Week in Review: You are ‘The Spark’; teams earn cash prizes for well-being initiatives — and more!

Recognition was the name of the game at Headlines this week. That’s because U-M Health faculty and staff were honored with a special song for all they have done since the beginning of the pandemic; teams were rewarded for well-being initiatives they have put into motion over the past couple of years; and colleagues were given kudos for demonstrating the core value of caring in their daily work.

Find those stories and more as part of the Headlines Week in Review:

Inspiration, hope and a song: How ‘The Spark’ came to be

On Thursday, Headlines unveiled a unique collaboration between Michigan Medicine nurses and U-M School of Music, Theatre and Dance students. ‘The Spark’ is a song that takes listeners into the hearts and minds of front-line staffers during the pandemic. Check out the inspiring piece of art by clicking here. 

Teams awarded cash prizes in Pause for Well-being Challenge

In response to a challenge from Michigan Medicine CEO Marschall Runge, M.D., Ph.D., teams across the organization launched programs aimed at making sure employees were able to protect work-life balance. For instance, the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion added walking to their huddles, while the Department of Communication introduced “no-meeting Fridays.” Take a closer look at what colleagues are doing — and find out who won the first cash awards from the well-being challenge!

Making a Difference: Caring

The Making a Difference recognition program is now aligned with organizational core values — and Headlines is highlighting submissions that pertain to a specific value each month. This January, that value is caring. Click through to see who was recognized for their efforts over the past few weeks.

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: U-M hosts institutionwide lectures and events

Monday was Martin Luther King Day, a chance to commemorate the life and legacy of the civil rights leader. On main campus, there was the kickoff of the MLK Symposium while Michigan Medicine held the MLK Health Sciences Lecture. Those types of events will continue over the next couple of months. Learn more here.

The Frankel Cardiovascular Center is once again hosting its Innovation Challenge, a Shark Tank-style event designed to help fund creative projects that will enhance cardiovascular care both at Michigan Medicine and beyond. Learn more about the challenge on the latest episode of The Wrap employee podcast!

You can watch the show via the YouTube video at the top of the page or listen to an audio-only version in the media player below. Please note, the media player is not compatible with Internet Explorer, so open this story in a new browser or search of “The Wrap by Michigan Medicine Headlines” on your personal device to take a listen.