La Parisienne: Stéphanie Buisson and Team Lead AUP Faculty and Staff in Charity Run

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month (or “octobre rose,” as it’s known in France), AUP Director of Human Resources, Stephanie Buisson, and her team put together a new initiative aimed at connecting community members and supporting well-being activities and practices on campus. Together with colleagues from across the University, Buission ran La Parisienne, an annual all female race with proceeds going to breast cancer research.

Buisson, a regular runner herself, and HR Administrative Executive Assistant, Sophia Stéphany, are always looking for ways to improve the well-being of faculty and staff. When Buisson suggested launching an institution challenge to get a group to run La Parisienne, the whole team mobilized to bring on board 30 women—15 walkers and 15 runners—among faculty and staff to participate in the 7-kilometer race. The initiative was announced on March 8, International Women’s Day, to bring women across AUP together to get active for a good cause—and they made it happen.

Buisson and Stéphany decided that the University would sponsor all runners and would host a post-run brunch for participants and their friends and family at the AMEX Café. Race registration included the usual t-shirt and the possibility of partaking in three days of fitness classes, dance activities and concerts associated with the race. In addition, the Office of Human Resources sought to provide a unique accessory for the team of women, turning to Sara Wynn in the Office of Communications (MA in Global Communications ’22) who designed sky blue AUP caps for everyone, which helped the team of women recognize each other in the crowd.

“The theme was flower power—some of us had flowers in our hair—and there was music everywhere. It was so festive and fun—there couldn’t have been better energy all day! And the brunch was so cozy. It was a great experience we will repeat next year,” explained Stéphany.

In addition to being fun, festive and for a worthy cause, Stéphany adds that the race was an opportunity for staff and faculty to get to know each other across department lines. “Interacting with people—outside the office—who you don’t normally work with or even necessarily know because your job responsibilities don’t overlap was really great,” she said.

For Stéphany, for whom it was her first race, the event is also special because it starts and finishes at the Eiffel Tower, taking participants through the  7th, 8th and 16th arrondissements— and right through AUP’s urban campus.

As part of the mission to build connections between members of the AUP community, Buisson and her team look, in future years, to expand the Parisienne team to include students, perhaps some of those in the student led running club and other fitness and wellness groups led by Student Life and the Student Leadership Office.

Other exciting campus-wide well-being and team-building initiatives that the team has organized, often in collaboration with others across the University, include the first-ever AUP Retreat, the end of year holiday party and the 4th of July celebration. And they are just getting started.