Fall 2015 Discover U was on Wednesday, October 28, 2015. 

Presentation was from 8am to 12pm.  Lunch was served after the presentation. 

Cost of the event was $20.

Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, 1 - 4 PM
or
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015, 1 - 4 PM

$20 per attendee

View full details here.

Why Horses?

You can learn a lot about being human from a horse!

Equine Guided Education (EGE), an approach for personal growth and professional development by bringing horses and humans together, has been gaining momentum in recent years, world-wide. Its value lies within the scope of experiential learning, environmental learning, and social intelligence, to name just three.

The old adage of “you learn best from experience” is true indeed, and with good reason. There is distinct advantage in using experiential methods, it is the engagement of all of the senses – being in an environment with different sights, sounds, smells, and sensations.  Add to the physical sensations the emotional aspects of relating to the horses and the intellectual learning, the impact of what is learned can be greater. There can be more clarity in the recall of learning.

Social (or Emotional) Intelligence refers to skill in the areas of self and social awareness and management, and has been shown to be a critical component of success in the workplace and in life.  Horses are experts at this.

Learning with horses is a unique learning experience in the natural environment with sentient beings whose very survival depends on their social intelligence; and there’s more…

• Horses and humans share a similar societal structure --- both have their herds, they can relate.
• Horses rely on their senses, humans do as well when not relying so much on verbal communication.
• Horses are curious, intuitive and responsive to humans.
• Horses often mirror what they sense in humans – providing an opportunity for humans to self-examine.
• Horses respond to authenticity – it’s hard to fool a horse.
• Horses don’t judge, they just are – humans learn best when there is no judgment attached, it allows for powerful self-discovery.
• Horses, by virtue of their size and power, command respect, humans can’t help but pay attention.

Here’s a bonus. This experience, bringing horses and humans together, is successful because of its defining feature of self-discovery.

The focus for the Staff Senate experience with HorseSong Coaching will be teambuilding.  You can come away with something you can use in any team or group setting, at work or in your personal life.

There was two sessions on Thursday, May 21, 2015.  One from 9 AM - noon and one for 1 - 4 PM.  Transportation to the Equine Center was provided.

Discover U Fall Event

Becoming a better NDSU community means that, as individuals, we must first become the best possible versions of ourselves. Join us on Wednesday, November 13th, 2013 from 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM for a half-day professional development session hosted by NDSU Staff Senate. Our presenter, Rollie Johnson, is a local expert in overcoming adversity and understands that a positive attitude is self-empowering.

This interactive workshop is intended to provoke deeper thought on what it takes to become a better person. Please come prepared to participate.

Wednesday, November 13th, 2013
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM which includes a lunch
Memorial Union, Plains Ballroom

Cost: $20.00 per attendee

See the flyer for schedule and registration information.

Managing & Balancing Your Finances and Stress Management

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
7:15 AM - 1 PM
Memorial Union, Great Room

See the flyer for schedule and registration information.

The HoopWoman's Guide to Living Freely & Fully

Wednesday, November 14, 2012
7:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Memorial Union, Plains Room

Click here to view pictures from the event.

The HoopWoman's introduction video.

Theresa Rose Biography

Theresa Rose is a national motivational humorist and award-winning author whose mission is to educate, entertain, and inspire people to become aware of their unlimited power. As a member of the prestigious National Speakers Association, Theresa delivers outstanding programs on personal empowerment, stress management and overcoming adversity for organizations across the country. She was one of the top five finalists in the “So You Think You Can Speak?” competition at the National Speakers Association’s 2012 Annual Convention. She has been interviewed by NBC, Glamour, CNN.com, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and Fitness, and her articles have been published in dozens of publications including Personal Excellence, Health News Digest, Smart People, and many more. Her first book, Opening the Kimono: A Woman’s Intimate Journey Through Life’s Biggest Challenges, won the Royal Palm Literary Award from Florida Writers Association and the Living Now Book Award from Independent Publisher. For more information on Theresa’s work, please visit TheresaRose.com or HoopWoman.com.

The spring Discover U is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 15, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Plains Ballroom. All NDSU staff are invited and encouraged to attend this staff development workshop organized by NDSU’s Staff Senate.

This is the second of two Discover U events offered this year, each lasting half a day, in an effort to provide opportunities for more staff to participate without being away from their work for an entire day.

The Feb. 15 program, “Desire to Grow from Head to Soul,” will be presented by Chris Linnares, author of several books and newspaper articles on health and empowerment, including the award-winning book and social project, Beautiful Women of North Dakota. Chris will encourage body-mind-soul connection by combining positive emotions with movement to energize and empower one’s life. There will be minimal movement, so comfortable clothing is suggested.

Registration forms have also been sent to all staff. The deadline to register is Monday, Feb. 13. Staff can register via the hard copy registration form or online. The cost is $20, which includes coffee and tea in the morning and a lunch of pasta bar, salad and cookies.

The fall Discover U is scheduled for Wednesday, November 30, 2011 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Plains Ballroom. All NDSU staff are invited and encouraged to attend this staff development workshop organized by Staff Senate. 

This year, two half-day Discover U events will be offered, one in the fall and one in the spring, to provide a better opportunity for more staff to participate without being away from work for an entire day.

The November 30, 2011 program will feature five NDSU Community of Respect trainers. Adapted from a nationally recognized program at Texas A & M University, Community of Respect is a program designed to prepare people with greater cultural awareness and competence. The objective is to teach participants about cultural differences--both global and intra-American--and to encourage them to think critically about the impact of their cultural values in their relationships with others.

The Community of Respect curriculum that will be offered through Discover U on Nov. 30 consists of the three following modules that will keep participants actively engaged:

• learning about culture;
• identifying their own cultures and cultural values; and
• developing skills to recognize and manage situations in which cultural values are impacting our interactions with one another.
  
  

The form also is available on-line.

The cost is $15, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

The Community of Respect presenters have allowed the sharing of the PowerPoint slides presented at this event.  They are provided here in PDF version and the original PowerPoint version.

The NDSU Staff Senate Development Committee will present "Annual Salary Process Discussion" on Thursday, Aug. 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Memorial Union Century Theater as part of Staff Senate's Discover U mini-sessions. Bruce Bollinger, vice president for finance and administration, will have an open discussion regarding the annual salary process at NDSU. A brief overview of the role the North Dakota University System has in the process will be provided. A question and answer session will follow.

Preparing for the Potential Impact of the Spring Flood at Home and at Work

Thursday, March 17, 2011
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Century Theater
Memorial Union

Carol Cwiak, J.D., Ph.D.,
Emergency Management Department

Click here to see more details about the presentation.

Wednesday, February 9, 2010
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Great Plains Ballroom

R-E-L-A-X, Stress Isn’t a 4-Letter word.  Quick.  What’s the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word stress?  Like most things, stress is good and bad.  Stress can propel you to peak performance or it can drain your brain.  You can choose to react or choose to RELAX.  Laugh and learn as professional speaker, trainer and humorist, Robin Getman shares stories and ideas guaranteed to help you harness the best of stress and tame the rest.

Can U Hear Me Now?  Which do you prefer:  High-speed link? Or, real-time connection:  If you’re like most people, you’re linked, hooked, wired and longing for connection.  Turn off your phone and tune into laughter as we practice the art of outcome-focused communication and affirm the value of authentic connection.

Defusing Difficult People & Situations – Sometimes it’s the person that is difficult; sometimes it’s the situation.  Sometimes it’s both.  Increase your effectiveness by recognizing the difference and learn to respond with grace, confidence and ease.

To register, print the registration form and send it to Jan Lofberg, C&IE 201 by Wednesday, February 2, 2011.

Wednesday
January 12, 2011
8:30 - 9:15 a.m.

Century Theater
Memorial Union

Janet Brown, LRD, CDE
Licensed Registered Dietitian at Wallman Wellness Center

Janet will be discussing good nutrition, diets, weight-loss and personal wellness.

See the flyer for details.

Wednesday
November 17, 2010
10:00-10:45 a.m.

Century Theater
Memorial Union

Bruce Steele
Veterans Upward Bound Project Director

Bruce will be presenting on veteran student support initiatives on campuses and how it has changed from decade to decade.  The staff development session will provide an overview of veteran student support on North Dakota college campuses in terms of historical trends and current efforts.  Myths about veterans as students will be explored as an important aspect of current support efforts.

Click here to see the flyer.

Thursday, October 28, 2010
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Century Theater, Memorial Union
Carol Cwiak, J.D., Ph.D.
Emergency Management Department

View the flyer to see more information.

Wednesday
March 10, 2010
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Motor Pool Garage
Thorson Maintenance Center

Jeff Marcy
NDSU Automotive Mechanic

Learn the basics of automotive maintenance from Jeff Marcy, NDSU Automotive Mechanic.  Jeff will teach you how to save money by keeping your car in top shape. Learn how to check the fluids, tires, belts, and hoses in your car to prevent major repair bills.  Bring your car questions as Jeff will be taking questions from participants.  Click here to see the flyer.

Click here to view and print the schedule of the Discover U workshop and registration form to be held on February 17th, 2010.  

Hope to see you there!

Wednesday
January 20, 2010
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Century Theater
Memorial Union

Susan Ray-Degges
NDSU Department of Apparel, Design, Facility and Hospitality Management

View the flyer for more information.

Tuesday
December 8, 2009
9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Century Theater
Memorial Union

John E. Bye
Director
Institute for Regional Studies & University Archives

View for the flyer for more information.

Wednesday
November 18, 2009
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Century Theater
Memorial Union

Janet Brown, LRD, CDE
NDSU Licensed Registered Dietitian

View the flyer for more information.

Wednesday
October 14, 2009
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Century Theater
Memorial Union

Brittney Steckler, PHR
Benefits Coordinator
Office of Human Resources and Payroll

View the flyer and more information.

Tuesday
September 15, 2009
10:00-11:00 a.m.

Century Theater
Memorial Union

Brent Parmer, M.S.
Associate Director of Fitness Programs
NDSU Wallman Wellness Center

View the flyer and more information.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Century Theater – Memorial Union
Martin Shervey and Will Ferguson
NDSU Landscape Department

Successful home landscaping doesn’t just involve sticking plants into areas around your home and hoping it looks right. When designing and landscaping your own home, you need to invest time and creativity. You’ll feel great when you look out your window and you see the landscaped lawn which you designed yourself!

During this “mini” workshop Will and Martin will discuss site preparation, designing a plan, plant selection, edging, planting and mulching. Let’s get those lawns in shape -- please join us at the Union next Wednesday!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Guest speaker: Tom Champoux
Ballroom, Memorial Union

Tom Champoux, a nationally known motivational speaker and author, will be the highlight of this year's "Discover U 2009: Moving Forward Together!" scheduled for Wednesday, February 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Memorial Union ballroom. Cost for staff to attend is $20 and includes breakfast and lunch.

Champoux will offer two presentations that will uncover why you find "some" customers or co-workers so difficult to work with. He will lead you to discover why using your head, heart and backbone leads to a better work - life balance.

How to Make Work less Work or People Skills: A Strategy for Achieving Results or Four Easy Steps to Maximum Frustration

Why are "some" co-workers or customers so irritating to work with?  Or more importantly, why would anyone think of YOU as a difficult person? For example, isn't it frustrating when the person across the desk or on the phone can't seem to ever make a decision-or makes a snap decision only to change it a day later?

Champoux will show participants the four key dynamics that cause most of our workplace friction.  You'll discover why "different" does not have to mean "difficult."  Then you'll learn the magic of making slight adjustments in your awareness and behavior that will have a significant impact on your ability to CLICK with co-workers and customers.

Each person in the audience will roll with laughter as they identify themselves in the behavior styles, as well as those with whom they work.  While they are laughing, they are also learning that people are different, and that "intent" doesn't always equal "impact."

In short, you will realize how to make work...less work.

Head, Heart and Backbone: Making Decisions to balance your Life and Career

"...to handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.  Anger is only one letter short of danger..."
--Eleanor Roosevelt

We all want to do the right things.  Sometimes, however, things get in the way:  time pressures, deadlines, over commitment, conflicting obligations, periodic emergencies, ego demands and guilt trips.  All these and more combine to undercut our ability to balance the demands of career and life beyond work.

Join Champoux as he offers an approach for work life balance; how to balance your "head" to make rational decisions, your "heart" - to embrace emotions to discern what means the most to you, and your "backbone" to be strong when pressures pull you to either head or heart only decisions.

Champoux is President of The Effectiveness Institute and author of People Skills: A Strategy for Achieving Results, Quality Customer Service, and Supervising to Achieve Results. Find out more information about Tom Champoux by visiting his website at www.effectivenessinstitute.com/bio-tomchompoux.php.

Discover U is an annual staff development focused workshop organized by Staff Senate at North Dakota State University. An official Discover U registration form and schedule will be mailed to all NDSU staff.

For more information regarding Discover U: Moving Forward Together! contact Pam Hommen at pamela.hommen@ndsu.edu, 1-7014 or Connie Jadrny at connie.jadrny@ndsu.edu, 1-9738. Registration deadline is February 13th.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

10:00 a.m.
Century Theater

Char Maas,
NDSU Information Technology Services

See flyer for details.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Bruce Sundeen,
Electronic Media Specialist,
NDSU Extension Ag. Communications

See flyer for details.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Brittnee Steckler,
Benefits Coordinator,
Office of Human Resources & Payroll

See flyer for details.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Lorna Olsen
Instructional Services Consultant and Blackboard Support
Information Technology Services

Blackboard - it's not just for classes anymore!

See the flyer for more information.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

10 - 11 AM Century Theater - Memorial Union

See flyer for details.

All-day seminar being held on February 6, 2008 in the Memorial Union Ballroom.

View Agenda and Registration form.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

2 - 3 PM at Century Theater, Memorial Union

See flyer for details.

Thursday, November 14, 2007

2-3 PM at Century Theater, Memorial Union

See flyer for details.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

10 - 11 AM at Century Theater, Memorial Union

See flyer for details.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

10 - 11 AM at Century Theater, Memorial Union

See flyer for details.