We are back on campus!

Director’s Note

Hi friends,

Earlier this month, Yale officially welcomed staff back to campus after 18 months of remote work. Although our team at Yale Conferences & Events has been on campus on and off since the start of the pandemic, supporting COVID-19 relief efforts for the university, this is the first time we’ve seen each other in the office on a consistent basis since March 2020. Read our team’s thoughts on working together in the office again in the article below.

In another bit of good news, we are happy to announce that we’ve welcomed two new interns (Program Assistants) to our team! Due to the uncertain nature of the pandemic, YC&E’s long-running internship program was put on pause for a while, so it feels great to see things restarting again, little by little. Read more about our new Program Assistants below and see where two of our former Program Assistants are now.

The autumn weather here in Connecticut has been wonderful and the foliage, as always, has been breathtaking. The changing of the leaves is a good reminder that nothing can remain the same for long and that change can be inspiring!

Until next time,

Suzanne

Executive Director

55 Whitney Avenue, We Missed You!

Our department recently started venturing back to the office for a hybrid schedule and while there has definitely been an adjustment period, we are so happy to be back in each other’s (masked) presence again!

We all agree it takes some getting used to packing up your lunch bag, remember to bring your headphones and Yale ID, and remember to wear comfortable shoes to make the trek from our parking garages to our office. Yet, there is something exciting about getting ready in the morning, commuting to work, and seeing New Haven bursting with life again. It feels refreshing to walk around smelling the crisp, fall air seeing coffee shops with lines of people, and then walking into your office and being greeted by co-workers and friends. It makes the lunch-packing worth it.

Yale Conferences & Events has grown to be a very tight-knit group. We are lucky to work really well as a team and while we adjusted successfully to working remotely, we all agree that it got a bit lonely. There are the benefits of midday walks outside with your dog, and most of us have noted that productivity may have even increased because we didn’t have the option to have afternoon chats, but there is something about those organic and impromptu conversations after meetings that we all longed for.

In these past weeks, we were able to stay and chat in our conference room after meetings and we discussed how often, those discussions are as important as the actual meeting. They are a place to spontaneously bounce ideas off one another and get tidbits of info you may not have gotten otherwise. Along with this, we realized how much we all crave human connection. We missed hearing about each other’s weekends, catching up on shows we were watching, and helping each other with small work-related tasks. While we all try, it is almost impossible to replicate that kind of connection through a Zoom meeting.

This time has helped us see the benefits of both modes of working.

The productivity and distraction-free time at home coupled with the collaborative work and conversation in the office seems to be beneficial to most of us. We feel lucky to work at Yale and in a department that is learning the best ways to cultivate productivity and work-life balance. We are so grateful for a respectful community where we can all feel safe to work and to chat in between meetings. Hopefully, soon we will be able to see each other’s smiling faces under the masks but for now, we are just happy that New Haven and Yale have welcomed us back to 55 Whitney Avenue with open arms!

YC&E Interns: Past and Present

YC&E’s long-running internship program offers college students and recent graduates the chance to join our team and get real hands-on experience in the hospitality industry. These Program Assistants (PAs) help support a wide range of programs, conferences, events, and projects both virtually and in person. They also contribute to short and long-term planning, which includes coordinating all aspects of program management and logistical operations. PAs are an integral part of our team!

Read more about our new PAs, Brianna and Lucy, below, and see what two of our former PAs, Carley, and Rachel, are up to now.

Brianna Boteler
Southern Connecticut State University, Bachelor of Science in Communication, 2019

What about the Program Assistant position with YC&E interested you the most?: Being given the opportunity to work for a prestigious institution such as Yale University certainly caught my eye. Coupled with the fact that Yale Conferences & Events is a fast-paced, ever-changing environment - requiring creativity, high levels of organization, and an innovative and supportive team - I knew it was a role I wanted to pursue.

What is your ultimate career goal or next step after YC&E?: Ultimately, I will always look to be involved somewhere where I feel part of a bigger cause. The organization I work for, along with its’ mission, is very important to me. My goal is to take my degree in Communication to the highest level – possibly through further schooling, but certainly through experience.

Lucy Harvey

Yale College ‘24, B.A. in Political Science

What about the Program Assistant position with YC&E interested you the most?: I love helping people! I wanted to be part of an organization that brings people together, especially during these trying times.

What is your ultimate career goal or next step after YC&E?: The next step is to finish college.

Carley Sommers

Senior Administrative Assistant, YC&E

When were you a Program Assistant at YC&E?: February 2019 – January 2020

What’s your favorite memory with YC&E?: Being able to assist with the 50 Women at Yale 150 and the Kerry Initiative events are among some of my favorite memories. These high-level events taught me valuable communication and organization skills that I still apply to my job today!

How did the PA role at YC&E prepare you for your current role?: It allowed me to cultivate professional skills and event expertise while also making valuable relationships across the Yale and New Haven communities that I am still able to use in my current position.

Rachel Kinney

Senior Admissions Operations & Events Specialist, Yale SOM

When were you a Program Assistant at YC&E?: February to August of 2019

What’s your favorite memory with YC&E?: Getting to work with my fellow PAs and having lunch together almost every day; all the planning and executing for Yale Young Global Scholars; and enjoying the monthly team social events!

How did the PA role at YC&E prepare you for your current role?: YC&E helped me learn a lot about Yale in a short amount of time. I got to know the campus and buildings, and I worked with many departments. YC&E showed me how amazing the Yale community is. My time working as a PA helped guide my career path and choices!

West Campus: A Connecting Point at Yale

While only 7 miles west of downtown New Haven, Yale’s West Campus can seem like a world away to those of us in New Haven. Formerly a Bayer Pharmaceuticals facility, the 136 acres of land and research space was purchased by the university in 2007. West Campus is now home to the Yale School of Nursing and a plethora of other science and engineering initiatives at the university, including the Reactions Research Lab, Energy Sciences Center, and the Yale Center for Genome Analysis, just to name a few. This expansive location has provided the university with a “vital connecting point for Yale’s scientific

focus on the challenges of human sustainability.”
Being located outside of the main New Haven campus could feel a bit isolating, so West Campus also provides some great amenities to their employees, like walking trails and a gym, a café offering breakfast and lunch, a full-time child care center, a conference center, and even a farm!

Yale’s West Campus is located at 100 West Campus Drive Orange, CT 06477. Although in-person tours are not available at this time, you can still experience all that West Campus has to offer through this interactive virtual tour!

ICYMI: In Case You Missed It

YC&E’s Program Director for Marketing is Spotlighted
Our very own Program Director for Marketing and Communications, Daniela Czerwinski, was featured in the Future Leaders of Yale (FLY) newsletter as October’s member of the month! Check out the full story here to learn more about Daniela, her career path, and what she loves about Yale.

“Through the Eyes of She” Virtual Conference
YC&E was honored to assist with the planning and execution of “Through the eyes of She: Equity in Health, Education, Business and Leadership for the African Woman in the 21st Century”. This virtual conference aimed to tackle the challenge of gender equality and the empowerment of women on the African continent. It was a pleasure working on such an important cause with our partners!

Residential Colleges Receive “Refresh”
Did you know that as part of an overall university building maintenance plan, a select number of Yale residential colleges receive a “refresh” about every five years? The lucky colleges this summer included Branford, Saybrook, and Trumbull Colleges. Head over to the “Inside Facilities” page to read about what “refreshers” these colleges received.

The Spookiest Time of the Year

The spookiest time of the year is finally here! Whether you like to dress up for Halloween or simply enjoy seeing others’ costumes, we hope these YC&E family Halloween photos put a smile on your face.

Looking for a local trick-or-treating event? Check out “The Haunted Road” on October 31st from 4-6 p.m. at Edgewood Park in New Haven. This drive-thru experience is sure to be a spooky good time! See flyer for more details.

Stay in Touch

We would love to hear how you are doing and what you thought about our October 2021 newsletter. What would you like to see featured in our future newsletters. Send us a message.

For the most up-to-date information, be sure to follow our social media accounts. We will be sharing important University updates, helpful information on housing meetings, and the latest on Connecticut’s COVID-19 response.

Look for our latest newsletter in your inbox next month. Until then, stay healthy and safe!

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