Department of Communication Administrative Officer Jennifer Duignan has worked at the U for 33 years and looks forward to the annual Employee Appreciation Day celebration each year. “Since the inaugural Employee Appreciation Day in 2004, I’ve never missed a year and make sure my staff get the opportunity to attend,” said Duignan. “It is a fun break to visit with our friends from all over campus, while stretching our legs and having some great food.”

This year’s Employee Appreciation Day celebration is Thursday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium. All U employees, including student employees, are invited.

Employee Appreciation Day couldn’t happen without the help of generous U employees who volunteer one or two hours of their time during Employee Appreciation Day. All volunteers receive a T-shirt and a pair of athletic tickets. Volunteers are still needed for this year.

“It’s always fun to work at the front gate for Employee Appreciation Day because I get to see friends from across campus that I don’t see regularly,” said Shayla DeGooyer, College of Nursing academic programs manager. “I also enjoy being the greeter on the front lines and welcoming everyone to EAD.”

To volunteer, please fill out this form, where you’ll be able to choose the time of day that works best for you and the type of work you’d prefer. A committee member will respond to confirm your assignment.

“I enjoy volunteering at Employee Appreciation Day because I get a chance to meet fellow employees that I would not have crossed paths with any other way,” said Amy Tolman, benefits counselor in Human Resources. “Also, how often do you get to try to kick a field goal? Just a little bit of my time can make an enjoyable day for others.”

Faculty and staff will be admitted with their UCards. Student employees need to email EAD@utah.edu indicating they are a student employee along with their uNID number. They should bring a copy of the confirmation email they receive and their UCard to gain admission.

“It is important to the university to offer an environment that supports its employees and recognizes them for all they do to keep the U running smoothly and moving forward,” said Chris Bone, director of Employee Relations for Human Resource Management. “Employee Appreciation Day gives us an opportunity to remind U faculty and staff how valued they are.”

It’s apparent that U employees feel the love. Earlier this year, Forbes named the University of Utah one of the best employers in America —No. 32 overall and No. 5 in education. The ranking was based on the likelihood of employees to recommend their employer to someone else.

Employees who are unable to attend this year’s event can still be included. Send an email to EAD@utah.edu indicating that you are unable to attend and would like to be entered to win a prize.

To make it easier to get to Rice-Eccles Stadium, a bike corral at the northwest side of the stadium will be available to those who bike to the stadium. Additionally, special shuttle routes will be available to transport employees from all over campus. Routes are available online.