Staff Senate

A 30-year family story continues on campus

stuxbury — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 18:16:09 +0000

A 30-year family story continues on campus stuxbury Wed, 06/04/2025 - 14:16

This Father’s Day will be Security Officer Stephen Sersen’s first since retiring from ��-Dearborn. He gave 35 years of service to the university — and, in return, ��-Dearborn became a big part of the Sersen family story.

“This place is my home away from home. I worked with some of the finest officers in public safety, I had a fulfilling career and I watched my daughter grow up here,” said Stephen, who retired in summer 2024. “What’s not to love?”

His daughter Julianne attended the Early Childhood Education Center when it was in the Henry Ford Estate cottages in the 1990s. As Stephen went about his workday, he’d see her playing on campus or getting pulled in a wagon while on walks.

“I have these memories seeing their faces peeking over the side of a wagon with their class. It was pretty incredible that I got to experience that while at work,” he said. After a pause, Stephen continued with a smile, “But I’d have to be careful when I was patrolling that Julianne didn’t see me. If she did, she'd want to come with me.”

While sitting next to her dad at the Renick University Center recently, 2019 alum Julianne added: “I’ve always been a bit of a daddy’s girl. I’m glad that we got the chance to work on campus together before he retired.” Julianne is a ��-Dearborn student enrollment services coordinator.

Shortly before Father’s Day, the father-daughter duo — who worked at the university together before Stephen’s retirement — met up on campus. Stephen saw his daughter’s renovated office area in the Renick University Center. The day of the visit also happened to be his 60th birthday. “I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday, I’m at a place that I called home for over 35 years and with my daughter,” he said.

Inspired by her dad’s stories of campus, Julianne said working at ��-Dearborn was a goal of hers. When she was younger, she recalled her dad coming home from work and talking fondly about the people he met on campus. He’d share stories about helping students walk safely to their cars and the friendships he made with the people he worked with, and talk about how both diversity of thought and respect for one another coexisted on campus.

“I love this place. There are so many points of view here,” Stephen said. “We learn so much from each other. Even with different thoughts, cultures and religions, everybody treats each other with respect. I know from being a security officer how safe it is. We all peacefully coexist at ��-Dearborn. There are important lessons that people in power could learn from the students, faculty and staff here. It really is a special place and it really does shape you as an individual.”

Julianne said in addition to her dad’s words and life lessons, she also had many happy memories of heading to A&W for a root beer with her dad, taking walks on EIC trails or having lunch together in the RUC cafeteria. Stephen often chose the pepperoni pizza, while Julianne went for a sandwich and soup combination, especially when the soup du jour was chicken tortilla. And, when off campus, they often attend concerts and sporting events together — U2 is a family favorite — and cheer for the home teams. They plan to watch the Tigers play the Reds on Father’s Day.

Stephen’s wife of 36 years, Patricia, was his original ��-Dearborn connection. “Patricia and I were high school sweethearts at Thurston (in Redford). She is the one who really introduced me to ��-Dearborn. I’d visit her on campus when she was an education student. I’ve been on campus pretty regularly since the early ’80s,” he said. “After we got married in 1989, Patricia saw there was a posting for a security officer on campus. I applied and the rest became a part of my family’s history.”

Julianne said her preschool years and their overlapping work years weren’t the only time she and her father spent time together on campus. In grade school, Julianne and her older sister Rachel attended many Bring Your Child to Work Day events with their dad. And, after high school, Julianne enrolled at ��-Dearborn, graduated, and is currently pursuing her MBA. Prior to starting her job at ��-Dearborn in 2023, Julianne worked at ��-Ann Arbor as a community center manager.

“I couldn’t be more proud of her. I’m proud of both of my daughters,” said Stephen, noting that Julianne helps connect students to college opportunities and Rachel, who graduated from Schoolcraft College, works in special education. “Both of them have careers where they are helping others.”

It’s been nearly 30 years since Julianne held her dad’s hand while walking into preschool on campus. She thinks about his impact on her life regularly. And she credits him with her love for her career and her connection to the university.

“My dad has been my rock, my superhero,” Julianne said. “Throughout life, he has been there every step of the way. Every heartbreak, every celebration. I hope to be just like him.”

After a pause, he replied, “You are like me — only better.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury

Faculty and Staff

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Public Safety (Police)

Staff Senate

Off

Tue, 06/10/2025 - 18:13

Retired Security Officer Stephen Sersen and daughter Julianne’s ��-Dearborn connection has spanned decades — from his 35-year job at the university to hers today.

Father-daughter duo Julianne Sersen and Stephen Sersen are pictured in the Renick University Center. Photo by Annie Barker

A bond strengthened through love, advocacy and ��-Dearborn

stuxbury — Thu, 08 May 2025 16:10:00 +0000

A bond strengthened through love, advocacy and ��-Dearborn stuxbury Thu, 05/08/2025 - 12:10

Graduate program coordinators Sherry Boyd and Rebekah Awood have each worked in ��-Dearborn’s College of Engineering and Computer Science for decades. They have the same role at the college, but are responsible for different programs. And their offices are, literally, five steps away from each other.

Awood, a 2001 alum who started working at ��-Dearborn in 2005, and Boyd, who started at CECS in 1998, are a good team. They love their students. They travel together. They spend holidays together. And they share a family bond: They are mother and daughter.

“But I don’t call her ‘mom’ at work — that would be a little weird for people who didn’t know that I’m her daughter,” Awood says with a smile. “We are a lot alike. We are both detail-oriented, methodical and practice empathy. Of course we love each other, but we genuinely like each other, too. I am fortunate to have that with my mom.”

For Mother’s Day, Awood took her mom to Sheeba restaurant, which serves Yemeni Mediterranean cuisine — Boyd’s pick. They both had it for the first time at a CECS holiday party a couple years ago. “The food is so good. One of the best things I received from working here is what I have gained from meeting people from different cultures,” Boyd says. “You learn about people, food, places, traditions and celebrations. I came here from a Baptist background and now have a Shiva statue in my office. Through my co-workers and students, I’ve learned so much — I’m always learning something new. It keeps me young. Well, feeling young anyway.”

Awood says CECS graduate students — especially the international students — often see her mom as their mom, too. Boyd has attended a student’s wedding in Morocco. She met an alum’s new baby at Naamkaran, a Hindu baby-naming ceremony. And she listens when they come to her in difficult times — like health scares, domestic violence situations and financial hardships.

“Our job is to keep our students on track for graduation. But what we do here goes beyond academics,” Boyd says. “I have impressed upon all of my students that this is your life — and you need to make the choices for your life. Don’t let life happen to you. You have support and options, even when the situation feels impossible.” Without missing a beat, Awood adds, “We will create a safe space for you. We are here to listen and we also know there are great resources on campus and in the community.”

Sitting at a table in her daughter’s office, Boyd talks about how instrumental supportive people have been in her own journey. “I had a friend who saved my life and saved my children’s lives,” says Boyd, who is a mother of six, with Awood being the oldest. There’s also Jeremy, Rachel, Joanna, Julia and Sarah — in that order. “This wonderful friend listened, she cared and she helped me escape from an abusive relationship,” Boyd says. “We are sitting here today because of her. One person who listens and advocates for you can make all the difference. That was more than 30 years ago. But I live my life with that in mind.”

Through Boyd’s first husband, she was a member of the Independent Fundamental Baptist church. Boyd, who grew up in Dearborn Heights, met and married her ex-husband as a teenager. She moved out of Michigan at his insistence and he slowly separated her from parents, friends and family. They belonged to several IFB churches including the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana, which is featured in the 2023 HBO docuseries, “Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals.” Boyd says she and the children were surrounded with messages of racism and sexism, as well as physical abuse. “When I voiced my concerns to church leaders, they told me to pray for him, to stop complaining and being bitter. I was told the worst thing possible for my children was divorce,” Boyd says. “I didn’t know to what extent he was physically abusing the children — he threatened them with more beatings if they told me. When I realized what was going on, I needed to leave. I needed to save my kids.”

Sitting across from her mom, Awood recalls the day their new life began. “It was the summer before I turned 13. My mom woke me and said we were leaving. We snuck away. The abuse from my dad — physical, mental and emotional — was so bad that it’s hard for people to even comprehend when we’ve been through,” says Awood, her eyes welling with tears. “My mom got us away from that.” Awood helped her mom gather her siblings, who were ages infant to 10, and their belongings.

In the early 1990s, Sherry Boyd and her children took a family photo after starting their new life in Michigan.

They left their Indiana home and stayed with the aforementioned friend, who helped them make arrangements to move to Michigan, where Boyd’s parents still lived. In addition to her friend in Indiana, Boyd says Wayne County’s First Step, a domestic violence crisis center and shelter, supported the family by giving them a safe space to reside and assisted them in the transition to living in Michigan. State resources from Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services — which provided some food, child care and shelter costs — gave Boyd the help needed to become independent.

“My mom and I are bonded. Not a trauma bond, but a close supportive one that has been forged by fire,” Awood says. “As an adult, I think how she must have felt as a parent in that situation. We are both very maternal. Family means everything to her and to us.”

After the move, Boyd started school at Schoolcraft Community College. The campus was within walking distance from her new home. “I don’t know if I fully believe in Providence any more, but that worked out in our favor,” she says. “I got an associate’s degree and that really helped me in this new life I was creating for us.” That degree led to a support staff position at an accounting office.

Awood says her mom was vocal about the importance of earning an education: “She told us that we weren’t allowed to get married until we had earned a college degree. She saw how important it was in her own life.” Awood listened. She was admitted to ��-Ann Arbor, but decided to enroll at ��-Dearborn. It was closer to home and she liked the smaller size. “Our campus feels so approachable and welcoming. It felt right and it was — I loved my time here,” says Awood, who did a study abroad trip to Valencia, Spain, worked as a student at the Early Childhood Education Center and has met people from all walks of life. “I was isolated for a large part of my childhood and grew up hearing about the importance of sameness. There was a lot of talk about white supremacy. That didn’t sit well with me even as a child — at what shade of tan, beige or brown do we become different? It didn’t make any sense,” Awood says. “I got to see how wrong those racist teachings were when I was a student here. On campus, so many people from a variety of places and backgrounds came together. We helped each other with our goals. We cared for each other. Diversity is beautiful and it’s what makes us stronger.”

Hearing about her daughter’s positive experiences at ��-Dearborn, Boyd started looking for job opportunities at the university. Then one day in 1998 — through a newspaper ad — she found one: A $12-per-hour five-month temporary administration position in the ��-Dearborn Alumni Office. Boyd applied and was hired. “I saw it as a way to get in the door so they could get to know me,” she says.

When that ended, Boyd was hired for a position in CECS — her work home for the past 27 years. First hired in the college’s co-op office, she worked there for about a year and a half. Then she was hired in the Department of Interdisciplinary Programs in 2000 as an administrative assistant. Boyd’s role has evolved over time to her current position as an automotive engineering and data science graduate student coordinator.

After Awood earned her bachelor’s degree in international and Hispanic studies in 2001, she began working at a southwest Detroit nonprofit organization where she helped connect low-income families to child care and other needed resources. She enjoyed the job, but there were concerns about the organization closing due to a lack of state funding.

So just as Awood inspired her mom to look for a job at ��-Dearborn because of her good experience as a student, Awood started to look for a position at the university because of her mom’s positive experience as an employee. Awood was hired as a mechanical engineering graduate student coordinator in 2005. But she didn’t work directly with her mom until 2017, when CECS’ Department of Interdisciplinary Programs — where Boyd worked — was dissolved and one of its programs was absorbed by the mechanical engineering department.

Awood says working at ��-Dearborn has given her more than a great career. She also met her now-husband, Brian, in 2005 through her job. He was a ��-Dearborn information technology staff member.

Sitting in Awood’s office, the two women are surrounded by photos of children — including Awood’s children, Ben and Abby, and her nieces and nephews; thank you cards from students and a picture of a vacation cottage on Lake Huron. They are all reminders of the life they enjoy, the family they have and the memories they continue to build at ��-Dearborn and beyond.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

Faculty and Staff

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Staff Senate

Off

Thu, 05/08/2025 - 16:08

Two CECS colleagues, Sherry Boyd and Rebekah Awood, share a connection that goes beyond working together for 20 years — they are mother and daughter.

Graduate program coordinators Sherry Boyd and Rebekah Awood are mother and daughter in addition to colleagues. Photo by Annie Barker

What difference can we make in 5 to 10 years?

stuxbury — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:08:53 +0000

What difference can we make in 5 to 10 years? stuxbury Wed, 03/06/2024 - 09:08

A painted portrait of Blenda Wilson, ��-Dearborn’s third chancellor reminds Middle East and Iranian Diaspora Studies Professor Cam Amin why looking to the past is essential to looking forward.

“This vibrant portrait (of Chancellor Wilson) hangs in the archive. It’s like she’s keeping us company as we’re doing our work,” Amin said of Wilson, who served as chancellor from 1988 to 1992 and did extensive outreach in Dearborn and Detroit to create educational bridges for Arab American and Black students. Wilson was also the first Black female executive to hold an office in the University of Michigan system and the first woman to head a four-year higher education institution in the state. “I want to make sure we remember and preserve the impact she, and many others, have had on our university.”

With former Chancellor Blenda Wilson's portrait guiding them, IHP ��-Dearborn leaders Marlaine Magewick and Cam Amin work in the campus archive.

Amin, director of research for the Inclusive History Project-Dearborn, is leading the ��-Dearborn-focused effort for U-M’s Inclusive History Project, a multiyear University of Michigan presidential initiative designed to study and document a comprehensive history of the university’s three campuses and Michigan Medicine that is attentive to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“No matter where you are, there is a prehistory that matters — and we want to make sure we examine university history and include previously overlooked, underrepresented voices,” Amin said. “The Inclusive History Project is all about raising up and celebrating the people in our community, while also addressing mistakes made in our past and present in an effort to build awareness when planning for the future.”

Here are a few things to know about ��-Dearborn’s Inclusive History Project.

‘There is power in being real’

Amin said the ��-Dearborn story began in 1959 — so it seemed like a logical place to start.

Many people know Ford Motor Company gifted the land to U-M to start a Dearborn Center training school for business leaders and engineers. And that it was renamed to ��-Dearborn in 1971 when it began admitting first-year and sophomore students.

But Amin wants to go beyond the highlights. “The role of this project is to have our campus be open and honest about itself,” he said. “Everyone has a curated version of themselves and institutions are no different. But we need to remember that there is power in being real.” Even centering this initiative on the establishment of the campus in 1959 requires inquiry into the earlier history of the university and the local community to tell the story more fully. It also requires following the through lines to the present and accounting for subsequent developments.

To understand both the progress and missed opportunities of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at ��-Dearborn, Amin said “The 1959 Project” will do focus group research, in addition to archival development and oral histories. “We are keeping the theme open-ended because, as the project builds out, we want to give it room to grow in any needed direction. These conversations will guide us in the next five years, 10 years and beyond.”

Currently, the IHP team is exploring putting together a university history timeline for the project and would like to hear from ��-Dearborn community members to give feedback on what they’d like to see on it. “We want to know: what would you like to see on a history timeline that would resonate with you?”

Also, starting in the fall, the team will host focus groups to learn more about faculty, staff, student, alum, community and retiree experiences. More information about how to get involved will be sent out in late spring.

Making the ��-Dearborn archive more digitally accessible.

Digital Humanities Coordinator for IHP-Dearborn Marlaine Magewick — a 2020 ��-Dearborn history graduate who did multiple ��-Dearborn history faculty-led research projects as a student — said she spends much of her time in the ��-Dearborn archive. And she’s found some interesting information when it comes to the ebb and flow of ��-Dearborn’s identity.

For example, in the late 1980s, Chancellor Wilson supported a marketing campaign that acknowledged some of the concerns students grappled with when comparing themselves with students on the Ann Arbor campus. “Her message was, ‘We are not Ann Arbor, but we are best in our class. We are important and we are good at what we do. We build bridges in our community and beyond to transform lives through education.’ She wanted to emphasize that we are part of the university, but have our own identity.”

Magewick said that messaging continues to resonate with today’s population and it was eye-opening to see that it’s been decades in the making.

“I am learning so much about our university through the ��-Dearborn archive and am working to create a larger digital library so others can access this information too. Access to this information and the creation of digital exhibits will empower people to dive deeper into IHP research and better involve their classes with this work.”

Magewick said the IHP team is currently working on transcribing the archive’s oral histories. And, in an effort to find and document early ��-Dearborn experiences, Magewick wants to connect with retired faculty and staff for oral history interviews. Interested in speaking with her? Reach out to mmagewic@umich.edu.

There is funding to support involvement.

The Inclusive History Project aims to support a variety of initiatives that have the potential to become on-going enterprises that continue to inform new lines of inquiry on the history of DEI at the University of Michigan, One of the frameworks for guiding funding decisions is “Origins and Trajectories.” Magewick and Amin said there are many avenues that can be explored through “The 1959 Project” framework — and the more involvement, the more successful the project will be.

The IHP is accepting funding proposals for research and engagement projects that educate the university community and raise awareness about the university’s past with regard to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“This is our university and everyone deserves to have ownership in this project,” Magewick said. “If there is a DEI initiative someone wants to look into, they have an opportunity to do that. Please put your ideas forward. IHP, and the funding support it offers, makes it possible for us to collectively work on this together.”

Faculty, staff, students and units are invited to apply by April 5 — as individuals or as collaborative teams — for two types of grants: mini-grants up to $3,000 and large grants up to $25,000. Accepted proposals are to be awarded in late April. For ��-Dearborn students interested in this project, there are internships available. Apply by March 15.

Want to learn more about IHP as a whole? There’s a March 19 IHP Showcase at ��-Ann Arbor. It will also be streamed for remote audiences. The IHP-Dearborn LibGuide offers additional resources to learn more about the IHP, DEI and campus history.

Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

Staff Senate

Off

Wed, 03/06/2024 - 14:04

��-Dearborn looks to the past and present in a multiyear initiative to build a more inclusive and representative future.

Takeaways from the 2024 State of the University

lblouin — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:43:39 +0000

Takeaways from the 2024 State of the University lblouin Wed, 02/14/2024 - 12:43

Sports fans — if you did not attend last week’s State of the University event, you missed out! Not to take anything away from the presentations from faculty, staff and students, but the surprise appearance by the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy definitely stole part of the show. Hundreds of members of the ��-Dearborn community scored a photo op, celebrating the first national championship by the Wolverines since 1997. Alas, the trophy is now back home in Ann Arbor, so you’ve missed your chance for a social media brag post. But below, we’ve recreated many of the other highlights from the SOTU, which included remarks from the chancellor, a primer on how the university puts together its budget, updates on new retention and recruitment strategies, and a look at practice-based learning in all four colleges. If you want the full SOTU experience, you can also watch the entire event on the university’s YouTube channel.

Grasso says the university has talent and “horsepower” needed for challenging times

Chancellor Domenico Grasso kicked off the event with a brief address calling out some of the university’s major accomplishments from the past year — as well as its biggest challenges. Among the 2023 highlights: ��-Dearborn passed its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission “with flying colors,” meeting or exceeding all criteria without the need for additional steps. Buoyed by a new state scholarship, the university welcomed its biggest class ever of first-year students. Annual total research expenditures grew by nearly $2.5 million this year compared to the previous year. The university kicked off a new capital campaign that’s already secured three seven-figure gifts, including a $1 million gift from alum Marc Howze and his wife, Paula, part of which is supporting a new “Get to Graduation” fund. And the university ranks in the top 30 nationwide among universities for upward economic mobility. Grasso also announced that Director of Human Resources Rima Berry-Hung, Director of the Center for Social Justice and Inclusion Shareia Carter and CASL Associate Dean Marie Waung will be leading an effort to re-envision the university’s DEI efforts. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is also being renamed the Office of Holistic Excellence.

On the challenges side, Grasso said enrollment and retention still unsurprisingly dominate the conversation. Overall enrollment was down about 2% this year. “Our enrollment decline is [partly] due to students not returning to campus, which is worrisome. They either transfer or drop out for family or financial reasons,” Grasso said. “Last year, we lost 400 students, which first and foremost, is a loss of human potential, but also it is a loss of over $6 million of revenue.”

Chancellor Domenico Grasso addresses the crowd at the 2024 State of the University event.

Why it’s so tricky to put together the university budget

If the university ever gives out an unsung hero award, many might nominate Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Bryan Dadey after watching his 10-minute primer on how the university budget comes together. The university’s chief financial officer and his team have their hands full creating a balance between revenues and expenses — primarily because there’s so little certainty on either side of the ledger for much of the year. There are all kinds of quirks in the process. For example, the state finalizes its budget after the Board of Regents has already approved the ��-Dearborn budget for the year, meaning Dadey and the team have to estimate the size of the state appropriation, which makes up about 21% of the university’s total revenue. Total enrollment numbers — and thus tuition dollars, which account for 78% of revenue — are also a moving target until the fall semester kicks off. So how does the budget ever come together? Basically, Dadey said he and his team keep making adjustments through the year based on the best information they have at the time. But almost anything can change at any moment. For example, Dadey said they were expecting a 10% jump in health insurance costs this year. But the increase ended up being 14%, which prompted a further round of adjustments.

New recruitment and retention efforts show promise

Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Melissa Stone and her team discussed a number of recently debuted strategies focused on recruitment and retention. For example, the university is trying out a new look for dual enrollment for Detroit students, with college courses taught on Saturdays. Similar programs just launched for students in Ferndale and Grosse Ile as well. The EM team is also looking to new online offerings as a way to attract transfer students and the 25% of Michigan adults who have some college experience but no degree — two demographics with strong appetites for online programs. There’s also evidence that key changes to our financial aid strategy are paying off. Stone said the Go Blue Guarantee, a free tuition program for lower-income, high-achieving students which launched in 2021, and the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, a new state program that kicked in in 2023, have boosted enrollment among first-time students. “Of our Pell-eligible population, in Fall 2023, we actually welcomed 472 (students) versus 239 before launching Go Blue,” Stone said. “So I know we’re doing all we can to make sure the incoming Fall ’24 class stays engaged in the college process … because we know how affordable it can be if they take advantage of the programs.” To that end, Stone said the team is working hard to make sure prospective students don’t get discouraged by delays in receiving their financial aid offers this year, which was triggered by the first major changes to the FAFSA program in 40 years.

Student engagement is strong, but looks different post-pandemic

Dean of Students Amy Finley says student engagement has bounced back, though it’s important to look beyond traditional metrics, like involvement in student organizations. That said, participation in student organizations is rebounding. There are now about 150 student orgs on campus, including 21 that started last year. Student org events shot up by 20% in Fall ’23 compared to the previous year, and 87% of events were held in person. Other positive trends Finley is watching: Students are utilizing the extended hours and Zoom appointments now offered by several student-facing units, as well as new social spaces like the Wolverine Commons. Campus employment is another way hundreds of students are connecting with something outside the classroom: The university has 665 student employees, representing 35% of the campus workforce. And though it may feel a little quieter on campus than it used to, nearly half of students now say they’re on campus four or five days a week.

A look at practice-based learning — in practice

Practice-based learning has become a chief priority for the university over the past couple of years, and faculty have responded with lots of interesting applications of PBL in their classrooms. If you want to see what PBL looks like in action, the four short videos featured at the SOTU event are a great place to start. Each highlights a PBL course in one of the four ��-Dearborn colleges. In CASL, students in a criminology and criminal justice course are working with a local sheriff’s office on decades-old cold cases. CEHHS students are collaborating with the City of Dearborn Department of Public Health to develop policies and practices for increasing tree cover in the city. In COB, accounting students team up with a local nonprofit to prepare tax returns for people with lower incomes. In CECS, students are preparing for engineering careers by building robots from scratch.

###

We’ll leave you with one more SOTU fun fact: This year’s State of the University and Winter Carnival were zero waste events. In all, we diverted 86% of the waste generated during the Winter Carnival from the landfill. Need more SOTU? You can watch the entire event on the university’s YouTube channel. Story by Lou Blouin

University-wide

Staff Senate

Strategic Planning

Off

Wed, 02/14/2024 - 17:33

Why is it so tricky to put together the university’s annual budget? How are some of our new enrollment and retention efforts going so far? This year’s SOTU event featured some candid insights on these and other topics — plus a surprise appearance by the college football national championship trophy.

From left, CASL Associate Dean Marie Waung, Director of Undergraduate Enrollment Management Urana Pridemore and Director of Enrollment Management Communication and Events Kevin Lewtschanyn discuss new recruitment and retention strategies.

Campus Colleagues: Rick Morrone

lblouin — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:04:11 +0000

Campus Colleagues: Rick Morrone lblouin Mon, 02/12/2024 - 12:04

Creative work can take many forms — and Rick Morrone is engaged with most of them. A ��-Dearborn instructional learning assistant who graduated from the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters in 2011, people around campus may know Morrone as the guy who assists faculty in the Journalism and Media Production Program with technical aspects of their courses — including editing, filming, recording and general creative input for students — or from the extra-credit workshops he conducts outside of class.

What fewer folks may realize is that Morrone is a working musician, actor and video producer with his own home studio — creative endeavors that reinforce, and are reinforced by, his work with ��-Dearborn. "It is my duty to the department to continue to stay sharp and learn new things to bring into the classroom, and I can't always achieve that during my work hours. I need to absorb that from the field and bring it back," Morrone explains.

"The same goes for the opposite scenario,” he continues. “Sometimes I sit in on lectures and I learn things that I didn't know before from our different professors, or learn different ways of thinking outside the box and achieving production techniques that I try to apply in my own projects. It's like I'm going back to school every day as well. So they are mutually beneficial to one another and that's why I really love my job."

Morrone's passion for creative work began with the moving image. "I figured out video stuff because I was very inspired by my dad, who always had a camcorder at home," he says. "Having a camera in the house was what inspired me to pick it up, go to CVS, buy my own VHS, and make little movies with my cousins. That's kind of how it all started."

As his passion for filmmaking grew, Morrone’s decision about what to study in school became clear cut. "What have I always loved doing? I was always the guy making the music videos for the bands when we were kids, anybody with a garage band, I'll set up a camera, cut it and they can put it on their website or MySpace or whatever," he reflects.

Ad man to entrepreneur

After graduating from ��-Dearborn, Morrone worked as a producer for a broadcast advertising agency for five years, creating commercials for TV, radio and the web. He remembers being shocked the first time he was given a $10,000 budget and thinking: "I could do a feature film for 10 grand." But he was told this was a low-budget ad campaign, and found that, in fact, many of the music tracks he negotiated licenses to use cost "$10K on the low end." This inspired Morrone to team up with his best friend and musical collaborator since age 10, Garret Schmittling, to begin building their own library of original music for licensing to clients, as well as creating custom tracks for film scores, video games and more.

Morrone left the agency to grow his freelance business, which he'd been nurturing as a gigging musician and event DJ since he was 18. Morrone also found success acting in commercials and voiceovers, all of which led him to create a home studio to professionalize his recording work. The studio, which Morrone says is partly modeled on what he had used at ��-Dearborn, features space and equipment for the breadth of his creative work, including a green screen room for recording video, an editing suite, a soundproof room for album recording, a T-shirt press for band merch and "a nice arcade and bar area for the bandmates when we want to hang."

"Between the studio and constant entertainment work coming my way with music and DJing, it helps me sew together a decent living along with my 9-to-5 at U of M," he says. "Gears are always turning."

Sharing expertise with the next generation

Now at ��-Dearborn for five years, Morrone remembers first interviewing for the position with his former professors. "I was like, yeah, do you remember me? Did you like me?" he jokes. "I'm better now." Morrone is thankful for the experience he gained producing and editing video in an incredibly fast-paced ad-world environment — skills he can now pass on to students.

"Working with students is super rewarding," Morrone says. "To see the light bulbs go off, and then you see the stuff that they create throughout the semester. It's really inspiring."

He notes that the rapid evolution of technology has created some disconnect between his own experience studying video production and the perspective students hold today, particularly in understanding the hows and whys of digital file organization. But there are constants as well. "There's the theory of strong, good shot composition and editing techniques, storytelling techniques. That part of everything has stayed true in the philosophy of the department," he says.

Now Playing

Morrone's seven-piece funk band Strictly Fine has just released an album, featuring guest appearances by a number of Detroit-area musicians, including members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. "We're funky and we're silly. We're soulful and sweet," Morrone says of his group. “On one hand, we can sound like R&B Motown love songs that are beautiful and nicely arranged, with cool horn parts. And on the other end, we could be like Parliament Funkadelic and sing silly lyrics."

He also works often with other local artists, playing bass or drums on their songs or producing their albums, thanks to the community he and Schmittling have built up over more than a decade hosting a Monday open mic night in Dearborn Heights. While still a student-athlete playing basketball at ��-Dearborn, Morrone met local hip hop artist and teammate Steve Banks, who performs as This Life. We Lead. They collaborated on a few albums, and one song was later used in the HBO documentary series “Hard Knocks” in an episode about the Detroit Lions. "We made this track in 2013, a hip hop dance track," Morrone says. "And here it is, playing during a montage while the Lions are working out."

Morrone's biggest on-screen role was watched by millions of viewers and also has a connection to Detroit's football team. "I got to be knocked out with a dodgeball by Barry Sanders," he explains. "That was my biggest commercial. It premiered on Monday Night Football and aired every game every single week, every single commercial break."

In January, Morrone attended the debut of “Fielding Dreams: A Celebration of Baseball Scouts,” a documentary by retired Communication Clinical Professor Jim Gilmore, Morrone’s former professor, at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Morrone and Schmittling produced the musical score for the film, which explores the lives of baseball scouts responsible for finding the next great talent.

"Cooperstown was awesome in all senses," Morrone says of the experience. "It was a great accomplishment after putting together this documentary after four years, to pat each other on the back and say, 'job well done.'"

###

Article by Shaun Manning

Faculty and Staff

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Staff Senate

Off

Mon, 02/12/2024 - 17:02

You may know Rick Morrone as an instructional learning assistant in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters. But outside of work, he has an eclectic creative life that includes collaborating with a local hip hop artist and playing a supporting role for Barry Sanders.

Campus Colleagues: Jay Crofton

lblouin — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:48:08 +0000

Campus Colleagues: Jay Crofton lblouin Mon, 01/08/2024 - 12:48

For Michiganders, the end of the holidays marks the real start of winter: those long, cold, gray months that compel many of us to find any excuse we can to stay toasty inside. Custodian Jason “Jay” Crofton, on the other hand, looks for every opportunity not only to get outside, but to stay there. Just sitting. For hours. But he’s got a good reason: he’s an avid ice fisher.

Sundays are a different story. That’s when Crofton can be found heating things up as a drummer, bassist and vocalist in the band at Christ Temple Baptist Church in Ypsilanti. If you happen to work in the Administration Building, you may get to hear about these pursuits as Crofton goes about his afternoon shift there. For the rest of the campus, here are some highlights.

U-M is a family business

Crofton was part of the Environment, Health and Safety team at ��-Ann Arbor for a decade, primarily working at U-M Hospital and the Cardiovascular Center, before transferring to ��-Dearborn in 2020. He was a baggage handler at Detroit Wayne-Metro Airport before that, but U-M seemed like his destiny: Both his grandmothers, as well as his father and several aunts, have all worked at the university — his paternal grandmother for 38 years.

He has a longtime connection on the Dearborn campus as well. At John Glenn High School in Westland, Crofton played tight end and defensive back on the state champion-contender football team, defending quarterback Justin Berent, now a sergeant with ��-Dearborn’s Department of Public Safety.

His grandmother — and silver bass — got him hooked on fishing

Crofton has his maternal grandmother to thank for his interest in fishing. She started him on easy-to-catch species when he was a kid. “Both sets of my grandparents liked to fish, but my mom's mom is the one that got me involved,” he explains. “When I was a kid, we would use cane poles, you know, with a bobber, and we’d catch bluegills and stuff like that. And you would catch a whole bunch of those. Then, she would take me silver bass fishing down on the river when they would run and she’d say, ‘You're gonna catch one.’ As a kid, you’re guaranteed to catch one every time.”

Jay and a smallmouth bass on Ford Lake (Photo courtesy Jay Crofton)

These days, Crofton is more interested in the more contemplative aspect of the sport. When he worked the late shift at U-M and needed to wind down before going to sleep, he’d go to the river and fish in the dark. “It’s literally like a time-to-think, time-to-reflect deal,” he says.

His best friend, who he met working at U-M (and who happens to be Canadian), introduced him to ice fishing, something he’d been eager to try. “I think it's more of a challenge,” Crofton says. “Open water, if I'm in a boat or if I'm on shore, I’m casting here, I’m casting here, I’m casting here. They call it fan fishing. Trying to find where they’re at.”

Fishing on frozen water takes things to a whole new level: “I’m drilling the hole, and now I’ve got to take my fish finder and walk around and see if I can find them and then, once I find them, that doesn’t mean they're going to stay there.”

Crofton says he and his friends are “hardcore” and have been known to stay out on the ice for up to eight hours. Sounds cold, right? “Yeah,” he agrees. But with the right gear and a shanty to duck into, “it's not as cold as people think.”

He got the funk

Sundays almost always find Crofton indoors, playing drums, or sometimes bass, and singing in the church band. The largely self-taught musician also DJs at private parties. He gets his love of music from his father and shares his dad’s preference for ’70s artists like Ambrosia, Michael Franks, Steely Dan, Chicago, Parliament-Funkadelic and Earth, Wind & Fire. He describes his DJ style as “all over the place,” but his favorite era typically gets a nod with artists like George Benson or Bill Withers alongside contemporary musicians, like Lizzo. “With DJing, you always have to stay current,” he says.

He also runs sound for other musicians at churches and clubs around town. So if he’s running sound late into Saturday nights and then jamming at church on Sunday mornings, when does he sleep? Crofton laughs as if the answer is obvious. “When you get done,” he says.

###

Article by Kristin Palm

Faculty and Staff

Facilities Operations

Staff Senate

Off

Mon, 01/08/2024 - 17:44

The custodian, who’s worked in the U-M system for over a decade, has two very cool pastimes.

Class of Fall 2023: College of Business graduate Joe Lubomirski

stuxbury — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 15:45:23 +0000

Class of Fall 2023: College of Business graduate Joe Lubomirski stuxbury Wed, 12/13/2023 - 10:45

As a kindergartener, Joe Lubomirski, wrote basic computer applications on his family’s Apple IIe, a 1983 model that was touted as the most efficient Apple to date. “My dad was a computer guy and I grew up working on them,” Lubomirski says. “Computers are more than fun; they improve our lives. I knew what field I wanted to go into at an early age.”

Now an information technology professional of 20-plus years, ��-Dearborn’s director of security, infrastructure and operations continues to explore what’s newest and needed in the computing world. However, after he earned a promotion to a managerial position, Lubomirski realized that he needed to go from Number Munchers — that’s a throwback Apple II game from the same era as The Oregon Trail — to number cruncher. He also wanted to learn about leadership skills, team development and motivation, and other aspects of workplace management.

Lubomirski, seeing that top leaders often had MBAs, decided to pursue one of his own. Recognizing that ��-Dearborn’s MBA program offered online flexibility and ranked among the best in the state, he enrolled. And now, on Dec. 16, he’s looking forward to turning that tassel.

“I saw that a business education is beneficial, no matter your field. I’m an IT guy, but I wanted to better understand finances and budgets, organization culture, logistics and project management,” Lubomirski says. “An MBA could give me that.”

As he progressed in his program, he saw how the lessons he was learning directly applied to the work he was doing.

For example, he says his Organizational Behavior course helped him realize why some people offer solutions and others wait for direction. “As a manager, I value my team’s expert opinions and want to hear what they think a solution could be when we run into challenges. But some team members were hesitant to tell me what they thought,” he says. “Through the class, I learned that this could be due, in part, to cultural differences and experiences with leadership that were different from my more collaborative style. It gave me insight that I didn’t have before. I now ask for feedback differently.”

Since starting his MBA, Lubomirski says he’s continued to seek out leadership professional development opportunities. He earned a Certified Information Systems Security Professional certificate in 2021 and completed the MOR Leaders Program in 2022.

“Once you learn how others are doing things and how it can help you in what you do every day, you want to know more,” he says. “Sometimes I think about how my younger self could have benefited from knowing this stuff. It might have saved me from some growing pains as a professional. But it’s better later than never.”

Calling himself a “more seasoned” student, Lubomirski says the biggest challenge of returning to school was balancing full-time work, family time — Lubomirski and his wife Janelle have four kids ages 7 to 13 — and sleep. But he says a supportive boss, team and family, along with the ��-Dearborn staff tuition credit and a plethora of newly honed leadership skills made the journey worthwhile. And, unlike some of The Oregon Trail wagons Lubomirski guided as a kid on the family's Apple IIe, he successfully made it to his destination.

“There’s always more to learn, but I’m happy with what I’ve gained,” he says. “I’ve always known how leveraging computers can make practices more efficient and I’ve learned the same can be said about good leadership skills.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

Commencement

Faculty and Staff

College of Business

Information Technology Services

Staff Senate

Off

Wed, 12/13/2023 - 15:44

��-Dearborn’s Director of Security, Infrastructure and Operations Joe Lubomirski has solid IT skills, but he wanted to grow as a leader. So the U-M employee of 20-plus years enrolled in the MBA program.

Graphic by Violet Dashi

Campus Colleagues: Theresa Cry

stuxbury — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 19:05:38 +0000

Campus Colleagues: Theresa Cry stuxbury Mon, 12/04/2023 - 14:05

Enrollment Program Specialist Theresa Cry is more than a new face at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She’s a crucial connector between underserved and underrepresented students and a life-changing education.

At ��-Dearborn, Cry, who joined the ��-Dearborn Enrollment Management team earlier this year, focuses on cultivating relationships with K-12 institutions, community colleges and community partners in efforts to help students access opportunities.

Growing up on Detroit’s west side, she understood from an early age that education had the power to change her life — and this shaped her career path.

“If you have access to an education, it can change outcomes for your entire family. it's not just an individual endeavor. I’ve watched first-generation students become doctors, attorneys and more,” says Cry, who has a bachelor’s in finance and communications, a master's in higher education administration and a doctorate in education. “Education has the power to change lives and I want to be a part of that change.”

There were obstacles on her journey, but Cry says her education always pulled her through. Now she works to connect others to an education that can help propel them to success too.

Empowering youth through campus experiences

Cry advocates introducing young students to the university campus environment by providing them with a firsthand experience of college life. “It is important to connect K-12 students to college experiences, so the students know what is possible,” she says. “You don’t know outside of your immediate area of what you can be. So, if all I know is what’s in my family, I don’t have a full scope of what can be offered to me.”

In Cry's role, her goal is to help ��-Dearborn faculty and staff identify and build new relationships with local schools and community partners to support college enrollment.

For example, Cry is assisting on an initiative where she works with several Detroit schools to help high schoolers, who are taking online ��-Dearborn courses, complete a college certificate program. Cry says ��-Dearborn has a variety of opportunities for high school students to dual enroll, which means they earn college credit before they graduate.

She says the initiatives are important because they play a vital role in unlocking opportunities for students and creating accessible pathways to higher education. Cry says her education inspired her to start a college advising business. It also gave her the confidence to travel the country and speak to large audiences about topics she is passionate about like equity initiatives and the importance of financial support for students in need. She says these experiences led her to her current position at ��-Dearborn.

“The older I get, the more I realize the importance of education and how it’s opened more doors for me. I have lived in different places because of the skill set that I have. I’ve had great career opportunities,” she says. “I can enjoy life because of my education. I want others to have these options and opportunities too.”

She says it’s important to engage children in discussions about college at an early age because exposure to college can spark children's enthusiasm and eagerness for a higher education experience.“Take them to sporting events or an art show. Walk around and show them what there is to do on campus,” she says. “That way, they will want to come back to this fun and familiar place.”

Finding purpose in what you do

Cry has a knack of analyzing numbers, systems and patterns, and she thought a finance major would be a good degree to have no matter what career path she chose. But, in her early college years, Cry encountered challenges as she pursued her degree.

She was one of only three Black students in her cohort. There were no faculty members of color. And one faculty member suggested that Cry, an honors student, change her major to something easier.“I had voiced a concern about a class. Instead of directing me to resources or offering encouragement, I was told to change my major to something easier like communications, which was my minor,” she says. “If that professor was trying to discourage me, it didn’t work. It had the opposite effect. I was even more determined to succeed.”

Not only did she complete the degree for herself, she also saw it as a way to help the people in her Detroit neighborhood. “My degree in finance and communications provided me with the opportunity to work in financial aid and to do workshops for my community on the financial aid process,” she says. “I used my knowledge to empower students and families who did not think it was possible for them to attend college.”

Sharing the importance of higher education

Cry worked as a banking professional prior to her career in higher education. Then she saw a U-M job posting for a financial aid advising position. She says,“I thought, ‘that’s a good way to merge my financial and communication background and to help the community.’”

But she didn’t get the job. Instead, something unexpected happened: U-M called Cry and let her know there would be a new position posting — and she’d be a good fit.“They had an outreach position that would allow me to focus on Detroit and work with underrepresented populations. It’s exactly what I wanted to do,” she says. “I didn’t know it at the time, but it actually worked out better that I didn’t get the first job.”

Over the past 20 years, Cry has seen the power of higher education — first with herself and then with the young people she’s worked with.She continues to receive expressions of gratitude from students, in the form of thank-you notes and letters, for her assistance and guidance throughout their journeys. “I’ve watched students go through this entire process and change the trajectory of their legacy,” she says. I see how I’m making a difference in their lives and how they make a difference in mine. This is the work I was meant to do.”

Article by Darlene A. White and Sarah Tuxbury

Faculty and Staff

Staff Senate

Off

Mon, 12/04/2023 - 19:04

Enrollment Program Specialist Theresa Cry is on a mission to connect youth to the transformative power of higher education.

Honoring 1,022 years of service — and more

stuxbury — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 19:00:40 +0000

Honoring 1,022 years of service — and more stuxbury Mon, 11/27/2023 - 14:00

The Chancellor’s Staff Recognition Awards honors the work staff members do on ��-Dearborn’s campus every day like advising students, prepping labs, mowing lawns, advancing technology and more.

Welcoming the audience of more than 150 to the Nov. 8 staff award breakfast, Chancellor Domenico Grasso applauded the dedication of campus’ employees. “Our staff serves as the backbone of our great university,” he said. “You are central to our operations and make our campus work, not just for our students, but for faculty, as well. We could not create the excellent learning and teaching environment we have without you.”

Grasso said the average number of years of service for ��-Dearborn staff attending the event was 10 years. To show how impressive this number is, he compared it to The Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 report that said the median number of years wage and salary workers stay with their current employer is 4.1 years.

Grasso also said the 2023 ��-Dearborn milestone anniversaries totaled 1,022 years, with individuals celebrating up to four decades on campus. “What you do helps to transform the lives of our students, and all of our staff should be proud of the support they provide, empowering those attending ��-Dearborn to make the most from their time here,” he said.

Counseling and Psychological Services Director Sara Byczek, who was a featured speaker at the event, echoed Grasso's message about the staff's dedication to students when she shared information about mental health services available on campus. "CAPS is here to help staff and faculty in their endeavors to support students' mental health," Byczek said to the audience. "We appreciate the work you do."

In addition to the milestones — which are listed below — five awards honored people or teams that went above and beyond ��-Dearborn’s mission. Chancellor’s Staff Recognition Awards co-chair Linda Jacoby, Institutional Advancement business director, said the selection committee received 24 nominations.

“It is always extremely difficult for the committee to select the award recipient from such strong candidates,” Jacoby said. “Congratulations to all of our nominees and thank you to their nominators.”

Here are the 2023 award winners.

Chancellor Grasso, far right, stands with the 2023 award winners. They are, from left, Robin Wagner, Jocelyn Young Huinder, Kelsey Parker, Ryan Neloms, Tahnee Prokopow and Noel Hornbacher. Dawn Roult is not pictured.

Dearborn Victors Award
Winner: Ryan Neloms

New this year, the Dearborn Victor Award recognizes actions that personify diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and who positively impacts the lives of others on campus.

Here’s what a nominator had to say:
“His compassionate approach has helped calm many students who are struggling with a host of different issues. He is always willing to go the extra mile to help students receive the resources and support they need to be successful and does so with respect and awareness of the different backgrounds of our students. Engaging with students who are often distressed can easily take a toll on anyone. Still, Ryan's positive attitude and commitment to students' success are evident, as he never backs away from being fully present and going the extra mile.”

Advancing the Mission
Winner: The Financial Services Leadership team members Noel Hornbacher, Dawn Roult, and Robin Wagner

Here’s an excerpt from the nomination:
“With a decentralized financial model, it is a challenging task to find strategies that work for all colleges and units. And yet, Noel, Dawn, and Robin continually look for ways to guide decisions in light of our campus strategic priorities. More than that, ‘the three’ really care about the campus culture and understand that while we have to budget responsibly, we must also think about the human beings impacted by financial decisions.”

Innovation
Winner: Kelsey Parker, Experience+ project manager for experiential learning

To quote excerpts from the nomination:
“Kelsey devised engaging and innovative ideas for the Graduate Summer Writing Camp, having us host it in the EIC, making trail maps and supplying s’mores and camp T-shirts to the primarily international students who had yet to have a camping experience. She was vital in proposing and convening the first ‘Student Employment Advisory Council,’ comprised of unit leaders who employ many student employees. It’s typical of Kelsey, taking what is established and time-honored and rethinking it to make it more accessible, inclusive and fun.”

Staff Development
Winner: Jocelyn Young Huinder, software training and documentation coordinator

Here’s what a nominator said:
“She was proactive in her approach…and instead of waiting until staff were struggling with technology, she went ahead unprompted and coordinated an hour-long recorded training session for users to attend. Her ability to facilitate collaboration and communication among different teams has been instrumental in streamlining the process, ensuring that software is effectively utilized to support student success.”

Student Success
Winner: Tahnee Prokopow, health professions advising director

To quote an excerpt from her nomination:
“Tahnee has a unique ability to challenge students to become the best versions of themselves so that when they apply to health professional schools, they are prepared and at an advanced level compared to other applicants.”

Here are the staff service milestone honorees.

5-year milestone anniversary

Louis Blouin, Andy Dean, Michael DeVoe, Karen Dimanche Davis, Chancellor Domenico Grasso, Brian Hoang, Christine Homan, Jessica Johnson Jackie Kortes, Brian LaGoe, Francisco Lopez, McKenna Maurino, Andrea McDaniel, Aijalon McLittle, Rick Morrone, Blythe Murphy, Faith Olson, Latresa Rice, Celia Robinson, Ethan Savage, Shawn Simone, Homer Stone, Kyle Sutherland, Paul Tadajewski, Kamal Turner, Nathan Wallace, Charles Wang and Jerrard Wheeler

10-year milestone anniversary

Marc Brigolin, Danielle Camardese, Elizabeth Clark, Jason Crofton, Kaitlin Deslatte, Cris Frendo, Christopher Haltinner, Nina Loveberry, Molly Manley, Dawn Roult, Brittnie Smith, Matthew Speck, Jesse Stanghini, Thomas Stockwell and Nikki Wasilius

15-year milestone anniversary

Deidra Berry, Sarah Dorchak, Susanne Gassel, Ellen Judge-Gonzalez, Barbara McLaughlin, Lisa Miller, Kelly Schester, Howard Williams, Steve Williams and Joey Woods

20-year milestone anniversary

Kenneth Byrd, Terry Ebenhoeh, Michael Kamen, Wonsuk Kim, Corey Lambert, Larry Papin and Judith Walker

25-year milestone anniversary

Madeline Snipes Derrick, Caryn Finkelstein, Susan Flannery, Noel Hornbacher and Scott Howard

30-year milestone anniversary

Sherri Frost and Giannina Wilson

35-year milestone anniversary

Julie Dunckel and Soraya Jeffries Patton

40-year milestone anniversary

Marlene Dupre, Geoffrey Hosker, Robert St. Clair, Greg Taylor and Melisa Wilson

Event co-chairs were Linda Jacoby, Shari Marshall and Rachel Buzzeo. Additional committee members included Nada Bachir, Mary Jones, Kari Kowalski, Nina Loveberry, Molly McCutchan, Kelsey Parker, Celia Robinson, Erin Vickey, event consultant Sheryl Kubiak and chancellor liaison Jackie Kortes.

Awards

Staff Senate

Off

Mon, 11/27/2023 - 18:59

At the Chancellor’s Staff Recognition Awards ceremony, the campus community shared a meal, camaraderie and thanks for a job well done.

Campus Colleagues: John Powell

stuxbury — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 13:52:24 +0000

Campus Colleagues: John Powell stuxbury Wed, 10/04/2023 - 09:52

Assistant Director of Web Strategy and Services John Powell is an expert at blending form and function.

He has advanced smart-home features in his century old Victorian. And when Powell, a classically trained musician, organizes website information, he filters code and content through a performance lens. “Finding that balance between the needs of the institution and user is similar to a performer interpreting a composer’s music and making it ‘sing’ to the audience,” he says.

The two-time U-M graduate — he has a bachelor of music in organ performance and a graduate degree in library science — has worked in website implementation and strategy for 30-plus years. Powell, who started at ��-Dearborn in March, previously served as the lead content architect for Ford Motor Company’s eCommerce web experience and worked as the director of web communications at the University of Windsor, among other roles.

At ��-Dearborn, Powell leads Zoom sessions about website best practices, conducts in-person training for ��-Dearborn content ambassadors, analyzes how pages are organized, and works to discover the right balance of creativity and user friendliness.

Get to know Powell, the thoughtful artist who’s working behind the scenes on umdearborn.edu.

Powell’s web-focused career path was first featured during the mid-1990s – in The New York Times

As a U-M musical performance undergrad, Powell worked at the Music Library Information Services Desk. With encouragement from a library staff mentor, Powell decided to pursue library science and completed his Master of Library and Information Science at the university in 1995. After receiving his graduate degree, Powell created and maintained a web-based legal database for the State Appellate Defender Office in Detroit, where he also conducted internet training seminars for defense lawyers throughout the state. It wasn’t a traditional path — and that attracted The New York Times, which included Powell in their 1997 article “Moving from the Card Catalogue to the Internet.”

The article reads, “Mr. Powell, at the Appellate Defenders Office in Detroit, said the field's new emphasis on information technology, particularly related to computers, had changed the image of library science. No longer is it seen as the occupation of spectacled spinsters who delight in telling people to hush.”

Speaking about his career path and how The New York Times discovered him, Powell says, “In late 1996, The New York Times reached out to the U-M School of Information for graduates who pursued careers outside of libraries. At the time, web work was a newly developing field that desperately needed people with the skill to organize information and present it. My time at SADO afforded me the opportunity to learn first-hand how to structure content for people to easily retrieve and consume it. I developed their website and developed an online database of pleadings. I trained attorneys from around the state on how to use the web, quickly find the relevant information and help them do their job better — which ultimately saved taxpayer money. It was a nontraditional role for someone who went to library school.”

So how did Powell get on this out-of-the-card-catalog career path?

“While I was pursuing my MILS, I was going to school part time, working full time and held a part-time organist position at an area church. With my schedule, I needed to do research and work on my assignments outside of normal business hours. I latched onto this new thing called the ‘world wide web.’ I realized my career path wasn’t to work in a traditional library setting — it was to help build and organize information for people like me,” he says.

Powell continues to see the magic in technology and the real-time information access it provides.

Powell said he’s always been fascinated by technology and gadgets, starting with a Polaroid camera he received as a child from his grandfather. And that interest keeps growing.

“You could take a picture, wave it in the air for a minute and see the image right away. By the way, I still have those pictures organized by year in albums and electronically,” he says. “I guess that’s my library side shining.”

Powell continues to enjoy technology and the enhancements that it’s brought into 21st-century lives. “For myself, I look at all the things I can do from the palm of my hand — from controlling my smart house to banking to reading the newspaper to running the vacuum. It’s about saving time, convenience and access,” he says.

He enjoys connecting with people (and pets) IRL too.

Powell says at the end of the day you can find him relaxing — and somewhat unplugged — on the front porch with his husband and their 2-year-old pup Peek-a-Boo, a shih tzu and bichon frisé mix.

In the mornings, his focus is a bit more intense. “I usually start each day at 5 a.m. so that I can complete my workout before the workday. It gives me time to think and be creative,” says Powell, whose exercise of choice is running or indoor spin cycling. His love of running has led to Powell completing 13 full marathons and dozens of half-marathons across the U.S. and Canada.

When on campus, Powell enjoys catching up with colleagues over tea, and getting to know new faces while hosting webinars, running in-person trainings or just saying hello when he’s on a walk. Powell says technology enhances connection, but cannot replace it.

“It’s about connecting people to information. Our website is the first place prospective students go to learn about ��-Dearborn. By leveraging technology and providing best practices to our web ambassadors and editors, I see myself as the conduit linking information to people,” Powell says. “I am excited about my role on campus, the people here and representing the Wolverines. Go Blue!”

Have a question for Powell about web strategy or website training opportunities? Reach out.

Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

Faculty and Staff

Staff Senate

Off

Wed, 10/04/2023 - 13:51

Get to know Assistant Director of Web Strategy and Services John Powell, the thoughtful artist who’s working behind the scenes on umdearborn.edu.

Staff Senate

A 30-year family story continues on campus

A bond strengthened through love, advocacy and ������-Dearborn

What difference can we make in 5 to 10 years?

‘There is power in being real’

Making the ������-Dearborn archive more digitally accessible.

There is funding to support involvement.

Takeaways from the 2024 State of the University

Grasso says the university has talent and “horsepower” needed for challenging times

Why it’s so tricky to put together the university budget

New recruitment and retention efforts show promise

Student engagement is strong, but looks different post-pandemic

A look at practice-based learning — in practice

Campus Colleagues: Rick Morrone

Ad man to entrepreneur

Sharing expertise with the next generation

Now Playing

Campus Colleagues: Jay Crofton

U-M is a family business

His grandmother — and silver bass — got him hooked on fishing

He got the funk

Class of Fall 2023: College of Business graduate Joe Lubomirski

Campus Colleagues: Theresa Cry

Empowering youth through campus experiences

Finding purpose in what you do

Sharing the importance of higher education

Honoring 1,022 years of service — and more

Here are the 2023 award winners.

Here are the staff service milestone honorees.

Campus Colleagues: John Powell

Powell’s web-focused career path was first featured during the mid-1990s – in The New York Times

Powell continues to see the magic in technology and the real-time information access it provides.

He enjoys connecting with people (and pets) IRL too.

A bond strengthened through love, advocacy and ��-Dearborn

Making the ��-Dearborn archive more digitally accessible.