Facilitator: Melinda Rueter

Biography: Melinda has dedicated more than two decades to education, teaching at Millikin University for over 20 years. Her courses included conflict management, public relations, speech communication, and business communication. She was also the internship coordinator for the Communication Department. Before her career in higher education, Melinda worked in both state government and not-for-profits. Melinda earned her B.A. in Communication from Eastern Illinois University and her M.A. in Communication from the University of Illinois at Springfield. She has a passion for community and is currently actively involved with PawPrint Ministries in Decatur, Illinois.

Classes by this facilitator

Navigating Challenges & Stressors

Stressors at work create opportunities to rethink our responses and habits. In this session, identify challenges in your professional life and what contributes to them. Adopt strategies such as a proactive mindset and what-if thinking to anticipate problems before they arise. Grow your emotional intelligence to improve encounters with peers, supervisors, and customers. Explore how attending to your whole self affects your professionalism and career path. Leave with an action plan that promotes resilience in the face of workplace demands.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026, LLCC-Medical District Room 202

Practicing Professionalism at Work

A true professional adds value to their organization. In this session, cross-check your professionalism against best practices. Learn how to positively influence coworkers and customers, relate to diversity, and adapt to various work environments. Understand how to use feedback to improve performance and be seen as a problem-solver. At the end of the session, you will have new tools that help you contribute to a healthy and positive workplace.
Monday, March 16, 2026, LLCC-Medical District Room 202

Thinking Critically at Work

Boost your value at work by being seen as an effective problem-solver. In this session, explore the skills and strategies behind critical thinking - what it is and how to show it. Practice the ability to adopt multiple perspectives, analyze different data, and tackle complex issues collaboratively. Explore techniques for evaluating solutions and communicating them to key stakeholders. Walk away with confidence that you know how to generate improvements to benefit yourself, your team, and the organization.
Monday, February 23, 2026, LLCC-Medical District Room 202