George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award

The George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award recognizes the highest level of achievement among staff employees. Serving as a companion award to the Trustees Award for faculty, the George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award is a symbol of what we value as a campus community, having an “extraordinary impact on the lives of students.” This award winner exemplifies the traits of its namesake George J. Howe in humility, generosity, and excellence in leadership, as well as the Cardinal Principles and whose career has had an exceptional impact on the university.

• Diane Whitlock, assistant vice president for strategic initiatives in the Office of Access & Opportunity

Trustees Award

The Board of Trustees of the University of Louisville established the Trustees Award in 1989 to honor faculty who individually impact the future of our students. The award is intended to recognize faculty who have had, currently or in the past, an extraordinary impact on students.

• Recipient will be announced on April 17, 2026.

Cardinal Principles Champions

The Cardinal Principles Champions Award recognizes faculty and staff who exemplify the university’s guiding values through meaningful actions and impact. Each recipient is recognized for demonstrating one of the Cardinal Principles in a way that positively influences students, colleagues and the broader university community.

• Community of Care: Audra N. French, School of Dentistry
• Agility: Libby Champion, College of ����ֱ�� & Human Development
• Respect: Amanda LeDuke, Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement
• Diversity: Katie Kleinkopf, College of Arts & Sciences
• Integrity & Transparency: MaryPat Chiavaroli, College of Arts & Sciences
• Noble Purpose: Tonia D. Thomas, Office of Access & Opportunity
• Accountability: Michelle Maddox, School of Medicine
• Leadership: Brad Shuck, College of ����ֱ�� & Human Development

Distinguished Faculty Awards

The University of Louisville recognizes faculty members who bring distinction to the institution through exceptional contributions in teaching, research, creative work and service. The Distinguished Faculty Awards honor individuals whose work reflects the university’s mission and Cardinal Principles, advancing student success, scholarship and impact across the university and broader community.

Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity

• Basic and Applied Sciences: Gregory Barnes, School of Medicine
• Career Achievement: Aruni Bhatnagar, School of Medicine
• Creative and Performing Arts: William Reese Land, School of Music
• Humanities: Lauren Freeman, College of Arts & Sciences
• Social Sciences: Tara Schapmire, School of Medicine

Distinguished Service

• Service to the Community, the Commonwealth and/or the Region: Matthew H. Ruther, College of Arts & Sciences
• Service to the Profession: Kupper Wintergerst, School of Medicine
• Career of Service: Gerard Paul Rabalais, School of Medicine
• Service to UofL: Natalie C. Polzer, College of Arts & Sciences
• National/International Service: Mirzada Kurbasic, School of Medicine

Distinguished Teaching Professor

• James S. Chisholm, College of ����ֱ�� & Human Development, full-time
• Jennifer Koch, School of Medicine, full-time
• Shawn Schweppe Parkhurst, College of Arts & Sciences, full-time
• Heather L. Storer, Kent School of Social Work & Family Science, full-time
• Jennifer M. Foreman, Kent School of Social Work & Family Science, part-time

Outstanding Performance Awards

The Outstanding Performance Awards celebrate UofL staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, service and dedication. These awards highlight contributions that make a meaningful impact across the university.

• Mindy L. Christian, Public Safety
• Melissa Eversole, Office of Admissions
• David L. Fichuo, School of Medicine
• Julie Hornung, Clinical Trials
• Andrew C. Marsh, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Beth Masters, Human Resources
• Kristen Taxes Roy, Office of Access & Opportunity
• Veronica (Sissy) Snorton-Craft, Physical Plant
• Anika Strand, Student Success Center
• Mary Beth Uberti, Campus Health

Outstanding Supervisor Award

The Outstanding Supervisor Award recognizes supervisors who demonstrate exceptional leadership by supporting and developing their teams while fostering a positive and respectful work environment. These leaders model the Cardinal Principles through their actions and impact.

• Rachel Hodge, University Libraries

Team Impact Award

The Team Impact Award recognizes teams whose collaboration, innovation and shared efforts create meaningful impact across the university. These groups demonstrate the power of collective work in advancing the university’s mission.

• Benefits Team/Human Resources: Chastity Millanti, Michaeline Miller, Beth Masters, Carol Zehnder, Ashley Bertram, Shannon Hall, Mariah Mitchell, Greg Paradiso

Distinguished Retiree Awards

The Distinguished Retiree Awards recognize retired faculty and staff whose continued scholarship, service and contributions reflect the university’s Cardinal Principles and create meaningful impact beyond their careers at UofL. These awards are presented in partnership with the University of Louisville Association of Retired Personnel (ULARP) and the UofL Alumni Association.

• Distinguished Retiree Excellence Award: Allan Tasman, Emeritus Professor
• Distinguished Retiree Alumni Award: Michael Radmacher, UofL Alumnus and Retiree

The conferred the 2024 Presidential Excellence Awards during the awards reception, which took place April 18. The awards recognize the employees whose exemplary performance impacts the entire university community.

Here are this year’s winners:

George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award
The annual George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award recognizes the contributions of an extraordinary UofL staff member who exemplifies the traits of its namesake George J. Howe (humility, generosity and excellence in leadership) as well as the Cardinal Principles. This staff member’s career has had an exceptional impact on the university and its vision to be a great place to learn, discover, connect and work.

• Angela Taylor, associate vice president for student affairs and assistant dean of students

Trustees Award
The Board of Trustees of the University of Louisville established The Trustees Award in 1989 to honor faculty who individually impact the future of our students. The award is intended to recognize faculty who have had, currently or in the past, an extraordinary impact on students.

• Jennifer Brueckner-Collins, professor, Department of Anatomical Sciences & Neurobiology, School of Medicine

Cardinal Principles Champions
The Cardinal Principles Champions award is designed to honor our faculty and staff who have demonstrated one of the Cardinal Principles at the highest level of impact.

• Community of Care: Paige Shank, Early Learning Campus
• Accountability: Elise Franklin, Department of History, College of Arts & Sciences, 
• Respect: Lance Flint, Dean’s Office, College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development
• Diversity and Inclusion: Jennifer M. Porter, School of Medicine
• Integrity and Transparency: Jessica Belue Buckley, Department of ����ֱ��al Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development, College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development
• Noble Purpose: Taylor L. Pratt, LEAD, SKILLS Collaborative
• Agility: Allysse Marie Stokes, Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science
• Leadership: Riece Hamilton, Health Promotion

Distinguished Faculty Awards
Every year, the university honors faculty who bring distinction to the university through their commitment to the areas of service, teaching and outstanding scholarship, research and creative activity.

Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity

• Basic and Applied Sciences: Sanjay Srivastava, School of Medicine 
• Creative and Performing Arts: Emily Albrink Katz, School of Music
• Career Achievement: Steven C. Koenig, School of Medicine and Speed School of Engineering 
• Social Sciences: Cheri A. Levinson, College of Arts and Sciences 
• Humanities: Andreas Elpidorou, College of Arts and Sciences 

Distinguished Service

• Service to UofL: Peter M. Quesada, Speed School of Engineering 
• Career of Service: Ronald I. Paul, School of Medicine 
• Service to the Profession: Eli Karam, Kent School of Social Work and Family Science 
• Service to the Community, the Commonwealth and/or the Region: Michael Brandon McCormack, College of Arts & Sciences 

Distinguished Teaching Professor

• Aaron William Calhoun, School of Medicine, full-time
• Caroline C. Sheffield, College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development, full-time
• Siobhan E. Smith-Jones, College of Arts and Sciences, full-time
• Stuart J. Williams, Speed School of Engineering, full-time
• Elizabeth Gentry, Speed School of Engineering, part-time

Outstanding Performance Award Winners
The Outstanding Performance Awards recognize university staff (both exempt and nonexempt) who inspire others through their outstanding dedication and commitment to UofL.

• Debbie Aldi, Physical Plant
• Rebecca Barrett, School of Nursing
• Mary Ann Campbell, Center for Military Connected Students
• Geeta Gulati, Student Affairs
• Jetta Hall, Office of Admissions
• Paula T. Huffman, Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Sciences
• Courtney Kerr, Graduate School
• Troy Lamont Rice, Office of Admissions-Transfer and Adult Services
• Donnie Thomas, Physical Plant
• Marissa Williams, Student Success Center

Outstanding Supervisor Award Winner
Great supervisors create a culture of engagement that includes supporting the development of team members and sending a strong, consistent message of respect, compassion and trustworthiness.

• Brittany Blake, undergraduate affairs, Speed School of Engineering

Team Impact Award Winners
Behind every great accomplishment at the University of Louisville is a team of dedicated employees who worked collaboratively to realize their vision. This exceptional team has had a great impact on the university. As the saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work.

• College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development Summer Bridge Team (Elementary/Middle & Secondary and Health & Sport Sciences): Penny Howell, Kate Marin, Megan Shreffler, Katie Harman, Gin Presley, Greta Cesarz, Mike Jett

Presidential Commission Awards

Commission on the Status of Women (COSW)

• Champion of Advocacy: Olfa Nasraoui, Speed School of Engineering
• Champion of Communications: Baylee Pulliam, Office of Research and Innovation
• Climate & Equity Champion: Brian Buford, Employee Success Center
• Commissioner of the Year: Rennie Davis, Metropolitan College
• Volunteer of the Year: Cherie Dawson-Edwards, Faculty Affairs
• Catalyst: Anita R. Hall, University Libraries

Commission on Diversity and Racial Equity (CODRE)

• Presidential Exemplary Multicultural Teaching Award: Luis Marsano, School of Medicine
• Presidential Exemplary Multicultural Engagement Staff Award: Diane Whitlock, Office of Institutional Equity
• Commissioner of the Year Award: Marian R. Vasser, Office of Diversity ����ֱ�� and Inclusive Excellence

The University of Louisville Employee Success Center conferred the 2023 Presidential Excellence Awards during the awards reception, which took place April 13. The awards recognize the employees whose exemplary commitments to student success impact the entire university community.

Here are this year’s winners.

George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award

The annual George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award recognizes the contributions of an extraordinary University of Louisville staff member who exemplifies the traits of its namesake George J. Howe (humility, generosity and excellence in leadership) as well as the Cardinal Principles. This staff member’s career has had an exceptional impact on the university.

• Margaret Pentecost, Assistant Dean, College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development

Trustees Award

The Board of Trustees of the University of Louisville established The Trustees Award in 1989 to honor faculty who individually impact the future of our students. The award is intended to recognize faculty who have had, currently or in the past, an extraordinary impact on students.

• Nefertiti Burton, Professor and Chair, Department of Theatre Arts

Cardinal Principles Champions

The Cardinal Principles Champions Award honors faculty and staff who demonstrate one of the Cardinal Principles at the highest level of impact.

• Jason Beare, Community of Care
• Michel Ball, Accountability
• Kamari Wooten, Respect
• John Chenault, Diversity and Inclusion
• Karen Blake, Integrity and Transparency
• Gordon Stout, Noble Purpose
• Jessica Jackey, Agility
• Michelle Rodems, Leadership

Distinguished Faculty Awards

These awards honor faculty who bring distinction to the university through their commitment to the areas of service, teaching and outstanding scholarship, research and creative activity.

• Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity
• Kevin Walsh, Speed School of Engineering, Basic and Applied Sciences
• Christopher Brody, School of Music, Creative and Performing Arts
• Janice Sullivan, School of Medicine, Career Achievement
• Lesley Harris, Kent School of Social Work and Family Science, Social Sciences
• Simona Bertacco, College of Arts and Sciences, Humanities
• Distinguished Service
• Emma Sterrett-Hong, Kent School of Social Work and Family Science, Service to UofL
• Susan Galandiuk, School of Medicine, Career of Service
• W. Mark McGinley, Speed School of Engineering, Service to the Profession
• Ayman El-Baz, Speed School of Engineering, National/International Service
• Melissa Currie, School of Medicine, Service to the Community, the Commonwealth and/or the Region

Distinguished Teaching Professor

• Denise Cumberland, College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development, Full-time
• Shamus McNamara, Speed School of Engineering, Full-time
• Shawnise Miller, Kent School of Social Work and Family Science, Full-time
• Chad Sloan, School of Music, Full-time
• T Cantrell, College of Arts and Sciences, Part-time

Outstanding Performance Award

The Outstanding Performance Award recognizes university staff (both exempt and nonexempt) who inspire others through their outstanding dedication and commitment to UofL.

• Katie Adamchik, Director of Student Success, Student Success Center
• Kenneth Carey, General Maintenance Mechanic, Physical Plant
• Jennifer Foreman, Program Manager, Kent School of Social Work and Family Science
• Carissa Gentry, Program Coordinator Senior, Center for Military-Connected Students
• Adam Gibson, IT Systems Support Analyst, School of Nursing, Information Technology
• Alex Isham, Manager, Technical Services, Speed School – Bioengineering
• Karen Ramsey, Administrative Assistant, Department of Medicine-Infectious Diseases
• Rob Smith, Commercialization Manager, Office of Research and Innovation
• M. Yvette Stith, Administrative Assistant, Graduate School
• Charles Williams, Locksmith, Physical Plant

Outstanding Supervisor Award

Great supervisors create a culture of engagement that includes supporting the development of team members and sending a strong, consistent message of respect, compassion and trustworthiness.

• Anthony Kron, Program Assistant Senior, Physical Plant

Team Impact Award

Team Impact Award winners honor a team of dedicated employees who work collaboratively to realize their vision.

• Center for Military-Connected Students – Mary Ann Campbell, Carissa Gentry, Kyle Hurwitz, Shannon Putman and Kristen Roy

Presidential Commission Awards

Commission on the Status of Women (COSW)

• COSW Champion of Advocacy: Jamieca Jones, Program Coordinator, Women’s Center
• COSW Champion of Communications: Laura McDaniels, Engagement Specialist, Employee Success Center
• COSW Climate & Equity Champion: Savanah Low, Coordinator, Health Promotion
• COSW Commissioner of the Year: Sophonie Bazile, Coordinator Online Student Support, Online Programs, College of Business
• COSW Volunteer of the Year: Sammy-Jo Hand, Program Coordinator, Health Promotions
• COSW Catalyst: The Parenting Network Founders – Andrew Grubb, Sarah Frankel, Michelle Henderson, Laura McDaniels, Taylor U’Sellis and Meagan West

Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality (CODRE)

• Presidential Exemplary Multicultural Teaching Award: John Chenault, Director of Anti-Racism Initiatives, Undergraduate Medical ����ֱ��
• CODRE Commissioner of the Year Award: Daniela Terson de Paleville, Associate Professor, Health and Sport Sciences
• CODRE Commissioner of the Year Award: Tonia Thomas, Program Director and Advisor, School of Medicine

In February 2021, the university took a significant step in that direction with the opening of the . The center provides various employee-centered resources and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Coaching circles allow employees to gather and collaborate on significant topics, such as anti-racism initiatives. Well-being retreats and mindfulness initiatives are also offered to cultivate a strong community of care. Award programs, which honor employee achievements and milestones, are also part of the center’s many efforts.

From the goals set in the Strategic Plan came seven initiatives to maintain a thriving spirit for UofL employees and ensure the institution is, indeed, a “Great Place to Work.” They are outlined below.

Web Improvement
The is a multi-year initiative aimed at revamping and improving the entire digital presence of the university. The effort marks the first funded, comprehensive web initiative in ���Ǵڳ�’s history and is the largest concurrent “reset” of UofL websites, systems and platforms.

The project focuses on enhancing the daily lives of students, faculty and staff by modernizing and improving all university web-based experiences, as well as the processes behind developing and maintaining them. This digital overhaul will allow the university to attract new students, foster a stronger relationship with the community and provide staff with opportunities to further develop and implement current technology in their professional capacities.

Metrics and guiding strategies of the project will be routinely re-evaluated and the response with the web realigned accordingly.

Digital Transformation
To prepare the UofL community for engagement in the evolving global market, the university has undertaken a broad array of digital transformation projects designed to provide the digital and mobile on-demand solutions and services required to efficiently work, learn and create, as well as training opportunities for high-demand workforce applications.

The implementation of Microsoft Teams and other Office 365 applications has improved efficiencies in academic and operational services. Every active UofL student, faculty member and employee now have access to the Adobe Creative Cloud at no cost thanks to a university enterprise license. Creative Cloud is an industry standard platform for creating documents, videos, audio, graphic design, photos, illustrations, websites and mobile apps.

���Ǵڳ�’s provides training for these and other software applications to faculty, staff and students at little to no cost. Many training programs come with badges, certificates or other credentials upon completion.

The Employee Success Center and the DTC announced in March that UofL employees and students have no-cost access to LinkedIn Learning. The platform includes more than 16,000 virtual courses designed to refine and develop technical, business, software and creative skills.

Workday
In order to simplify and enhance the day-to-day lives of employees, the university is transitioning from PeopleSoft human resources software to a newer, more accessible system. Information Technology Services identified the system that would best address employees’ needs. After working with various members of the campus community and engaging more than 77 stakeholders across 20 departments for feedback, the software was selected as the best system for the university.

Workday is an industry leader that provides a unified system for Human Capital Management. The implementation of the modern cloud-based system will offer timely and cost-effective functionality to employees while simplifying and standardizing numerous human resources processes across the university. The functionality of the software will improve hiring processes, reduce payroll calculation and processing errors, upgrade security and provide users with a more positive overall HR and payroll experience.

Brand Evolution
At the direction of the Office of the President and in support of the university’s Strategic Plan, UofL has refreshed its identity to include the addition of a strategic brand framework and messaging guidelines to complement the existing core brand visual standards.

More than just a logo, colors or tagline, the represents the core of who we are — from what it feels like to be a part of the Cardinal Family to the interactions that our faculty and staff have with students, families, fans and supporters.

Throughout the summer and fall of 2021, the Office of Communications and Marketing hosted several workshops to share ���Ǵڳ�’s new brand positioning and messaging with faculty, staff and students. These sessions also included the rollout of an extensive toolkit for communicators across campus and coincided with the formation of the UofL Brand Council. Comprised of the top-level communicators in each school/college and key administrative units, the council is responsible for developing and managing communications and marketing strategies to improve overall brand awareness, perceptions and engagement.

The official brand rollout to the entire university will take place Friday, Jan. 14, 2022.

Grand Challenges
UofL is dedicated to creating and applying knowledge that improves lives. By harnessing our research and scholarship efforts behind three of our time, we will find solutions that make a difference and lead to thriving futures here and beyond. The three Grand Challenges, as identified by a president-appointed subcommittee are: 1.) empowering our communities; 2.) advancing our health; and
3.) engineering our future economy.

Throughout the past year, the UofL Office of Research and Innovation has expanded or launched programming aimed at celebrating and supporting researchers and their work in the Grand Challenges. That work is now the focus of the office’s research and innovation town hall meetings, where UofL researchers can share their projects and find collaborators.

R&I, in partnership with the UofL College of Arts & Sciences, Office of Diversity and Equity and ATHENA program, also launched a new program called Ascending Stars that provides mentorship, funding and other support to high-performing associate professors who focus on work in diversity, inclusion and empowering our communities.

Other efforts have focused on giving researchers better tools. UofL recently selected a new Electronic Research Administration system called Cayuse, for example, meant to minimize the administrative burden of conducting research and facilitate the growth of UofL research programs.

Cardinal Anti-Racism Agenda
In the summer of 2020, the Office of the President announced a goal for the university to become the “premier anti-racist metropolitan research university in the country.” To guide us toward this goal, UofL has launched the .

While the university has taken many strides toward service to a more racially and socio-economically diverse workforce and student population, it is appropriate as a higher education institution to explore and to grow for the purpose of being a model for the communities we serve.

UofL has already established a few key commitments, including the recruitment and retention of more Black employees and students, building intentionally anti-racism curriculum across all disciplines, ensuring diverse representation on boards and committees, developing budgets that reflect the priority of diversity and equity and more. The in partnership with the , leads the charge to engage our community for more potential items to add to the anti-racism agenda.

Additionally, a vice president of diversity and equity will be named in 2022. This position will report directly to the university president, serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, senior leadership team and other key institutional committees.

Total Rewards and Compensation Studies
Finally, the Strategic Plan identified fair and equitable compensation for faculty and staff as a critical aspect of ���Ǵڳ�’s commitment to being a great place to learn, to work and in which to invest. To honor this commitment, the Office of Human Resources is leading the . These studies will assess both employee wages and Total Rewards, which is the total of benefits offered including health care, tuition remission, paid leave and more.

The comprehensive studies are divided into a six-phase approach that will be accomplished over the next 18 to 24 months with assistance from Segal, an outside human resources consulting firm with extensive experience in conducting higher education compensation studies. Findings from the studies will provide the necessary framework for employee salaries and benefits moving forward.

LinkedIn Learning is an award-winning virtual training resource with a digital library of over 16,000 courses covering a wide range of technical, business, software and creative topics. These expert-led courses are designed to refine and develop professional skills, teach new software and explore other areas for those exploring career growth and personal development.

With LinkedIn Learning, users can development several in-demand skills to achieve both personal and professional goals on their own schedule. Courses range from less than five minutes to several hours long and can be accessed on any electronic device, anywhere.

In addition to individual courses, LinkedIn Learning also compiles playlists of resources that are focused on larger topics known as . After completing a learning path, users can share this accomplishment on their LinkedIn profiles. This allows users to easily share their new skills and qualifications with their entire professional network.

The team at the Employee Success Center also works to compile relevant resources on LinkedIn Learning for university students and employees. These learning paths, such as the return to campus and remote/hybrid support resources announced in UofL Today on June 23, are thoughtfully curated to address the current and specific needs of those within the university community.

Popular courses available on LinkedIn Learning include , and . LinkedIn Learning also provides learning paths designed to develop and improve skills with the Adobe Creative Suite, which is available at no cost to all current employees and students through .

As part of the , the University of Louisville is committed to the continued professional and personal development of all faculty and staff. Providing free e-learning opportunities to all faculty and staff, such as the LinkedIn Learning Partnership, is one way that UofL is devoted to making the university a great place to work.

To get started with the free services offered through the LinkedIn Learning partnership, log in through the . The online library is also available through the LinkedIn Learning app for and . Video tutorials, FAQs and LinkedIn Learning app login instructions can be found on the Employee Success Center’s .

Sinek is a renowned motivational speaker, author and TED Talk presenter. He is best known for his TED Talk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” which has amassed over 53 million views worldwide. Sinek and Bendapudi discussed how leadership, employee engagement and initiatives through the ESC can contribute to making the University of Louisville a  great place to work, one of the goals of the 2019-2022 .

The center, currently located in suite 202 of Grawemeyer Hall, provides UofL employees with professional development opportunities, onboarding, mentoring, workshops and other engaging initiatives and programs.

Bendapudi and Sinek’s discussion was facilitated by Brian Buford, executive director of university culture and employee success. Although this event officially signified the opening of the ESC, Buford and his teammates, Laura McDaniels and Meagan West, have been working tirelessly since last fall to get the ESC off the ground. Throughout the past few months, the team has provided over 20 Learning Cafes and other virtual workshops to university employees, for example. 

Bendapudi and Sinek started the virtual event by discussing the role of leadership within the university community. Sinek said true leadership is the responsibility to see those around us rise. The ESC serves to embody this type of leadership by encouraging and supporting university employee development. Bendapudi expressed that the goal of the center is to nurture the leadership potential of university employees while guiding them on their journey to becoming better, effective leaders. Sinek further highlighted the importance of this employee-centered initiative from university leadership.

“I love the fact that [the University of Louisville] is focusing on its own people.” Sinek said. “So many universities don’t understand the role of leadership. At other universities if you ask senior leadership ‘what’s your priority?’ they will always say the same thing – the student, which it’s not. The role of senior leadership is to take care of the people who take care of the students.”

The two speakers also touched on the importance of employee engagement and empathy in the workplace, a main pillar of the ESC.

The center will strive to make the university a great place to work by providing various employee-centered resources and opportunities for personal and professional growth. It serves as a safe space for employees to have honest conversations with other members of the university community. Coaching circles allow employees to gather and collaborate on significant topics, such as anti-racism initiatives. Well-being retreats and mindfulness initiatives are also offered to cultivate a strong community of care. All of these efforts complement that “great place to work goal” and, ideally, will lead to happier, more productive employees.

“When people in an organization feel like the organization sees them, hears them and recognizes them as human beings – that they have ambitions and stresses… [when the university] looks to take care of them as human beings – then they can invest all of their energy into the work that they’re supposed to be doing,” Sinek said. 

This emphasis on care was echoed by the ESC staff. According to Buford, the success of the university hinges upon the ability to care for each and every member of the community. The center aims to provide a necessary source of care for employees by ensuring that their voices are heard and their personal and professional development is prioritized. To the ESC staff, success goes beyond the easily measurable metrics such as retention or productivity. Creating a great place to work requires a commitment to caring for the employees.

“To be a great place to work, we have to create an experience where employees feel connected to UofL and have a sense of belonging, hope and trust; where they are growing and learning new things they can put to use in their lives or future jobs; and where they are part of a community that cares about them,” Buford said. 

Buford also announced that as part of the ESC opening celebration, the new Cardinal Leadership Institute will also launch in early March. Among the audience for the virtual event were several instructors for the institute, as well as 23 university leaders that will comprise the inaugural cohort.

Current measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19 are in effect and all events with the ESC are currently held virtually on Microsoft Teams. A of past meetings and workshops can be found on the , as well as the video recording of the .

Bendapudi presented senators with updates from her meeting with the Counsel on Postsecondary ����ֱ��, which oversees all Kentucky higher education institutions. The counsel assesses all colleges and universities on 29 different metrics of progress. Bendapudi was proud to report that since the 2015/2016 academic year, the university has improved on 26 of the 29 measured metrics. Adult learners over the age of 22, diversity of tenure track staff, and student performance in English were among those areas with room for growth.

Bendapudi stated, “I want to point out that we were the top-ranking university in the Commonwealth for English but relative to where we were (in 2015/2016), there is room for improvement. We are certainly going to be looking at those three areas moving forward.”

In addition to these accomplishments, UofL was the only institution in the Commonwealth to see an increase in enrollment. The university also reported its highest graduation rate with over 60% of students completing degrees within 6 years. Bendapudi attributed the approximate 2.5% growth in enrollment and the record high graduation rate to the hard work of all faculty and staff.

Senators were also informed about an upcoming event with guest speaker, Simon Sinek. Sinek is a renowned speaker, author, and presenter of the third most watched TED Talk of all time. To celebrate the launch of the new Employee Success Center, President Bendapudi will host a virtual fireside chat with Sinek on Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. Faculty and staff were encouraged to attend and learn more about the new Employee Success Center, which aims to improve workplace culture and employee engagement through leadership training, mentoring and coaching. Employees can register for the free virtual event

Executive Vice President and University Provost Beth Boehm provided updates from the Academic Scenario Planning committee. While decisions have not been finalized, Boehm informed senators that there will most likely be an increase in face-to-face instruction during the fall of 2021. A majority of summer courses will be offered remotely, with the exception of some STEM courses that require in-person instruction.

Boehm addressed questions concerning current faculty travel policies. The university is following policies recommended by the CDC, which at present do not differentiate between vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. It was reported that some faculty members have received approval for domestic travel, and a small number of faculty members have also been approved for international travel relevant to their research efforts. Boehm further recommended that faculty avoid planning student involved trips with agencies requiring nonrefundable deposits.

Executive Vice President for Research & Innovation Kevin Gardner reported that 2020 was a strong fiscal year with a record number of research awards totaling more than $170 million. He reported a record $9 million from translational research and innovation. Gardner further commended the university’s world-class contributions in translational research and innovation throughout the past fiscal year. 

Gardner highlighted the four UofL researchers and innovators recognized for their work at the . Paula Bates, a cancer researcher and serial inventor, was presented with the Innovator of the Year award. Brad Shuck, Theo Edmonds and Laura Weingartner each accepted Trailblazer awards on behalf of their teams for outstanding work in new areas of innovation for the university. 

Committee reports and a of the virtual meeting can be accessed on the . The next Faculty Senate meeting is scheduled for March 3 via Microsoft Teams.

From March 2 to March 20, the Human Resources Employee Development and Success Office is taking applications for a pilot program in which staff members can spend time in a department or office different from the one in which they work. The short-term learning opportunity is similar to an internship or a practicum in which the staff member will get real-life experience in an area of interest and can learn from university colleagues.

The Staff Fellowship Program supports the goal of ensuring UofL is a great place to work “because it is a workplace dedicated to personal growth and professional development.”

“Being a great place to work means giving employees a way to explore their career interests, especially at a university where education and growth are such pillars of our mission,” said Brian Buford, director of the Development and Success Office. “The beauty of working at a university is that there are endless opportunities to test the waters and discover new paths. You don’t have to leave UofL to figure out your perfect fit.”

The Employee Development and Success team will choose up to 10 employees for the pilot and work with them to create their fellowship placements. A fellowship will generally consist of 30 to 60 onsite days that could be done all at once or incrementally, depending on the nature of the work to be done and the employee’s workload in their home department. Participants will develop agreements with their unit heads for temporary staff release and to discuss how the employee will cover work assignments for the duration of the fellowship appointment. 

“Giving employees the opportunity to consider other jobs might seem counterintuitive in some ways, because we don’t want to lose them. But I am confident the gains will far outweigh the risk of seeing good people leave,” Buford added. “When people work in departments where they feel valued, have opportunities to grow, and know that someone cares about their development, things like loyalty and engagement go way up.”

Visit to apply or learn more.