Professional Development Day, April 29

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 10:47:13 -0400

Dear Member of the UMBC Community,

UMBC is a special community filled with committed, caring people engaged in work with an international impact. Our shared values of inclusive excellence, collaboration, innovation, and impact inform not only what we do but why we do it. Our values can also help shape our day-to-day behaviors – who we are and who we choose to be – and this choice matters for all of us. Building and strengthening culture requires everyone to play a part.

Please join us for this year's Professional Development Day, which centers around the importance of culture and community, and the collective ways we can strengthen our foundation to address existing challenges and intentionally shape our future. We are delighted to be joined by internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and leadership consultant Dr. Margaret ‘Meg’ Wheatley. The event will be held on Monday, April 29, 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., in the Proscenium Theatre, Performing Arts and Humanities Building.

Wheatley is the bestselling author of nine books, from the classic Leadership and the New Science (which has received multiple awards in Industry Magazine, CIO Magazine, and was hailed by Xerox Corporation as one of the “Top Ten Business Books of All Time”) to her newest book, Who Do We Choose To Be? Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity. At UMBC, she will discuss ways to positively shape our culture; persevere together in times of significant change; and more meaningfully connect with and support each other as community members.

The presentation will be part keynote and part facilitated conversation, with questions for us to reflect upon as a community and discuss. This event will kick off additional campus conversations and events related to the topic.

Registration is required and the deadline is Monday, April 22. Participants who attend will receive a complimentary copy of one of Wheatley’s books and will have the opportunity to have it personally signed following the program. Register and learn more about the event here. Release time will be granted for employees to take part in this event, and everyone is encouraged to attend.

Many thanks for all that you do and all that you bring to UMBC.

Valerie A. Thomas, Chief Human Resources Officer