Author: Amma Marfo (she/her)

Ah, email. The fundamental backbone of our work.Oh, it isn't?Then why do we allow our productivity to flag whenever Outlook is down? Why do we have such a hard time communicating in its absence? And why do we allow its sudden arrival to dictate the schedule of our day?In learning about how to calm anxiety, … Continue reading Cutting the Email Tethers

I have once again devoured and truly enjoyed a management book by Patrick Lencioni. The author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and Death by Meeting, Lencioni is great at making management principles accessible through the use of fables to illustrate the points he is trying to make. This particular book, The Five Temptations … Continue reading Lencioni Lessons: The Five Temptations of a CEO/Student Affairs Supervisor

I spent last week in Durham, NC at the NASPA Region III/SACSA New Professionals Institute, held at North Carolina Central University.  After working with 41 fellow new professionals from across the South, six wonderful institute faculty, and one amazing institute facilitator in Brit Katz, I am so energized to do wonderful work from this point … Continue reading Candies and Happies: NPI 2012

As many of you may know, I've been working on a project to raise money for Women's Health's Run 10 Feed 10. I'm so encouraged by the support that I've gotten so far, and am really appreciating seeing the giving spirit in my friends, family and coworkers.The website that is running the fundraising efforts is … Continue reading National Running Day: Inspiration to Run for Something

So this started as this completely silly thing. Kate Kinsella, Lisa Endersby, and Joe Ginese started a conversation on conference presentations and plays with the following (completely true) observation:If your program proposal has 7 co-presenters you are no longer giving a presentation, you are putting on a play. #conf30This got Lisa's wheels turning about Shakespearean … Continue reading Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears: Shakespeare Inspired Conference Presentations

Here we are, inexplicably halfway through the year 2012 already. If anyone happens to find the first half of my year, let me know. I must have left it somewhere. But it's been a good six months so far. I have done my best to stick to my #oneword for the year- LEARN. At times, it's … Continue reading #oneword 2012: The Six Month Check In

This weekend was an adventure that I had been needing for far too long. The trip to Denver was a great way to clear the head, and wonderful to see Jeff Parker, a great friend who has been there through a lot with me. I'm happy I got to spend a few days seeing what … Continue reading Color Crashing and Colorado Camaraderie

Many of you may know that I've been working a lot toward incorporating health and wellness into my professional focus, given how important it is to me personally. And a lot of concern is being rightfully voiced about excess in nutrition- childhood obesity, diabetes, heart disease and the like. However, the country is starting to … Continue reading Ran for Something Pt. II: Cruisin for Cupcakes

We are in a field that LOVES its "one on ones". I like having that time with a student to talk about what is going on in his or her life, and also how I can best support him or her in the work being done. I know that students get varying levels of value … Continue reading One on One? One on Four? How Do You Operate?

Yesterday I had my first meeting with my summer intern. Hopefully her summer does not end like this member of the Team Zissou intern program.The idea of doing internships in our office has been often vacillated on. At times, it has seemed unnecessary because of graduate assistants, and positions have been created to allow long … Continue reading I Got an Intern