Engagement Day was held on May 30 at Livingston Student Center.
On Friday, May 30, more than 100 Rutgers University Libraries faculty and staff gathered for the Libraries’ first organization-wide Engagement Day. The full-day, in-person event was held at Rutgers University–New Brunswick’s Livingston Student Center. All library locations were closed for the day.
Professional Development Focused on Well-being
Engagement Day featured two professional development sessions focused on emotional and psychological well-being. The first was held virtually, earlier in the week. On May 27, Ralph Gigliotti, assistant vice president for organizational leadership in University Academic Affairs, led a virtual talk framed by his book, Post-Crisis Leadership: Resilience, Renewal, and Reinvention in the Aftermath of Disruption.
Then, the morning of May 30 featured an interactive two-hour wellness session provided by ScarletWell, a holistic wellness initiative dedicated to bolstering the health and wellness of Rutgers–New Brunswick students, faculty, and staff. The session introduced participants to the Pause, Breathe, Move, and Nourish framework—an accessible approach to integrating self-care into daily life. Components of the session included guided meditation, reflective activities, group discussion, and movement. The presenters were Dr. Amy B. Spagnolo, senior program coordinator for ScarletWell and former associate professor in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling at Rutgers School of Health Professions; psychologist and mindfulness expert Patrick Connelly; and Peggy Swarbrick, director of ScarletWell and a professor in the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology’s Applied Psychology Department and director of ScarletWell.
Afternoon of Team Building
The afternoon of Engagement Day featured a variety of team building options. Hourly Tai Chi lessons on Livingston Lawn were offered by John Gaddy of John Gaddy’s Karate and Boxing Studio in High Bridge. Inside, the Rutgers University Libraries Major Events Committee provided both organized and self-paced activities, including Bingo, balloon race games, trivia, raffles, giant Jenga, Tetris Tumble, board games, and coloring.
Game prizes were generously donated by the Rutgers University Libraries unit heads: Consuella Askew, Abbey DiPaolo, Regina Koury, Caroline Muglia, Tony Nguyen, and Amanda Clay Powers.
Raffle prizes were a variety of Rutgers swag items provided by units from throughout the university.
