The book contains MONMOUTH – Western Oregon University’s Leadership Development Coordinator Jon Tucker has been developing and facilitating icebreakers and teambuilders for years. Many ofthe colleagues and studentshe’s worked with have suggested he make a book out of his ideas. Taking the advice to heart, Tucker has now published a 288-page book called “The Ultimate Icebreaker and Teambuilder Guide,” with Lulu.com. over 200 exercises and activities, and has indexed pages in the back helping the reader find activities based on criteria such as activity level or the amount of materials required. A portion of the proceeds for the book will go toward tuition remission for diverse students at WOU.

Tucker’s desire to create this useful book stems from his 11 years of work in higher education. Much of that time has been spent training and managing student staff within university residences and student activities, environments that require a large amount of icebreakers and team building exercises to get the staff comfortable with each other so they can do their jobs well.

“It seems whenever a student group gets together, there needs to be some sort of activity involved,” said Tucker. “I was often the go-to person for activities and icebreakers, and teambuilders were always my number one request from students in my role at WOU.”

His role at WOU includes creating a leadership development program for the campus, organizing and implementing leadership seminars, and organizing and planning both the annual New Student Week and Leadership Recognition Night. He also developed and implemented the Diversity Peer Educator program and conducts campus-wide diversity education.

“I’ve always been interested in team building and icebreakers, from working with a variety of different student groups and students across colleges and universities,” said Tucker. “This was an opportunity for me to put down on paper a lot of these activities and really help students build connections. Leadership is all about relationships. That’s important for me and one of the reasons I decided to write this book.”

Tucker earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management as well as a master’s in industrial relations and human resources from the University of Oregon. He is currently an adjunct instructor in business administration at Chemeketa Community College, and has worked as a complex coordinator for university housing at Colorado State University and a resident director for Boise State University.

This book has been a labor of love for Tucker, as well as an opportunity to share his experience not only with people in higher education, but in organizations such as businesses, non-profits and high schools.

“The Ultimate Icebreaker and Teambuilder Guide” is available for purchase at the WOU Bookstore and www.lulu.com for $19.99. The book is also available for purchase at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Borders online.

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Contacts:

Jon Tucker
503-838-8063
tuckerj@wou.edu

Denise Galey
Director, Werner University Center and Student Leadership and Activities
503-838-8659
galeyd@wou.edu