June has arrived. So does my learning journey starting with the Mortenson Associates Program 2025.

Our program, running from June 2nd to 25th, began the day after a happy welcome dinner held at the home of Mortenson Distinguished Professor Emerita Barbara Ford. On the first day, associates from across the globe joined together and did a fantastic activity that was not on the program schedule, in the most international way possible— they brought special gifts from their own countries. I was absolutely amazed by their incredible generosity and the effort put in.

Gifts from 2025 Associates brought to Champaign-Urbana from all over the world.

Unpack the 2025 program theme: Libraries Unbound: Open, Inclusive and Engaged.

2025 Program Associates with Program Staff and Program Ambassadors.

The first day finished with us taking the DiSC test. It was interesting. Oh, back one step, do you know what DiSC is? Check out my next blog post!