MyLU Insider

Karen Brennan

Author: Karen Brennan

D&I Opp – Beyond Lawrence, Still Local

Think globally, act locally isn’t just for our physical environments. Small acts add up to big changes, and being within the mix of organizers affecting that change can undoubtedly help drive how those small acts are shaped and presented.

The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce has opportunities within their Pulse young professionals network for people intersted in being part of their Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

This committee has the intention to cultivate an environment where individuals of diverse race, color, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, nationality, age, height, weight, disability, and marital and parental status may succeed professionally and personally.

Contact the Fox Cities Chamber at 920-734-7101, via email at info@foxcitieschamber.com or complete a Pulse committee application.

Become a Diversity Point Person – July 31

Lawrence University and its commitment to diversity in the hiring process requires action on the part of those who know Lawrence well.

Becoming a Diversity Point Person helps ensure that the hiring processes on campus continues in an equitable way, and the training to become a part of a process that encourages this mission is available soon. This training will increase your awareness of how hiring decisions are managed across campus, is a substantive professional development opportunity, and will give you specific tools that keep equity in the foreground of hiring considerations.

On July 31st the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host a training session. Those interested in becoming a DPP can contact Shaniqua Crawford via email or via phone at (920) 832-7496.

To inform and develop your own awareness, staff and faculty can contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with specific questions, visit the D&I website, explore the Leading with Diversity blog, seek resources available on campus, or connect with a member of the D&I ProDev Sub-Committe.

Let’s clean up this place

Just when everything seems to be a bit of a mess – there’s soap.
Something simple and effective that provides a positive health benefit. 

To soothe, to clean, to wash away germs (for 20 seconds!) and… TO CARVE?   We think so.  Soap – Isn’t it good…!

DIRECTIONS:
Breathe & choose a bar of soap |  Select or draw a simple picture | Trace the picture over the soap | Carve the soap with a paperclip or pencil (continue breathing) | Save the shavings | Visit Youtube for tips & tricks

The Office of Spiritual and Religious Life wants to keep you healthy in mind, body and spirit. Take a moment to check out our other services and encouraging videos.

Lunch Casual – SandRL + Staff + Faculty

Join the lunch discussion on Friday, July 10 at Noon via ZOOM. (https://lawrence.zoom.us/j/6073829087)

RADICALIZING:  The past term with Covid-19 and renewed awareness of the racist structures of our society and our minds has left me feeling less rooted than usual.  I use the ideas radical and root together because I have been convinced that radical reform movements must be complexly, and deeply rooted. Miriam Webster gives us this:

Radical  adjective     rad·​i·​cal | \ ˈra-di-kəl

1 : of, relating to, or proceeding from a root: such as
2 : of or relating to the origin : fundamental

Bring a story about a place where your life is rooted (nourished, supported, strengthened) and how it allows you to bring unique gifts and perspectives to our shared community in this radicalizing time.

As always, if the conversation takes us elsewhere, we will follow where it leads.   Warmly,  Linda

Join Zoom Meeting
https://lawrence.zoom.us/j/6073829087

Baccalaureate: Reflection on the Spiritual Journey of the 2020 Graduates

Baccalaureate occurs the day before commencement, is open to all, and will  be presented virtually on June 13, 2020 at 3pm. 

The virtual service will be a mix of live experiences, slides from seniors, prayers from various faiths, music and community. 

Baccalaureate is a special time during commencement weekend to pause and reflect on the spiritual journey of the graduating class.  As a tribute to that spiritual journey, seniors create a multifaith reflection to honor the graduates.  The Baccalaureate service is designed by a group of both religious and non-religious seniors for all members of the class and their families.

Please join us at 3pm on Saturday, June 13, 2020
go.lawrence.edu/commencement

The Baccalaureate team wants to hear from you!

Seniors, your connection to Lawrence is deep. Help the Baccalaureate service to illustrate that depth by sharing your photographic insight.

We’re inviting seniors to submit a photo that demonstrates their own personal spiritual experience from the past four years. the photo could represent a nonreligius or religious connection. We’d love to see any pictures relating to how you define your own spirituality and connectedness with yourself, cmapus and the world.

Want to participate? Take a look a these two sentences the Baccalaureate team came up with for the service and submit a photo of yourself that exemplifies an image of you practicing/experiencing your own spirituality in action.

In our journey at Lawrence, we try to find balance through an experiment of openness. By doing this, we continuously redefine our place in the world and, hopefully, better learn how to live by our values. In the pursuit of a truly realized existence, we celebrate our experiences of transformation (not implying all is good) through acknowledging the dependent arising that led us to Lawrence and will guide us after. 

Submit photos to Samantha Torres by June 1st.

Hungry for something? Is it Fourth Friday Lunch?

Staff and Faculty are welcome to join in this topical conversation over your favorite lunch. Join with your fellow Lawrentians on April 24th and May 22nd for exploration of specific topics. Topics are available for review before the lunch via the Spiritual and Religious Life Facebook page.

Visit the zoom room 996 1149 1782 at noon and join the conversation.

For April 24 : I read a blog post recently where the author encouraged us to think differently about the words we use for digital and remote connections.  Her point was that, because this is how we must connect right now, virtual = real in the realm of relationships.  I invite you to fix your lunch and join us with a story about a time when you realized that the connection your felt with another person was “real” in all ways except for physical proximity.  I hope to use break out rooms for our conversations so that we are not overwhelmed by too much “realness”.  See you soon.  Linda

Open Hours – Spiritual and Religious Life

The Spiritual and Religious Life staff continues to be of service through direct conversations and via an array of platforms. Distinctive activities and outreach through our website and Facebook are designed to help students and staff adapt as fluidly as possible to the changing landscape. It’s all uniquely Lawrence, so our staff and students don’t miss a step.

The Dean and Chaplain to the University as well as the Associate Dean are keeping open hours for the students, staff and faculty, and can be reached to schedule time via our page on the Lawrence website.

If you need an appointment, connect directly to select a time or begin a discussion of available times outside those listed below. All times are CST.

Linda Morgan-Clement: 
Tuesdays:  3p-4p
Wednesdays: 7p-9p
Fridays: 3p-5p

Terra Winston
Thursdays: 10a-12p

Our office continues to collaborate
with other campus partners to develop ways
Lawrentians can stay connected to each other.
As we navigate this temporary situation the limitations to be together and stay connected may make things cumbersome,
but those connections are worth the effort.

Celebration of Life – Lifongo Vetinde

All are welcome to join in the celebration of life honoring Lifongo Vetinde, Professor of French.

Friday, February 28, 2020
Sacred Heart Parish, Appleton, Wisconsin
Viewing
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.           
Requiem Mass
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.              

Saturday, February 29, 2020
Memorial Service
11:00 – 12:00 p.m.  
Lawrence University, Harper Hall
Reception with Remarks
12:30 – 2:00 p.m.  
Lawrence University, Somerset Room, Warch Campus Center
          

Fourth Friday Lunches for Staff and Faculty

Connect with fellow staff and faculty over the Fourth Friday Lunch series at Sabin House. The company is warm and inviting (and so is the soup and salad). Thoughtful discussion is guaranteed.

Fourth Friday lunches this term will occur on January 24th, February 28th, and over break on March 27th. Topics vary and are posted the week of the lunch via our Spirit Space Facebook page.

For January, the discussion will center on beauty.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” is a saying that seems like it offers latitude. Sometimes it also makes us hesitant because social norms of beauty shape experiences of body, voice, acceptability, or normalcy. You are invited to bring stories of ways you have found beauty or claimed it in ways or places that our culture might find unusual.