Author: Amma Marfo (she/her)

Inspired by a friend I made through Twitter, I am challenging myself and you to put something positive out into the universe each day. She calls it 30 days of grace, and I'm sharing my list to hold myself accountable, not to toot my own horn.I invite you to do the same- by deciding to … Continue reading #30daysofgrace: A Challenge for August

I worry a lot about things. Having anxiety just makes such concern second nature. I even worry through any of the athletic endeavors that I engage in- ranging from more competitive aspects of my life (gymnastics, rowing) to what I do now (running, intramural kickball). But one thing I give very little thought to, both … Continue reading In Praise of Athletic Black Hair

Olympic Lessons from Inigo Montoya[On the word “inconceivable”]INIGO: Why do you keep using that word? I do not think it means what you think it means.There is a word that has surfaced more often in the commentary of the London Olympics than I remember in previous years (and unlike the more youthful members of the … Continue reading Olympic Lessons from Inigo Montoya

This might seem like an odd question, but I promise I'm going somewhere with it. I've been in a funk the last few days, for any number of reasons. But one is admittedly a struggle with the near breakneck pace of our programming schedule and, more importantly, the effect it's having on our students. We … Continue reading Does Your Staff Rival Michael Phelps?

 You can tell a lot about a race by its waiver. The Prison Break Mud Run, one of the inaugural events for Runners for a Muddier Tomorrow, was no exception. After surviving the race, here’s what I learned that I would have been able to tell from the waiver.NOTE: As I watch this, an episode … Continue reading "It’s Like We’re Breaking Out of Prison!"

For many of us, the tail end of our first year includes evaluations of our performance. We often get it from our supervisors and in some cases also from our students. In my office, an anonymous survey is administered via email, sent to our director, and then the results are forwarded to us. The process … Continue reading The Five Stages of Understanding Student Evaluations

#whatshouldwecallstudentaffairs: "Our colleagues at Penn State"One thing is to be agreed with: Dr. Mark Emmert’s assertion that the sanctions handed down to Penn State University are designed to punish the culture of an institution that allowed for a cover-up of heinous crimes, and not to punish the crime itself. When looking at the end result … Continue reading Processing Penn State Penalties

Bruce Wayne: You're gonna destroy millions of lives. Ra's al Ghul: Only a cynical man would call what these people have "lives," Wayne. Crime, despair... this is not how man was supposed to live. The League of Shadows has been a check against human corruption for thousands of years. We sacked Rome, loaded trade ships … Continue reading Thoughts on Aurora From a Lifetime Movie Buff

A few days ago, I finally broke down and subscribed to the Harvard Business Review Blog Network. Faced with a dialog box restricting my access to yet another article of theirs I was itching to read, and realizing I could (a) make a commitment and join or (b) use the loophole I discovered and attempt … Continue reading How to Succeed In Business Without Really Meaning To

Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of my time in Tallahassee. While I didn't officially start work until the 8th, it was one year ago yesterday that I ventured north with my parents in a rainstorm to try and shove all the IKEA boxes and books upon books into my apartment. I don't want to use this … Continue reading Let Them Eat Cake! (Introducing #1yrdown)