For those keeping score at home, I mentioned a few weeks back the prospect of using Apples to Apples for year-end evaluations. I like the idea of making these final meetings more engaging and less dry, and also giving myself the opportunity to hear students describe things as anything other than "good", "fine", "cool", or … Continue reading Apples to Activity Apples: The Exciting Conclusion!
Cleaning Out My Closet
All week I've been talking about it, and today I finally had to go for it. I pulled my hair back, grabbed my phone and keys, and sent the following Tweet:The 127 Hours reference refers to a previous trip to the closet to grab T-shirts to take to NACA. I got my arm caught between … Continue reading Cleaning Out My Closet
Back at the Barre
I will be the first to admit that I've had some struggles lately trying to find what makes me happy outside of work. I have gotten tremendously lucky in creating wonderful friendships with the people in my office, and I don't wish to discount the relationships that I've built with them at all. However, not … Continue reading Back at the Barre
Who’s Your Horshack?
For those who this reference precedes, this is Arnold Horshack. He was the most easily maligned of Gabe Kotter's sweathogs on TV's Welcome Back, Kotter. He was nasally and had a grating laugh, had a pronounced accent, and typically the most often made fun of in the group.As a kid, the reruns showed him as … Continue reading Who’s Your Horshack?
Comparing Student Performance, "Apples to Apples"
When did it become the end of the year, incidentally? Where did I leave the rest of the year? Has anyone seen it?We have come to the end of my first school year at Florida State University, and yet I'm still navigating some new processes. It has come time to do year-end evaluations, and I … Continue reading Comparing Student Performance, "Apples to Apples"
Speak Up, Please: Great Practices for Public Speaking
Between my recent high praise of Nick Offerman's informative and engaging speech this past week, Joe Ginese's spot-on assessment of the value of conference presentations, and a somewhat unfortunate case of a presentation I saw this morning from the Center for Academic and Professional Development, I have some guidelines on how to give a meaningful … Continue reading Speak Up, Please: Great Practices for Public Speaking
Wearing a Mustache Helped Me Achieve My Dreams
I like to think that the picture before you helped to bring Nick Offerman to FSU. Evan, UP's Comedy Talent Buyer, and I were clearly very dedicated to the cause. But in reality, this show had been in the works since the time I interviewed for this position, close to a year ago. And last … Continue reading Wearing a Mustache Helped Me Achieve My Dreams
Learning to "Conduct" Myself
Today I kicked off my career in student conduct with my first solo hearing (albeit supervised by our Associate Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities!), and I actually got a lot out of it. Like most of my first one-on-one meetings, it was very short. Short, and to the point. But in processing it with … Continue reading Learning to "Conduct" Myself
What Not to Wear…to a University Sanctioned Event
One of my favorite and more inspirational sessions at this year's NACA conference was presented by Meghan Harr and Becca Obergefell, about conceiving and instituting a professional development series on a programming board. One of the biggest questions that it raised for me, however, was about professional dress. Both ODU and UNC Pembroke asked students … Continue reading What Not to Wear…to a University Sanctioned Event
Life Lessons from Pinterest
So, I joined Pinterest earlier this week. In a week where I felt very bogged down by minutiae at the office, and needed a mindless outlet, the online corkboard proved to be just the ticket. It helped me relax and do something non-strenuous, non-academic, purely unnecessary. And I love it for that.But something interesting happened … Continue reading Life Lessons from Pinterest
Amma Marfo 