Dream 2U15: Workshops, Networking and Fun
Disney at Dawn | Photo Credit: Taslima Islam
Yesterday was a full day at Dream 2U15, our annual company meeting. After an early breakfast, CEO and co-founder Christopher Paucek welcomed the entire 2U team. We were then treated to a surprise performance from MSW@USC graduate Jabari “Naledge” Evans, a Chicago-based hip-hop artist and social worker. Simmons College President Helen Drinan delivered the keynote address, speaking on the importance of having big dreams. In her own words, "Dream those big dreams and hold on to them." After, Andrew Hermalyn, EVP and GM and Chris Parrish, VP and GM, sat down with an alumna and a current student from 2U-powered programs for a fireside chat.
Fireside Chat moderated by Andrew Hermalyn & Chris Parrish
All 2Utes attended State of the 2Union speeches from our leadership team: President and Chief Operating Officer Rob Cohen, Chief Financial Officer Cathy Graham, Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Rinehart, Chief Technology Officer James Kenigsberg and Chief Content Officer Ian Van Tuyl. Each speaker discussed his or her corner of the business, giving 2Utes a glimpse into teams across the company they may not know about.
State of the 2Union | Photo Credit: Luke Cushanick
State of the 2Union was followed by a faculty panel moderated by James Altman with the following participants:
Matthew David Barberio (The George Washington University)
Karen Burk (Simmons College)
Susan Cates (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Susan Einbinder (Simmons College)
Bill Walsh (Syracuse University)
Read the recaps of morning events:
Keynote Address by Maggie Ruvoldt
After a short break for lunch, we began an afternoon of professional development sessions, the cornerstone of the annual company meeting.
2Utes at each event wrote about their impressions and takeaways:
Building and Managing Effective Processes by Jeremy Siegel
Day in The Life of a GM and Program Operations by Russellie Bongolan
Playing to Your Strengths by Stephanie Majercik
#DriveYourCareer: Get Out of The Back Seat by Jenna Dutcher
Leading and Managing Like a 2Ute by Kailey Roeder
Delivering a Presentation Worthy of a Mic Drop by Chris Parrish
Motivating Your Team for Performance by Monica Sella
Communicating for Results by Nina Borysova
Giving and Receiving Feedback by Gaby Acosta
2U Panel Discussion: Women in Leadership by Kelly Fong
The whole company was then brought back together for the annual awards ceremony, in which outstanding team members from our admissions and post-enrollment services teams were honored. This year’s Admissions Counselor of the Year was Joseph Nguyen and the Post Enrollment Service Award went to Kelly Dewire.
"I'm so glad to work for a company that has my back." - Joseph Nguyen
Nothing is better after a long day of meetings than dinner and dancing. With a short rest under our belts, we boarded buses to our evening destination, Disney's Hollywood Studios. We ate a delicious dinner, watched fireworks and even had the chance to enjoy the rides after the park closed.
Fireworks at Disney | Photo Credit: Michelle Manno
In true 2U fashion, we danced until we were exhausted and returned to the resort to rest up for the last day of events.
Read the full recap of the night by Michelle Manno.