04
May
Graduation is on the horizon, so if you haven’t heard it enough: THANK YOU to all of our faculty and staff and leadership who made this possible, during such a harrowing, historic year. What we do matters, and our community will not forget it. I know we all have moving stories to tell about our journey since last March. I just wish we could gather to share those stories around a giant campfire … with coffee and cookies and stackable lemon lasagna. 🙂 Maybe someday. In the meantime, I offer a few inspiring nuggets, which fill my heart with joy: Acknowledging our grief I tend to reference movie scenes in my daily life, so I very much appreciate Josh Eyler’s explanation of the collective grieving process through the animated film, “Up.” This is an important message, especially as we feel pressure to snap back to “normal,” whatever that means. He talks about how students, faculty and staff will not forget the flexibility over the past year — and what that could mean as we create the future together. Eyler is author of “How Humans Learn” and serves as Director of Faculty Development and Director of the ThinkForward QEP at the… Continue Reading Why this mattersRead More
“The Great British Baking Show,” class of 2020 I never thought I would get this emotionally involved with a cooking show. Or, to be more precise, a *baking* show. It’s not that I haven’t watched them before. My 7-year-old is a HUGE fan of the Kids Baking Championship on the Food Network. In fact, Taylor Pusha, a Northside Middle School student, won the holiday version of this kids show in 2020, dazzling the celebrity judges with her flavorful gingerbread. And, of course, who could forget Virginia Western chef John Schopp, who competed in the Halloween Baking Championship in 2016? So I’m very familiar with the competitive food TV genre … which is why I became so enchanted by “The Great British Baking Show,” which my husband and I continue to binge on Netflix. We’ve watched about six seasons already, starting from the most recent (2020), and going backward. I love this show even though I don’t really love to bake. How is this possible? Because “The Great British Baking Show” isn’t really about baking. For me, it’s about creating a little learning community — an “island of sanity,” to borrow a term from author Margaret Wheatley, whom I have mentioned… Continue Reading What ‘The Great British Baking Show’ can teach us about teaching and learningRead More
I recently attended a child’s birthday party in a beautiful city park, and it involved a piñata. After joking with another parent about why we love this tradition — where kids beat their cartoon heroes with a stick until candy falls out — I focused my attention on Birthday Dad, who was managing the festivities. I noticed how he was able to get this group of 15ish kids — most around the age of 8 and all sugared-up with birthday cake — to follow some basic rules, the most important being: Stay behind this stick I’m holding until it’s your turn. This was a critical maneuver, as the kids mobbed the ground under the piñata any time candy went flying. He ensured every child got a swing, asking them to raise their hands each round. Birthday Dad was cheerful, crystal clear, and fair. Most importantly: There were no injuries, and everyone was able to get some treats. I congratulated both parents, as they had gracefully — almost effortlessly — controlled pure chaos without feeling autocratic. “Yes, he was once a camp counselor,” laughed Birthday Mom, as she made sure my daughter’s goodie bag was full. Image by Alexander Kliem from… Continue Reading Don’t be the piñata: 5 lessons learned as a workgroup facilitatorRead More
About Shelley
Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys  seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.
Recent Posts
- Have you heard? October 28, 2024
- The Game of Life – Innovation Edition! August 29, 2024
- Why Try An LOI? May 10, 2024
- Grant Nerds Unite! March 12, 2024
- The Power of Collaboration November 17, 2023