Dear colleagues,
Happy New Year! Thank you to everyone who joined us for the New Year Celebration yesterday. I was thrilled by the unprecedented turnout, which speaks volumes about the energy and engagement within our community as we step into 2025 together.
We appreciated your patience as we addressed the need for additional food during the event. A special thank you goes to Rick Mello, Eugen Radulescu, Katheryn Cavender, and their teams for their quick action and teamwork in ensuring everyone was accommodated.
Creating opportunities for connection and community remains a cornerstone of our OF&S goals. As we reflect on yesterday’s event, I’m excited to share some initiatives we’re launching this year to strengthen engagement across our division:
Welcoming New OF&S Team Members
This year, we are enhancing how we welcome new team members into our division. Building on the success of Owl Launch, this program will include:
- A personalized welcome from me with links to key resources like the OF&S strategic plan, upcoming engagement events, and an overview of communications like the Fast Five and my monthly divisional email.
- A Rice t-shirt so they can participate in Rice Blue Fridays
These initiatives reflect our commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive environment that fosters belonging and engagement from day one.
OFS Events with Leaders
I am also thrilled to announce updates to some of my ongoing engagement programs.
- Lunch with Leaders: Evolving from our Lunch & Listens format, these events will now feature me and other OF&S leaders hosting topic-specific, in-person lunch discussions. Those whose roles, positions, or interests closely align with the topic will have the opportunity to sign up early, prior to the events being opened to the broader campus community.
- Free Coffee for Feedback: Coffee with Kelly will get a refresh. Instead of meeting at coffee shops around campus, I’ll be traveling to different locations across campus, offering coffee to community members in exchange for feedback about OF&S and its programs and services. Dates, times, and locations will be shared in advance.
- Administrators’ Forum: Enhancements to the Admin Forum will roll out in time for the February meeting, and I look forward to sharing more about that in this month’s Fast Five.
Recognizing Excellence
As we celebrate the start of a new year, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the generosity and dedication of those who made the Season of Sharing and RUPD’s Blue Santa Toy Drive a success. A special thanks to all those who participated by donating gifts. I want to extend my deep gratitude to the individuals who lent their time and talents to coordinating these programs - Leticia Arriola, Troy Christmas, Michelle Thackray, Andrew Billing, Maritza Lopez, and Jessica Solomon. Their contributions reflect the very best of our OF&S values and the spirit of our community.
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous new year! I look forward to seeing you at upcoming events and working together to make 2025 an exceptional year for our division and the broader Rice community.
Sincerely,
Kelly