Dear colleagues,
I am still buzzing from our Summer Celebration this week! It was such a fun and festive way to come together, celebrate one another, and mark the end of summer before we launch into a new school year. The energy was terrific, and I hope everyone who joined us left feeling as energized and connected as I did. A special thank you to everyone who helped make the event possible—and to all of you for the dedication and hard work you have put in throughout the summer.
And what a summer it has been.
In addition to the demands of closing out the fiscal year and preparing for a new academic year, we are opening several new buildings and dining operations. We have also expanded support services as we prepare to welcome our largest incoming class for the third year in a row. It has been a tremendous amount of work, and you have continued to deliver with the focus and commitment I have come to appreciate so much about this team.
But we didn’t stop there. Layered on top of all that activity was a season dedicated to learning and development. I am incredibly proud of how many of you embraced these opportunities, invested in building new skills, and explored new ways of working.
Asana Day
One great example was Asana Day on August 5, when more than 100 users from across campus had the opportunity to build their skills and connect directly with our Asana support team. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn together while exploring how technology can help us work more effectively and collaboratively across the university.
Bravo to Michelle Thackray and the Operational Excellence team for organizing the event and continuing to champion opportunities for continuous improvement across OF&S and the university.
Summer AI Training Challenge
Our Summer AI Training Challenge is another example of that spirit of learning and experimentation. I know many of you have been participating—and so have I!
My focus has been on prompt engineering and data analysis. I have really enjoyed experimenting with these tools and thinking about how AI can help us approach our work differently, make better use of data, and identify new opportunities to improve how we serve the university. I encourage you to take advantage of the remaining time and see what you can discover. The challenge runs through August 31, so there is still time to participate if you haven’t already.
As we turn our attention to the start of a new school year, I hope we carry this same energy and curiosity with us. Innovation is at the core of our OF&S vision, and our commitment to continuous improvement means creating space to learn, experiment, and find better ways of doing things.
Most importantly, I want you to remember the important role you play in enabling the work of the university. Every day, each of you contributes to creating the environment that allows our students, faculty, and researchers to learn, discover, and succeed. Whether your work is highly visible or happens behind the scenes, it matters—and it is essential to our shared mission.
Thank you for all that you do, for the energy you bring to this work, and for the many ways you support one another. Here’s to a great start to the new school year!
Sincerely,
Kelly Fox
Executive Vice President, Operations, Finance & Support