Buffalo State Celebrates 40 Years of Winterim: Personal and Professional Development for All
While classes aren’t currently in session, Buffalo State’s campus is still abuzz with activity. From Monday, January 13 to Friday, January 17, Buffalo State faculty, staff, and students are invited to participate in the 40th Winterim, a program dedicated to intellectual, personal, and professional growth. The week features more than 40 sessions, which range from lighthearted activities like rock painting to meaningful conversations about navigating change.
“Winterim provides an opportunity for employees to connect, collaborate, and develop stronger professional and personal relationships,” said Rebecca Eggleston, Buffalo State professional development assistant and Winterim committee chair. “The variety of sessions inspires participants to explore new ideas and experiences.”
This year’s offerings include conversations on AI in the classroom and everyday life, supporting students and building a community of care, and enhancing cultural competence; tours of campus landmarks such as the Burchfield Penney Art Center and the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium; a basic physical defense course; fitness and mindfulness workshops; team trivia; and many more.
“Winterim began as a response to faculty and staff wanting to improve their work skills and learn new things,” said Paul Reynolds, former Buffalo State employee and Winterim planner. “It was meant to bring faculty and staff together as equals to learn and develop new skills.”
The earliest Winterims offered more than 40 unique workshops over 15 days. The majority of workshops ran for three to four hours; some went as long as six. Some early workshop offerings included bread-making, square dancing, soap-making, Microsoft Office training, and calligraphy.
After 10 years of Winterim—originally overseen by Wendell Wickland—the program went on hiatus. Two years later, Reynolds honored the many requests to revive the event and adapted the Winterim model to what it is today: one week during winter break.
“I enjoyed watching people who were struggling to understand difficult concepts suddenly have that ‘aha’ moment,” Reynolds said, “and leave the workshop with newfound skills and confidence.”
Reynolds continued managing Winterim until 2014, when the program went hiatus for a second time. Fortunately, through successful collaboration between the Professional Development Center, Teaching and Learning Center, Instructional Design and Distance Learning, and a Winterim committee comprising employees from all over campus, Winterim has not disappeared again; it even endured the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We offered more than 15 virtual sessions for employees to enjoy while working from home,” Eggleston said, “including team trivia and making a charcuterie board.”
Since its inception, Winterim sessions have been determined by faculty and staff’s suggestions, abilities, and willingness to share skills, passions, and talents with the campus community.
“The Winterim planning committee includes many employee representatives from campus,” Eggleston said. “We begin meeting as soon as October to discuss ideas for sessions based on current professional and personal development needs, create a form, and submit a call for sessions in the Daily Bulletin. The committee also reaches out to specific members of the campus community with ideas and assists with creating and planning the logistics.”
Winterim 2025 begins with a kickoff event on Friday, January 10 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Reserve your spot by registering now for sessions through the Workshop Registration Session System (LibCal).
