GrieveWell at ASU

The Employee Assistance Office is excited to partner with Watts College to launch GrieveWell at ASU, a new peer grief support program for ASU employees.

GrieveWell at ASU connects grieving employees with trained peer supporters who have experienced a similar loss, providing compassionate, understanding support during difficult times. If you are ready to transform your own experience with grief into meaningful support for others, consider becoming a peer supporter.

 As a peer supporter, you will:

• Complete 12 hours of professional peer support training (four 3-hour virtual sessions)
• Meet with a matched ASU employee up to once per week for up to 12 months to provide support

 Who can apply?

• Benefit-eligible ASU employees
• Arizona residents
• Individuals who are at least two years beyond the loss of a loved one

 Ready to make a difference? Training begins September 8! Applications are due by August 25 – apply now to help create a supportive community for colleagues navigating grief.

 For more information, visit GrieveWell at ASU or contact EAO at 480-965-2271.

ASU Career Faculty Association 

Special Event: CFA Leadership Dialogue with May Busch, author of Visible: How to Advance Your Career Without Playing Politics, Selling Your Soul, or Working Yourself into the Ground

Thursday, September 10, 2026     3:00PM-4:30PM

Tempe Campus: Memorial Union Ventana A and via WEBCAST

Register today at: https://maybuschvisibleasucfa.eventbrite.com

Event is free and is open to all ASU faculty, staff and students

We’re excited to share current airline promotions from American Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

✈️American Airlines Promotions

1. Fast‑track to AAdvantage Gold® status
   • Opportunity available through Oct. 23, 2026
   • Travelers can experience AAdvantage Gold® status for 4 months with a fast-track to a higher status.
     • With AAdvantage Gold® status, they’ll enjoy these great benefits when traveling for business or leisure:
       • Earn 40% more miles and Loyalty Points on eligible flights
       • Priority privileges through the airport and Group 4 boarding
       • Complimentary upgrades as early as 24 hours before departure, when eligible seats are available
       • First checked bag free
       • Complimentary Preferred Seats at booking; Main Cabin Extra seats 24 hours before departure
   • Access registration form

2. For travelers with status on another airline
   • Opportunity available through Oct. 23, 2026
   • For AAdvantage Gold®, AAdvantage Platinum® and AAdvantage Platinum Pro® status equivalents 
     • American Airlines will match your travelers’ current status and elevate it to the next tier in the AAdvantage® program.
   • For AAdvantage Executive Platinum® status equivalents 
     • American Airlines will match their status to the equivalent AAdvantage® tier, plus they’ll receive 4 Flagship® Lounge Single Visit Passes as a welcome gift.
   • Access registration form

✈️Southwest Promotion

1. Ready for Takeoff? Earn A-List Status and Up to 20,000 Rapid Rewards® Bonus Points
   • Opportunity available through Oct. 31, 2026

• Rapid Rewards Members can earn promotional A-List status (valid through 12/31/2026) and up to 20,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points when they register, book through an eligible business channel (GDS, SWABIZ, or one of our direct connect/API partners), and fly qualifying flights. (Only flights booked via Concur or Anthony Travel are eligible.)
  • Book and fly 2 round trips (4 one-ways): earn promotional A-List through 12/31/26
  • Book and fly 4 round trips (8 one-ways): earn promotional A-List plus 20,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points
• To clarify, these points (the 20,000) are spendable but DO NOT count toward A-List, A-List Preferred, or Companion Pass qualification.
• This will be visible to all Rapid Rewards Members within “My Account”, but only those that book through business channels will be eligible to receive bonus points.
• Sign-up link: southwest.com/2026BizOffer

If there are any questions, please reach out to the ASU Travel Service Center at [email protected] or 480-965-3111. Thank you.

As of January 27, 2026, Southwest Airlines has officially switched from open seating to assigned seats. After decades of choosing seats during boarding, they’re now using a standard assigned‑seat system on all flights.

In summary:

• Assigned seats on every flight: Boarding passes will now show your specific seat, no more picking once you’re on the plane.
• New boarding groups: Southwest has retired the A/B/C groups and introduced eight new boarding groups. A traveler's place in line will depend on the fare type, seat selection, status, and Southwest credit‑card perks.
• Seat selection options: Traveler's can now pay for preferred seats (like extra legroom or seats closer to the front) at check‑in, depending on the fare and loyalty level.
• Extra‑space policy changes: Travelers who need additional seat space will now need to purchase an extra seat in advance. Refunds depend on availability and fare rules.

What this means for travelers:

• If someone is flying soon, it’s a good idea for them to take a quick look at their boarding pass and seat assignment before heading to the airport. With the new system rolling out, arriving a bit earlier than usual could also help avoid any hiccups.
• There is a note within Concur telling travelers to go to Southwest.com after ticketing to choose a seat. One helpful detail, though: if a traveler has their Rapid Rewards number saved in their Concur profile, they will actually be able to select their seat directly in Concur.

NEW! Southwest Tier Experience: 

Between February 1 and April 30, travelers can sign up to receive complimentary A List Status for 90 days. Should they book and fly three round trips or 6 one ways within those 90 days, their A List Status will be extended another 12 months. Benefits of A List status in this new chapter of SWA are immense, with inclusions like increased options on seat selection, boarding priority, and a checked bag waiver.  Travelers can register here or the link in the attachment.

In addition, travelers can double dip on benefits and sign up for a New Year Loyalty Promotion via their Rapid Rewards Account. Those same (business) segments booked for Tier Experience qualification can earn them up to 7,500 Rapid Rewards Points.  

If there are any questions, please reach out to the ASU Travel Service Center at [email protected] or 480-965-3111. Thank you.

ASU Staff Council is excited to launch Career Workshops, a new professional development series designed with staff in mind. This series offers practical tools, insights, and conversations to support career growth, skill-building, and long-term success at ASU. Whether you’re exploring new opportunities or strengthening your current path, Career Workshops aims to empower staff at every stage of their professional journey. Open to all ASU staff!

Resume Update: Hiring Trends & Resume Tips for ASU Staff

• What: Practical session on current hiring trends, ATS-friendly resumes, and how to create a modern resume!
• When: Thursday, Feb. 5 | 12–1pm

• Where: Zoom (Register Here)

   

Whether you’re actively exploring new opportunities or just want to keep your materials fresh, this session offers timely insights and actionable takeaways.

Barrett Student Services is excited to welcome Joshua Albin to the team as the new Assistant Director of Student Services. Joshua will be joining the Tempe campus on January 5th. Joshua brings seven years of experience working at Barrett’s Polytechnic campus, where he supported a wide range of student services and operational initiatives while consistently advancing the mission and values of Barrett. As a Barrett and Arizona State University alum, Joshua credits his honors experience with shaping his commitment to student-centered support, academic excellence, and community engagement. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering and a Master of Education in Higher and Postsecondary Education from ASU, combining technical expertise with a strong foundation in higher education practice. Throughout his time at Barrett, Joshua has demonstrated a deep dedication to the college’s culture and long-term growth. Please join us in welcoming Joshua into this new role on the Tempe campus. 

Barrett Advising is excited to welcome Maggie Reynolds and Alaina Wong to our Tempe team the week of December 29, just in time for the Spring semester. A special thank you to Teresa Guerra and Molly Boyle for helping select these outstanding additions to the Barrett staff.

Maggie Reynolds is a recent Barrett alum who has been working as a Music Therapist since graduating in Spring 2023. She brings valuable experience supporting students and developing strategies that promote success. Maggie previously served as a management intern and events programmer with Barrett Student Services, where her leadership and creativity stood out. We’re thrilled to welcome her back full-time.

Alaina Wong most recently worked with the Office of Student Athlete Development, supporting ASU student-athletes through one-on-one academic success coaching. Her efforts contributed to ASU Athletics’ impressive 93% Graduation Success Rate. Alaina has extensive experience helping students balance demanding schedules and leadership roles, making her a great asset for our honors students.

Maggie and Alaina join us following the transitions of Sarah Mogytych, who moved to Development, and Parker McNair, who relocated to Philadelphia. We are excited to have them on our team and look forward to all they will contribute.

I’m excited to share that Sammie Moran has joined Barrett Enrollment Services as a recruiter!

Sammie graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2022 with her degree in Physics and Astrophysics. Since then, she has built a strong background in education—first as a teaching assistant in ASU’s Department of Physics and most recently as a high school physics and calculus teacher.

Outside of work, Sammie enjoys an active and creative lifestyle. Her hobbies include hiking, rock climbing, reading, board games, and playing classical piano. She and her husband were married in December 2023 and recently welcomed two energetic kittens into their home, Saturn and Sparks.

Please join me in giving Sammie a warm welcome to Barrett Enrollment Services! We’re thrilled to have her on the team.

Angela Carter

We are excited to welcome Emily Rap on Monday, July 21st in the role of Assistant Director for Pre-Professional and Legal Pathways. Emily will report to Alex Aragon and her office is located in Sage 128 with Cariann Powers. In this role Emily will be responsible for developing, coordinating, and expanding pre-professional support services for honors students at Barrett, The Honors College, with an emphasis on pre-law programming. Emily will work with our ASU and community partners as well as Barrett and ASU faculty and staff to support honors students pursuing careers in law, medicine, and graduate school. 

Emily is a proud Barrett alumna, Class of 2005.  She earned her JD from Penn Law and practiced at a large firm in Washington DC prior to undertaking additional graduate study in comparative legal history.  She has been working at ASU since 2020, but lived in France for over three years, pre-pandemic.  In her leisure time Emily enjoys cooking, reading mystery novels, and exploring downtown Phoenix with her husband and her Welsh Terrier, Rufus.