The UC Riverside Staff Conference returns this month, offering staff members opportunities for professional development and networking.
The two-day virtual event, which takes place March 22 and 23, is sponsored by UCR Staff Assembly, Leaders of Excellence and Distinction, or LEAD, and Human Resources Employees and Organizational Development. It’s free to all staff members. Those interested in attending can sign up here.
It’s the second year of the conference, which was created to provide staff members with resources they may have missed during the pandemic, said Jeff Girod, UCR Staff Assembly president.
“We’re hoping this conference inspires them, motivates them, connects them, and just reminds them they have value,” he said.
The conference features 21 sessions organized around the themes of workplace culture, leadership, and personal branding. They include topics related to COVID-19, mental health, and training for managers and supervisors. Funding for the conference was provided through UCR’s allocation of Higher Educational Emergency Relief Fund under the American Rescue Plan.
Shola Richards, a motivational speaker, author, and founder and CEO of Go Together Global, will deliver a keynote address titled “Unstoppable Resilience: The Keys to Staying Strong During Any Challenge." Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Watkins will give the second day’s keynote address on communicating with confidence and the importance of professional development for staff at UCR.
The conference also provides staff members an opportunity to network with others on campus and career development tips and tools. For instance, all attendees will receive resume templates and a chance to win a resume and cover letter makeover from Let’s Eat, Grandma, a resume writing service.
Attendees will also get a chance to sign up for headshots taken by a professional photographer to use for their resumes and online profiles. Those will be scheduled twice a month through June.
Girod said the organizers hope to keep the conference going as an annual event and, when possible, to include in-person networking opportunities.
“Having two full days that are strictly dedicated to the professional development of our staff is invaluable and also demonstrates to our staff that their professional development is important,” Girod said.
For more on the conference and a full schedule visit the Staff Assembly website or the CrowdCast site, which will host the videos.
Some highlights include:
• Richards’ opening keynote address, March 22, 9 a.m.
• The second day keynote address by Watkins, March 23, 9 a.m.
• “Resume Building and Recruitment Best Practices,” March 22, 11 a.m. by Let’s Eat, Grandma co-founder Chris Villanueva.
· • “I Will Survive: Sustaining Resilience in Your Job Search,” March 23, 1 p.m., by Villanueva.
