A Year of Gratitude

Dear Colleagues,

Entering the holiday season and winter months is a different experience for all of us in so many ways, filled with different emotions.

One emotion I want to reflect on is gratitude, especially for all you do here, day in and day out. November comes quicker than anticipated after the early rush of the beginning of the academic year — while it is no less busy, I want to pause and reflect on what makes me thankful to work at UK. 

I am grateful for you, my colleagues — for showing up every day, dedicated to helping our students, caring for our patients and advancing our state. Throughout this semester, I have continually seen firsthand how committed our faculty, staff and students are to the mission and purpose of UK. 

I have seen your excellence in research and scholarship help build stronger communities in our state. 

I have seen how you prepare students to give back and impact other people’s lives.

I have seen how you use the arts to inspire passions and tell important stories. 

And I have seen how you care for our patients in need.

I am thankful that you continue to use your voices and your impact to help grow UK and its people. Our community of faculty, staff and students is central to our mission to advance Kentucky through teaching, research, service and care. 

As we begin to enter the holiday season, I hope we can take time to pause and reflect on the positive impact we have had on our students, our patients, our communities, our university — and on ourselves. While UK continues to build momentum in advancing Kentucky, the progress and change we make as individuals is no less exciting, no less worthy of celebration.

Thank you for continuing to make UK a great place to work — and thank you for building a community that uplifts one another.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost