CALS Community,
This Friday, March 5, is National Employee Appreciation Day. And while COVID-19 has impacted the ability to show our appreciation in person, I wanted to reach out to let each and everyone of you know how inspired and humbled I have been over the past year as I have witnessed your extraordinary efforts in support of the mission of our college, and in service to our community and stakeholders.
Despite all of the challenges in recent months, you have:
- Actively engaged in critical conversations to advance racial equity, diversity and inclusion
- Adapted to a new work/life reality, and creatively found ways to ensure the business of this college gets done
- Leveraged technology to provide world-class instruction to our more than 4,000 students
- Grown the research enterprise by securing $96.5 million in new grants
- Secured $51.6 million in donor support for academic, research and Extension programs
- Conducted dozens of virtual field days and trainings to deliver knowledge and solutions
- Distributed one million masks and trained more than 1,000 farmworkers on personal health and workplace safety
In challenging times, the land-grant mission has never been more important, and due to your dedication and hard work, we are making a difference. Through your individual contributions, you have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence to fulfill our collective common purpose.
As we celebrate employee appreciation, please also continue supporting one another. Reach out to your fellow-co-workers, faculty and staff members of your Pack to share words of encouragement and appreciation for their vital contributions.
Since last March, much has been asked of each of us and you have stepped up. I have never been more proud to be your dean and I want to say thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the many ways you make CALS a great place to work and learn for everyone in this community.
Yours in gratitude,
Rich Linton
Dean