There’s power in coming together to do hard things, Anne Browning told UW Bothell faculty and staff at a Day of Engagement discussion on resilience.
Browning led a panel of five faculty and staff members who shared some of their personal challenges and how they moved through them.
Having the courage to reveal vulnerabilities to hundreds of colleagues were Robin Angotti, an associate professor of mathematics; David Goldstein, a principal lecturer in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences (IAS); Jessica Trenkamp (SEB ’06, MAPS ’09), a senior academic adviser in IAS; Martin Arroyo, the campus commuter services manager; and Wayne Au, professor in the School of Educational Studies and interim dean of diversity and equity.
“The pursuit of resilience is a continuous process,” said Browning, the founding director of the UW Resilience Lab, who encouraged cultivating connections, positive emotions and a sense of purpose.
The Day of Engagement Nov. 2 began with the staff appreciation event at Mobius Hall, organized by the General Staff Organization (GSO). Staff Appreciation Awards were presented to Sam Al-Khoury, director of Student Engagement, and Chris Schaeffer, biological and physical sciences adviser in the School of STEM. They were nominated by fellow staff members.
The event recognized years of staff work and dedication, said Ann Busche, program coordinator in the School of Educational Studies. It also was an opportunity for the staff to build community, said Christian Adams, GSO chair and director of academic services in the Office of Institutional Planning and Budget.
This year, the morning staff event was paired with an afternoon program that was organized by the Office of Organizational Excellence & Human Resources and designed to continue community-building efforts that began with a 2016 faculty and staff survey on the work environment.
The program included a “Surviving Marginalization and Building Community” workshop at the North Creek Events Center and the “Pursuit of Resilience” panel facilitated by Browning in the Activities & Recreation Center. The day wrapped up with entertainment from the Strict Interdisciplinarians band, which features musicians from across campus.
Browning, who received a doctorate in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from the UW in 2014, is a special assistant to the dean at the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs in Seattle. She formed the Resilience Lab in 2015 to integrate academic support with broader campus initiatives. She regularly gives talks on ways that compassion and resilience foster growth and learning.
