East Central Alabama News

A series of professional education seminars — focused on helping students and new graduates better themselves in the business world — is being offered by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The Backpacks to Briefcases series is presented by the UAB National Alumni Society. The sessions are free and open to anyone. The fall schedule includes:

• Stress & Sleep Bingo, 6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 13, UAB Alumni House. Sleep-deprived and stressed? UAB’s Student Wellness promoters will help break this vicious cycle with a fun and interactive event designed to identify potential stressors and offer tips and tricks to manage stress and build a healthy sleep pattern. Register online.
• Wine Down Wednesday, Navigating Alcohol in the Workplace, noon, Wednesday, Sept. 21. This event is virtual. When drinking and networking are paired, not thinking about what is in your glass as you work the crowd could cost you professional opportunities or damage reputation and credibility. Kenya Harris with Wellness Promotion in UAB’s Division of Student Affairs can help you develop a game plan to stay in control, have fun and build professional connections. Register online.
• Control the Controllables, noon, Thursday, Oct. 6. April Coleman, clinical counselor and outreach coordinator of Student Health and Wellness, will talk about the signs and symptoms of stress and anxiety and how work-life balance versus work-life harmony can help reduce and manage stressors in your life. This event is virtual. Register online
• Blazer Alumni and Student Networking Night, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, UAB Alumni House. Register online.
• Beating the Burnout: Strategies for Finding Joy in Your Job (and Life) Again, noon, Wednesday, Nov. 16. Clinical psychologist Megan Hays, Ph.D., from the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Office of Wellness, will discuss factors that contribute to burnout, how to identify signs of burnout in yourself and colleagues, and individual strategies for reducing burnout. This event is virtual. Register online.

The sessions are open to anyone who registers. More Backpacks to Briefcases sessions are being scheduled. Check for new series announcements and watch past sessions on topics such as budgeting, resume building, time management, first-time home ownership and more at alumni.uab.edu.

The Backpacks to Briefcases series also offers a certificate upon completion of a four-part series of professional and personal development seminars. To receive an Ever Green certificate and lapel pin, participants must take part in four different Backpacks to Briefcases Ever Green events and two Golden Electives. Participants must attend events in each of four topics to receive credit toward their certificate: financial planning, personal branding, workplace skills and personal life. Ever Green events will be hosted four times each year, with two in the spring and two in the fall. Participants do not have to complete the program within a single calendar year — they can start any time. Golden Electives will be held in between each main Backpacks to Briefcases event. These will include opportunities like lunch and learns, networking, and volunteering.

For more information about Backpacks to Briefcases and the Ever Green Program, contact Margaret Whiteside at mdwhites@uab.edu.

Original source can be found here.