New and returning fellows spent the week of August 15th in PAF training, preparing themselves for professional, academic, and ambassadorial success in the 2016 – 2017 academic year. After a day getting settled into their placements, the PAFs went through two full days of training followed by a service project at A Wider Circle and an alumni career panel and happy hour at Tonic. Thanks to all participating PAF alumni and university staff members for their support!
PAF training included a panel discussion on leadership with the university’s senior administration, a luncheon with the current preceptors, and professional development sessions on project management, managing expectations, and goal setting. New sessions for training this year dealt with topics like financial literacy, ambassadorial service, and diversity, community, and mutual respect. In our final discussion on diversity, community, and mutual respect, facilitated by Mike Tapscott of the Multicultural Student Services Center, we were able to welcome the university’s new Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement, Caroline Laguerre-Brown into the PAFamily.
Many thanks and a special shout out must also be directed towards PAF alum Joe Bondi, CCAS BA ’01, GSPM MA ’03 who sat on our ambassadorial services panel in his role as Assistant Vice President for Development, Campus, and Community.
On Thursday, August, 18th the PAFs spent the morning volunteering at A Wider Circle in Silver Spring, Maryland where they worked to organize clothing and furniture donations to help create stability, dignity, and independence in the lives of those in need of such items in the community. Later that afternoon, the current PAFs were joined by five alums of the program to discuss how to translate PAF experiences into career success. Thanks again to Meredith (Waters) Barnes, SPH BS ‘13 MHSA ‘15; Alyscia Eisen, GWSB BBA ’08 MBA ‘10; Alan Elias, ESIA BA ‘00, GSPM MA ‘02; Brian Engel, ESIA BA ‘10 MA ‘12; and Ryan Evans, ESIA BA ‘08 MA ‘10.
We were also happy to see a number of other alums at Tonic for happy hour that evening. Overall, this year’s training was a great success and we hope that, with continued support from our alumni and PAFriends, we will have a tremendous academic year together.