Faculty/Staff Spotlights

  1. January 30, 2023 Jennifer Trombley, an orthotic assistant in Michigan Medicine’s orthotics and prosthetics department, who started Grit & Grace Ladies DGC, a disc golf league for women, five years ago

    “In the sport, you know, we’re outside, we’re hiking in mud or playing through rain sometimes and so it does take some grit to like it.”

    — Jennifer Trombley, an orthotic assistant in Michigan Medicine’s orthotics and prosthetics department, who started Grit & Grace Ladies DGC, a disc golf league for women, five years ago

    Read more about Jennifer Trombley
  2. January 23, 2023 Petra Kuppers, the Anita Gonzalez Collegiate Professor of Performance Studies and Disability Culture in LSA who with her wife launched Turtle Disco, weekly group sessions that incorporated writing and movement

    “I love expressing myself through movement. … There are certain things you can’t express in writing that movement can allow me to access.”

    — Petra Kuppers, the Anita Gonzalez Collegiate Professor of Performance Studies and Disability Culture in LSA who with her wife launched Turtle Disco, weekly group sessions that incorporated writing and movement

    Read more about Petra Kuppers
  3. January 16, 2023 DaJaniere Rice, multimedia graphic designer for LSA Advancement, who shares her love of art through paint parties and murals

    “Painting and art for me — especially when I’m creating art that’s reflective of things I’ve grown from and a variety of experiences — are very healing for me.”

    — DaJaniere Rice, multimedia graphic designer for LSA Advancement, who shares her love of art through paint parties and murals

    Read more about DaJaniere Rice
  4. January 9, 2023 Jack Sustic, the bonsai specialist at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, who has his own extensive collection of more than 60 bonsai trees in his home

    “Once you start a tree, the plant has evolved, and it never ends there. You continue to have to work with them to keep their shape.”

    — Jack Sustic, the bonsai specialist at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, who has his own extensive collection of more than 60 bonsai trees in his home

    Read more about Jack Sustic
  5. December 5, 2022 Daryl Marshke, senior photographer with Michigan Creative who has a passion for capturing storms on film

    “I just love chasing storms and taking pictures of the lightning and seeing how the storms build and the different types of clouds that are involved.”

    — Daryl Marshke, senior photographer with Michigan Creative who has a passion for capturing storms on film

    Read more about Daryl Marshke
  6. November 21, 2022 Blair Dudley, certified registered nurse anesthetist, who has been involved with CrossFit for about 10 years and recently began taking part in competitions

    “Over time, I became more and more comfortable with those around me knowing that they were doing their own thing, I was doing my thing.”

    — Blair Dudley, certified registered nurse anesthetist, who has been involved with CrossFit for about 10 years and recently began taking part in competitions

    Read more about Blair Dudley
  7. November 14, 2022

    “Taking a walk and playing Pokémon Go does fall in mindfulness, focusing on one thing and forgetting about everything else and being in the moment.”

    — Richard Lindsay, technical director of university productions and lecturer of theatre in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance who discovered Pokémon during the late 1990s 

    Read more about Richard Lindsay
  8. November 7, 2022 Beth Dutridge-Corp, an LSA graduate education program manager who takes part in improvisational comedy performances

    “I feel like as adults, we forget how to play and how to kind of let go and have fun.”

    — Beth Dutridge-Corp, an LSA graduate education program manager who takes part in improvisational comedy performances

    Read more about Beth Dutridge-Corp
  9. October 31, 2022 Jonathan Smith, percussion program manager at U-M, who has performed nearly 200 shows for “Aladdin” on Broadway since 2014 as the designated sub for the musical’s full-time percussionist

    “You can’t play the theme song to ‘A Whole New World’ wrong. Even a 6-year-old kid would say, ‘That doesn’t sound right.’”

    — Jonathan Smith, percussion program manager at U-M, who has performed nearly 200 shows for “Aladdin” on Broadway since 2014 as the designated sub for the musical’s full-time percussionist

    Read more about Jonathan Smith
  10. October 24, 2022 Aaron Dworkin, professor of arts leadership and entrepreneurship in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, spent much of his time during the COVID-19 quarantine preparing to captain voyages across the Gulf Stream

    “I have always been obsessed with water and found it a great comfort.”

    — Aaron Dworkin, professor of arts leadership and entrepreneurship in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, spent much of his time during the COVID-19 quarantine preparing to captain voyages across the Gulf Stream

    Read more about Aaron Dworkin