Category: Post

My charge to you, and to myself, is to more frequently and intentionally initiate and reciprocate gratitude and kindness without delay.

Flowers. Thank you cards. Words of affirmation. Compliments. Uninterrupted time. Showing up for others. These are just some of the ways that we show gratitude and kindness to people who have either performed a service or good deed for us or to those who we simply value, appreciate, respect, admire, and love.

Sadly though, too often we find ourselves lacking the capacity, willingness, or awareness to initiate or reciprocate everyday, or special occasion, acts of kindness. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Frank A. Thomas, Director of the PhD Program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana, speak on the topic, “the tragedy of delayed kindness.” He reminded the audience that, “one flower in life is worth more floral wreaths in death” and that “please and thank you will take you further in life than money and degrees.” This message resonated with me, as there are times when I find myself too busy to initiate kindness to let someone know how much I appreciate them or to reciprocate kindness to show my gratitude for what someone has done for me. 

I can’t begin to count the number of times, this week alone, I’ve been on the receiving end of kindness and gratitude. I’ve received: compliments on my new Mason gear that I recently purchased at the University bookstore during the Flash Sale; a kind and very thoughtful email from my supervisor letting me know how much she appreciates me and values my leadership and perspectives; a thank you note and gift card from a colleague to express her gratitude for how I always support her and answer her questions no matter how trivial or complex; and a student walking up to me in the Johnson Center to tell me that he was officially enrolled for the semester and eligible to receive his VA benefits as a result of my colleagues and I taking the time to meet with him when he showed up to the office unannounced and in a panic and working expeditiously, on his behalf, to resolve his challenges. Indeed, I’m humbled and energized by the varied acts of kindness that have been directed towards me this week. My spirit is lifted, and my kindness cup “runneth over.” 

Truly, it’s great to be on the receiving end of kindness; but, of course, it works both ways. As such, my charge to you, and to myself, is to more frequently and intentionally initiate and reciprocate gratitude and kindness without delay.

Therefore, in this blog space, I want to publicly recognize the staff from across the College and the student volunteers who helped make our CEHD Welcome2Mason Block Party this week a huge success! Also, special gratitude to my staff, the CEHD Student Success Team, for successfully planning and flawlessly executing two signature events this week, the Block Party and the PhD and faculty mixer! Lastly, thank you to my new graduate assistant who has been going above and beyond to acclimate herself to our office and the CEHD culture and displaying ultimate team player spirit, as she has willingly dived in to help the office staff in whatever capacity needed. 

Now it’s your turn. Let someone know today how grateful you are for what they’ve done for you; how they’ve made you feel; or how you appreciate what they are doing in the lives of others. Give them their “flowers” now while they can still see, smell, and/or touch them. 

Here are a few suggestions to help get you started:

• Send a kind note to that professor who gave you an IN grade to allow you more time to complete assignments when they weren’t obligated.
• Offer an appropriate compliment to that classmate who always shows up for class looking fly! It takes time to consistently look fly!
• Bring a coworker a small token of appreciation for covering your shift or volunteering to help lighten your workload.
• Call (not text!) your parents or an old friend just to let them know that you’re thinking about them.
• Leave the server a 20% tip the next time you’re dining in at a restaurant to show appreciation for the quality of service that enhanced your experience. 

Don’t delay. (Re)Activate your spirit of kindness today, for as Dr. Thomas reminded me, and I share with you, “there’s a tragedy in delayed kindness.”

You’ve heard us say it over and over: an engaged student is a successful student.  It’s a fact that students who are connected to campus life both inside and outside the classroom are more likely to persist to graduation.  That alone is a big reason to get involved, but just in case improving your chances of reaching graduation day isn’t enough, let’s take a look at 5 more reasons that NOW is the time to join a Mason Registered Student Organization (RSO): 

1. Focus on Well-Being. We all need community!  Even the biggest introvert needs to get their head out of a textbook, take a break, and connect with others occasionally.  Student organizations are a great way to meet new people who share common interests.  With more than 350 RSOs at Mason, whether you’re into sports, chess, music, Greek life, and more, there is a community for you.  A little insider secret: Mason student organizations really want YOU!  More members = more fun, so don’t wait for an invitation to find your niche. Take a chance and join!

2. Enhance Your Professional Development. How’s the GMU Anime and Gaming Society going to help land me a job? It’s simple.  Being involved looks good on a resume.  It says you’re interesting and that you can connect with others.  All RSOs also offer leadership opportunities and a chance to network – both big resume bonuses.  Looking to enhance your career readiness even more?  Join a group related to your major or career goals.  Mason has dozens of clubs and honor societies related to academic interests. 

3. Expand Your Cultural and Social Horizons. Mason prides itself on nurturing diversity and inclusion, and perhaps nowhere is this better represented than in its range of student groups.  You may never again have the opportunity to experience the wealth of cultures, faiths, and political viewpoints in one place as you have at Mason.  Sharing a conversation, a dance, a meal, or even a protest march with a fellow Patriot from another walk of life can be a life-changing experience.

4. Connect to the World Outside of Mason. Many Mason student groups are branches of national and international organizations with a reach that can extend well beyond campus and your years as a student. Those bigger networks can be a life-long social support and a valuable career connection. In addition to having fun and sharing common interests, RSOs can be a great way to explore the northern Virginia region and a significant number are also engaged in giving back to the local community through tutoring, volunteering, food and clothing drives, and fundraising.

5. It’s Really Easy! If you were wondering where to begin finding the group(s) that are right for you, University Life has made it easy for you by sponsoring the Get Connected Fair on Wednesday, September 5, 2018 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm on Wilkins Plaza (outside of the Johnson Center).  Hundreds of student groups including Greek life, intramural sports, cultural, civic, and graduate organizations will have information tables and representatives to answer your questions. It’s a one-stop shop for getting involved, so no excuses! 

Don’t forget to look for the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the fair, too!  We will have a table there and you’ll also find tables for CEHD groups including Teachers of Tomorrow, Mason Kinesiology Club, Sport Management Society, and the new Human Development and Family Science Student Organization.  See you there!

More now than ever do I/we need a pause button to press to allow time for aimless gazing, reflection, guidance seeking from the spiritual realm, strategizing plans of execution, sense making, and feeling present.

Inhale…1, 2, 3…Exhale. Inhaling all that’s good in the world. Exhaling the nonsense, irrelevant, space invading, and toxic. Semester’s end is rapidly approaching, which means stress levels are starting to rise as we think about and face head-on all that we are currently enthralled in and bracing for the things to come. My gosh there’s more to come! When will it end? Inhale…1, 2, 3…Exhale. 

I often joke about needing to display a sign in my office that says “Pause.” More now than ever do I/we need a pause button to press to allow time for aimless gazing, reflection, guidance seeking from the spiritual realm, strategizing plans of execution, sense making, and feeling present. A daily exercise for me is to show up and be present in mind, body, and spirit. I don’t want these moments to pass me by and I not be able to notice things as simple as the beauty of the color purple. 

Weighted in trials and tribulations, challenges, the unknown, and circumstance has the power to drain us, consume our daily thoughts, and confuse our mind that “this is life,” “this is normal,” so get used to it. I refuse and you should too. I challenge you/me/us during these stressful times to make space for simple joys like taking a walk, listening to music, meditating, cooking, playing, carving out guilt-free time for family and friends, sleeping, being selfish with our time, and breathing. Inhale…1, 2, 3…Exhale. 

We are at our best when we are refreshed, refueled, and able to think clearly about our current situations and what’s awaiting us. This isn’t novel, but sometimes we need someone or something to remind us. Yes, you still need to write that paper, read those articles, study for that exam, work that shift, prepare for that presentation, attend that meeting, and care for loved ones. But, you can also plan to attend Mason Day, watch Cochella/Beychella YouTube videos on repeat, bake treats for the office staff, grab lunch with friends or colleagues in the JC, check-in with yourself by speaking to a mental health professional, and walk around Patriot Circle feeling the sun on your skin. Let’s not sacrifice everyday experiences of joy because of our stressors. Stress is inevitable, but it’s not all that this life has for us. I’m convinced of that. Breathe. Inhale…1, 2, 3…Exhale.

Class of 2018 SRHT Graduates….We want to hear from you!

Graduation is almost here and what better way to leave your mark than to share about your time as a Mason Patriot during your Degree Celebration! Tell us about your experiences at Mason and you’ll be heard during the procession at the 2018 Degree Celebration! Not sure what you’d want to say? Consider talking about:

• Memorable experiences in your classes
• Lessons you learned through activities or internships
• Give a shutout to someone who inspired/helped you
• Talk about your accomplishments or your next steps
• Thank your faculty

There are three recording sessions to choose from, and if you cannot meet on campus, you can always record a 20 second or less blurb and email it to [email protected]. 

Monday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 4

2300 Thompson Hall, Fairfax Campus

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Thursday, April 5

RHT Suite, Bull Run Hall, Sci-Tech Campus

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Lastly, don’t be left out by not contributing because students who do a voiceover AND submit a speech to be the SRHT Degree Celebration student speaker, you will be put into a raffle for a George Mason Prize!

The resume is a living and breathing document that should always be updated and tailored to fit the designated opportunity for which you are applying. Whether you are trying to secure a practicum or internship experience, applying for a scholarship or assistantship, or are about to graduate and are looking for that next step in your career, you will want to feel confident that your resume will get you noticed.

Maybe you need some help preparing your resume and cover letters. I held a workshop last fall where I gave some tips around what to do and not to do to make your resume stand out. Below are a few highlights from my workshop that can help you tighten up your resumes!

1. Don’t put a picture on your resume.

Very simply put, with the exception of applying for a modeling or acting job, pictures on a resume are a no-no. Why? Implicit and explicit bias. While it’s illegal to discriminate against a job candidate because of their age, gender, religion, race, or ability, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t subconsciously happen. You do not want to enable any reason for someone to not consider you because of your appearance.

2. Do use powerful action verbs.

Why use verbs like helped, led, or worked when you can use verbs like assisted, coordinated, or maximized? Excellent communication is often a soft skill that is either explicitly or implicitly desired in most positions. A strong indicator of this will be the words you chose when describing your job functions. Career Services has a helpful Career Readiness Guide that includes a list of categorized action verbs that will best highlight why this company should hire you! See page 11 for the list.

3. Don’t use fluff adjectives or descriptors.

I always share with my students that your resume is supposed to show, and not tell. By this, nowhere on your resume should there be a line that says “strong multi-tasker,” “innovative thinker” or “works well with diverse populations.” Instead of explicitly telling that you have these traits, show the reviewer by making your bullets highlighting an example or function where those characteristics are displayed. Those strong action verbs come into play here. For example, instead of “innovative thinker” or “works well with diverse populations,” your bullet point could read like the following:

• Designed, facilitated, and assessed brand new lesson plans around reading and writing to better support the needs of the diverse student populations in the classroom.

 

4. Don’t use crazy fonts, templates, or colors.

You want your resume to standout and for the right reasons. Standing out for having impressive skills and experiences is more important and will land you that interview quicker than using crazy fonts, colors, and templates. As long as you make sure the right information is highlighted and is clear, the reviewer will find it much easier to digest the information. One way you can do that is by bolding or italicizing specific aspects of your resume, such as the company name or position title. Don’t go overboard with bolding or italicizing!

5. Do be consistent.

Your resume is a reflection of you and nothing reads “all over the place” more than a resume where dates are not aligned, random things are bolded and italicized, punctuation is erratic, or font types and sizes vary across the document. BE CONSISTENT! Make sure all your dates are aligned the same way, you bold the same aspects throughout, and your headings are all the same font. There is flexibility in how you want your resume to look, especially as it is a reflection of you, but whatever you decide you must maintain consistency.

6. Don’t include an objective statement.

This is often up for debate. Personally, the lines you take up on an objective statement could be used to highlight more functions of your professional experience. A cover letter, whether asked for or not, should be included when applying for jobs or internships, and its function serves the purpose of an objective statement.

7. Do edit and ask for feedback.

You want to make sure your resume places you in the best light, and one way to ensure that is to make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes. Review your resume and get feedback from others as they will be able to tell if the point you are trying to get across is what is actually being conveyed.

8. Don’t send your professional documents as word files, use PDFs.

Mac vs PC. Word Vs Pages. Everyone has different computers and systems that they use to open files. Word files do not always maintain formatting when opened on older software versions or through different computers. PDFs are essentially pictures of your documents. Sending your resume to employers as a PDF will ensure that formatting is not compromised and guarantee your document will be received and read in the way you intended.

I’ve offered a taste of the Dos & Don’ts for crafting your resume here. Want to learn about the others? George Mason University and the College of Education and Human Development have many resources available to help you polish your brand. Connect with Career Services, or schedule an appointment with me, the CEHD Student Engagement Coordinator, to review your resume and cover letter.  When scheduling, be sure to include your Mason email and your name in the name field. 

Best,

Brandon