Fall 2025 - Team UPJ

Fall 2025

Team UPJ Days

Team UPJ Day October 10, 2025

"I always look forward to TEAM UPJ days, because I get the opportunity to get to know other staff members from around campus. There’s nothing better than sitting around and painting or crafting together!"
Maggie Borodach"I participated in the Paint and Sip Fall Wreath Project and was able to make a pretty fall wreath using paint. Janie was such a great instructor to lead the project. I enjoy and appreciate the Team UPJ days because it gives us an opportunity to bond with our coworkers and do a variety of fun activities. It gives us a nice break from the daily grind of work. " Nadia Bernardy"For me, Janie's painting and art sessions on Team UPJ day are always a breath of fresh air. Not only is it creative fun quality time with my coworkers outside of our everyday office duties, but it also relieves my stress and anxiety. "
Jessica Marines"Team UPJ is always a good time catching up with work friends, delicious food, and winning prizes. I had an enjoyable time in Janie’s morning sessions and tested my creativity painting flowers."
Susan Devan

Cooking with Chartwells

Golf Outing

Janie's Painting Class

Team UPJ Day July 25, 2025

The women in the business office dominated the inaugural puzzle competition, completing their puzzle at least three minutes before the other teams. Heidi Hass, Ashlee Kerekes, and Julie Petro won a certificate, bragging rights, and a prize at lunch time for their victory. Heidi said that she “never knew that putting jigsaw puzzles together could be competitive, a group sport, [and] so much fun,” and Julie mentioned that her “competitive spirit came out just the same as any team sport.” Ashlee described the competition as “the perfect metaphor for Team UPJ! Every person on a team is piece of the puzzle!” Ashlee continued, every day at UPJ we rise, “to the challenge and [come] together to complete the bigger picture.”

Dawn Miller knew a lot of staff members who liked to put together puzzles, so she invented a way to turn it into a team sport for UPJ Day. First, she removed the puzzle from the box so no one knew what it looked like; but to make it even harder, she placed a few pieces from every puzzle in the wrong bag. Miller thinks that the activity was successful mainly because it was a bit chaotic and interactive. “Everyone was running around to other tables looking for their missing puzzle pieces and laughing” stated Miller.