Just in time for spring break … or when you just need a day to hit the reset button: I’ve boiled down years of research about creative people, creative spaces, and creative habits into a simple way to plan your own creativity retreat, which you can do ASAP, in your own home, with stuff you already own. (The idea for this blog post bubbled up during my own “DIY creativity retreat” over Thanksgiving break.) Why is creativity so important? My very first grants blog post explained how innovative ideas power the best grant proposals. And last year, we learned *creativity* was the No. 1 soft skill sought by employers. This is a skill that is slippery and quite magical, but everyone can be creative. Celebrated biologist Edward O. Wilson believes our capacity for imagination and creativity is the distinguishing trait of our species — a trait that was born as we told stories around ancient campfires. Creativity is what makes us human. So you are already creative … and we can learn how to teach it as well. A creativity retreat can help us tap into our unconscious — this is the mysterious, murky space where creative connections are made, and where big ideas… Continue Reading DIY creativity retreat: Choose your own adventuresRead More
08
Mar
About three years ago, I first learned about Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). The private, nonprofit school has been celebrated as not only one of the most innovative colleges in the America … but one of the most innovative organizations in the world. They are able to serve over 3,000 residential students on their campus in Manchester, while enrolling over 135,000 online learners worldwide. All while touting affordable tuition. I’ve been impressed by how SNHU designed themselves to serve those two different student groups: (1) The more traditional student who wants an on-campus, coming-of-age experience … and (2) the adult learner who wants convenience, credentials, and speedy completion times. I blogged about SNHU in 2018. Just recently, I have considered taking a few a la carte classes in screenwriting at SNHU, which would round out my master’s degree and give me enough graduate-level credits if I ever wanted to teach English. Their online program would meet my needs as an adult learner. So I was very much interested to hear what Dr. Paul LeBlanc, SNHU’s visionary president, had to say during this Future Trends Forum (Feb. 25, 2021), available to watch on YouTube. I must give a shout-out to writer/host/futurist… Continue Reading What can we learn from one of the most innovative schools in higher ed? (Plus: *Your* professional development ideas)Read More
This is going to sound way more boring than it was, but here goes: Over the summer, in an effort to better understand my role in the grants office, I read books including “Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager” and “Meeting Design.” In those books, I learned some valuable tips, like this one: The most important job of the project manager is to make sure the team is clear on ROLES and GOALS. The rhyme makes it easy to remember. And this one: We can roll our eyes at the thought of another staff meeting, but what if we approached our routine meetings as opportunities to build better relationships — a way to change the culture and model the value of lifelong learning? Too boring? OK, maybe. But here’s the twist: One of the best books I read about project management was really a book about … Hollywood. In high school, I dreamed of becoming a film director … without a true understanding of what this meant. I’ve always been fascinated by their process, even more so after I’ve worked in organizations full of creative people with their own ideas. How do these leaders galvanize so many talented people… Continue Reading Sunny? Cloudy with a chance of rainbows? You have the power to make the weatherRead More
About Shelley
Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.
Recent Posts
- Innovation, and the LOI. August 25, 2025
- Some 24/25 Highlights July 16, 2025
- Have you heard? October 28, 2024
- The Game of Life – Innovation Edition! August 29, 2024
- Why Try An LOI? May 10, 2024