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From left: Assistant Vice Chancellor for Human Resources John Russell and Craig Poole of sponsored program ham it up during the recent Foundations for Success graduation ceremony. |
“This is fun,” Russell said during the ceremony that featured multiple “acceptance speeches” by course graduate and sponsored programs employee, Craig Poole, bubbles being blown by other graduates, and loads of laughs. “This group seems a bit lively.”
Foundations for Success is a career development and networking series open to office service staff at UNMC. The goal of the series — which is held annually — is to strengthen employees’ skill foundation so they experience the highest level of functioning in their current position and are motivated to advance forward as leaders in current or future UNMC positions.
The program is sponsored by UNMC Human Resources and was directed by employee relations director, Carmen Sirizzotti.
Participants met on four occasions for the 24-hour program and took part in the following sessions:
- Leadership;
- Conflict resolution;
- Communication skills at all levels within the organization;
- Strengths management;
- Stress management;
- Diversity;
- Emotional intelligence; and
- Motivation, rewards and recognition.
The program culminated in the graduation ceremony at the W.H. Thompson Alumni Center on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus.
The ceremony included — for the first time — the presentation of awards for students who were most likely to apply certain principles taught during the class.
Not surprisingly, Poole won the award for “most outgoing person,” prompting him to give one of his impromptu speeches.
During his speeches, which were met with outbursts of laughter from those in attendance, Poole thanked celebrities such as Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Ty Pennington and Chandler from the television show “Friends.”
Following one of Poole’s speeches, a laughing Russell said, “I’ve been to a lot of graduation ceremonies where this guy was needed.”
But jokes aside, Russell said the course participants learned important lessons during the course that if applied will continue to make UNMC a great place to work.
“People tend to judge the environment they work in based on the people they work with,” Russell said. “Every one of you can contribute to the positively to that environment.”
Sirizzotti thanked the participants for helping the course be a success and she added a special note of appreciation for Susan Davis of UNMC Continuing Education “for making sure the program ran smoothly.”
The course graduates were Lisa Anzai, Kim Arnold, Rick Boldt, Margaret Boyce, Jennifer Bradle, Tuire Cechin, Lori Cervantes, Bart Clemons, Lori Cooley, Donna Czarnecki, Mary DeSive, Susan Drammeh, Kathy Duncan, Tammi Erickson, Deanna Hansen, Janet Herde, Pamela Hergenrader, Tami Jenson, Deborah Klein, Cheryl Kroenke, Aunna Kunkel, Julie Leidig, Todd Lynes, Rita Mansfield, Melissa Mellon, Kathy Minijus, Lynne Niemeyer, Jumoke Omojola, Elaine Payne, Cynthia Plate, Craig Poole, Alphonso Rolling, Thomas Rzemyk, Hali Sedlak, Linda Spellman, Norma Stanley, Micki Taylor, Marylin Thomas, Sheila Tyler, Susan Waller, Denise Wessling and Marie Witthoft.
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The 2007 Foundations for Success Class |