KV FocusPlus

August 1, 2022

Dear Colleagues,

August can be an in between month. 

Some of us are in between summer vacations and preparing for Fall Semester.  Some are in between wrapping up chores related to outdoor projects and preparing for the change of seasons. Many are just waiting...waiting and marking time while others wait in anticipation of the new academic year.

Regardless of your situation, I invite you think deeply about your future. Instead of just passing time, consider how you will prepare for something new. That could mean deciding to pursue additional professional development opportunities or finally completing an advanced degree or additional certifications. Maybe there is an upcoming change in your household - a family member heading off to college or someone moving out or in that will require some adjustments. Alternatively, maybe it is time to find a cause or activity you really care about in which you can invest your time and effort. 

My advice is to take advantage of in between times. As Dr. Jennifer Wimbish reminded us when she visited Kalamazoo Valley earlier this year: Plan, Do, Study, Act, Repeat. Imagine what you want to accomplish and work to make it happen!

Thank you.

L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
President

---

Call for Proposals
The Fall 2022 Summit is set for Wednesday, Aug. 31 and Thursday, Sept. 1. Please consider sharing your expertise and talents with the greater Kalamazoo Valley team. The theme "Compassionate Community" will be continued into the 2022-23 academic year.

Submit your proposal for a 50-minute in-person breakout session by Aug. 5. Simply fill out this survey to submit your idea.

How can you take advantage of this opportunity?

•     Promote your program to an audience of staff, faculty and administrators
•     Engage employees in a discussion on a topic that matters to you and to the college
•     Bring people together through a team-building exercise

---

Orientation Help Needed!
Increasing enrollment and improving retention are the college's top priorities. As employees of the college, everyone must do their part to attract and retain students. Volunteering your time to share your enthusiasm and knowledge of Kalamazoo Valley is one very easy way to do your part.

There are several New Student Orientations that will take place between now and September. Everyone - administrators, faculty and staff - are asked to volunteer. Orientation is often the first impression we will make as a college community to engage and inspire our students by demonstrating our unified commitment to students. It's a very small time commitment that, statistics show, can greatly impact a student's success in college. Volunteers are needed for a variety of positions. Training will be provided.
 
To volunteer for orientation, click here.

---

 
 

Beyond the Backpack - Volunteers Needed!
As Kalamazoo students prepare to start the 2022-2023 school year, they once again have a community of support ready to launch them into a successful year of learning.

On Saturday, Aug. 13 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., the Beyond the Backpack School Readiness Fair will take place at Bronson Park. The fair is hosted by Collaboration Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo Valley is among is the organizations that make up Collaboration Kalamazoo. Other organizations include Charlie's P.L.A.C.E., Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, Read and Write Kalamazoo, the YMCA and The Kalamazoo Promise.

Volunteers are needed to help make the event a success. Sign up now to help out!

---

Mental Health First Aid Offered on August 11
Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance-use disorders. This training - which focuses on the unique experiences and needs of college students - gives the skills needed to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance-use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. This is a one-day, in-person workshop being held on Thursday August 11, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Please contact Trice Batson (tbatson@kvcc.edu) for details and registration.

---

COVID-19 At-Home Test Kit Distribution
On Aug. 16 and 17, the college will once again be hosting free COVID-19 at-home test kit distribution events. Faculty and staff are welcome to register and receive one COVID-19 at-home test kit (containing two tests). 
 
Visit the Texas Township Campus on Aug. 16 outside of the Bookstore between noon and 2 p.m. to get your free kit or stop by the lobby of Anna Whitten Hall on Aug. 17. Registration is required. Please complete the registration form by 9 a.m. Aug. 16.

---

Billy Reynolds DEI Profile Questions
Describe your efforts as they relate to the college's DEI strategic plan.
In Fall 2020, a group of Liberal Arts faculty and I began planning a workshop series for all Liberal Arts faculty. The idea was to really focus our energies on kickstarting a series of conversations on a variety of interconnected topics. We started with a three-hour workshop focused on helping us recognize, acknowledge, and navigate unconscious bias in our communities and in our classrooms. From there, we asked ourselves, both individually and collectively, the following questions: how often do you think about what colleagues of different races, ethnicities, or cultures experience? How comfortable are you discussing race-related topics with your colleagues? How often do you think about what students of different races, ethnicities, or cultures experience? In response to events that might be occurring in the world, how comfortable would you be having conversations about race with your students? These questions led us into sometimes difficult emotional and intellectual territory, but I think they needed to be asked, and will serve as a strong foundation as we strive to become an equity-centered college.

What about the college's DEI strategic plan inspires your work?
Hiring a diverse faculty is very important. I'm also inspired by the rich collaborations that we see around the college (from KVAAP and Valley Food Share to the Office of Student Access and the Mental Health Awareness projects taking place each semester).

What does using the "lens of DEI" mean to you in your work?
It means being much more focused on opportunities and challenges that we face as an institution and embracing them wholeheartedly.

Share any struggles or challenges you've faced in relation to DEI and how you've worked to overcome them
I think the biggest challenge is to avoid staying stagnant and complacent. The work shouldn't have an expiration date.

Who inspires you?
For much of my adult life I was inspired (and still am) by a variety of culturally diverse writers (Gwendolyn Brooks, Rita Dove, Louise Erdrich, Colson Whitehead, and James McBride, just to name a few). But recently DEI work has become much more personal. For me it started with the realization that issues of diversity, equity, and inclusivity require my active participation and engagement. On a personal level, I am inspired by the many conversations that I have had with close friends and co-workers. These conversations are always open-ended and judgement-free. Diversity, equity and inclusion is difficult work but also very rewarding, and I have learned a lot from numerous colleagues around the college.

---

Recycle Paper at the FIC
Do you have shredded paper or paper that needs to be recycled? The Food Innovation Center is in need of paper for vermiculture composting classes. Paper will be needed for classes offered in July, August and September.
 

What is vermiculture composting? This is a composting process that uses worms to help recycle food scraps and other organic material into a rich soil amendment that will help gardens retain moisture and support beneficial microorganisms.

If possible, please store paper in bags for easier transport. Please contact Delia Baker at dbaker2@kvcc.edu to make arrangements for paper to be picked up.

---

What's Happening at the KVM

Rain Garden Tours
Tuesday & Thursday | 11 a.m. , 2 p.m. | FREE
Saturday | 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. | FREE
A rain garden is growing and blooming at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum! Learn about rain gardens and how they help our precious ground water. Learn more at kalamazoomuseum.org.


The Little Star That Could
Month of August | 11 a.m.
Fridays & Saturdays | $3
A sweet animated story about a Little Star who is born and searches for a place in space to call home, as well as a name and some planets to keep him company along the way. Learn more at kalamazoomuseum.org.


Secrets of the Sun
Month of August | 2:30 p.m.
Fridays & Saturdays | $3
From the nuclear forces churning at the heart of the sun to the mass ejections of solar material into surrounding space, discover the power of the sun and its impact on the planets and life on Earth. Learn about the sun's origin and move forward in time to its ultimate death. Learn more at kalamazoomuseum.org.

Outfront Kalamazoo Appoints New Executive Director

AAM Announces Latest Accreditation Awards: 23 Museums Achieve This Distinction

Things To Do, Places To Go" Podcast

First Official Cannabis Industry Prep Class And Tour