myHR: August 21, 2024

Penn’s Annual Friends and Family Day September 28

The 30th annual Penn Friends and Family Day will be held on Saturday, September 28. The Division of Human Resources and Penn Athletics invite faculty, staff, postdocs, and friends to a day of football, food, community, and fun! 

“Fall schedules are busy, so mark off space in your calendar if you can and come out to the opening football game at historic Franklin Field,” says Karen Kille, Manager, Quality of Work-Life Programs. 

“Penn Friends and Family Day is the perfect occasion to share Penn tradition, fun and camaraderie with your family and friends.  The DJ, Penn Band, lunch, football game, and kids’ activities are always highlights for my family,” Kille says.  

This year’s Penn Family Day line-up of activities features a family-friendly Tailgate Party on Shoemaker Green, just outside of Franklin Field and the famous Palestra. During the party, your family and friends can enjoy lunch, games, a row of bounce houses, a photo booth, DJ, and face painting. Special appearances include the Penn Marching Band, Cheerleaders, Division of Public Safety, Fire Safety and MERT, and Penn Vet Working Dog Center. 

After the Tailgate Party, the Penn vs. Colgate football game kicks off at 1 p.m. You can order up to four free tickets for the tailgate party and football game (additional tickets are $8 each.) Your ticket includes lunch at the Tailgate party and admission to the football game. Tickets are available now through September 23. To order tickets, log into the Penn Athletics ticket website.

Check out the full schedule of Penn Friends and Family Day activities, including soccer, volleyball, field hockey, ice skating, and cutting-edge art exhibits and shows. There’s something for everyone at this campus celebration! 

Forbes has listed the University of Pennsylvania among the Best Employers by State for another year. The 2024 ratings were announced on August 20 and appear on www.forbes.com. This year, Penn ranked in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s top 10 employers, along with Penn Medicine.

Forbes rankings are based on their collaboration with market research firm Statista. They conducted an independent survey of 160,000 workers across the United States, including all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Employers’ scores were based on participants’ willingness to recommend their own employer and recommendations of employees who work in the same industry. All surveys were kept anonymous to encourage candid responses.

Thanks to Penn’s faculty, staff, and postdoctoral candidates for contributing to our highly-ranked work environment. You are part of our exceptional and diverse campus community and the inspiration for Human Resources support for the exceptional work you do.

Penn’s Human Resources Interns Build Professional Experience 

Each summer, Penn’s Division of Human Resources recruits college students from around the country to gain first-hand experience as part of a 10-week internship program. Two interns participated in the program this year: Xandria McKinley, a rising junior at Rutgers University New Brunswick and Kayleigh Mooney, a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania.  

“I find pleasure in witnessing the growth and knowledge of the interns who come from various backgrounds. This program is usually their first taste of the professional workspace, and it is rewarding to see how they dig into the trenches of the role,” says Sheila Hall, a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist who spearheads the program.

Hall co-manages the interns with Nyamah Thomas, Senior Staff and Labor Relations Specialist, and Manny Mavroleon, Talent Acquisition Specialist. 

"I take great pride in managing the internship program, having gone through it myself,” says Mavroleon, who interned in 2017. “It's a lot of work to organize and facilitate, but it is truly rewarding to see their growth from day one to their final presentation.”

In this Q&A, Mooney and McKinley, both psychology majors, discuss their experiences in the program and their journey to make a difference using what they have learned.

Why did you want to be an intern at Penn?

Kayleigh: Throughout my time at Penn, I’ve always taken a job opportunity at the University. I have seen a lot of the University’s core values in practice, especially around campus – particularly in relation to the diversity within student life and the staff. I have seen not only how the staff are treated, but also their mission to impact the students. 

Xandria: [I’ve always been] familiar with the University’s history and legacy, especially it being the largest private employer in Philadelphia. So, I knew there would be a lot of opportunities here– and I don’t just say that because it’s a statistic.  It’s a very prestigious and robust institution and I knew that there would be well-versed and knowledgeable HR professionals here.

What was a typical day of the internship like for you?

Kayleigh: It varied because we had a different project every day. [For the] majority of the internship, we were either shadowing other professionals or doing projects for our specific department. For my department, Talent Acquisition, most of my projects encompassed [practicing how to] source candidates using applications on LinkedIn or Workday for various job positions. I would look for directors, administrators, instructors --- depending on what the team wanted me to search for.

Xandria: Sometimes, I was invited to Talent Acquisition meetings. I also attended the biweekly Staff and Labor meetings with Core HR. There were only about four of us, which is really cool because I got to hear about what was going on and be a part of the conversation by asking questions. Then there was a larger meeting with all the Staff and Labor employees across the different schools and centers, so it was cool seeing how a meeting is conducted.


What knowledge and skills did you gain from this experience? 

Kayleigh: We got a lot of opportunities to network. As a Penn student, it was cool seeing Penn from a staff perspective because I’m so used to seeing it from the student perspective. However, my biggest takeaway from this job was learning what to look for in terms of job searching. My knowledge of recruitment gives me the upper hand, which I plan to bring back to my community as a Latinx FGLI (First Generation Low Income) student.

Xandria: I started working with Excel more and I’ve definitely gotten better with that. My department’s LinkedIn guru, Dani Trimmer, took time out of his day to show us how we can boost our profiles, similar to what Kayleigh did in recruiting and sourcing. It’s super helpful because we can use it outside of here. Something else that I never really thought about before are benefits, compensation, and retirement. Even if I decide not to stay in HR, knowing about those things and how they work is going to be useful.


How has this internship influenced your career path? 

Kayleigh: I am considering doing a master’s in social work and becoming a social worker. So right now, I’m kind of torn: do I want to try out departments like Penn’s Quality of Work Life or do I want to become a social worker and maybe in the future come back to Human Resources? Regardless, I know the impact that I want to make is advocating for mental health in certain communities, specifically Latinx.

Xandria: At the moment, I’m heavily considering pursuing a master’s in psychology and even going for my PsyD (Doctor of Psychology). Additionally, with psych, I am considering [going to graduate school for] organizational psych and industrial psych, which is related to the workplace and increasing worker productivity and wellness. I’m hoping to use my HR experience here with that, and I’m grateful to everyone for giving us this opportunity.


Do you have advice for someone aspiring to intern at Penn? 

Kayleigh: My advice for aspiring interns is to not be afraid to apply, even if you’re not skilled in every single qualification. For example, I might not be proficient in Excel, however, I would not let that stop me from applying for a position that lists it as a qualification. Since I have had experience with Excel, it will just be an opportunity to strengthen my skills. My advice is to apply, the worst that can happen is someone says no.

Xandria: The best advice I have for this position, is to be willing to learn and listen and absorb all the information that you can. This internship has a lot to offer so don’t be afraid to ask questions. The one piece of advice that we’ve received is to focus on remaining a generalist for as long as possible, explore all the functions of HR, and become well-versed in them, and if any spark our interest, focus on it down the line. We shouldn’t just find one during this internship and run with it but instead learn all of them and keep exploring after the internship concludes.


To read about a previous cycle of the Human Resources’ internship program, click here.

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Enhanced Workday Security with Verified Duo Push

Workday at Penn began to use Verified Duo Push on August 19 to provide an even more secure version of push authentication. Verified Duo Push operates on Duo Mobile, the free two-step verification app available for your mobile evice. 

Duo is one of the ways you can complete the second step of two-step verification after you log in to Workday with your PennKey. Duo sends a notification to your smartphone or tablet to verify your identity. Verified Duo Push requires you to enter a three-digit code rather than click on “approve” or “deny” options. The code gives added protection against “push harassment” and “push fatigue” cybersecurity attacks where users are spammed with push requests until they reply “yes.”

What Changed

Only the Duo Push process to access Workday has changed. All functionality within Workday remains the same. You can continue to use the Duo Mobile app.

How It Works

• If you use Duo Push, you will be shown a code on your screen once you log in to Workday with your PennKey (see image below). The code expires after 60 seconds.
• Enter this code on your mobile device when responding to the Push.
• When accessing Workday, you must authenticate even if you are already logged in to another PennKey-protected application. 

What If I Don’t Have Duo Mobile?

If you have not yet enabled Duo Push, you can still log in to Workday. However, all users are strongly encouraged to adopt Push to take advantage of better protection. 

Help and Resources

If you need help with Duo Push:

• Contact your Local Support Provider (LSP). 
• Access ISC’s Two-Step Verification help documentation.

Think Like a Boss

Learn how to better understand your manager at the virtual Managing Up course on September 17.

When establishing a healthy workplace environment, it is important to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with your supervisor to ensure your success. To achieve this feat, professionals can gain management skills to better understand how to think like their managers. You can learn how through the Managing Up course, streaming virtually on Tuesday, September 17 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“Managing up is not about controlling your manager,” says Talent and Organizational Development Consultant Sarah Joseph, who is the course instructor. “It's about building a partnership that elevates both your success and the success of the team."

Managing Up explores ways to recognize your manager's perspective and meet their expectations. You’ll also learn how to fine tune your communication skills to optimize your work with your manager, including providing and receiving feedback.

Although you may not call all the shots in your position, managing up helps you find opportunities to define your goals. It doesn’t require mindreading or manipulation but instead, building trust. When you practice managing up, you can reshape interactions with your manager while taking greater responsibility and accountability for your success at work. You can accomplish more for yourself, your supervisor, and the entire team.

To register for Managing Up, log in to Workday Learning.

For more professional development programs, visit the Learn & Grow pages.

A Taste of Cooking with Heart

The Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics’ ASCVD Risk Reduction Initiative launched the Penn Medicine Healthy Heart program in the spring of 2024. This innovative research program applies behavioral economics insights to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or ASCVD, the leading cause of disease and death in the United States. 

Penn Medicine Healthy Heart program includes access to Cooking with Heart, a custom series of videos hosted by Vicki Mines. These videos are part of an array of supportive resources being offered to patients at 32 Penn Medicine primary care practices in West and Southwest Philadelphia and Lancaster County.

Now, myHR readers can also get a taste of Cooking with Heart’s practical and nutritious tips. The Cooking with Heart videos are available online at www.hr.upenn.edu/healthyheart.

The series features a range of tasty meals and how-to guidance for different nutritional needs.

Cooking with Heart Videos

Banana Oatmeal

Burrito Bowl

DASH Diet

Heritage Recipes

Lentil Bolognese

Rainbow Stir-Fry

For more healthful eating resources, visit the Penn Healthy You nutrition counseling page or log in to the Virgin Pulse Wellness platform.

Healthy Meals: Healthy Chicken Nuggets

When opting for a fan favorite finger food for your late summer festivities, these chicken nuggets will do just the trick. Packed with plenty of protein and flavor, you can serve them at your next get-together as a great appetizer or pair them with a salad and your favorite condiment for a light dinner. With crispy and seasoned breading coated on juicy and tender chicken pieces, these nuggets are sure to be a hit with your friends and family.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed

3 cups panko breadcrumbs (any breadcrumb will work)

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon of dried basil

2 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
2. Place panko, garlic powder, onion powder, and basil into a quart size plastic bag and seal. Shake until combined. 
3. In a medium mixing bowl, drizzle olive oil over cubed chicken and mix until evenly coated.
4. Place olive oil coated chicken cubes into the plastic bag with your breadcrumb mixture. Shake bag until evenly coated.
5. Evenly distribute chicken nuggets onto foil lined sheet pan and cook for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Meet With a Registered Dietitian Today!

• One-on-One, virtual sessions you can schedule at any time that works for you
  
• 100% covered under many insurance plans
  
• Available to spouses and dependents
  
• Fill out the Ramp Health Nutrition Counseling Sign Up Form or call 800-484-7720.

Did You Know: Penn Perks New Online Module

As part of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of resources to support you and your family. Discover what the University has to offer in Penn Perks, a new online module that details over 150 perks and discounts. You can enjoy everything from home purchasing programs to savings on cell phone plans, pet care, and travel services. For more information, visit the Deals & Discounts website.