July Events Round-up

If you and your family are looking for activities in the upcoming month, you’ve come to the right place. July holds many virtual and in-person opportunities in the Greater Lansing area for you to check out. Click the links below to explore future events and register if required. 

Campus Events 

July 14th Deep-Rooted with Beal Botanical Garden: From 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., join us at the Beal Botanical Gardens for the summer edition tour of the gardens. Maeve Bassett, Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Program Director will lead the tour and teach about the historical, social, and political narratives surrounding the gardens. Register to join this interactive learning experience at the Beal Botanical Gardens!  

July 20thChill Out with Art: If you are looking for a fun and relaxing summer event, come to the MSU Broad Art Museum for our “Chill Out with Art” event. From 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., you and your friends can come explore exhibitions, explore your artistic side, and enjoy cool summer treats. Registration for this free event is encouraged. 

July 31stEastside Eden: Join us at this all-day event (dawn until dusk) for a self-guided walking tour of the gardens and farms in cooperation with the “Food Fight!” exhibition at the MSU Museum CoLab Studio. Explore out intricate food systems and community gardens at your own pace and experience Lansing’s food in peak bloom! Check out the website above for important notes and guidelines for this event. 

Family Friendly Events 

July 1st – Lansing Lugnuts Game: Come to a Lansing Lugnuts home game to cheer on our local minor league baseball team! Starting July 1st, we will have seven Lugnuts games with various themes celebrating Independence Day, Kid’s Day, and more! Visit the website linked above to buy tickets for you and your family today!

July 6th MSU Broad Art Museum, Family Day FEEL: Join us for a family-friendly event on the first Saturday of the month at the Broad Art Museum. You and your family can make creative connections with our exhibits and other hands-on activities to express yourself through the art of painting at this event from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. Registration is encouraged for this free and public event.

July 11thInflatable Mania: From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mount Hope Park, come check out the first Inflatable Mania event! With an Animal Kingdom area geared towards toddlers, there will be a 5-in-1 castle, baseball game, tropical inflatable course, and more for everyone of all ages to enjoy. There will also be live music and catering by Lions Club Concessions for some (cash only) snacks for sale! Follow the link to register for this free event to fill up your Thursday evening with the family. 

July 11th & 25th East Lansing Moonlight Film Festival: The Moonlight Film Festival is returning this summer to Valley Court Park! Bring your blankets and snacks and join us at 9:30 p.m. on these two Thursdays in July for the viewing of Wonka (7/11) and Barbie (7/25). 

July 17thFlower Arranging for Kids: From 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., bring the kids down to Sparrow Bloom Flower Shop to create their own mini-flower arrangements. Parents are encouraged to stay and join in the fun! Tickets are first come, first served, and will include all of the materials – the kids just need to bring their imagination and creativity. Be sure to purchase your tickets while you can in the link above! 

Learning Opportunities

July 9th-11th – Lean Foundations: If you are working to create a solid and sustainable lean journey, this three-day in-person class is perfect for you. Here, we believe a successful lean journey starts by establishing common thinking within your organization. This course has been designed to introduce the four rules and five principles that align thinking within organizations, making the class appropriate for anyone regardless of what kind of organization you are a part of. You will receive a customized coaching session from experienced consultants to apply what you learn in the course to real-world situations within your organization. 

July 11th & 13thDeepening Your Essential Skills: If you have completed any course offered previously by Spartan Resilience Education, you are eligible to continue learning at this webinar. Here you will have the opportunity to ask questions, raise topics and build community with your peers. Be sure to register for this free course through the link above! 

July 15th–17thGarden Writers Workshop: If you are a young writer looking for a fun opportunity to learn and explore, join us at the Children’s 4-H Garden for this 3-day writer’s workshop. From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each day, children ages 7 and up have the opportunity to learn about writing in the garden and use the inspiration of nature to write poems, stories, plays and more. Registration and pre-payment is required. 

Health & Wellness

July 15th Rest with Music: Join us at Abrams Planetarium on Monday, July 15th for our once-a-month Rest with Music session. Music is powerful and can heal the mind, calm the body, and regenerate our mind, body, and spirit. Register for 40 minutes of healing, relaxation, and peacefulness for a small break from your busy work week from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.. 

Farmers Markets

July 2ndDowntown Dewitt Farmers Market: Come to the Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market for an evening of exploring small businesses, home-grown foods, treats, and more! Every Tuesday in July, join us from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for some shopping, food trucks and fun in Downtown Dewitt on a warm summer night. 

The 2024 season of the Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market is scheduled to run June 4–Oct.8 every Tuesday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.. 

July 7thThe East Lansing Farmers Market: Join us in Valley Court Park from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Sunday in July for some shopping and fresh air at the East Lansing Farmer’s Market (ELFM). Here you can purchase a variety of fresh goods farm-grown here in Michigan including vegetables, fruits, bread, cheese, honey, flowers and so much more. No registration needed. 

The 2024 season of the East Lansing Farmers Market is scheduled to run June 2–Oct. 28 on Sundays from 10:00 am to 2:00 p.m. in Valley Court Park, 280 Valley Court.


To find a farmer’s market local to you, please visit https://greaterlansingareamoms.com/area-farmers-markets/ for more information.

Job of the Week: College of Law IT Manager

This week’s featured job is an Information Technology manager for the College of Law (job posting 961231). MSU Information Technology provides the primary leadership for strategic, financial, and policy initiatives affecting IT across MSU. MSU IT and departmental IT staff offer technology resources that support MSU’s mission of providing education, conducting research, and advancing engagement. 

The MSU Office of the Acio is looking for an individual to manage IT planning and operations, ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of IT in the College of Law. The IT manager will carry out various duties including but not limited to overseeing IT projects and operations, working with the Human Resources team to review personnel actions, and maintaining alignment with the values of the College of Law, all while remaining reliable and on track with the Law Colleges core values. 

As the College of Law’s IT manager, you will be working with the College of Law leadership and stakeholders to align new and improved IT services with incoming needs. You will serve as the liaison for the College of Law, providing key services for the leadership team. The IT manager will also organize communication between IT service support and change with the College of Law and staff. Technology Services prides itself on ensuring ease while using any technology provided at the College of Law or any corresponding buildings. As the IT manager, you will be responsible for establishing and coordinating technology. 

To apply for this position, you should have a 4–year college degree and 8 or more years of work experience in the Information Technology field where you were responsible for overseeing a large group/area. Because you will be overseeing many projects and complex operations, it is important that you have work experience with planning and operating technology with strategic goals in mind, managing budgets and vendor relationships, mentoring staff and reviewing their performances. 
Learn more about MSU IT here. To learn more about this position or if you are interested in applying online, please visit the Careers at MSU website for more information! Applications require a resume and cover letter and must be submitted by July 2.

Job of the Week: University Events Coordinator

This week’s featured job is a University Event Coordinator for Registered Student Organizations (job posting 957343), part of the Office of Spartan Experience. The Division of Student Life and Engagement is looking for an individual to supervise the registration of student organizations, plan events, and tend to fall and spring welcome events such as Sparticipation and Springticipation. The Office of Spartan Experiences pride themselves on creating opportunities for students to greater their relationships and goals with the school and their communities.

As the University Events Coordinator, you would be in charge of managing multiple existing initiatives while also implementing new initiatives that align with the school’s core values and inclusivity. You will collaborate with organizations such as the Spartan Leadership Center and the MSU Student Union Advisory Committee to carry out the tasks at hand. A crucial part of this position to be noted is you will be responsible for keeping student leaders safe, especially after late-night events. In this position, you will be responsible for running both committees associated with MSU and for enhancing the overall student experience.

To apply for this position, you should have a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Business, etc. or have experience equivalent to one of those degrees. It is also important to have 3–5 years of work experience in PR or communications. You will be working heavily in planning and managing special events and use online tools such as spreadsheets, databases, desktop publishing and virtual presentations, so it is also crucial that you come in with background knowledge in these areas.

To learn more, visit the Registered Student Organizations website. To apply for the position, please submit a resume and cover letter to the Careers at MSU website by June 25th.

Are You Procrastinating? Increase Motivation and Become More Productive with These Simple Steps.

There are countless reasons to put off working on a project. Maybe you’re daunted by the size of it, or the deadline is far off, so you don’t feel urgency to get moving. Whether your procrastination is the result of perfectionism, negative thought patterns, or even boredom, there are easy changes you can make to increase your motivation and complete high-quality work without missing deadlines.

Take charge of your day

It’s easy to find excuses to not take action. I don’t have time. I’m too busy. I’ll do it later when things calm down. To move beyond procrastination, you need to take charge of your time.

  • Don’t let external demands control your time. Deadlines and mundane tasks are likely a part of your days. Take charge of your schedule.
  • Minimize interruptions. Turn off your Teams, Outlook, and text notifications if you can. Block off time on your calendar. Prioritize your tasks. Ask yourself: What needs to be done now? What can wait until later?
  • Figure out and respect your preferred working methods and energy levels. Consider when you’re most productive and schedule your day accordingly.

Set small deadlines

If you sometimes feel like you’re accomplishing nothing, it may be because your idea of getting something done is too big.

  • Focus on the wins, no matter how small. Set small goals and interim deadlines throughout the day.
  • As you hit each small target, you’ll build momentum and feel motivated to strive toward the next goal.

Achieve an optimal level of positive stress

We all face stress at work — deadlines to meet, unexpected problems to solve. It may sound counterintuitive, but a little stress can be a good thing. Positive stress can give you the energy you need to stay motivated. The key is to achieve an optimal level of healthy stress.

  • Know your limits. Find a challenge you can realistically take on.
  • Don’t be complacent. Push yourself to achieve great things, one step at a time. Remember that a challenge should stretch you without breaking you.

Collaborate to stay engaged

When we pool our resources and expertise to work on a task with others, we share ideas, discuss options, and develop ideas as a team. One person’s enthusiasm might inspire you. New eyes bring new perspectives, which may help you look at a task in a new way.

  • To ensure your collaboration is effective, be sure you have a diverse group to offer different perspectives.
  • Allow some quiet space to build on the ideas that emerge.
  • Effective collaboration can be structured or informal.


Try these techniques to help you take action and leave procrastination behind, and look into self-paced, online elevateU resources for further motivation and guidance.

Job of the Week: Laborer for Forest Akers Golf Courses

This week’s featured job is a temporary position as a Laborer at Forest Akers Golf Courses for  Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (job posting 956729). Forest Akers is the award-winning home course for Big Ten men’s and women’s golf teams, earning Best Campus Courses four of the last six years, 2022 Best Golf Schools and Academies from Golf Digest, and more.

Forest Akers Golf Course is looking for someone to maintain and complete various routine tasks between their two public courses. In this temporary position, you will keep things in order and make the Forest Akers Golf Courses the most inviting place to be for students, staff and the community.

In this entry-level position, you will assist in performing maintenance tasks for specifically the East and West courses. Some of these responsibilities include mowing grass (including greens, tees, fairways, surrounds, etc.), seeding and sodding, and applying fertilizer. Additionally, you will also conduct preventative maintenance on the equipment, cleanup the courses, and perform maintenance on the irrigation systems regularly. MSU landscape services prides itself on helping employees maintain a positive work-life balance – capping you at 40 hours per week at the course. 

To apply, you should have some knowledge of the tools, methods and materials utilized on golf courses. You should also have proper footwear, a good driving record,  be comfortable lifting between 26-75 pounds, and be prepared to work in any weather condition. While those are the minimum requirements, it is desired the applicant is well-versed in golf course maintenance and snow removal, and have Michigan Commercial Pesticide Applicator License. If you are considering applying, be prepared for a collaborative environment and to understand different perspectives while navigating the technical aspect of the job!

Learn more about Forest Akers here. To learn more about the temporary position or if you are interested in applying, please visit the Careers at MSU website for more information.

Congratulations to the Service and Retirement Recognition Program Award Recipients!

The MSU Service and Retirement Recognition Award recognizes support staff employees celebrating a 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45th work anniversary or a retirement falling between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.

On May 13, we recognized over 600 employees celebrating long-term work anniversaries and retirements during an awards ceremony at the Kellogg Center. Our university’s development and growth have been, in large part, due to the contributions made by its staff members, particularly those who have chosen to remain in the service of the university. This occasion was dedicated to those who have served the university through the years of its greatest development. It is a tribute to those who have found satisfaction in helping others and creating an impact for a better world.

  • service and retirement recipients sitting at large round tables during the awards reception. Some recipients are standing to acknowledge their years of service.
  • service and retirement recipients sitting at large round tables during the awards reception. Some recipients are standing to acknowledge their years of service.
  • Christina K. Brogdon, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, speaking behind a podium on stage during the awards ceremony.
  • Thomas Glasmacher, Interim Executive Vice President for Administrative Services, standing behind a podium on stage. He is speaking during the awards ceremony.
  • Scott Pohl is standing behind a podium on stage with Jody Knol standing behind and to his right. They are from WKAR and announced award recipient names during the ceremony.
  • Sparty standing on stage behind the podium pretending to give a speech during the ceremony.
  • A group of award recipients sit at a table during the reception. Sparty is sitting next to them and pointing to the camera.
  • Sparty is giving an award recipient a handshake during the reception.
  • Sparty is sitting between a couple of award recipients during the reception and pretending to drink out of a glass.
  • Sparty standing behind a group of award recipients as they take a photo during the reception.
  • Sparty is dancing in front of a group of musicians.

Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Christina K. Brogdon, and Interim Executive Vice President for Administration, Thomas Glasmacher, acknowledged award recipients and expressed their gratitude during the ceremony. Please review this year’s awards program and watch a recording of the event below.

The university thanks these awardees for their talent, passion, loyalty, and contribution to our shared purpose. If you see a colleague’s name in this year’s awards program, be sure to congratulate them!

All photo credit: Dane Robison/TimeFramePhoto
All video credit: Cheeney Media Concepts

Reframe Failure to Increase Success

When was the last time you celebrated failure? We are taught from a young age that failure is bad and something to fear. Because failures may bring negative repercussions, they are often hidden, ignored and downplayed. In reality, failure can be a powerful learning experience and is essential to success. When we embrace the idea of “failing forward”, we develop perseverance, confidence and a new perspective on what it takes to succeed.

Types of Failure

Not all failures are the same, but each has important lessons to teach us.

  • Preventable failure happens in automated processes when a piece of equipment fails, a step is neglected or there is some other kind of malfunction. For this category, it’s important to determine how to best troubleshoot preventable failures. What safeguards are in place regarding people, equipment and environment? Make sure that all precautions have been taken to keep preventable failures from happening in the first place.
  • Complex failure happens when events or situations come together in unexpected ways that cannot be foreseen.

  • Intelligent failure is common in innovative projects and processes, where trial and error are simply part of the experiment.

Organizations and individuals best learn from all types of failures by having procedures in place, along with the willingness and readiness to actively detect, analyze and experiment within the workplace to catch errors quickly, learn from them, and embrace the growth and improvement that can be generated as a result.

Ideas for Action

  • Depending on the type of work you do, one of the three types of failure is probably more common than the others. Consider which is most likely to happen at your workplace and think about how you might handle that type of mistake or failure should it occur.
  • Come up with an example from your life for each type of failure: preventable, complex, and intelligent. Why did they happen, and how were they handled? Were the situations resolved? How did they affect you and others? Take some time to reflect on what you learned from these particular failures.

The Blame Game

If failure is essential to success, why does it feel so terrible when it’s happening? Failure and fault are virtually inseparable in most cultures and organizations. Every child learns at some point that admitting failure means taking the blame, and that pattern may then be reinforced in the workplace. One tremendous benefit of creating and encouraging a culture of psychological safety, in which the rewards of learning from failure can be fully realized, is that greater innovation and individual and organizational growth can occur.

The added challenge when it comes to reframing our ideas of failure is that the experience of failing is more than emotional — it’s also cognitive. We all favor evidence that supports our existing beliefs rather than alternative explanations. We also tend to downplay our responsibility and place undue blame on external or situational factors when we fail, only to do the reverse when assessing the failures of others—a psychological trap known as fundamental attribution error. The courage to confront our own and others’ imperfections with honest reflection and a focus on improvement and learning is crucial.

Ideas for Action

  • List a small number of failures you’ve experienced over recent months. Can you recall how you felt and what thoughts occurred? Make a note of these feelings and thoughts. Can you identify a pattern? Is there a repetitive loop that you repeat every time you fail at something?
  • Take one of the failures from above, which initiated the repetitive loop you have identified. Write an alternative account of what happened.

The Importance of Leaders in Building a Learning Culture

Learning is inherently about failing. Leaders can create and reinforce a culture that counteracts the blame game and makes people feel both comfortable with and responsible for surfacing and learning from failures. They should insist on developing a clear understanding of what happened — not of “who did it” — when things go wrong. This requires consistently reporting failures, small and large, systematically analyzing them and proactively searching for opportunities to experiment. A work culture that recognizes the inevitability of failure in today’s complex organizations and is willing to catch, correct and learn from failure leads to success, employee satisfaction and loyalty. A work culture that wallows in the blame game will not.

It’s imperative for leaders to move beyond the false notion that if people aren’t blamed for failures, they’ll become “lazy” and stop putting in the effort to do their best work. In actuality, a culture that makes it safe to admit and report on failure can coexist with high standards for performance. Not all failures are created equal. Taking the time to analyze the reasons behind why a failure occurred before determining appropriate action will do far more for a team than assuming that assigning blame will lead to improvement in the long run.

One interesting study asked executives to estimate how many of the failures in their organizations were truly blameworthy; their answers were usually in single digits — around 2% to 5%. They were then asked how many failures were treated as blameworthy; they admitted that was closer to 70% to 90%. One unfortunate consequence of this scenario is that many failures go unreported, and their lessons are lost.

Ideas for Action

  • Assess whether your teams offer a sense of psychological safety. Do the members of the team have confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject or punish them for speaking up with ideas? Questions? Concerns? Mistakes? Are each person’s contributions valued? If you answered yes on each measure, that team possesses a strong sense of psychological safety.
  • Leaders and supervisors need to actively create psychological safety because their position of power or status naturally suppresses people’s ability to speak up. This can be done by publicly acknowledging their own fallibility and emphasizing the need for each person’s contributions. They can also respond positively when people do bring things forward. From the results of the preceding exercise, choose a team with a low or mid-level of psychological safety. Develop an action plan for how the team leader or manager can improve the level of psychological safety.

Like everything in life, reframing failure becomes easier with practice. When failures inevitably occur, remind yourself and others that failure is temporary, and failure is good even if, undeniably, it feels really bad when it happens. When something goes wrong, practice saying, “Something good is happening here.” Look for the greater message of the experience and expect it to, eventually, turn out for the good.

Sources

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/a-psychologist-says-the-most-successful-people-reframe-failure-by-doing-4-things.html

https://elevateu.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/VIDEOS/125821

https://elevateu.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/VIDEOS/146739

https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2015/05/14/why-failure-is-essential-to-success/?sh=11e953df7923

https://hbr.org/2011/04/strategies-for-learning-from-failure

Deals and Discounts for Father’s Day

Father’s Day is right around the corner, and if you are still looking to show the dad in your life that you care, look no further than these discounts! Whether it’s your dad, husband, father-in-law or any other important guy in your life, take advantage of these exclusive Father’s Day savings using MSU Benefits Plus.

To access all the discounts, visit MSU Benefits Plus and sign up for a free account using your MSU email address.

Check out some of these deals that you can find through MSU Benefits Plus:

Sports

  • Forest Akers Golf Course â€“ MSU employees with a valid MSU ID receive reduced rates on playing and shopping at the two 18-hole championship layout golf courses and two full-service golf shops!
  • Premium Seats USA â€“ Get 10% off sporting event tickets on Premium Seats USA using the code CORESTREAM at checkout.

Technology

  • Dell â€“ MSU Benefits Plus members get the best pricing available on all Dell PCs, electronics and accessories with the Dell Member Purchase Program.
  • Apple â€“ MSU employees qualify for preferred pricing on all of Apple’s latest products. This includes employee pricing and ratings and reviews on accessories and software. Order from the online Apple EPP store and identify yourself as a Corestream member when purchasing.

Shopping and Entertainment

  • Tickets at Work â€“ MSU employees can save up to 40% on movie tickets nationwide.
  • MSU Meat Lab â€“ MSU employees with a valid MSU ID can receive a discount on quality meats and other items right on campus.
  • Restaurant.com – Save 20% on all gift certificates. Explore new restaurants, save at old favorites, or enjoy quality takeout meals with Restaurant.com.

Find these savings as well as many other benefits by visiting the MSU Benefits Plus portal. Sign up or log in today and have a fun, family-filled Father’s Day!

Job of the Week: Occupational Safety Compliance Officer

This week’s featured job is an Occupational Safety Compliance Officer position for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) (job posting 955849). CANR is seeking an Occupational Safety Officer to enhance and lead the College’s safety management program. In the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students use science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business and creative design to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems related to food, health and the environment.

In this senior-level position, you will oversee workplace health and safety for CANR faculty, staff, students, and visitors while building and fostering a safety-focused culture. In addition, you will develop, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve a comprehensive occupational health and safety management system. The Occupational Safety Officer will also investigate safety and health concerns and maintain records necessary to demonstrate compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local health, safety, and environmental regulations.

The ideal candidate for this position will have a Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, industrial hygiene, occupational safety, physics, chemistry or a closely related field. Five to eight years of related work experience in industrial/occupational safety and developing and delivering safety training is also required. Experience within an agriculture setting is preferred, but not required to apply.

To learn more, visit the CANR website. To apply for the position, please submit a resume, cover letter and three references to the MSU Careers website by June 11.