Give us a snapshot of your professional/academic background.

I went to college at MSU, where I majored in Chinese language and minored in Religious Studies! I also got to study abroad in Harbin, China in 2019, which was such an awesome experience, and I was the last year to get to go to China before the pandemic, which made it even more special in hindsight. My language skills are extremely rusty, but I鈥檇 love to go back someday. After college, I was a circulation clerk at the Okemos branch of the Capital Area District Library for a little over a year, and until recently, I鈥檝e been working as a Children鈥檚 Library Aide at the Wayne Public Library, where I worked the reference desks and was in charge of running most of our library events for kids.

Describe your role at 海角乱伦.

I just asked Rachel how I should describe my role here, and they said 鈥渟prawling鈥�, if that gives a good picture? A lot of my role will be in circulation and day-to-day library operations, with one of the bigger responsibilities being managing our ILL system- so if you ever need to request a digital or physical material from another library, I鈥檒l be the one getting you the goods. I鈥檒l also just be a third body in the library helping Rachel and Stephanie out with any and all projects that come up; so much of maintaining a functioning library happens behind the scenes, and it鈥檚 a lot for two people to juggle, even if they鈥檙e both super awesome at what they do (which they are), so I love that I get to take a little off of both our librarians鈥� plates and be part of this team of three.

What attracted you to working at 海角乱伦?

My library career so far has been totally in public libraries, and while I think the existence of public libraries is just about the best thing that has ever happened, and I鈥檝e absolutely loved having the privilege of being a part of them, I have been interested in the academic side of the library world for a while now. I was also impressed with 海角乱伦鈥檚 commitment to not backing down from DEI initiatives in this current timeline we are all living in. One of my concerns when thinking about transitioning to academic libraries was ending up at a place that would not stand firm on its values under external pressure. So, I was really happy to hear that 海角乱伦 has no intention of changing what it stands for. I鈥檓 glad that I get to work in this library in this school and help provide free access to diverse, intersectional, and up-to-date information for students who are the future of mental health care in our society.

What are you looking forward to most in this position?

I started at the beginning of August, and it has been nice to have this quiet month to settle in, but honestly, I鈥檓 super excited to meet all the students and get to know them! I would love to bring small interactive stuff into the library (weekly question poll? coloring sheets for when you need a brain-break from studying? do I foresee a dedicated community puzzle table in our near future?). Libraries really belong to the people who use them, and I believe that the other half of the 鈥渇ree access to information鈥� coin is free access to communal space, so I鈥檇 love to hear from students what kinds of things they would like to see in their library.

What is one thing that people might be surprised to know about you?

I鈥檓 a very musical person, and I especially love singing and playing the piano, but one musical instrument I play that is maybe a little less common is the harp! There was a time in college when I was constantly getting harp videos recommended to me online, and I totally fell in love with them, but was kind of content with just appreciating them from afar and distantly wishing that was me. Then one day, I was walking out of choir practice, and who did I run into but MSU鈥檚 harp professor, standing right there, taking a break from wheeling around her gigantic 6-foot-tall harp? So, I took it as a sign from the universe and took harp lessons in my final year of college. Now I have my own harp (though less gigantic), and it鈥檚 my baby, and I adore it. My favorite things to play are songs from video games I love.

The post Staff Spotlight: Georgia Seely appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

The post Staff Spotlight: Tami Jacobs, MEd appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

Give us a snapshot of your professional/academic background.

I attended the University of TN – Knoxville (UTK) for several years and ended up with 2 BAs (English – Literature Concentration and Anthropology – Cultural and Physical Anthropology Concentrations) and my MS in Information Science (MSIS). While I got my MS, I worked at the Preston Medical Library (PML) and Health Information Center(HIC) (located inside the UT Medical Center) as a Library Assistant. The PML served the University of TN School of Medicine鈥檚 faculty, staff, and students and the HIC served the general public. It was a very unique library and working there is what ultimately led me to pursuing a MSIS. After I graduated, I became the Cataloging and Metadata Librarian at Idaho State University. I worked there for four years and, though my title did not change, my responsibilities grew across those years to include heading the Cataloging and Government Documents departments. I鈥檓 very excited to continue my professional career here at 海角乱伦!

Describe your role at 海角乱伦.

I鈥檝e been hired as the Resource Management Librarian. I will be doing the core library work of supporting students, assisting with research, holding down the reference desk, checking materials in and out, etc. I will also be managing the collection. This looks like a million things that are, usually, boring and confusing for people outside of Librarianship, so I describe my main functions as removing barriers and enhancing access. If I鈥檓 doing my job correctly, you won鈥檛 know about it.

What attracted you to working at 海角乱伦?

The anti-racism resource banner and mission statement were a big part of why I submitted my application. After my initial interview, I already felt like I fit as a part of this team. Once I arrived here, my feelings only increased. As an agender individual, it felt like I wouldn鈥檛 ever get to be close to my authentic self, especially in my place of work; it was very clear from my first interactions at 海角乱伦 that I would be safe to try, which means a whole lot to me.

What are you looking forward to most in this position?

Honestly, every bit of it. I love that we are a 鈥渕any-hat鈥� institution. Every day and task is different and I have an opportunity to be involved in things beyond Librarianship, while also having my core focus be the things I love most about librarianship: removing barriers and enhancing access.

What is one thing that people might be surprised to know about you?

My top artists on Spotify usually include Shakira and Dua Lipa 鈥� I鈥檓 in both of their top 0.5% of listeners鈥a!

The post Staff Spotlight: Rachel Melton appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

Give us a snapshot of your professional/academic background.

I graduated from Millikin University in Decatur, IL with a Human Services degree. After graduation, I worked as a Development Specialist with local nonprofit organizations, focusing on fundraising and volunteer retention. From there I began my work as an Executive Assistant, and have worked with both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Most recently I worked for a real estate investment firm that focused on purchasing and improving distressed multifamily housing.

Describe your role at 海角乱伦.

As Executive Assistant, I will be primarily assisting the President, Vice President of Services and Operations, and Board of Trustees.

What attracted you to working at 海角乱伦?

海角乱伦 feels like a great combination of people with different educations, experiences, and backgrounds all coming together to work toward a very clear goal. My new role feels like such a great combination of my own professional and academic experience as well!

What are you looking forward to most in this position?

Because this is a new position at 海角乱伦, I am most excited to see how it develops! I look forward to assisting the staff, faculty, and students in any way that I can.

What is one thing that people might be surprised to know about you?

People might be surprised to know that I am new to the state of Michigan. I just moved here in August and am loving it so far!

The post Staff Spotlight: Megan Mraz appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

The post Clinic Spotlight: Lama Hodroj MA, TLLP, BCBA, LBA appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

Give us a snapshot of your professional/academic background.

I graduated from 海角乱伦鈥檚 MA program in July 2019. Since graduating, I have worked as an Intake Therapist at Hegira Health and a Psychometrician at the Leona Group. At Hegira Health, I completed mental health and substance abuse assessments, crisis screenings, and counseling sessions. At the Leona Group, I was assigned to the Detroit Public School system where I administered intelligence and achievement tests to assess for cognitive impairment and/or learning disability. I also plan to sit for the EPPP soon.

Describe your role at 海角乱伦.

I will report to Dr. Shepler and will work closely with him and Carol Hanson. I will provide assistance to Dr. Shepler in managing a variety of tasks including securing and reviewing sites, conducting routine site visits, facilitating practicum fairs and communication sessions, providing technical support and reporting associated with tracking hours, evaluations, and surveys, and a variety of other tasks.

What attracted you to working at 海角乱伦?

I loved being a student at 海角乱伦 all those years ago so when the job was posted, I knew I had to have it. 海角乱伦 has such a comfortable and open atmosphere which is something that I was really looking for in my next career.聽

What are you looking forward to most in this position?

I am most looking forward to getting to know the students and faculty at 海角乱伦. I am also very excited about seeing how things have changed and how 海角乱伦 has continued to grow over time.聽

What is one thing that people might be surprised to know about you?

I think people are usually surprised that I have a twin brother鈥nd a younger set of twin sisters.聽

The post Staff Spotlight: Reem Fakherddine appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

Give us a snapshot of your professional/academic background.

I recently graduated with a MA in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education & Student Affairs from Western Michigan University (WMU). While completing my degree, I worked as a graduate assistant for the Office of Admissions and focused my work heavily on leadership development among students. I also received my undergraduate degree from WMU and held positions as a tour guide, office manager of a Student Ambassador Program, and an orientation leader in the Office of Student Transitions. I realized through these positions that my true passion lies in working with students and watching them grow and thrive. I hope to combine my passion for health and wellness with student affairs, and I cannot wait to work with prospective and current 海角乱伦 students!

Describe your role at 海角乱伦.

I鈥檒l be serving as the Coordinator for Admissions and Student Engagement at 海角乱伦. In my role, I am responsible for all aspects of the admissions process including coordinating recruitment efforts, processing applications, facilitating prospective student interviews, and more. I am also responsible for all aspects of student engagement, such as planning and implementing programming for students. I hope to act as a support system for students and bring meaningful and fun programming to 海角乱伦!

What attracted you to working at 海角乱伦?

I was attracted to 海角乱伦 for so many reasons! I loved the idea of working for a small institution where I have the ability to make real connections with students, faculty, and staff and play a large role in advocating for the school. I am extremely passionate about access to mental health care and truly believe in the purpose, mission, and vision of 海角乱伦. I was immediately drawn to the inclusive and humanistic lens that 海角乱伦 operates in and wanted to work for a school that holds similar values to my own.

Outside of what 海角乱伦 has to offer, I have a background working in admissions at WMU and benefited greatly from student programming that was offered while I was in school, and I was super excited for an opportunity to combine my admissions knowledge with my passion for student engagement and success. Every single person I have encountered at 海角乱伦 has been extremely kind, and welcoming and I am excited to begin my career in this environment.聽

What are you looking forward to most in this position?

I鈥檓 really looking forward to being able to watch each students鈥� journey from start to finish! I鈥檒l be working closely with students from the moment they express interest in 海角乱伦 to the time they graduate, and I鈥檓 excited to get to know students personally and watch their growth throughout their time here.聽

What is one thing that people might be surprised to know about you?

I love adventure and doing things I鈥檝e never done before. I was on the skydive team at WMU during undergrad and have completed multiple jumps by myself. I was working toward gaining my A-license in skydiving for awhile and I hope to pick it back up someday! I also love anything outdoors including hiking, swimming, and just exploring nature. I鈥檓 really passionate about sustainability and am constantly trying to find new things I can do to better support my environment.聽

The post Staff Spotlight: Kinsey Tekiele appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

Give us a snapshot of your professional/academic background.

Pertinent to this role, I studied psychology at Western Michigan University, and have worked as a clinical team lead in a healthcare setting.

Describe your role at 海角乱伦.

I assist Clinic Director, Dr. Maher, with the daily operations of the 海角乱伦 clinic.

What attracted you to working at 海角乱伦?

The people who work here! From my very first interaction, I felt welcome. Everyone is so kind,聽friendly, and approachable. It feels like a family.

What are you looking forward to most in this position?

I’m excited to assist the clinic staff, continue to grow the clinic, and help things run even聽more smoothly.

What is one thing that people might be surprised to know about you?

I’m obsessed with my Peloton, and ride almost every day.

The post Staff Spotlight: Holly Tocco appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

Give us a snapshot of your professional/academic background.

I studied at University of Michigan-Dearborn and got my Bachelor of Science in biochemistry. After working in the lab for a bit, I decided the work wasn鈥檛 for me, so I shifted into working with computers instead, which is something I鈥檝e enjoyed tinkering with since I was a kid.

Describe your role at 海角乱伦.

As the Technical Support Specialist, my job is to support the students, faculty, and staff with any technical issues they might experience, building and upgrading computer systems, and helping to make sure that the school鈥檚 technology is maintained and working properly.

What attracted you to working at 海角乱伦?

The size of the school seemed like a perfect fit, where I would be able to get to know the people that I would be helping and feel a stronger sense that I was making a difference. I鈥檓 also happy to be supporting the students, faculty, and staff that are focused on improving mental health.

What are you looking forward to most in this position?

Every day I鈥檓 learning something new: working with a system or program for the first time, or having to troubleshoot an issue that I hadn鈥檛 seen before. It keeps me on my toes and I鈥檓 having a great time helping people out and expanding my technical skill set.

What is one thing that people might be surprised to know about you?

I was able to transfer some of the skills that I learned from working in the lab into the kitchen and have become a pretty decent cook.

The post Staff Spotlight – Jonathan Hackett appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).

Give us a snapshot of your professional/academic background.

I graduated from North Carolina State University in May of 2021 with a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in public relations and a B.A. in Psychology. During this time, I spent two years working as the Public Relations Intern for a local Girl Scout council. I spent most of my time in this position managing the council鈥檚 social media, drafting and pitching press releases to news outlets across 41 counties in North Carolina, and assisting in the review of council publications from outside the marketing and communications department to ensure national brand standards were being met. Being in this position at 海角乱伦 is my first full-time role.聽聽

Describe your role at 海角乱伦.

I鈥檝e joined 海角乱伦 as the Communications Coordinator, so I鈥檒l be managing a lot of the communication efforts for both internal and external audiences. I鈥檒l be working to increase awareness, engagement, enrollment, and fundraising. Basically, I manage social media, the blog, and website and then do other communications tasks as needed for various projects. I also get to help with programming events.聽

What attracted you to working at 海角乱伦?

I鈥檇 worked as a College of Humanities and Social Sciences ambassador in college and really enjoyed getting to tell prospective students about programs that meant so much to me. I briefly considered the idea of pursuing a career in college recruitment or new student programming. However, I鈥檓 really passionate about the fact that there鈥檚 power in how we discuss mental health, especially in regard to treatment, so I decided I wanted to work in a communication position within the mental health space.

I鈥檝e moved a few times in my life and knew that I didn鈥檛 particularly want to stay in North Carolina which led to me looking for opportunities in Michigan. When I came across the posting for the position here at 海角乱伦 it seemed like a perfect blend of my interests. Obviously, it鈥檚 a communication position within the world of psychology but it also brought together my interests in higher education and treatment through the clinic.聽

What are you looking forward to most in this position?

I鈥檓 really looking forward to working on the blog. I鈥檝e always enjoyed writing and I think it鈥檚 a great space to share thoughts and research on a variety of topics that are relevant to our community. I鈥檓 especially excited to learn more about which areas of psychology 海角乱伦 students are particularly interested in to construct posts they鈥檙e excited to read.聽

What is one thing that people might be surprised to know about you?

I was a competitive swimmer for 14 years but I鈥檓 allergic to chlorine!聽

The post Staff Spotlight: Dana Erickson appeared first on The 海角乱伦 (海角乱伦).