Navigating Working with Students during COVID-19

Part of my job as the Graduate Assistant for the CMU Student Food Pantry is working with a team of Student Coordinators and Student Board. The Student Coordinators are students who working in the Volunteer Center as the Student Food Pantry coordinators. They help organize volunteers, run distributions, and much more. The Student Board is comprised of students who were interested in getting more involved with the Student Food Pantry and they volunteer, help with volunteer trainings, and inform what we are doing in the pantry overall.

This year brought it extra challenges because I had to figure out how to keep them all engaged and invested in the Student Food Pantry virtually. As the new Graduate Assistant this was a daunting task because I was learning an entirely new role while also navigating the changes in the pantry due to COVID-19 and working with my students online.

Student Coordinators were the students I was in the most contact with. To keep us all safe I separated us into two teams and we had set times we were each in the pantry and they were never together. That meant I saw the two students on my team but only saw the other team virtually. To keep us all on the same page I began to send weekly updates to all my student coordinators. These emails sometimes had a fun thing for them to do such as send me a meme and then reminders about the week, what was going on, and anything else I needed them to know. These emails were extremely helpful in keeping us all connected during this wild semester and making sure they all knew what was happening in the pantry. Additionally, I set up weekly meetings with each of my student coordinators to talk about what they were doing in the pantry, what was going well, and their goals for the week. The meetings were nice because it was time I could learn more about each of my students and still be there as a supervisor for them.

Student Board did not begin until later in the semester but we started with having the three of them be the only volunteers in the pantry and help out with distributions. This worked out extremely well that we will be continuing it after COVID-19. Having them in the pantry once a week was helpful with packing bags and stocking shelves and they were key to the pantries success this semester. Besides them coming into the pantry, I sent regular emails to the board about what was going on to keep them updated.

Additionally, we started monthly full board meetings with myself, the board, and the coordinators that were all done virtually. At these we did different team building activities, discussed what was and was not working in the pantry, and even played Among Us for some fun! Our board meetings were absolutely the most helpful for keeping everyone engaged because it gave us all a chance to get to know on another. I will be continuing these meetings into the Spring Semester and keep adding some fun aspects into them because it is truly how my team has connected.

Overall, while this semester was definitely crazy in my new role as a supervisor, but I am proud of the ways I helped keep my students engaged throughout the semester. Now, I am excited to start planning new ways to continue this during next semester!

CMU Round Two

In the fall of 2019 I began the process of applying for graduate school to be a Speech Language Pathologist. A few months into applying I knew my heart was not into being a Speech Therapist and decided to change my course. I decided to change programs and pursue a masters in higher education. Then I began researching school and getting my applications ready. I found programs I was extremely excited about began to imagine a new future for myself.

Now a year later, I am back at Central Michigan University now working on my masters degree. I was accepted into the higher education program for this year and have been loving it so far. Also, I began my new job as a Graduate Assistant for the CMU Student Food Pantry with the Volunteer Center. In this position I help run the Student Food Pantry on campus. In the Student Food Pantry we have different food products but also have a care party with cleaning, hygiene, and school supplies. I will be in this program for the next three years and can’t wait to see what I learn.

I began this blog as a freshman in college through my Leadership Advancement Scholarship. Now I will be transitioning it and continue to use it to showcase what I am doing in my graduate program. I will talk about what I am learning in classes, what I am doing in my graduate assistantship, and how this will help me as a higher education professional.

I am very excited to start the next chapter of my life and education!

Peace out Senior Year

This as we all know, has not been the senior year that class of 2020 thought it would be. As college seniors the countless hours of homework, thousands of dollars spent to attend a school, and the activities we participate in were starting to come to a close. But, in March that all abruptly ended as we transitioned to online classes and began social distancing due to COVID-19. Senior banquettes were canceled, sorority alumni events were canceled, and eventually graduation was postponed. We finished all of our classes online and had commencement ceremonies over Zoom and Webex. But looking back the time I did spend at school was the best year yet. Senior year may have been cut short but I still managed to pack this year full of excitement, learning, and growth.

What I did:

Senior year was my year to apply to graduate school and finish my last requirements before graduation. While applying for graduate school to be a Speech Language Therapist, I decided I wanted to stay at a University and changed what I was pursuing as a masters. Now I will be going into Higher Education Administration because of the passion I have developed for the atmosphere and students at universities. But, besides that, my year was full of different activities. Including my final year in my sorority Alpha Sigma Tau which I was able to get a second little Carlie. I finished my time in Circle K International as the Service Facilitator/ Coordinator which was a joy. In Greek Life, I also had the opportunity to be a Gamma Chi and help new panhellenic women find their homes. As for LAS I was able to add to my family and get two mentees Kat and Kara who are the most amazing individuals. Additionally, I chaired my last Competition Day and was able to see how much progress we had made on the event in the last three years. As a student assistant I worked three more commencements and constantly followed Dr. Davies to make sure he was where he needed to be. At the university level I was also able to be on a committee for Awards, Scholarships, and Honors. Being on this committee gave me a glimpse into my future career path. Finally, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Los Angeles California for the EduMAX and Adobe MAX conferences which was definitely the highlight of my year. This year was absolutely wonderful and I am so glad that I was able to have the time to do everything I did this year.

What I learned:

The biggest most important thing I learned from this year is to not take things for granted. Now this is mainly because I did not get to finish out the semester in person but also as a senior year thing about everything that will be ending and how important they may be to you. This year I really tried to appreciate everything about CMU and my involvements because I knew they were coming to an end and I am so thankful I did.

What is next:

Thank you to everyone who has helped me through the last four years at Central. I am so excited to start my Masters program now and dive into the field of Higher Education! At CMU I will be a Graduate Assistant in the Volunteer Center for Mentoring Programs. In this position I will be working with programs like Lunch Buddies and Adopt a Grandparent. Until then I will be enjoying the summer and dreaming of a vaccine for COVID-19

Fire Up Chips!

 

To Kat & Kara

Hi!!!

As you have probably deduced by now, I am your mentor! Sorry it has taken me a hot minute to reveal myself, moving home from college is kinda crazy. But the time has come, sooo here is a little blog about myself and my mentor (you G Mentor like a grandma lol). Hope you Enjoy!

About Me:

Well my name is Abbey Claes and I am a Senior in LAS. I have one brother who is also at Central in LAS which is pretty dang cool. Also, I have two very important redheads in my life who are my boyfriend Derek and my best friend Emily (who is also my mentor). As you noticed in the insta account I am from the Upper Peninsula, a town called Escanaba. Being from up north I really enjoy being outside even sometimes in the winter. My favorite things to do up here are going to the beach, hiking, kayaking, cross country skiing, and downhill skiing. However, I also love curling up on the couch and binge watching a show or movies. A few of my favorites currently are Parks & Rec, Game of Thrones, Brooklyn 99, Riverdale, and This is Us. Movies I like are To all the Boys I loved Before (my house crew this year watched it at least 30 times), any Marvel, Age of Adaline, and Say Anything (literally cried when they took it off Netflix). I am I am a big food lover, especially breakfast foods, my favorite place in Mt. Pleasant is Roz’s Diner! A few random facts about me are I love waking up early when everything is quiet and calm. Coffee is my bestest pal along with ice cream and popcorn. My favorite activity of all time is Goat Yoga, literally the best experience I have ever had. And the best fact of all is Dr. Davies and I were born in the same place which is wild. Besides food, shows, and other things I like to do here’s what I do at CMU. I am studying Communication Sciences and Disorders with plans to get my Master’s in Speech Language Pathology. My minors are in Child Development and Leadership. I work in the Office of the President which is the coolest job around. Being able to work there with such amazing people is a highlight of Central for me. Also, I am in a sorority, Circle K, Leadership Safari, and Order of Omega. You can always find me in either Warriner Hall or the Health Professions Building, I basically live in them lol.

About Emily:

Emily is my mentor, and she is the most genuine person on this earth. While she has already graduated and is in the real world she is one of the most important individuals in my life. Besides being my mentor she is also my Big in my sorority and basically my everything. She loves her dog Berklee who is the best dog in the world and will steal all scrunchies. Em is from the metro Detroit area so we still see each other when we are able too. She and I share a love for Parks and Rec and really relate to Amy and Leslie lol. If you want to check Em out her instagram account is @baierems.

So there is a little bit about the family you are joining. I am so excited to meet you both and take on CMU together in the fall. I can’t wait for all the adventures we will have like the Jonas Brothers. If you need anything over the summer let me know, I am always here for you! My number is 906-280-5647. Also, I somehow deleted the instagram account I made for you two (sorry) so if you want to text me your address and I will send you a cute little thing soon, thanks a bunch. ILY

Here are some pictures of me, what I love, and a few people who I am super close with!

Safari 2018

My Experience for my Second Year Safari Guide

What is Safari… well allow me to explain. Leadership Safari is a week long event that is put on through Central’s Leadership Institute. It is a program that is similar to freshman orientation. It helps get new students more familiar with Central Michigan University. Also, it gives the incoming students a time to meet other people at the university. Finally, the leadership aspect. This conference is all about leadership and opening peoples minds to different ideas and perspectives.

This past summer, I was a Safari Guide for my second year as a Leadership Safari Staff member. For my second year I was a guide for eight amazing Freshman on Team Aardvark. Besides my group of participants, I was also a part of the Back to Black core team and meet some of the best people ever.

To my Aardvarks: You are all such wonderful people and I am so lucky to know you. I have loved watching you all grow here at Central and find your place. You have all found your different places at Central and are thriving. I am so proud of all of you and can’t wait to see where life takes you.

To my Back to Black loves: Thank you all for the best Safari ever. Spending the week with all of you was truly a blessing. You are all such amazing leaders and are doing such great things for the world and the university.

The Future: This coming year I will be a Ranger on Safari Staff for Sharpay Evans Pink. A ranger is someone who still gets a group of participants during safari. However, rangers also help the Core staff members with training’s and picking out other staff members. I am so excited to have this new role and do my third and final safari!

 

New Member Educator for Alpha Sigma Tau

Serving as Alpha Sigma Tau’s New Member Educator for 2018

During the 2018 year, I had the privilege of serving as my sororities New Member Educator. In this position, I was able to help welcome new women into AΣT and teach them about the sorority. As New Member Educator I was tasked with helping the new members through our six week process that leads to initiation. Within the six weeks, they learn about the history of AΣT and what we hold most dear. Also, they get their bigs which is always exciting. Finally, at the end they become initiated and officially active members of the Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority.

To the Fall 2018 class: First of all, thank you to the whole Fall 2018 class. I am so thankful to have had such an great group of women to welcome into the chapter. Teaching you about AΣT and guiding you all through the new member process was so fun and reminded me what I love about the chapter. I loved being able to watch you all fall in love with our chapter and find your place in this wonderful group of women we have. You are all doing such great things within the chapter and I could not be more proud of you. I can’t wait to see where you all take the chapter and the positive changes you are able to make. You are all truly amazing individuals and the chapter is so lucky to have all of you. Thanks for making my time in Alpha Sigma Tau the best ever.

Advice for the next New Member Educator: Be there for the new members! It is your job to make them feel welcomed and love within AΣT. Make sure you are there to answer their questions and address any concerns they may have. Along with that, help them create a relationship with other member in the chapter. Help them reach out to others and find their place in Alpha Sigma Tau.

Final Thoughts: Being the new member educator was one of the hardest yet more rewarding positions I have held. There are things I wish I would have done differently or should have changed but overall it was an amazing time. I loved being able to see the chapter of actives from that position and watch them welcome our new members while also being there for the new members.

The other side of Competition Day

Competition Day – taking a look on the other side

As a Leader Advancement Scholar, we have the opportunity to serve on a LEAD team as either a member or chair. This year was my second time as the Leadership Advancement Scholarship Competition Day chair. In this position I was able to work for Anna Dean and Logan Palm who were my co chairs. The three of us worked closely with Jesi and Jessi to plan another great Competition Day for the incoming freshman.

This year, we incorporated many different chances in hopes to make an overall better experience throughout the day. First, we did a major date change from the first weekend of the semester to the middle of February. This allowed us extra time after Christmas break to get everything in order for Competition Day. It helped to spread out of schedule of things to do as well, and spaced items out. Also, with the date change came a day change from Saturday to Sunday. This mainly happened because there was an event in the space we used on Saturday but it ended up working out really well. It gave our team an extra day to get everything in order from name tags to folders. The extra day was a total blessing to have especially since we invited more competitors than ever this year. Inviting more individuals to compete was another huge change we made this year going from around 80 to 100. The last big change we made was to the venue we used. Previously, competition day was mainly done in the Leadership Institute with a few rooms in the University Center. However, this year we moved everything except the use of one room to the University Center. At first, the change was a bit weird but as the day went on we all got use to it. Having more space to use and everything more centrally located was convenient and helped the day run much smoother. One smaller change we made (thanks to my moms suggestion) was continuing the panel for the parents after their student leave. While the students go through the competition, the parents have the opportunity to go through the parents sessions. This year we continued the panel from the opening into the beginning of the parents session to allow them to ask more questions. Finally, the best change of all was having to chocolate fountains instead of one! Just kidding, the best change was being able to accept 80 individuals for the Leadership Advancement Scholarship. This year we were able to almost double to the number of scholarships we handed out which was truly amazing.

Being in this position, I had the opportunity to not only with with the other co chairs but also our Lead Team members. These individuals were from the different cohorts of LAS and they helped us plan competition day as well as volunteers throughout the actual day. This is one of my favorite parts of being the Lead Team chair because I am able to get to know other people in LAS who I may not have had the opportunity to know.

Overall, I have loved being the Competition Day chair for my second year. Having this position although can be stressful is so much fun and rewarding.

To my lovely little

Just a short and sweet blog about one of the sweetest humans in my life

Dear Alyssa,

When we went on our first big little date, I knew you were the one for me. The day before had been a rough one but somehow at lunch you still managed to make me smile and not think about everything for a little while. During lunch, we bonded over our love of Special Education. Like me, you are so passionate about Special Ed and want to focus your career there. Our conversation continued and we got on the subject of food. It may not have been a deep conversation, but we still connected over our obsession for cheese, tater tots, and ranch. To this day we still eat and talk about our love for those three items way to often.

This year I have loved watching you flourish in Alpha Sigma Tau and everywhere you go. In the sorority you are always so positive and caring to all of our sister. Across campus you put passion into everything you do… even making omelets. Your passion for Special Ed is truly inspiring and I am so excited to see the wonderful teacher you grow into. Can’t wait to tag team with Speech Pathology and Special Ed once we are both finally out of college. You are kind of

crazy, but in a good way. You always make sure I have time for fun whether it is binge watching Atypical in one single night (the best show ever), food runs, or just a chat.

Thank you for coming into my life when I needed you the most. You are such a wonderful human and spread sunshine wherever you go. You have brought me so much happiness and continue to every single day. Thanks for the late night runs to Taco Bell because those are needed! Thanks for loving ranch as much as I do and always asking for more when we are at restaurants. Thanks for being the most perfect little a typical sorority gal could ask for. Most importantly, thanks for being my other half/ the same person as me. You and I are like two peas in a pod and I would not have been able to get through these past few months without you.

Thanks for loving me unconditionally and being the best addition the Banana Fam could have ever asked for.

Lots of Love, Big ♥

Competition Day {Behind the scenes}

A behind the scenes look at my LEAD Team

As recipients of the Leadership Advancement Scholarship, we all have requirements to meet every year. One of those requirements is to be on one of the many lead teams. A lead team is a group of LAS students who come together to plan a specific event(s) or make the program better. To name a few, there is the Diversity Lead Team, Grad Ball Lead Team, and my Lead team, Competition Day. This year I had the honor of serving on this lead team as the Sophomore Chair along with Hannah, the Junior chair and Bellal, the Senior chair. The three of us were in charge of our lead team and ultimately planning and executing Competition Day. Together, we spent months planning, having workshops, and getting other organizations involved to make this year the best Comp Day yet.

This year, we tried to shake the day up a bit and change things around to make it better. One of the biggest and more notable changes was moving the reception from a classroom into the Powers ballroom. Before this switch the reception was very cramped and hard to move around. As a result of the change, there was much more space to move around and talk with everyone. The switch made the reception less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone involved. Another change we made was having two workshops prior to competition day for the Student Guides and Interviews. This allowed us to go more in depth about our expectations for them and talk about how the day would play out. Also, with one of the workshops we focused on implicit bias and had a chance to discuss different aspects of that topic. Both of these switches were extremely instrumental in making this year’s Competition Day amazing.

Through being a lead team chair for competition day, I learned more about the LAS program and everything that goes into planning one of our biggest days of the year. There are so many different moving parts during the actual day such as the multiple student groups and parent groups. Also, we checked all of the rooms to make sure they were set up correctly and had everything we needed. Finally, we set up alternate dates for interviews for competitors who were unable to make it to competition day for various reasons.

For me, this has been one of the greatest experiences I have had here at Central and in the Leadership Institute. Helping plan a day where we are able to see the next leaders come to campus and help to grow the LAS program as well as the Leadership Institute was very special. The Leadership Advancement Program has given me so much these past two years and I am so excited to welcome the next group of leaders into the family.

Last but certainly not least, I am so grateful for the wonderful team I was able to work with for this event. Since it was my first year as a chair, most of my time was spent learning what to do. Bellal and Hannah helped me understand everything and we all supported one another. I look forward to working with Hannah as we take things up another notch and make the 2019 Comp Day even better!

Leadership Launch Round 2!

Leadership Launch: Round Two

Last year I had the honor of being one of the guides for the second Leadership Launch. This event is organized through the Leadership Institute and Special Olympics Michigan. In November, I was again able to join the Lead Team for the third Launch which was held in Ann Arbor. The Superhero theme illustrated that everyone can be a superhero. The team was thrilled to have representatives from National Special Olympics attend and take part in the activities.

Similar to last year, I was a guide for the athletes and their counterparts. As a guide, I led my group through different activities and watched them grow throughout the day. My team, Iron Man Yellow, consisted of 7 amazing student leaders. Together, we went through three different aspects of leadership imagination, teamwork, perspective, and empowerment.  During each section, my participants had great conversations about various aspects of leadership and how they interpreted each aspect. We also had many laughs throughout the day within our group and bonded in the hours we spent together. At the end of the day, every participant made an action plan about how they wanted to continue after that day. The plan included aspects like what they wanted to do at their school or in their community, resources that could help accomplish their plan, and specific actions they could take to accomplish the goal. Also, before leaving, each person at Launch wrote a Thank You letter to their personal superhero. My participants wrote letters to a teacher or parent and described how much that individual had helped them and made a difference in their life.

Every time I work with Special Olympics and the athletes involved, I am reminded of how much fun it is. Whether I am participating in Leadership Launch, Polar Plunge, or the Winter Games, I always learn something and have some of the best experiences. Special Olympics allows for athletes to grow in so many aspects while also creating fun opportunities.

Leadership Launch Round Two was a definite success.