helps teachers teach and students learn. I help create great citizens of this world and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Tomorrow is Giving Blueday, Michigan's take on Giving Tuesday. A little over a week ago, someone asked me how to explain why one should give on this day. I stumbled and bumbled around, but in the end, I explained it was a way to celebrate the beginning of the giving season. However, my struggle to answer the original question made me want to reflect on why I have embraced this life so much.

Consider giving to the University of Michigan-Dearborn tomorrow!

Year of Gratitude - Day 335 - Giving Blueday

Year of Gratitude - Day 275 - Detroit Red Wings

As an undergraduate, I worked for the student paper for two years and after I left the staff, I wondered what the heck I was going to do with myself. Writing for the paper kept me busy and I had enough energy to write like a machine. One day in October 2002, my creative non-fiction writing professor mentioned there was an internship with the Red Wings available. "Parking, dinner..." and some other things were nonchalantly mentioned. My eyes grew big and my hand shot up. The rest is history.

After submitting writing samples and interviewing, I got the internship that would round out my college experience at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and change my life. After a year, I would be making money as a freelance writer. Real money! I met hockey legends - coaches, players, writers, broadcasters. My first professional interview was a phone interview with Gordie Howe, Mr. Hockey himself. One of my last assignments was a feature on Steve Yzerman's Retirement Night. I would write about Red Wings that I had been a fan of since I was a kindergartner. A few days each summer were spent in Traverse City covering Training Camp. Not only did I get an outlet for my writing, but I gathered friends, stories and a working experience that I will treasure forever. It's a little surreal thinking back on it.

Even though my time with the Wings was extraordinary, the internship and then freelance work afterward taught me two things:

1. If I put my mind to it, I can hustle and pay the bills with my writing.
2. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life writing.

That second item sort of shocked me. When I worked for the Wings, I met writers that are literally hockey historians, full of encyclopedic knowledge on the sport. I was not that and would never be, but I still wanted to be an expert in something one day. Being part of the grind showed me that while I could manage a living doing this, writing would be one of my skills, but not my entire career.

• Related post: 30 Days of Gratitude: Day 26 - Detroit Red Wings

Year of Gratitude - Day 182 - New Position

Today was my first day as a Development Associate at University of Michigan-Dearborn. This is really exciting for me because I have long been involved behind the scenes in fundraising, but now I can see fundraising projects through from start to finish. It is also tremendous to be around other fundraisers on a daily basis. I feel like a sponge and I cannot think of a better place to be a fundraiser.

Go Blue!

Year of Gratitude - Day 161 - Dr. Strecher, Julia and the Dung Beetle

Yesterday at the Development Council at the University of Michigan, we heard an absolutely incredible speaker, Dr. Victor Strecher. He is the author of On Purpose, a graphic novel-like book that "shows that self-directed, positive change is possible and that pursuing a self-transcending life purpose is one of the keys."

His story is heartbreaking and inspirational. His message spoke to me so much that I sat with a frog in my throat and tear welling in my eyes. And, Dr. Strecher started talking existentialism.


He also has a website that helps you to start seeking and realizing your life's purpose. Check out: http://www.dungbeetle.org.

And check out the book, too: http://www.dungbeetle.org/buy-the-book/.

I am so grateful to have had the chance to hear Dr. Strecher speak.

Year of Gratitude - Day 135 - Mardigian Library

When I was about 10-11 years old, my cousin was a student at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She would pick me up, take me to McDonald's, get me chicken nuggets and then we'd go to the Mardigian Library. She had to study. I learned to use the catalog, which was still migrating from cards to a one colored, DOS-like system. Once I figured it out, I went and found all the animal and dinosaur books I could.

When I turned 18, my cousin told me: "You should get a job at the [Mardigian] library. It looks great on a resume." I remember applying for a job as a circulation assistant and being tenacious on my follow up. Finally, one day the head of circulation, Margaret, had enough of me. She interviewed me and gave me a job.

From that point on, I was always going to be a part of Library Land. I worked in every department at the Mardigian Library. As I moved around, the librarians convinced me I was one of them. I was. They encouraged me to go to Wayne State University for a Masters in Library and Information Science. I did.

While I always boast about Southfield Public Library, the Mardigian Library is where my career as an information professional began. I met some of my best friends there, who also served as my mentors. I worked there for seven years and recently returned to help out with some development projects. Now, I am back on campus in development and will be helping the library with their projects once again.

I am so grateful to be a part of the Mardigian Library family. They have known me since I was an 18 year old punk and they helped groom me into the professional I am today.

Check them out at:

• Mardigian Library Home
• Mardigian Library Twitter
• Mardigian Library Facebook
• Mardigian Library LinkedIn

Year of Gratitude - Day 98 - Student Leaders

Here's my reality - I belong in higher education. When you drill down to the very core of higher education, wherever you go, you find the success of the students trumps just about everything, as it should. Tonight, I had the privilege of being part of the 35th Student Leadership Awards ceremony at University of Michigan-Dearborn. It was so great to see so many student leaders and their families gathering for a night of celebration. I was also extremely proud and fortunate to have been able to get to know and work directly with so many of the award recipients. I am very grateful for the students that lead at UM-Dearborn. I was grateful to have celebrated their accomplishments today and look forward to celebrating more in the future.

Year of Gratitude - Day 80 - Quiz Bowl

Today, I, along with many colleagues and volunteers, ran a 24-high school quiz bowl competition. It was crazy, fun and a very cool experience. Because I have to run the quiz bowl at my work, I'm thinking I might try to moderate at another competition.

I was particularly grateful for all of my volunteers. Some were clearly under the weather and fighting off colds and sinus infections. Others had migraines and cramps. And still others missed out on lunch, because, well, the teenagers got to the veggie options first. Nonetheless, everyone really came through like a bunch of champs today. I am still so very grateful!

Super day today. In the end, Grosse Pointe North high school won first place.

Year of Gratitude - Day 10 - Detroit Area Diversity

The Detroit area is incredibly diverse. I never appreciated that until I started traveling. Here are some of the reasons why I feel lucky to have been in an area with so many different people in close proximity.

• The community I grew up in was a very Polish area of Detroit originally. Now it is a mix of white, black and Middle Eastern folks. 
• I went to Tennessee once and hear a young, gay man use a racial slur. I went from party girl to "Wait, what did you just say?" My friend, a Detroit ex-pat who was hosting me for the night, and I sat him down and set him straight (not literally). We highlighted the fact that his community was facing heavy discrimination, just as African Americans had, and that he needed to be more mindful.
• In Detroit, we talk about race all the time in honest ways. I guess, really, Detroit talks about everything in an honest way. It's probably why I'd rather be nowhere else than Southeast Michigan.
• When September 11, 2001 happened, I was at the University of Michigan-Dearborn working for the student newspaper on campus. I believe it was either deadline day or the day before and I was in the office early and saw a couple students from campus gathered around a television with what appeared to be a very disturbing disaster going on. I asked what they were watching and in a totally surreal reply, they told me New York was being attacked. As we stood there together, the second airplane hit the other tower. We all flinched. Shit was going down. After that, the campus changed, EVERYTHING changed. Perhaps one of the many amazing parts of my UM-Dearborn experience was the fact we did not alienate our Middle Eastern community. I learned so much about religion, racism, jihad, politics and history because of what happened that day. I attribute that to having a very mixed and vibrant campus community at Dearborn.
• Did you know that top quality pizza and Middle Eastern cuisine are both very difficult to match outside of Southeastern Michigan? Now you do. Plus, there's great sushi, Ethiopian, Cuban, Polish, Mexican and French offerings as well.

Year of Gratitude - Day 6 - New Job

Last fall, I started as the Assistant Director of Alumni Relations at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Generally, I don't blog about my places of work, but sometimes I love my work so much, that I just can't help myself. To work in Institutional Advancement for the University of Michigan family is pretty much the greatest thing I have ever experienced professionally. It is so rewarding to be surrounded by professionals of this caliber. And the icing on the cake is that I get to serve the Dearborn campus, where I got my undergraduate degree.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 16 - Immigrant Memoir Group

A few years back, I scored a writing gig that I wanted to share with an old professor. Dr. Stockton was my political science professor at University of Michigan-Dearborn. He responded and invited me to an immigrant memoir writing group. The writings of this group would be preserved by the University Archives in Ann Arbor. While I'm still quite far from submitting to the archives, I think this is such an important project that will preserve the perspective of my generation's cultural experience.

My writing has gone slowly as I have been preoccupied with many things, but I am still so grateful to have met all of these people. Even though I came to the United States when I was three, making me pretty Americanized, I have been fascinated by the similarities of other immigrants growing up in America. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. Sometimes we cry and sometimes we laugh. We don't all know each other well, but we consider each other friends and have shared with each other intimate details of the immigrant experience. Most importantly, we listen to each other and learn from each other. It's a special group and I am most fortunate to be a part of it.

Museum Adventure Pass program still rockin'

The Detroit area Museum Adventure Pass program began its third in October. People have really enjoyed this program and I was delighted to see the Matthaei Botanical Gardens added! Do yourself a favor and check those gardens out. Heck, treat yourself each week at all kinds of places. Special thanks to Kelly Ireland, Outreach Coordinator and Librarian at Southfield Public Library for sharing this information on some of the changes for this year:

New Museums

4 new museums are joining that you can check out passes for that will admit 4 people:

• Paint Creek Center for the Arts
• Shalom Street Museum
• Troy Museum and Historical Village
• University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Museums no longer participating

The following museums have decided to no longer participate in the MAP program:

• Detroit Institute for the Arts
• Cranbrook Art Museum
• Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm

Other changes

• Due to a smaller printing budget this year the little booklets will not be printed this year only the bookmark style publicity. For more details on each museum please visit: www.detroitadventurepass.org
• The Charles H Wright Museum of African American History will not accept the passes on Saturdays.

Internships, Assignments and other school things I won't be involved with...

This has easily been the strangest fall ever. For one, I'm not going back to school. I vaguely remember not going to school for a year after undergrad, but that was spent looking into graduate school. It was nice, but I knew the calm wasn't permanent.

All this lack of going to school has made me think about school more often, ironically enough. This could also be due my just being hired by my alma mater Wayne State University. I sort of always thought of myself as a person who'd be most comfortable in academia. Academia, after all, has been very good to me, especially in the internship departments.

The first internship from the University of Michigan-Dearborn was something I couldn't have imagined: I wrote articles for the Detroit Red Wings. As with a majority of undergraduate internships, this one was unpaid. Yet, money couldn't buy that kind of experience. Even now, almost six years later, I still pinch myself. I am still struck by how awesome it is to write about something that you love.

At the end of my graduate degree, I hopped onto the staff of Southfield Public Library as an intern. I just wrapped up this internship last week. It was amazing. I met lifelong friends there, got the full library experience and beefed up my resume to aid in getting a good job. This was a paid internship, but let's face it: it was still an internship. Again, the payoff was in the experience.

After a few months of hunting for jobs (in Michigan, of all places), I started getting down on myself and my accomplishments. I wondered what the point of being involved in school was. I wondered if these internships were too amateur and weren't helping me. I wondered if I would have to turn to freelance writing. I wondered why the library world didn't have room for me. I waited for a sign as my anxiety mounted. I imagine I was practically unbearable for my colleagues at SPL, but they remained incredibly supportive.

Then my internships did the talking.

Within one week, I had been contacted by the Wings to cover opening night. Then I interviewed and snagged a position at West Bloomfield. Then I interviewed for a position at Wayne, which would become my current endeavor. Then the litigation consulting picked up. Some publishing consulting reared its head. There's even an archival possibility in the midst. It has been quite a ride.

So, although I started getting mopey, looking back I think I did a lot of things right. Perhaps my patience wasn't my strongest point, but the experience gained through internships and assistantships really pulled me through to the Promised Land (read, full time employment). My advice: get involved with school, find an internship and NETWORK. Frankly, nobody cares about your GPA.

The Dalai Lama will make his long-awaited return to U-M this weekend, delivering the annual Peter M. Wege Lecture on Sustainability at Crisler Arena on Sunday afternoon. Free tickets for the 2 p.m. lecture vanished in less than three hours when they were handed out last month. If you're not among the lucky ticketholders, you can view live streaming video of the lecture:

The event is this Sunday, April 20. Event starts at 2pm. Here's the link for the live streaming:
http://www.adminder.com/c.cgi?AAUM&lama418