Liberal Arts Week

September 24, 2021 Washtenaw Community College

October 23-27, 2023

Find your path. Love your job. Explore your possibilities during WCC’s Liberal Arts Week.

Register

Join us for WCC’s 3rd Annual Liberal Arts Week, October 23-27!

October is National Arts and Humanities Month! Celebrate with WCC through interactive virtual workshops, showcasing how liberal arts classes empower personal and professional success, and sustain a fair and just society.

All Liberal Arts Week events are free and open to all students, faculty, staff, and community members.

  • Connect with WCC faculty, as well as community leaders from industry & nonprofit organizations.
  • Gain skills necessary for success in the workplace and life.
  • Learn more about Liberal Arts Courses and Workplace Skills at WCC.

Speakers

jenn queen

Jenn Queen

President & CEO of Ann Arbor Art Center; Ann Arbor City Councilor

Jenn Cornell Queen has been part of the Ann Arbor community for more than 20 years. In her role as a strategic communications professional, she's worked with a wide range of nonprofits and businesses alike, including the Detroit Lions Foundation, Hallmark Greetings, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor SPARK, and Milk Means More. Currently, Jenn serves as the president and CEO of the Ann Arbor Art Center.

In addition to her career in communications, Jenn was a proud small business owner in Ann Arbor, having co-owned Joust Strength + Fitness (CrossFit Joust) for eight years. At the time, Joust was one of the first all-female-owned CrossFit/ kettlebell/Olympic weightlifting facilities in the U.S.

Jenn is an active Ann Arbor community member whose board involvement reflects the issues most important to her:  The Ecology Center, committed to a healthy planet; the Family Learning Institute, which provides critical literacy support to the most underserved children in our community; Ann Arbor’s Main Street Area Association, whose work helps small business owners in the city thrive; and Destination Ann Arbor, which attracts a global audience of visitors to the region.

manish mishra-marzetti

Reverend Manish Mishra-Marzetti

Senior Minister at First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor

Reverend Manish is a lifelong learner, scholar, author and a Unitarian Universalist leader committed to community involvement and outspoken public ministry. His recent books include Conversations with the Sacred: A Collection of Prayers (2020), co-edited with Jennifer Kelleher, and Justice on Earth: People of Faith Working at the Intersections of Race, Class, and the Environment (2018), co-edited with Jennifer Nordstrom.

His warm and engaging preaching style appeals to both heart and head. He is a deeply thoughtful person with a multicultural background, drawing inspiration from a diverse range of literary, ethical, and spiritual sources, including Unitarian Universalism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Humanism, Christianity and Lakota spirituality.

Reverend Manish has previously served as the Senior Minister of congregations in Florida, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. He has also served extensively in Unitarian Universalist national leadership, including as president of the Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM, our national UU people of color organization), and most recently as a trustee on the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Board of Trustees.

Prior to entering the ministry, Reverend Manish served as a U.S. diplomat during the Clinton administration.

Schedule

Monday, October 23

10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Opening Remarks

Hava Levitt-Phillips (English & College Readiness, LA-Innovate)
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Keynote: The Power of Art in Community

What does it take to transform a community as a creative leader? How does public art impact our community? As a former business owner, Jenn Queen will share her career journey that led to current role as President and CEO of the Ann Arbor Art Center. The A2AC Mural and Alley project and how the local community interacts with this public art will be discussed. Q&A will follow the presentation by Jenn Queen, Ann Arbor Art Center and Ann Arbor City Councilor.

Jenn Queen, President & CEO of Ann Arbor Art Center; Ann Arbor City Councilor
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Cool Careers in the Liberal Arts Panel & Networking Event

Employers across industries know -- the skills we develop in liberal arts classes are essential to successful organizations! In this moderated Q&A, you’ll learn directly from professionals with a liberal arts background how they use their training in the arts and humanities to succeed in the workplace. You’ll also get to ask your own questions in networking breakout rooms! Join us to learn how #TheLiberalArtsGetPaid.

Hava Levitt-Phillips, Moderator
Jill Jepsen, LA-Innovate Host

Panelists:

Brandon Rossow - Detective, Port Huron Police Department
David Nowak - Administrator and Assistant Professor in Interdisciplinary Studies at Lewis University
Lashanna Williams - Executive Director & Facilitator at A Sacred Passing, Death Doula at Antares Wellness
Nicole Marroquin - Professor at Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan
Murphy Hines - Art Education Student at Eastern Michigan University

Tuesday, October 24

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Liberal Arts Workplace Skills WANTED! Local Employers Speak!

YES! Your Liberal Arts Coursework in College really DOES prepare you for the world of work! In this session, area employers discuss their focus on hiring/cultivating employees who demonstrate the ability to flex and apply the skills of problem-solving, communication, writing, creativity, data analytics, ethical decision-making, teamwork and more! Come to this session and make the connection between what you are learning and what employers need you to be able DO at work now and in the future!

Bonnie Tew, moderator

Panelists:

Jeromie Ortiz, HR Manager, Busch's Fresh Food Market
Ashlee McHugh, North American Talent Aquisition Manager, NSF
Chris Dotson, Founder/CEO, Holistic Leadership Solutions
Michael Stepke, Training & Development Manager, Zoller Acadamy

Wednesday, October 25

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Plug the Liberal Arts Workplace Skills into the Power of Entrepreneurship

From large corporations to stand-alone small businesses, employers today agree that entrepreneurship skills are an asset they want their teams to possess.  Learn from entrepreneurs themselves how Liberal Arts Workplace Skills like creativity, problem solving, and more cultivate a mindset which transforms the “possible” into reality!

Emanuel Terrell and Bonnie Tew, moderators

Panelists:

Allison Peterson, Director of Mobility, Washtenaw Community College
Kate VanHorn, Apple Play Schools
Brian Scott, Broadcast Bootcamp
Brooke Marshall, Seed Straw (Smoking Cessation Product)
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Building Community In The Liberal Arts: A Conversation with Reverend Manish Mishra-Marzetti

This conversation will explore how the liberal arts support us in building intentionally diverse communities of mutual support and action. Following the dialogue, we will offer a moderated audience Q&A.

Hava Levitt-Phillips, moderator
Reverend Manish Mishra-Marzetti, senior minister, Unitarian Universalists of Ann Arbor

Thursday, October 26

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

WCC Alumni: How the Liberal Arts Workplace Skills Help Move You from Student to Professional!

Wondering how to crack into the job market with your Liberal Arts Workplace Skills? Are there steps you can start taking now to put you in the driver’s seat toward advancement in your professional future? This session brings real WCC Alumni stories front and center to pave the track toward successful career entry and advancement! WCC Alumni show us how the Liberal Arts Workplace Skills are keys to unlocking job searching and advancement engines. Get in the car and join us to learn about the steps you should be taking NOW to get on track for driving straight into new and exciting professional job opportunities! #TheLiberalArtsGetPaid

Bonnie Tew, moderator

Panelists:

Aimee McVay - Classroom Teacher, 3rd Grade, Ypsilanti Community Schools
Rebecca Start - Freelance Illustrator and Artist
Dre Franklin - Engineer at General Motors, Fashion Entrepreneur
Andrew Hornyak - Production Assistant, Sony Pictures Studio, Warner Brothers Studio
Marisol Adelmann - Coordinator of Assessment, Intake, and Data, Adult Transitions, Washtenaw Community College

Friday, October 27

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Cool Careers in Communication Panel & Networking Event

Wondering what careers highlight the skill sets you’ve been acquiring in your Liberal Arts classes? Wonder no more! Join the Communication, Media and Theater Arts faculty to explore the bright future one could have within these exciting disciplines. Meet with our panel of working professionals in breakout rooms for small group discussions about your future. #LiberalArtsGetPaid

Emanuel Terrell and Bonnie Tew, moderators

Panelists:

Nichole Cullin, Adjunct Communication Instructor, WCC and Entrepreneur
Rico Bruce Wade, Film/Stage Actor
Karen Shaper, Facilitator, Horse Bits Academy
Jacob Brown, Former NFL Player and International Speaker and Coach, Fail Forward
12:30 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Closing Remarks, LA Innovate Committee

Bonnie Tew