Multicultural Springfest to be held Thursday at Frost Amphitheater – rain or shine
All members of the Stanford community are invited to attend Multicultural Springfest, an annual celebration of the diversity and dedication of the university’s staff.
Every year, Stanford hosts a campus-wide event celebrating the diversity and dedication of its staff at Multicultural Springfest, which includes lunch, music, entertainment, a T-shirt giveaway and a ceremony honoring staff who have reached significant career milestones.
At Multicultural Springfest, balloons signify the milestone anniversaries of staff honored for their longtime service. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)
The 2019 Multicultural Springfest will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 23, at the newly renovated Frost Amphitheater. The event will be held rain or shine.
The annual gathering includes the Stanford Celebrates You: Recognizing Staff Careers ceremony from noon to 1 p.m.
During the ceremony, Provost Persis Drell and Elizabeth Zacharias, vice president for human resources, will honor staff who reached significant career milestones of 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years of service in 2018. The honorees will be recognized on stage for their decades of contributions to the university’s mission.
Music, dance, Hawaiian salad bento box
The 22nd annual Multicultural Springfest will feature entertainment from 11 a.m. to noon, including a performance by the Worried Man String Band, a four-piece old-time and bluegrass band that plays American roots and Appalachian music.
The band includes Daniel Murray, executive director of the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, on banjo, bass and vocals; Michael Kahan, co-director of the Program on Urban Studies, on guitar and vocals; Mike Frank, the David and Lucile Packard Professor of Human Biology, on mandolin and vocals; and Brad Nelms, a postdoctoral scholar in biology, on fiddle and cavaquinho.
Theresa Turtletaub, Caprie Davenport, Amber Washington and Cory Geisler from the Human Resources department for Humanities and Sciences pose for a group photo at a previous Multicultural Springfest. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)
The entertainment will also include a solo Persian dance performance by Shadan Mirabedi, an instructor with the Stanford Health Improvement Program, and a group hula dance led by HIP instructor Dominique Del Chiaro.
The event also includes exhibits showcasing the creativity of Stanford staff, including exhibitions of jewelry, greeting cards and portraits painted on leaves.
Stanford Catering will provide lunch: Hawaiian salad bento boxes, which include grilled chicken with mango salsa on Hawaiian macaroni salad, broccoli shiitake sesame salad, Hawaii roll and mini–upside-down pineapple cake and tropical fruit punch.
Current staff offer advice to new hires
Stanford is also recognizing this year’s 233 honorees on the Cardinal at Work website, which features profiles of many of this year’s cohort. Friends and colleagues are invited to leave congratulatory messages on the website for individual honorees.
Each of the honorees was invited to create a profile by answering questions:
- What I enjoyed most about my time at Stanford is … ?
- What is your favorite place at Stanford and why?
- Point of pride: Tell us briefly about an event, project, program or initiative you were involved with at Stanford of which you are most proud.
- What piece of guidance or advice would you give to a new hire to Stanford?
This year’s honorees offered a wide range of advice to new hires:
“Take advantage of the many classes offered to staff and enjoy the campus as a whole. Go to sporting and music events, attend lectures, etc. We have opportunities for personal enrichment all around us at Stanford.”
“Stanford is a great place to work – however, you must learn to be a team player and work closely with other staff across campus. Building relationships that will last for years is very important. Also, find yourself a mentor, someone to teach you the ropes in how to navigate through Stanford’s vast web of information, policies and institutional structure.”
“The work you do, whether you are an administrative associate or a high-level manager, is important. It’s a contribution to something greater, never forget that.”
“Research and teaching come first. Always make sure the work you do helps keep that unfettered, and never hinders that. “
“Consider ways to make contributions right away. Stanford is a place where perspective is important but action is valued. Ask questions, get involved and take chances to make a difference.”
“Make the most of your job and the training opportunities. Make Stanford HIP [Health Improvement Program] classes a part of your routine and save in the retirement program from day one. Take your vacation time, recharge.”
“Stay calm and carry on.”
The Multicultural Springfest and Stanford Celebrates You events are coordinated by the Diversity and Access Office and University Human Resources and are sponsored by the Office of the Provost.