The Women’s Affinity Group would like to introduce Empower Hour, a weekly virtual series throughout the month of May to bring together women faculty and staff at UConn. As many of us are experiencing drastic changes to both our work and personal lives amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the goal of the Empower Hour series is to provide a space for us to be in community with one another and exchange inspiration and advice.
Each Friday at lunch time (12pm-1pm), the Women’s Affinity Group will host an open WebEx meeting around a specific topic based on the results of the survey distributed by the Women’s Affinity Group earlier this month (thanks to those of you who contributed!). Anyone is welcome to join and participate in the conversation, share practices that have been working for them, ask for advice from other participants, or just listen for some inspiration. Check out the schedule and some possible discussion topics below:
May 1
Working From Home with Children/Family
(in partnership with Moms4Moms)
- Balancing remote work and childcare/family care
- At-home activities for children of different ages
- Homeschooling (or not)
- Explaining COVID-19 and social distancing to children of different ages
Meeting link: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=ma7fd7e63f0c89364e12ab6a8afe3e57b
Password: EmpowerHour
Join by phone: 1-415-655-0002
Access code: 612 877 532
May 8
Staying Connected while Setting Boundaries
- Ways to stay connected with co-workers while being physically distant
- Setting boundaries when you’re working and living in the same space
- Extrovert-oriented and introvert-oriented virtual connection opportunities
Meeting link: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=maa7ec40a20959e7cff8269a7577c1cc7
Password: EmpowerHour
Join by phone: 1-415-655-0002
Access code: 612 143 580
May 15
Healthy Eating
- Overall healthy eating tips
- Recipe sharing
Meeting link: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=m2c816a3fb875088d3361559059adb39c
Password: zdPsnA33jA4
Join by phone: 1-415-655-0002
Access code: 619 404 255
May 22
Coping with Stress and Anxiety
- Stress and anxiety management strategies
- Exercise and other at-home physical activity ideas
- At-home hobbies
- Handling grey areas related to working from home
Meeting link: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=mc958c88a380084d8cbdc8ceff4ebb4b1
Password: T8UpTKJmp67
Join by phone: 1-415-655-0002
Access code: 617 705 823
May 29
Implications of COVID-19 and Social Distancing on our Work
- Remote work support resources
- Supporting students remotely
- When and how work will resume on-campus
- Pros and cons of the virtual workspace that may follow us back to campus
Meeting Link: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=m9fa353c0dfa2002c63190097bf0c3d60
Password: EmpowerHour
Join by phone: 1-415-655-0002
Access Code: 618 743 462
If anyone would like to submit a specific discussion question for any of these meetings ahead of time, please email womensaffinitygroup@uconn.edu, and we will pass it on to the appropriate facilitator.
We hope to see you soon!
The Women’s Affinity Group Planning Committee
Amanda Cannada, Africana Studies
Brandy Ciraldo, ITS
Lisa Famularo, Center for Career Development
Nikki Garcia, Student Activities
Kathleen Holgerson, Women’s Center
Charlotte Nelson, Psychological Sciences
Kathy Pais, Biology Advising Center
Ashley Sandy, Natural Resources & the Environment
Rebecca Walker, Economics
The Women’s Affinity Group at the University of Connecticut seeks to strengthen and empower the network of all women faculty, staff, and graduate assistants in our community across various identities through professional development workshops and social networking events. We aim to highlight and provide a space to process the various ways that gender matters in the personal and professional lives of women.