Thank you Nikki for keeping our job opportunities section up to date!

I want to send out a huge thank you to Nikki Diaz-Cruz, graduate of OSR 16 for keeping our "job opportunities" section up to date on the OSR web site!  Nikki did this consistently and professionally for over 2 years.  This has helped numerous alumni and friends and even prospective students in their job search and in learning about the types of positions available in our field.  If you're not familiar with this resource, have a look and feel free to post new opportunities as well.

We now seek another committed volunteer to aid us in keeping this vital resource alive and thriving.  If you are interested, email Paula.  The time commitment is relatively small but it makes a big difference for so many.

Thanks Nikki!

 

OSR grads support each other after graduation - read Paul's blog

Some of you know Paul Dupree and others will now want to read his blog.  He's a graduate of OSR 12 and has been a major contributor to OSR.  From helping to design our web site to marketing our annual conferences, he's been there for us.

Paul recently blogged about the support he's received by holding weekly calls with a few of his cohort members.  Since 2005 they have held hundreds of calls.

Read Paul's blog and see how this process has supported Paul and be inspired to create a safe place for yourself and others.

Making the most of alumni group on LinkedIn

Over 50 students, alumni and faculty have connected via the OSR Alumni Association group on Linked-In. LinkedIn is a social networking site frequented by business and professional computer users.

This OSR group offers some unique features to complement OSR's official website, specifically the ability to carry on threaded discussions on a single topic and ability to post recommendations about members of your LinkedIn network. OSR students, alumni, core faculty and staff are invited to join and post discussions and take advantage of the LinkedIn group features. 

To be an OSR group member you must first sign up for a free LinkedIn account. (Your email box won't be flooded; LinkedIn prohibits group email and spamming).

If you are already a LinkedIn member, join the OSR Alumni Association group. To be notified of new OSR group discussions and updates, adjust your settings under My Groups and the OSR Alumni Association.

E-mail listserve set up for job seekers

Over the last few weeks I have spoken with many OSR alumni and students who are looking for work in these desperate times. I view this as an opportunity to build a stronger network of support and resources within the OSR Community.

As a first step toward building this expression of our community, I have set up a listserve with about a dozen members, those whom I believe to be currently seeking work. If you would like to be on this list, or you know of someone who would like to be added, please send an email to Bill Koenig.

There are many possible ways for this “collaborative” to support one another and I invite you to share your ideas and invitations with this group by simply replying or emailing.

Bill Koenig

New reading in positive psychology

Speakers at the Applying the Science of Positive Psychology to Improve Society symposium at Claremont Graduate University are touting their new books.

Cameron, Kim (2008). Positive Leadership: Strategies for extraordinary performance. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler. "Shows how to reach beyond ordinary success to achieve extraordinary effectiveness, spectacular results, and what Cameron calls 'positively deviant performance' — performance far above the norm. Citing a wide range of research in organizational development and psychology as well as real-world examples, Cameron shows that to go from successful to exceptional, leaders must learn how to create a profoundly positive environment in the workplace."

Diener, Ed (2009). Well-Being and Public Policy. Oxford Press. Presents the case for national measures of subjective well-being to be used for policy purposes. Available April 2009.

Diener, Ed and Robert Biswas-Diener (2008). Happiness: Unlocking the mysteries of psychological wealth. Malden MA: Blackwell Publishing. This father and son team presents scientific evidence revealing that happiness is not overrated, and is good for people's health, social relationships, job success, longevity and altruism.

Dick Wilkinson (OSR 8) reviews a remarkable book on collaborative design

Stefen Sagmeister's, Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far has edged out Gordon MacKenzie's, Orbiting the Giant Hairball as my favorite book in whole systems design.  Both books are remarkable celebrations of the imagination.  Both are bold; both are inspirations.  Yet as a visual, intellectual and aesthetic demonstration at the intersection of collaboration, storytelling, design and art, Stefan wins by a nose.