Recognizing Employee Appreciation Day annually on the first Friday of March has been a long tradition at the University of Toronto. I am grateful to have this opportunity to thank everyone who works across our three campuses in so many different roles.

By being the best at what you do, you enable the University of Toronto to maintain its reputation as a world-leading teaching and research institution. Each faculty member, librarian, and staff person supports the success of our students. You teach and mentor them, provide essential services daily, and maintain all the spaces and systems our students rely on: from classrooms and labs, residences and libraries to digital platforms and technologies. And you do so day after day, engaging with students throughout their time here at the University.

I recognize, too, that the past few years have presented challenges to all U of T employees, requiring even greater tenacity and compassion in your roles. One of the important learnings we can take from these experiences is that appreciation matters. Expressing gratitude for each other’s contributions and recognizing our individual and collective accomplishments can make an enormous difference to the health and well-being of our teams.

The True Blue Platform is an excellent way to share your appreciation for your colleagues. Another is to nominate a team member for one of the many awards and recognition opportunities available to U of T employees. Through these and other acts of recognition, we can foster a culture of appreciation across our campuses year-round.

Thank you all again for the work you have done—and continue to do—to support our students, the University, and each other.