CPOS is now recruiting Summer Fellows for the Spring/Summer 2011 semester. The POS Summer Fellows Program is available for University of Michigan undergraduates to gain research experience and to deepen their knowledge of the field of POS and its application in organizations.
To apply for Summer 2011, please email positiveorg@umich.edu by April 15, 2011. Please include your résumé or CV and a paragraph about why you would like to participate in the program. Hit Continue Reading to see reflections of past program participants.
2009 POS Summer Fellows: Reflections of Participants in the Inaugural Program
Ty Crossley
Participating in the POS Summer Fellows Program was a spectacular experience for me! Each week we had the privilege of meeting with a Center for Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS) faculty member to discuss a variety of topics over lunch. The topics that we addressed included leading in times of trial, compassion, virtuousness, positive identities, POS strategy, positive energy levels, etc. Our discussions were energizing and deeply meaningful. The faculty that are affiliated with the Center for POS are phenomenal, and very genuine. I have enjoyed working with Kim Cameron researching Everest Goals and Personal Management Interviews.
Being a POS Summer Fellow was an enlightening experience. Through this experience, I was able to identify my passion— to help individuals and organizations identify and celebrate their uniqueness! I look forward to future opportunities to associate with the members of the Center for POS. In addition to the program, I was fortunate to be able to sit in on the Positive Leadership executive education courses. These courses served as a wonderful introduction to POS principles and enriched my POS Summer Fellows experience.
Traci Grant
Participating in the POS Fellowship program was an enriching and incredible opportunity. Reading articles each week for conversation was a fantastic way to introduce us to central themes and ideas of POS. Because we were a small group, the discussions were personal and we got to know one another very well. This helped us to utilize each person’s unique interests and work projects.
The open dialogue between staff and students was a forum for ideas that produced lively, informative discussions. I am so thankful to have been part of this program and look forward to any chances to work with the POS staff in the future.
In addition to participating in the POS Fellowship program, I also worked with Professor Gretchen Spreitzer on an energy tool. Though still in the works, we hope to use the tool to help assess and increase awareness of energy. Our tool will also have energy intervention options, providing methods for people to better manage their energy.
Natalie Olesko
My summer as a POS fellow has been educational and rewarding. I have had the great opportunity to work with Professor Lynn Wooten on a few projects of mutual interest. In addition, I have benefited greatly from interacting with the directors of the Center for POS, as well as with the other summer fellows.
I spent part of my time with Professor Wooten following the responses of world leaders to the H1N1 virus (swine flu) pandemic. Our focus was on trying to understand what effective leadership looked like in a global crisis situation. The other major project we worked on together focused on job retraining. Professor Wooten and I partnered with a team of entrepreneurs to produce a comprehensive toolkit designed to help Baby Boomers rethink their career paths and reinvent themselves professionally, based on the needs and demands of the current job market. This project will manifest itself in a series of multimedia resources available online and featured on television. (See Business professor lends hand to Michigan’s laid off workers.)
It has been a memorable and inspirational summer for me as I transition from my master’s program in social work. The skills and knowledge I have gained through this experience will certainly enrich my career path as I move forward. I am very thankful to have had this fantastic opportunity.
Alison Shier
Participating in the Positive Organizational Scholarship Fellowship program was an invaluable experience that allowed me to develop relationships with knowledgeable professors and introduced me to fellow students with similar academic interests. We had the opportunity to meet in an intimate setting and discuss pertinent issues in Organizational Studies while also cultivating personal relationships. During these weekly lunches, professors stimulated dialogue about current research topics including compassion, virtuousness, and energy levels while also allowing the fellows to brainstorm and discuss thoughts on individual projects with their peers.
In addition to participating in the POS Fellowship program, I had the privilege of working with Professor Jane Dutton, assisting in a research project focused on compassionate helping in the workplace. I took part in developing a codebook used to evaluate research subjects’ reactions to co-workers crises and also learned to analyze and code data. Professor Dutton’s enthusiasm and willingness to teach helped me develop my passion for POS and hone my researching, organizational, and critical thinking skills.
