Good afternoon,

I am excited to announce that we are planning another on-campus Professional Development Retreat for faculty and staff as part of our Rise initiative. This retreat will take place on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, and will focus on Workplace Communication. Registration opens today and closes on Jan. 15, 2025.

Mirrored morning and afternoon sessions are available with a box lunch between to accommodate all schedules. The retreat will feature workshop sessions led by UIS and community experts and an engaging keynote presentation, “Essential Focus,” by Dr. Ashley Lang, who has nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, leadership, retail and marketing. She will share her perspectives on essentialism and how to zero in on the contributions that really matter. 

The retreat is supported by a generous sponsorship from O'Shea Builders and the Chancellor’s Fund for Innovation and Opportunity. We are inviting O’Shea employees to join us, so please say, “Hello!” if you see new faces at the retreat.

This is our third on-campus Rise retreat for civil service, academic professional and faculty employees. If you have not yet participated in these valuable professional development opportunities, now is the time! Connect with people from around campus, stretch your skillset and maybe learn a new perspective.

Let’s lift up our community—together.  

Janet

Janet L. Gooch, PhD 
Chancellor 
University of Illinois Springfield

P.S. Visit the Rise website for more info about breakout sessions and the event.