Lindsey

As the new year gets into full swing, many companies are planning top priorities for their employees and organization. With multiple projects, short deadlines, and budgets in mind, training is often left as a last priority or is sometimes forgotten.

With the help of Towson University’s Center for Professional Studies (CPS), the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is ensuring that training remains a priority during 2012.

But how do we make the time? By offering several methods of training, including:

1. In-Service Sessions: Specific dates set out in advance to ensure that training takes place. Similar to a staff meeting or priority project, advanced notification helps ensure that employees will be available to attend.
2. Departmental Retreats: An opportunity for most or all of a specific Department to come together in one room to receive customized training, address questions and concerns, and discuss strategic plans for the upcoming year.
3. Customized Sessions: Requested by and designed for a specific Department on their topic of choice, and scheduled to meet the availability of their staff.
4. Open Enrollment: Offered during various dates and times throughout the calendar year to ensure maximum participation.

These are just a few of the ways we are making training a priority in 2012, and we encourage you to try what works best for your employees and organization. The key to success is making sure you set the date(s) and time(s) for training in advance and follow up to ensure effective employee participation.

Lindsey

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of Mentor is as follows:

1. a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.

2. an influential senior sponsor or supporter.

While the definition is certainly a start, the positive impacts of a mentoring program on both employees and an organization are nearly impossible to measure. As a part of my position with the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), I get to hear and see some of those positive effects first hand as I have the pleasure of working with Towson University’s Center for Professional Studies (CPS) to develop and coordinate the first Pilot offering of MTA’s Bus Operator Mentoring Program.

The Bus Operator Mentoring Program aims to foster a strong internal support system to help with daily questions and concerns on the job. The first group of 16 mentors completed formal training on October 27, 2011, and is now working in each respective Bus Division to assist fellow Operators as needed. Following formal training, Mentors receive continued one-on-one coaching from Towson University Instructors and will also attend several “Best Practice Sessions” to discuss strategies, answer questions, and address concerns. Along with continued coaching Mentors will receive strong support and recognition from upper management within Bus Transportation to ensure the program’s success.

Issues and questions that Bus Operator Mentors will be able to assist with may include:

• How to deal with difficult  customers
• Where to get information about training opportunities available
• How to best talk to management about a problem
• Career advancement options
• Referrals to MTA internal  programs (i.e. Employee Assistance Program)

“Bus Operators have a very challenging position and are also asked to maintain a positive, professional attitude as they represent the MTA,” states Robert Potts, Director of Bus Transportation. “The Bus Operator Mentoring Program will provide MTA Bus Operators with the support they need and will also open up the doors to positive communication for all levels of our organization.”

Mentors for the program were selected based on strong job performance and outgoing, empathetic personality. To be considered, they must have a minimum of 5 years of experience as a Bus Operator for the MTA.  Now that they are on the field there is no question that they will be able to continually serve as a positive role model for not only their peers but also employees across the organization.

For more information on MTA’s Bus Operator Mentoring Program, contact Lindsey Meyer at Lmeyer@mta.maryland.gov.

Lindsey

Hello again, TU Outreach readers! After a brief hiatus, I am very happy to return to the blog, and will gladly explain where I’ve been for the past three months.

When you think of the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), you most likely think of the bus, metro, light rail, or subway that you see providing transportation across the state of Maryland. However, you may not realize that there is a lot happening behind the scenes to make sure that Maryland’s transportation is safe, friendly, and reliable.

In March 2011, I was hired as the Management & Leadership Training Specialist within the Corporate Training Division of the Office of Training and Development for the MTA. I know you’re probably thinking,…“Wow, that’s a long title, and I have no idea what it means!” There’s no need to worry because it’s actually quite simple once you break it down.

As a Training Specialist, I operate as an Internal Consultant for the MTA, meeting with managers and leaders across the Agency to address any training needs or desires for their staff. For multiple departments, this means the creation and implementation of in-service training programs to give staff guaranteed learning opportunities that cater to their unique needs.

Many times the trainers we utilize are in-house; however there are often occasions when we need to call upon outside experts. This is why the MTA has built strong partnerships with Towson University’s EEOL, Penn State York, Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), and the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). These partners have a unique understanding of the MTA and efficiently work with us to design effective training programs.

I’m excited to be bringing the perspective of one of Towson University and DECO’s partners and have the opportunity to showcase the projects we are working on and the results we are accomplishing together.

The MTA is passionate in providing excellent professional development and learning opportunities for their employees. One big project that I’m involved with is MTA University, designed with several program components to enhance management, leadership, and mentoring skills. Throughout the year, I also coordinate several open enrollment courses on MTA policy and leadership topics. When requested, I assist in planning and implementing day long retreats to give MTA employees the opportunity to come together and accomplish specific goals within their department.

Overall, my daily tasks often change as the Office of Training and Development is consistently working toward providing the most efficient and effective training possible for departments across the MTA.  I am thrilled to be a member of a great team and to also have the chance of continually learning and growing. My personal tagline is: “Without the MTA, you wouldn’t have the Train in Training.”

Lindsey

Statistics show that someone in your family, or close to your family, has served or is currently serving in the U.S. Military. I was lucky enough to grow up with two grandfathers and two Uncles who were Veterans, providing me with stories that changed their lives during their time in service. But what about the Veterans who don’t get to tell their story? The Telling Project gives them their chance.

On May 6 & 7, Towson University will host “Telling: Baltimore, MD”, featuring Baltimore area veterans and family members on stage performing a play composed from their own stories of life and the military.

Baltimore is the most recent location for the series of innovative performances that have been appearing in cities across the US over the last three years.  To bring this initiative to  Towson University’s campus, Patrick Young, Director of the Towson University Veterans Center, has been working with Baltimore’s 6^th Branch and Veteran Artist Program, and the Texas-based Telling Project over the past six months to interview, script, train and rehearse.

“The Telling Project provides a unique opportunity for Baltimore area military veterans and their family members to speak, and their communities to listen,” states Young, “Once we saw the success of the program over the past three years, we knew Towson University would be an ideal host for such an impactful event, and we are proud to host it to honor the Veterans across the Baltimore region.”

Towson University’s Veterans Center is located on campus to offer resources and support to veterans in the region. Although the Center is working everyday to support these individuals, the need for support of the center persists. If you would like to learn more about opportunities to support your troops once they have returned home, contact Sarah Wainio, swainio@towson.edu or call 410-704-4249.

Lindsey

Over a year ago, I had the privilege of meeting Paul Brown, Multimedia Assistant for Towson University’s Cook Library. At the time, Paul told me that he had a great interest in helping the community and was looking for a meaningful outreach project.

Outside of his usual job description, Paul proudly serves as the chair of the Events and Outreach committee, a sub-committee of the Towson University Staff Council. Over the past few months, he and his committee have worked hard to put together a project to benefit a local, non-profit, charitable organization called the Assistance Center for Towson Churches (ACTC).

The mission of the ACTC is “To offer an ecumenical program providing help to poor and needy families in our community. ACTC developed as a result of a study conducted by the Towson Area Ministerial Association, exploring an effective and efficient way to meet the needs of people requesting help.”

To help the ACTC, Paul’s committee is partnering with Towson University’s Department of Theatre Arts who will be providing donation tables during their production of RENT, the award-winning Broadway musical, from April 22-May 7, 2011. On the Friday nights of 4/22, 4/29 and 5/6, TUSC will be collecting non-perishable food items, personal goods, and monetary donations to the ACTC.  The goal is to ‘Stock the Fridge’ in the ACTC to provide quality food for Towson’s neighbors in need.

According to Paul, “The ACTC gets it. They see the need in the Towson community and have found a way to effectively address that, making lives better in Towson. This is a perfect match for Towson University Staff Council, who is passionate about the Towson community and excited to give back any way we can.”

Paul, and the rest of TUSC,  hope to see you come out for RENT in April, as it’s a great way to help the community while enjoying a great performance!

Lindsey

9:30 a.m. on a Saturday. The sky is gray, it’s a bit cloudy, and Towson University’s campus is filled with over 100 children, parents, and grandparents eagerly walking toward Smith Hall. Saturday Morning Science is about to begin.

Out front of Smith Hall Theatre is a delicious assortment of donuts, coffee, and juice to make anyone a morning person. Behind the tables are students from Towson University’s MB3 Club, who volunteer each week to set up and interact with community members. On the opposite side of the room are free books provided for kids of all ages.

Inside, before the show begins, I had the chance to meet a few community members who came to the show. Kierston, an 8 year old, and her Mother, have attended three sessions of Saturday Morning Science so far. Kierston wants to be an engineer, and finds Saturday Morning Science to be fun and entertaining. Daniel, a 12 year old, has only missed two out of 40 Saturday Morning Science sessions. His mother and grandmother stated that he is so dedicated, that he volunteers each week. When asked what keeps them coming, the answer was easy: “Dr. Thomas himself.” Dr. Donald Thomas is Towson University’s ‘Resident Astronaut’ and Director of the Willard Hackerman Academy. All morning I watched him enthusiastically interact with members of the audience, and it was easy to see that he has developed a great rapport with a number of them.

Before the show, I was lucky enough to meet the man himself, Albert Einstein. I found Mr. Einstein to be very outgoing, and of course, extremely intelligent. He began the show with energy, fun, and lots of audience interaction, themes which carried on throughout his presentation. While he talked about complex topics such as Physics and the Theory of Relativity, he made everything easy to understand and a great experience to learn. My favorite thing about the show was his singing and dancing, making difficult topics engaging and easy to remember. He encouraged learning and imagination, and while talking about his life, stated “I was not successful because I had more knowledge than anyone else; I was successful because I imagined.”

Following the show, families were encouraged to stay for “Hands on Science” where they got to choose from a variety of fun activities, including waves and motion. It was a great start to a Saturday.

I highly recommend Saturday Morning Science to kids and families of all ages. No matter your age, you will come away with a smile on your face and a new appreciation for science. Make sure to arrive early to secure a good seat as the program is very popular, and enjoy great refreshments before the show!

Lindsey

I have to admit, I was never much of a reader. I’d always opt to see the movie instead of reading the book, or go shopping instead of studying for tests. Once I began my graduate program at Towson University, however, my perspective changed as I stepped into Albert S. Cook Library. The library quickly became my friend, family, and primary source of sanity as I completed my Master’s thesis.

As a staff member, I have been privileged enough to learn about and experience first-hand the great community outreach that Cook Library takes pride in on a regular basis. Last week, I attended the opening reception for “Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience”, a traveling exhibition which examines the challenges faced by African-American baseball players as they sought equal opportunities in baseball beginning in the post-Civil War era.

Walking into the exhibition, I was enthusiastically greeted by Joyce Garczynski, Communications and Development Librarian. Joyce’s smile was contagious, and she stated “Cook Library is very much about community, we want to be known as the information center for Towson University students. faculty/staff, and the community.” She also filled me in with some of the fun, community friendly activities and services that Cook Library plans throughout the year:

• Community Borrowing Program- Did you know that as a community member, you can borrow books from Cook Library for free, including ones from the children’s collection?
• Monthly jazz series- Every month, Cook Library brings a jazz ensemble to perform, based around a theme
• Book discussions- Each month Cook hosts a book discussion related to an on campus event. March’s book is “The Woman Behind the Curveball”, to coincide with a lecture by author Dr. Martha Ackmann
• Many more! Check out TU in the Community events and Towson University’s Arts & Culture events calendar to stay updated

On any given day in Cook Library, there are students, staff, faculty, and community members enjoying the wonderful resources that the library has to offer. There’s even a Starbucks inside of Cook Library, making it an ideal spot for that much needed 2pm coffee break!

Lindsey

Books. Lectures. Homework. Three words that may come to mind when you think about a typical school day. For Towson University students studying Occupational Therapy, words like “community” or “fun” may come to mind. During the fall 2010 semester, students experienced service-learning at its finest while enrolled in Dr. Marlene Riley’s OCTH 612: Occupational Therapy Health Promotion Initiatives in the Community class.  The course focuses on the theory and practice of occupational therapy health promotion initiatives in the community with a special emphasis on the cultural context of the community.

Two of Dr. Riley’s students, Kate Fortier and Katie Falzone, were kind enough to sit down with me to explain what they did as a part of this course:

It is evident from the video that Service-Learning classes are engaging and a win-win for the community, faculty, and students involved. To find out more about Service-Learning, contact TU’s Office of Civic Engagement.

Lindsey

According to Chinese Zodiac, 2011 is the year of the Rabbit. Many techies I know are thrilled that 2011 is the launch of Verizon carrying the iPhone. As a Towson University staff member, I am looking forward to some of the many exciting events coming up during the first quarter of 2011.  With a campus of over 20,000 students and 2,500 faculty and staff our events are as diverse as the members of our community!  Check out a few of the events coming your way in the next few months:

Ideal for Entrepreneurs:

TowsonGlobal’s Business Plan Competition: TowsonGlobal, Towson University’s Business Incubator, launches its first Business Plan Competition. The grand prize winner will receive a 90-day Resident membership valued at $5,000 (includes office space, mentoring advisory services and more), plus a CASH prize

Learning for a lifetime:

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Preview of Spring 2011 Classes:  The award winning Osher Institute offers adults age 50 and older opportunities for continued learning and activities for social and cultural enrichment. During the Spring Preview of Classes, Teachers will offer brief presentations of their courses

Stressed about taxes?:

1^st Annual Finance Fest: The Student Government Association is hosting a finance fest providing free tax preparation services and FAFSA assistance for all Towson University students, faculty, staff, parents and community members

Towson University is looking to partner with you:

Towson University’s Showcase: TU’s Division of Economic and Community Outreach (DECO) and College of Graduate Studies and Research are excited to invite you to our 4th annual Showcase. The showcase will feature over 15 exhibitors that are interested in partnering with you to provide solutions for your department, agency, or business. This year, we will also have relevant speakers to provide additional interesting content.

Of course, it is impossible to list out all of the exciting events Towson University is offering for the community, even if I limit myself to the first part of 2011. Therefore, I highly encourage you to check out the calendars:

• TU in the Community Events
• Arts & Culture Calendar

Lindsey

Snow.Ice.Cabin fever. Winter fights to keep us in our homes. Towson University’s Community Art Center (CAC) is braving the elements to cure you of cabin fever by offering fun and unique art classes during winter 2011.

According to the CAC website, “The Center encourages individual expression while teaching new skills, ideas and techniques. Small class sizes give individual attention while encouraging students to work on different ability and developmental levels. Courses range from drawing, painting and sculpture to computer graphics and animation. The CAC offers classes for children, teens and adults.”

Top: Young Artist Workshop Student Bottom:Ruth Pettus self-portrait

While writing this blog post, I had the pleasure of speaking to Bonnie Reynolds, Director of the Community Art Center, who filled me in with some of the exciting courses planned for this winter:

• For Young Kids (Ages 5-7): The Young Artist Workshop encourages creative thinking through a variety of mediums. Ms. Reynolds emphasized that this is one of the CAC’s most popular classes, so register early as spaces fill quickly

• For Teens (Ages 12-18): The Animation and Game Design courses allows students to express their creativity in a 21^st century way

• For Adults (Ages 17-Adult): The Adult Art Studio with Ruth Pettus gives students a fantastic opportunity to learn from an internationally renowned artist

Of course, the CAC offers even more art classes this winter and throughout the year including: Drawing and Design, Cartooning, Potter’s Wheel, and more. Check out the CAC website today for a complete listing.

Ms. Reynolds’ passion and genuine love of both the arts and people came through on the phone. According to her, “The arts open up wonderful ways to look at the world.” She hopes anyone interested will contact her for more information and to register for classes. Talking to Ms. Reynolds inspired me to get in touch with my artistic side this winter; of course the hard part will be deciding which class to take!