Undergraduate Education – Page 4 – IU Bloomington Undergraduate Education

Mentors Needed at Local Big Brothers Big Sisters Agency

Posted on July 23, 2021 by krjose

Last month, I took my “Little Sister” Aliatta to our second Fishing Day at Lake Lemon. Turning 14 next month, she was just 11 when we were first matched by our agency: Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana (BBBSSCI). Aliatta talked about Fishing Day for weeks leading up to the event. She had a blast our first time around in 2019, catching six fish in total and kissing each of them on their scaly cheeks to rack up bonus points before staff released them back into the lake.

Having lived some of my teenage years in western Colorado, teaching Aliatta to fish was a dream. She managed to keep her skills fresh until this year, matching her feat of six catches (although just like in 2019, she made me handle all the bait!).

Like so many other things we collectively looked forward to last year, the 2020 Fishing Day was canceled. Fun community events are one drop in the bucket of all that was lost to COVID-19, but the pandemic’s deeper impact on some of Bloomington’s already-vulnerable youth has left the agency with huge demand and a near-halt of volunteer interest.

As of this month, BBBSSCI has about 130 children waiting to be matched with a stable adult mentor. Seventy percent of them are boys, leaving the need for men to volunteer especially urgent.

Here is some data about the youth BBBSSCI serves:

Littles are typically between the ages of 6 and 14 when matched
80% qualify for free or reduced lunch
79% live with a single parent, foster parent, grandparent, or other relative
13% have an incarcerated parent

Now for the good news. Data for successfully-matched Littles:

99% showed reduced risky behaviors and refrain from criminal activity
90% feel more confident in themselves
100% graduate high school or attain their GED

Who can be a Big and what does it entail?

There are two main mentoring programs at BBBSSCI: Community-Based and Site-Based.

Community-Based Mentors pick their Little up from their home to do activities around town 2-4 times per month. This is the program Aliatta and I take part in. Some of our favorite activities include:

Attending shows at the Buskirk-Chumley or IU Auditorium (BBBS often has an allotment of tickets for matches)
Picnics in the park
Sharing wings and pizza at Mother Bear’s
Book hauls at Monroe County Public Library and Half-Price Books
Grabbing hot chocolate at Soma
Touring campus to show Aliatta where I work and go to school

A few photos from our outings around the community

Site-Based Mentors meet their Little at school or the Boys and Girls Club for a designated time each week.

Bigs must be least 18 years old and must be able to commit to 12 months of reliable, consistent presence (every week to every other week).

Interested volunteers will first attend Orientation and Training (2 hours), apply and interview (1 hour), and then wait for background checks and personal referrals to clear.

My experience as a Big

Aliatta and I are nearing 3 years matched this Fall. Volunteering in this way has been deeply meaningful and rewarding for me. I chose to become a Big when I knew I didn’t have a lot of funds to give but still believed I could make a difference in the community. Watching her confidence grow as she navigates adolescence has been well worth the time commitment and the small budget for activities.

Learn more or jump right in

If making a difference as a Big sounds like something you’d like to explore, you can reach out to the agency anytime at bbbs@bigsindiana.org to let them know who you are and inquire about the next Orientation and Training opportunity. Their volunteer website has some Frequently Asked Questions. I’m also happy to share more about my experience with you directly at krjose@iu.edu, and I can make a personal referral to connect you with the agency if you are interested in moving forward.

There’s also a special event THIS WEEK where you can swing by to meet some BBBS representatives and learn more in person:
WHEN: Thursday, July 29th at 5:30pm
WHERE: Switchyard Brewery (419 N Walnut)
WHAT: A laid-back atmosphere with pizza provided
An RSVP would be appreciated for pizza counts at rhawkins@bigsindiana.org

Staff Spotlight: Teri Hruby

Posted on July 14, 2021 by donatela

This month’s staff member in the spotlight is Teri Hruby, Administrative Assistant in Bloomington Evaluation Services and Testing (BEST). We asked her a few questions and here’s what she had to say:

Teri with her husband on a recent trip to Michigan

What is your name and what do you do; how long have you worked here in OVPUE?

I’m Teri Hruby and I’ve been the Administrative Assistant at BEST since March, 2015.

What three traits define you?

Stubborn
Persistent
Resourceful

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

Can you make a career out of volunteering? Because I would love to spend my days volunteering at the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center in the USVI. They have such a great team doing amazing things for the animals on-island and helping them find forever homes on the mainland. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I’ve always wanted to learn to play the banjo. Which doesn’t make any sense at all since I’m not coordinated and have zero musical talent.

What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?

When I was 13 my mom died of cancer. I’m an only child and she was a housewife, so I was used to her always being there…when I woke up, when I got home from school, at swim lessons. Dad and I had to create a new normal, but I don’t think either of us really understood all she did. The first few loads of laundry were an adventure. That pie made with a Bisquick crust was a learning experience. And did you know that you have to change the bag in the sweeper? But I was determined to help so I kept trying. I’m not one to give up and I think, looking back, losing her is when that trait surfaced. I’d be a doormat in a second if it meant getting her back, but I’m also pretty happy with the person I am and like to think that she would be, too.

How do you define success?

Success isn’t restricted to work. It’s being happy and content, regardless of the situation. The BEX billing posted without any errors? Success. The dog shares her sofa with me? Also success.

Teri's dog Nellie Rae — Teri’s beagle, Nellie Rae

What do you do in your spare time?

I love to cook and have fairly adventurous taste buds, so I love to try new recipes (or just make-up something!). I also love to spend time with Nellie Rae, our beagle. She’s a senior girl who still loves to go for her walks, so we make time most days to explore the woods or wander around campus.

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

There are a few movies that, if I see them on, I’ll stop what I’m doing and watch for the umpteenth time. Steel Magnolias. Key Largo. Gone With the Wind. Pretty much anything with Doris Day. But I vividly remember reading The Notebook for the first time. I had just gotten the book and was reading it on my lunch break at work when a friend saw it and said, “You’re braver than I am reading that in public.” I didn’t get it then, but it didn’t take long. “Read this to me and I’ll come back to you.” Gut punch. That book just wrecked me. It made me wish, for the millionth time, that my parents had the chance to grow old together, even if they had to face the same challenges in the book.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

A long, leisurely cruise through the Windward and Leeward islands of the Caribbean on a tall ship.

What is your favorite thing about working at OVPUE?

I really enjoy the team at BEST. The past year has been a struggle for everyone, but I feel like we’ve shown a lot of resilience and have continued to grow despite the obstacles. We’re just a solid unit and I’m really proud of how we’ve pulled together and been there for each other. We trust each other, share silly stories, make each other laugh. We’re a good team and I’m happy to be part of it.

Healthy IU Wellness Ambassador

Posted on June 25, 2021 by donatela

Zach Willhite recently became OVPUE’s Healthy IU Wellness Ambassador. Wellness Ambassadors serve as liaisons between Healthy IU and their respective units. They work to develop programming and provide resources for their unit’s staff members and communicate the wellness needs of the unit to Healthy IU.

Healthy IU is Indiana University’s employee wellness program and connects with university employees across all nine of IU’s campuses. The purpose of the Wellness Ambassador program is to bring awareness to Healthy IU’s offerings to individual units and to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors. Healthy IU offerings are free for full-time faculty and staff. More information for Healthy IU can be found at healthy.iu.edu.

Zach Willhite has been working full-time with OVPUE since September 2018 after graduating with from IU Bloomington in May 2018 with a BFA in Textiles. He worked his junior and senior years with University Division and Students in Transition as a student front desk worker and New Student Orientation assistant. He currently works as a Student Services Coordinator with University Division, Students in Transition, the Health Professions and Pre-Law Center, the Career Development Center, and OVPUE Records in the Wells Library 002 office suite.

Zach is also a member of the OVPUE Engagement Committee and will work to incorporate Healthy IU programming into the Engagement Committee’s programming. Any OVPUE staff member can contact Zach by emailing zwwillhi@indiana.edu with anything concerning Healthy IU.

Staff Spotlight: Zilia Balkansky-Sellés

Posted on June 21, 2021 by donatela

This month’s staff member in the spotlight is Zilia Balkansky-Sellés, Extracurricular Coordinator in the Hutton Honors College. We asked her a few questions and here’s what she had to say:

What is your name and what do you do; how long have you worked here in OVPUE?

Zilia traveled to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, to present a paper at the International Society for Ethnology and Folklore (spring ’19).

Zilia Balkansky-Sellés. I’ve worked for OVPUE since September 30, 2019.

What three traits define you?

Since I think of individuality as an integrated whole, these traits I’ll name are not separate and distinct from each other. They are intertwined: persistence, curiosity, creativity.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

While I truly enjoy my work as extracurricular coordinator and academic advisor for the Hutton Honors College, I see this as my day job. The other things I would want to do, I am doing, primarily acting in theatre and writing (at this time, mostly poetry and essays). I also have ongoing participation in activities in which I can do, and express, other areas important to me, including teaching, coaching, environmental stewardship (largely through gardening and activism for wildlife and domesticated animals).

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I continue in learning the things of interest to me, including speaking Russian (I took three years as a grad student and am now returning to my books), and playing music (I am self taught in guitar and have picked up the ukulele in the past few years). As an adult, I started violin lessons, which I took a break from the past few years. So, I want to get back to the violin as well. There are other languages I am interested in learning. They are on the list as well.

What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?

My graduation from a doctoral program at IU was delayed for almost six years due to issues having to do with money and a Bursar’s bill. I persisted and am very grateful to have found an angel in the Bursar’s office who took the first step that allowed the other steps to ensue so that officially graduated in August 2018. Along the way, I also went through cancer, treatments, and am now in remission. All the lessons have to do with staying in the present, persisting, taking one step at a time, and being both kind and firm to oneself. Quoting Maya Angelou, “Wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now.”

How do you define success?

At the most basic level, success for me has to do with integrity, integrity of thought, integrity with oneself and others, and recognizing one’s place in the greater scheme of the world.

Zilia played Miss Laetitia Prism, the governess, in an online production of Don Zolidi's adaptation of the Oscar Wilde play, "The Importance of Being Earnest in a Pandemic." — Zilia played Miss Laetitia Prism, the governess, in an online production of Don Zolidi’s adaptation of the Oscar Wilde play, “The Importance of Being Earnest in a Pandemic.”

What do you do in your spare time?

As you may be able to tell from earlier answers, I take part in community theatre, audition in other places when possible, write regularly, am beginning to send out more writing for publication, garden in community and in my own large backyard, play musical instruments, work on learning more about topics that interest me. I also cycle and walk a lot.

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

I have several favorites. Having read, and having someone read to me, The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien at an early age, and having re-read those books many times through the years, the world, sensibilities, and imagery of Middle Earth are embedded in my mental “DNA.” At a young age, I was very impressed, visually and in imagination, by the sweep and cinematography of the film “Lawrence of Arabia.” Visual and imaginative influences from that film and other films have shaped how I see the world, do photography, and compose imagery in writing.

Zilia on stage at Bear's Place during a Bloomington Writers Guild spoken word event. — Zilia on stage at Bear’s Place during a Bloomington Writers Guild spoken word event.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

I really want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. When I was going through cancer treatment, I had an image of successfully climbing Kilimanjaro as a visualization of healing. So, hoping to get there, yet.

What is your favorite thing about working at OVPUE?

I love (love love) working with the students. I am glad to be in a job where I can help to support the trajectory of the brightness and hope for the future. I am also highly appreciative of my bright and compassionate colleagues.

Pride Month at OVPUE

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Clinton

Inclusive Pride Flag hanging on a building. Photo by Just Jack on Unsplash. You’ve probably noticed a few more rainbow flags than normal over the past few weeks–as you may already be aware, June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Much of the conversation around Pride Month this year has focused on whether corporations and organizations who embrace Pride Month are really supporting the community or just capitalizing on an opportunity. Obviously OVPUE and IU aren’t like most businesses (and don’t do much during Pride Month–something that could be improved upon) but it’s a great time to think about what those organizations are doing right and where they can improve. June is also a great time for people to be self-reflective and to think about steps they can take to support LGBTQ+ people. Even if you’re not ready to invest in a set of rainbow flags, there are some simple ways to be more welcoming and make life just a little bit easier for the members of the LGBTQ+ community.

This month, as I was perusing LinkedIn Learning for training opportunities, I noticed that the featured course was Succeeding as an LGBT Professional by Dorie Clark. My first thought was how funny it is that we need a course in how to be successful based on our gender/sexual identity–but then I thought maybe there are some things I don’t know and should.

LinkedIn Learning Course - Succeeding as an LGBTQ+ Professional

I was curious, so I watched the course and there are some good points to remember, but the strongest impression it made on me was how accepting and supportive my experience at OVPUE has been as an out gay man. The experience of every LGBTQ+ person is very different, so others may not have had the same experience as I did, but supportiveness and acceptance appear to be the expectation and norm here, and not the exception–so that’s great.

Here are some thoughts on ways we can continue to grow into a better place for LGBTQ+ staff, faculty, and students:

Pay attention to pronouns and preferred names, every time. Take a moment to check to make sure that the name you’re using with a student is their preferred name instead of their birth name. Trans students at IU have to deal with enough micro-aggressions without being confronted with their birth name or misgendered by the people who are here to support them. Advisors are doing a great job with this, and advising systems like AdRx and our tools for NSO have adapted to center preferred pronouns and names over the last few years, but any time we work with students or their data is an opportunity to demonstrate that we care about students’ preferences.
Remember that LGBTQ+ people have to come out over and over again. Coming out doesn’t just happen when you tell your parents as a teen. We’ve all had a colleague or a student share with us that their identity is more than just what we see when we look at them. Those of us who are LGBTQ+ professionals know what it’s like to have to come out over and over again at work. That moment can be scary or traumatic for some people–for others, it may not be a big deal. Now’s a great time to reflect on how you react when someone comes out to you. Make sure you’re prepared for the eventuality and ready to be supportive and helpful.
Look for ways to make our workspaces more accommodating. OVPUE IT worked with a transitioning student intern who pointed out some small ways 625 N. Jordan could be improved to make her life easier. One was that single-person restrooms don’t need to designate a gender. The restrooms on our floor of Jordan were changed to be gender neutral, and we’re working on updating the ones throughout the building. She also suggested that some symbols of our support for LGBTQ+ people might go a long way toward making interviewees or visitors feel welcome in our space (which leads to my next point).
Support visibility. If someone shares their LGBTQ+ identity with you, it might be because they know the power of visibility. Many of us LGBTQ+ people who ended up in Bloomington grew up in a place or a time when we didn’t see ourselves represented in the media or the people around us. Being open about our identities is one of our only tools to help normalize what should be normal and be the representation we know others (especially the next generations) are searching for. You can make your personal allyship and OVPUE’s support of LGBTQ+ students visible too within your personal workspace–with something as simple as a sticker on your door, a mini flag in the coffee cup on your office book shelf, or by incorporating some LGBTQ+ student images into your website or print materials. Signs of acceptance and support can be a little relief to students who have other things to worry about than whether their community and university accept their authentic selves.
Keep learning. None of us has all the information, and we can all do more to support the LGBTQ+ community. If you have a question and want to ask an LGBTQ+ colleague, they’ll probably be happy to answer–however, remember that each of us is responsible for educating ourselves, and there are thousands of resources for being an ally and supporting your colleagues and students, just a quick Google search away. You’ll find that IU and OVPUE are already doing many of the right things, but we as individuals and our departments and the university can always be better advocates and build an even more inclusive and accepting space for the LGBTQ+ community. Here are some links you might take a look at:
- 10 Ways to Support LGBT Employees (Glassdoor)
- 14 Ways to Support LGBT Employees in 2021 (OutBüro)
- Out and Proud: Approaching LGBT Issues in the Workplace (LinkedIn Learning)
- Inclusive Mindset for Committed Allies (LinkedIn Learning)

To all of you who go out of your way to be great allies, thank you. And to the LGBTQ+ OVPUE employees past and present (and allies) who have been visible and supportive of me, your example has meant a lot to me both as a graduate student employee and as a new professional.

Good work, OVPUE–what’s our next step?

Changes coming to Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Posted on May 26, 2021 by donatela

If you’re a Salesforce user, you may have already heard that IU Studios will require new training to be completed by the end of October to maintain your current access levels in the platform. Some changes have already been implemented, like moving from subscriber lists to data extensions.

The table below breaks down the similarities and differences between subscriber lists and data extensions, which offer more personalization, advanced usage in Marketing Cloud, and a better experience for IU’s constituents.

Comparison	Subscriber List	Data Extension
Stores constituent data for use in Marketing Cloud	✓	✓
Used to send emails	✓	✓
Can be used for basic personalization (first name, last name, email)	✓	✓
Can be used for valuable personalization (campus, vaccine status, etc.)		✓
Allows for audience segmentation by filtering field values (employees vs. students, etc.)		✓
Can be used to more effectively manage subscribers		✓
Can be used to bring reports directly from Service Cloud into Marketing Cloud		✓
Uses Convergence Cloud for upload		✓
Minimizes duplicate records through Convergence Cloud**		✓
Needs publication list for managing email subscribers for each send		✓
Works best with automations and Journey Builder		✓

The new, self-paced Marketing Cloud 2.0 training course will cover a variety of topics, including:

Using new tools (Email Framework, Convergence Cloud)
Building, testing, sending, and analyzing emails
Best practices for email marketing
Designing for accessibility and mobile responsiveness

The Marketing Cloud 2.0 course quizzes will be available in Canvas soon, but in the meantime these videos break down the process for uploading data extensions and using publication lists:

How to create and upload data extensions through the convergence cloud:

https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/channel/Marketing%2BCloud%2BTraining/207560053

How to create a publication list and why they are important:

https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/playlist/dedicated/207560053/1_izrbadkl/1_o4zf9q6q

If you have questions or would like to learn more, you can join the IU CRM Marketing Community on Slack or attend monthly Snackforce sessions. You can also visit the new Salesforce Marketing Cloud website for more information. If you’re not a Salesforce user but would like to begin, please contact Anna Donatelle: Donatela@iu.edu.

Staff Spotlight: Eric Beckstrom

Posted on May 24, 2021 by donatela

This month’s staff member in the spotlight is Eric Beckstrom, Senior Academic Advisor in the Center for Students in Transition. We asked him a series of questions and here’s what he had to say:

What is your name and what do you do; how long have you worked here in OVPUE?

My name is Eric Beckstrom (Eric Thomas Beckstrom, according to the Global Directory). I’m a Senior Academic Advisor in the Center for Students in Transition, and before that I advised in HPPLC. I’ve been advising for around 15 years.

What three traits define you?

I’m a sincere, procrastinating, cinephile.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

Write successfully, and with far less effort.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

To play jazz piano. Barring that, to juggle knives. Barring that, to juggle knaves.

What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?

No beating around the bush here: alcoholism and leukemia. From recovery from alcoholism I learned a new way of life. From leukemia I’ve honed my dark humor, but don’t know yet what else I’ve gained or learned from the experience – too early to tell. Ask me if I’m still around next year. Ha ha.

How do you define success?

Trying sincerely to be a decent person.

What do you do in your spare time?

Read fiction and astrophysics articles, write, listen to audiobooks. Listen to The Cranberries, Bobby Timmons, Green Day. Kayak on mellow waters. Experiment with low-light/low-rez photography. Avoid necessary renovations to my house.

What’s the coolest (or most important) trend you see today?

Global warming.

What is your favorite thing about working at OVPUE?

Kurt Zorn. I ask you, how could I – how could anyone – answer differently??

A Review of Healthy IU’s Work + Life, Intergoup Dialogue Training

Posted on April 28, 2021 by donatela

Healthy IU’s Work + Life series, Intergroup Dialogue: Having Difficult Conversations about Race and Other Identities is a four week series that, “provides a unique forum to explore issues related to social identities.” You may have seen this series on the Healthy IU website or advertised in your email inbox. I did, and it caught my attention. I enrolled in the series and wanted to briefly share my experience with OVPUE staff to bring awareness to this opportunity across the department.

Some (semi-personal) background: 2020’s summer of protests against police brutality catapulted me into a level of anger I had not felt, probably ever. That it took me until 2020 to feel compelled to truly change my own behaviors (and understand that I’m also part of the problem), of course, is an example of my privilege.

Since then, I’ve committed myself to becoming actively anti-racist and, in that, I’m always learning how to better support Black Americans, Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI), Indigenous people, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQIA community. I have been wanting a space to learn more, ask questions, talk about things on my mind, and understand how to navigate difficult conversations. Healthy IU’s training series did just that.

Week 2 activity, Culture Box: Choose three items to represent your identity. Mine were an elephant I purchased while living in Mumbai, a hair tie to represent aerial arts, and a sunset photo at my husband’s family’s lake place in WI.

About the training: Intergroup Dialogue asked me to question my identity as a white woman, including some of my internal biases and triggers, and taught me to actively listen with compassion rather than listen to respond.

The series left me with a set of tools to create a space for dialogue between myself and others. It also helped me understand that I will make mistakes (that’s ok!), I will get it wrong sometimes (nobody is perfect!), and that my white guilt is completely useless because it helps exactly nobody (thoughts and prayers, anyone?). Speaking up, using my power and privilege, donating money to organizations I support — taking action, those things are useful.

The time commitment was manageable. Each session was two hours long and it lasted four weeks. There were some readings and activities to prepare ahead of time, but none took much time.

Each meeting began with a full group discussion and exercise, followed by smaller conversations in break out rooms, and ended with the full group continuing to discuss that week’s topic, drawing from the small group chats to deepen the discussion. The hosts were warm, engaging, showed vulnerability, and worked hard to make sure participants knew they were speaking in a safe, non-judgmental space. This training gave me the space to process concepts, ideas, and my own privilege in ways I had not before.

In conclusion: If you would like to expand your own understanding of social identities, internal biases, and how to create a space for dialogue, I highly recommend this series. If you are interested in attending this series through OVPUE, please reach out and let me know (Donatela@iu.edu). The moderators offer this training for departments and if there is a large enough group, we may be able to bring them in for a department wide opportunity.

Alternatively, you can register for the series on the Healthy IU website. At the time of writing this post, the Healthy IU website has not been updated to include future sessions.

BAR and CLASS Celebrate Earth Day!

Posted on April 28, 2021 by donatela

On Friday, April 23rd, staff members from Bloomington Assessment and Research (BAR) and the Center for Learning Analytics and Student Success (CLASS) celebrated Earth Day by volunteering at the Sycamore Land Trust. In just three hours time, they pulled 14 bags of weeds! This event gave staff an opportunity to get out of the house, spend some time in nature, and gather together in a safe and socially distant way.

Mike Sauer in BAR coordinated this event for the units and worked with HR’s Anita Harden in advance to ensure it met the requirements for IU’s paid leave day.

A reminder to all OVPUE staff, IU offers a paid leave day (up to eight hours) for employees to attend an IU sponsored volunteer event. Contact Anita (adharden@iu.edu) to learn more about how to schedule a volunteer event like this for your unit.

Scroll to see photos of their day well spent in the springtime sun!

Staff Spotlight: Kristin Varella

Posted on April 27, 2021 by donatela

This month’s staff member in the spotlight is Kristin Varella, OVPUE’s Director of Development. We asked her a series of questions (and kept the bonus question!), and here’s what she had to say:

What is your name and what do you do; how long have you worked here in OVPUE?

My name is Kristin Varella and I have been the Director of Development for four years now. I stepped into a newly created position to develop a deeper culture of philanthropy among our OVPUE units, students, and alums. I partner with the broader IU Development community and connect donors/IU alumni to OVPUE Programs to strengthen our students’ experiences.

What three traits define you?

Kristin at the skate park — Kristin’s multitasking at the skate park. Photo by her son.

Practical, thoughtful, resourceful

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

I’d love to be on the granting side of a community organization/foundation and provide resources to individuals. It is the flip side of what I do now! In my current and previous development roles, I have witnessed the generosity of others, and the impact it can make on people – it is inspiring.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

Speak multiple languages. I hope to do so, eventually.

What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?

My husband Doug and I recently closed a chapter of our lives: being foster parents for ten years. Our permanent family was built, unexpectedly, through foster care. We are deeply grateful for the children, experiences, and families we have gotten to know through being a foster placement, but it has not been without pain and loss for everyone involved. For me, in more recent years, a challenge has been to accept the choices and circumstances that have unfolded, while wrestling with observed shortcomings of the child/family welfare system as well as socioeconomic disparities, and tough decisions we have taken a part in that have had real consequences on children’s lives. In today’s popular language – I guess it’s wrestling with and accepting privilege, but also seeing how abruptly those lines of privilege are drawn or can be removed. I’m continuing to learn from this tension and how I can become more active in working towards equity in our community.

How do you define success?

This is a broad question. For me, at this point in my life, I think I would define success as the ability to honestly accept the outcome and move forward receiving the lessons learned. This Wendell Berry quote really resonates with me: “We live the given life, not the planned.”

What do you do in your spare time?

My days are quite consistent, and I try to make good use of my time: I practice yoga each morning, try to get a long walk in (preferably with a friend, or a podcast), cook dinner after work and eat a meal together as a family, then end the evening with a book. I enjoy painting, outdoor activities (biking, gardening, hiking, camping, snake hunting with my son), hosting people for dinner, and am eager to add grabbing a beer with my husband on Lennie’s patio back into my life soon!

What’s the coolest (or most important) trend you see today?

The diversity of children’s literature authors being published today. Books allow us to learn about others and the world, and I’m grateful for the access we have to books about people, cultures and places written by authors from those cultures and places, rather than from a dominant author’s perspective. I am an avid library reserve-er and am grateful for the work of @hereweeread (Instagram) for introducing our family to so many incredible books to learn and grow from.

What is your favorite thing about working at OVPUE?

I appreciate the push for innovation and ability to make changes to create stronger programs, our responsive IT department, collaborative colleagues, humble leadership and autonomy.

Bonus: What is a question you wish more people would ask you, and what’s the answer?

Q: How can I support the great work that OVPUE is doing?

A: I’m so glad you asked! Learn more here: https://ovpue.indiana.edu/support-ovpue/index.html