Mentor Me & Contribute to the Reciprocity Ring

This summer I'm participating in a virtual Reciprocity Ring started by Amma Marfo, an amazing higher education professional who has a big heart and is super talented. It's wonderful to be part of a group that is women helping other women. Be sure to check out the Reciprocity Ring every week for the latest post and see how you can help someone get closer to their goals. My Reciprocity Ring post is below.

My name is Winnifred but most people call me Winni or Diva. I was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and grew up in southern CT where I currently live. I have a B.A. in English with a double minor in History and Women’s Studies. I have an M.S.Ed. in Counselor Education which I’ve used in the non-profit sector as an addictions/career counselor as well as working in group homes for those with developmental disabilities and/or mental health issues.

Being Inspired: Lessons Learned at NASPA Region 1 Conference 2013

The 2013 NASPA Region 1 Conference held true to it's theme: Be Inspired....

An insightful and rousing keynote by Dr. Robert E. Johnson, President of Becker College started by quoting Sir Isaac Newton: "every action has an equally forceful reaction." Today's climate is one of the toughest in higher education. The rise of mental health issues, tough economic climate, and lack of academic preparedness make it a hard landscape for not only students, but also staff to navigate. Some key takeaways:

1. "If you want to be inspired, inspire somebody." Inspiration comes from within and you should put it out there into the universe. One of the ways to do so is by creating a vision board. Do you have a vision board? If so, view the vision board daily. If not, try to have at least ten (10) things that help you answer this question - Who are you going to inspire today?
2. Embrace the human spirit. What is your passion? He uses this question when interviewing potential employees. When you know your passion, live it everyday.
3. Dream big. Don't let anybody take your dream away. Believe in your dream even when no one else does. What are your dreams?
4. Visualize whatever it is you want out of life. Focus on the "what" not the "how." What do you want?
5. Never give up on your dream.

Dr. Johnson gave an alphabet of inspiring words:

• Accept
• Believe
• Celebrate
• Dedicate
• Educate
• Fight...

What words inspire you?

I'm inspired by the passionate higher education graduate students and professionals that I engage with regularly on Twitter. Here's a pic of @JackKorpob & I finally meeting in person at the conference. If don't follow him on Twitter, you need to. He currently serves as the Region 1 social media coordinator.

The regional conference was an all-around amazing experience. I kept busy volunteering in a general capacity and serving on the silent auction committee. A regional conference is a great place to get involved with Knowledge Communities and engaged with others in the field. What are some ways you're involved in your region?


Don't forget to take time to enjoy the view and local attractions when you're attending conferences. Here I am with my conference roommate Dave about to explore the LL Bean flagship in Freeport, Maine. What do you always make time to do when you're away at a conference?

#FoodieFinds: Homemade Pizza

I'm a #foodie at heart, body, and soul. I love to watch just about anything on the Food Network, get lost in food focused blogs, and share tons of recipes on my Facebook page (much to the chagrin of my friends who are trying to eat healthily or are on a diet). Each month I'll post my favorite foodie finds of the month. Feel free to visit those other pages, try out the recipes, share your own #FoodieFinds and let me know what you think/eat.

 ~ W

Apparently this fall I've been obsessed with making my own pizza. Using store-bought dough, I've made a variety of culinary creations. Here are the pictures for my favorite one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are your #FoodieFinds?

Leadership & Learning: My Journey at the Whitney M Young Conference

From October 10th through the 13th, I had the pleasure of attending my first Whitney M. Young, Jr. Urban Leadership Conference representing the Rhode Island Young Professionals (RIYP). The conference was hosted by the National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP). RIYP is one of over 60 chapters that are part of NULYP. I currently serve as the membership chair/social media coordinator for RIYP and am also a part of the national membership committee. This year's theme, Project Lead: Advancing Our Future was packed with outstanding workshops, world-class speakers, exceptional networking, and fun events. Read on to learn more about my experience at this great event!

 

Work In Progress

This blog has truly been a work in progress. I've struggled with my perfectionism as multiple drafts sit in my queue waiting for their debut. I plan to not let fear and uncertainty hold me back while I share my thoughts and insights. Several new posts will debut within the week. Your feedback is welcome. In the meantime, click the pic to learns quick tips to help perfectionist procrastinators from Michelle Kirsh [http://michellekirsch.com/].

 

How Work Life Is Like Sister Act 2

Catchy title, right? Like many people, I love the Sister Act movies. But you're probably wondering how Sister Mary Clarence and the rest of the gang can relate to your work life. It's not a stretch, trust me. Just read along and see if you recognize these archetypes in your work environment.

50th Anniversary March on Washington: A Higher Education Perspective

Over the next few days, I'm attending the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Urban Leadership Development Conference hosted by the National Urban League. This year, the courses and keynoters reflect the theme, Project Lead: Advancing Our Future. You can enjoy the realtime tweets of my experience (@WinniPaul or @RhodeIslandYP), but I'll be posting a full blog about that experience later in the month. In the meantime, please enjoy reading about my experience at the 50th Anniversary March on Washington with these great leaders, the National Urban League Young Professionals.

~ Winni

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This past August, I had the privilege to experience the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington (#MOW50) also known as the Realize The Dream Rally. I rode down to Washington, D.C. with my local #NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) chapter to participate in this once in a lifetime experience as a member of the #NULYP (National Urban League Young Professionals). Prior to my journey I was not as well versed on how education was an important issue to the march back in 1963 and today. The 50th Anniversary March on Washington took place on Saturday, August 24, 2013 at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. Fifty years after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” speech, leaders from civil rights, organized labor, housing, media, education and politics gathered in the nation’s capital to urge Congress to create more jobs, protect voting rights, equality for the LGBT community, and to address the barrage of recent attacks on immigration and workers’ rights.