Once a week, all Res Life Pro-Staff are asked to reserve time in their schedule for professional development. Here is a run down of the workshops and learning opportunities that have been offered in association with this initiative.
Embedded Files
2025-26 Pro Devo Series
2025-26 Pro Devo Series
Financial Literacy for Higher Ed Professionals
Financial Literacy for Higher Ed Professionals
Review this session for useful tips and tricks of navigating financial literacy and institutions that will help educators make their dime stretch just a little further. Topics include the benefits of enrolling in Schools First Credit Union (spoiler: it’s free money!), understanding Open Enrollment, and how to navigate the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
Presentation created by Dana Marie Ocampo, October 2025
The 3 Ps: Policies, Procedures, P-Events
The 3 Ps: Policies, Procedures, P-Events
Review this session for important policies and considerations for programming in ResLife. Includes information about cart training, venues, food, and more!
Presentation created by Program & Event Management (PEM), October 2025
2024-25 Pro Devo Series
2024-25 Pro Devo Series
The Art of Appreciation
The Art of Appreciation
This session provided time to learn and practice strategies that demonstrate appreciation to others and experience some appreciation in return. Brought to you by the Mental Health Unit and Recognition Committee.
Presentation created by Jasmine Tilghman, PhD (ResLife), June 2025
Flowers of Appreciation Activity
Download the coloring sheet here
We will color and decorate flowers for each other with words of appreciation. Begin by writing your own name in the circle part of the center. Then, pass along your page to the person to your right. When you get the next person’s flower, please write one or two positive words that describes them in one of the flower petals, leaves/stems, or bee. Please also color and decorate that spot you write on to make it look beautiful. Our goal is to fill up the whole coloring page. At the end, each person will have their own flower to take with them!
Activity created by Stephanie Guarda (ResLife), June 2025
The Science of Wellbeing
The Science of Wellbeing
"The Science of Wellbeing" was developed by Dr. Darlene Mininni, a psychologist, applied researcher, educator, and Learning & Organizational Development Consultant with UCLA Campus Human Resources.
When times get hard, your wellbeing becomes more important than ever. It’s not always easy to feel motivated or effective—in work, school or life—when we’re overwhelmed and stressed. Although there are some things in our lives we can’t control, there are small and powerful things we can. In fact, 40% of our wellbeing comes from using a set of practical skills that anyone can learn. Let’s start there. In this program, you’ll learn how to:
Rewire your brain’s ancient negativity bias
Manage your nervous system to build calm and focus
Practice a brain-training exercise shown to boost wellbeing up to 25%
View "The Science of Wellbeing Handbook" for session highlights, activities, and suggested readings
Presentation and resources created by Dr. Darlene Mininni (CHR Learning & Organizational Development)
View the recording here, May 2025
Visit the LGBTQ Campus Resource Center
Visit the LGBTQ Campus Resource Center
Learn about UCLA's LGBTQ CRC! Learn about the resources and services it offers, engage in a tour of the space, hear directly from the center's students and staff, and find out how you can stay connected.
May 2025
Universal & Civic Design Principles
Universal & Civic Design Principles
In the current age, not every program is made accessible or equitable for those involved. As we look forward to creating new processes and ways of thinking, we have to consider whose perspective we are missing in the planning process! In this session, participants learned about universal design principles and how they can be applied in their planning process. Participants should be able to incorporate some, if not all, of these design principles in their next program or rollout.
Printable flash cards instructions:
Print on cardstock with the settings "Fit to Printable Area" and "Flip on Long Edge"
Need: 1 of each of the design principles (pages 1-4) and only 1 card of the Civic Design Phases (pages 5-6)
Presentation created by Curtis Wong (ResLife), April 2025
ProDevo_UniversalDesignPrinciples_043925.pptxNotion Series
Notion Series
Notion 101: Introduction to the ResLife Notion
This session provided a brief overview of our Residential Life Notion page and offered introductory tips on navigating your workspace, led by Notion representative Alexis. Participants were encouraged to practice using the platform for their work over the next few weeks. Attendees were invited to return for the Notion 102 session to share questions and discuss their experiences.
View the recording here
April 2025
Notion 201: Database Basics + Q&A
This comprehensive training session equipped attendees with the skills to create, customize, and optimize databases for team workflow. Attendees learned about all of the Database Basics. Perfect for users who are familiar with Notion Basics and ready to take their workspace organization to the next level.
What attendees learned
Database structure
Property types and customization
Database templates and their applications
Filtering, sorting, and different view layouts
Linked databases and data sources
View the recording here
April 2025
Planning Your Journey with UCLA Learning and Organizational Development (L&OD)
Planning Your Journey with UCLA Learning and Organizational Development (L&OD)
Rejeana Mathis, Campus Human Resources Lead Manager of Learning & Organizational Development (L&OD), discussed free career and professional development resources available to team members, such as LinkedIn Learning and My UC Career, that can enhance growth and performance.
Resources:
Create an account on My UC Career
Presentation created by Rejeana Mathis (CHR, Learning & Organizational Development)
View the recording here (Passcode: 5gcFTj&$ ), March 2025
ProDevo_CHR-LOD_SlideDeck_031225.pdfLearn At Lunch with the BBRC
Learn At Lunch with the BBRC
Learn about the Black Bruin Resource Center (BBRC) in Kerckhoff Hall! Discover why the BBRC is a vital space for students, learn about the services it offers, and find out how you can stay connected with the center as ResLife professional staff.
March 2025
Supporting International Students
Supporting International Students
Learn about the services provided by the Dashew Center and how to support our international students within ResLife by building cultural competence, understanding the challenges, and committing to allyship.
Presentation created by the Dashew Center, Feb. 2025
From Search to Success: Leveraging Talent Acquisition for Equitable Hiring
From Search to Success: Leveraging Talent Acquisition for Equitable Hiring
This professional development workshop was designed to empower hiring managers with the tools and knowledge to strengthen hiring strategies. Discover how collaborating with Talent Acquisition can streamline your search, attract top-tier candidates, and ultimately lead to more equitable hiring practices. Presented by UCLA Student Affairs’ Assistant Director for Talent Acquisition, Lorraine Lacson.
View additional resources including a recruitment checklist, interview questions, and scoring rubric.
Presentation created by Lorraine Lacson (Student Affairs Talent Acquisition), Feb. 2025
ProDevo_StudentAffairsTalentAcquisition.pdfAnti-Bias
Anti-Bias
Use this resource to check on basic understanding of implicit bias and microaggressions. Take a moment to participate in the Implicit Association Test (IAT) from Harvard University and reflect on how each of you can contribute to a culture of anti-bias.
Presentation created by Jenny Chun (ResLife), Dec. 2024
Project Management
Project Management
Learn the principles of project management and the Project Management Professional (PMP) framework! Review skills in leadership, communication, and time management, and identify how to apply these skills in your daily work. Additionally, you’ll find tips and strategies to help you navigate the PMP application process and certification.
Presentation created by Yee Vang (ResLife), Nov. 2024
Allyship
Allyship
Part 1: Learning Materials
Take a moment to reflect on your understanding of the concept of allyship and dive into some of these resources based on your thoughts and feelings. Feel free to progress through these 3 levels, bounce around, or just choose the one that fits you best.
How to engage: Use these materials for self-learning before joining a group discussion for part 2 or choose a material (or all) to review as a group.
Learning (Beginner): You may or may not have heard of allyship, but are unsure how to do it and if/when you are one. Watch this short video that discusses definitions of allyship, examples, things to be mindful of, and what it can look like in the workplace. What is Allyship? - YouTube video (3:48)
Growing (Intermediate): You understand what allyship is and are looking for new ways to apply what you know as ally to others. Read this article for a deeper dive into how to define what allyship is and is not, common misunderstandings, the dos and don'ts, and consider being an accomplice versus an ally. Allyship (& Accomplice): The What, Why, and How - Medium Article
Sharing (Advanced): You are an ally and would be comfortable educating others about allyship. There is always more to learn, and you can be a leader on this journey for yourself and others. Check out this publicly viewable wiki-style guide and contribute your expertise to the content. The Guide to Allyship
Part 2: Group Discussion and Reflection
After spending some time with self-learning, engage in a series of group discussions and additional self-reflections on what you have learned and reflected upon. This will be an opportunity to do some more learning, and share knowledge and stories. Use the Allyship Action Continuum to reflect on your own allyship goals in Residential Life and beyond.
Presentation created by Jenny Chun (ResLife), Oct. 2024
Activating Your Campus Partner Network
Activating Your Campus Partner Network
Check out this presentation of Best Practices in Activating Your Campus Partner Network. Partnership and collaboration is foundational to our work in Residential Life. How can we best share our knowledge and resources with partners? How can we support our colleagues across campus and across Student Affairs, and activate their knowledge and resources? How do we bring all this together to enhance the student experience at UCLA?
Presentation created by Savannah Leone (ResLife), Oct. 2024
2023-24 Pro Devo Series
2023-24 Pro Devo Series
Giving and Receiving Feedback
Giving and Receiving Feedback
In conjunction with the launch of a new expectation for pro-staff to provide upward feedback to their supervisors each quarter, we've offered a variety of synchronous and asynchronous learning associated with giving and receiving feedback.
Refugee & Immigrant Experiences
Refugee & Immigrant Experiences
In honor of the journey of Little Amal, we learned important information and context about immigration, refugee and asylee resettlement, and the plight of stateless individuals (presentation by Monica Hanna). Then, several Res Life team members shared the stories of their own and their families' experiences with immigration and resettlement (stories from Azeb Guesh, Sarah Alexander, and Shiela Mae Valerio).
HSI x ResLife
HSI x ResLife
Dr. Liz Gonzales, the Director of Hispanic Serving Institution in the Chancellor's Office, is partnered with us to educate our staff about what an HSI is, what it isn't, and offer opportunities for us to consider the impact we can make within our spheres of influence. Following this required training, we revisited these concepts a couple months later with action-oriented discussion at our department meeting.
Charcuterie Boards 101
Charcuterie Boards 101
Emily Stern shared her passion and expertise for Charcuterie, teaching the team how to make the best charcuterie board to enjoy on Valentine's Day and any future gatherings. Treats and mini boards were be provided, and attendees got to make their own mini-boards, and get feedback from a discerning panel of colleagues.
Developing Engaging Design
Developing Engaging Design
The Student Affairs Communication team shared tips in developing engaging designs to market programs and events on campus. The training highlighted ways to align marketing to UCLA Brand guidelines, an overview of basic design principles, ways that designs may differ between platforms, and participants had time to practice sharing feedback around design.
The Future of Athletics & Prep for Big Ten Transition
The Future of Athletics & Prep for Big Ten Transition
Senior Associate Athletic Director/Director of EDI and Faculty-in-Residence Dr. Kenny Donaldson (UCLA '97) discussed his role within the Athletic Department and preparation of the move to the Big Ten, with discussion around conference realignment, name/image/likeness (NIL), and the impact on student life.
Intro to SmartSuite
Intro to SmartSuite
SmartSuite provides a collaborative Work Management platform that enables teams to plan, track and manage any workflow. This software can be used to collect data via a form, as a sign up system, or a project management tool. Representatives from SmartSuite provided an overview training that introduced software capabilities and opportunities.
Professional Self-Care in Res Life
Professional Self-Care in Res Life
The Res Life Mental Health Unit is partnered with the Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center to offer a workshop focused on positive and preventative health practices in crisis response work.
Self-Advocacy and Self-Appraisal
Self-Advocacy and Self-Appraisal
Resident Director Cassie Butcher facilitated a session on self-advocacy and self-appraisals. The session offered some suggestions for self-advocacy and opportunities to reflect on individual growth and development.
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