Hawkeye High-Five is a new recognition program that allows faculty and staff across the university to give a "high-five" to a colleague for their contributions, teamwork, or extra effort.

Developed by University Human Resources, the program is a great way to show appreciation and highlight the positive impact staff are making across campus.

Since launching in late September, more than 500 nominations were received. Below is a selection of high-fives submitted through the easy-to-use recognition form.

Congratulations to everyone who received recognition.

Kelsey Colbert, health care services manager and assistant department director in Hospital Administration, was recognized by Michelle Borgwardt.

^{A huge thank you to Kelsey for his incredible work on the U.S. News Pediatrics survey. His attention to detail, persistence, and strong collaboration across teams ensured that our submission was thorough, accurate, and timely.}

^{Kelsey's hard work directly supports UI Health Care's ability to highlight the excellence of our pediatric programs on a national stage. His dedication and teamwork make a lasting impact for our patients, families, and colleagues.}

^{Way to go Kelsey – thank you for your outstanding effort!}

Jesse Kidwell, groundskeeper, was recognized by Kayla Faust.

^{Thank you for your contribution and continued efforts to go above and beyond in not just making our grounds beautiful, but also safe and inviting for both staff and parents/visitors.}

^{Your passion for your work on campus is evident by the way you talk about the variety of tasks you say you get to perform. From trimming bushes, clearing blind spots, and picking up trash to changing irrigation pressures so people aren't getting wet from the sprinklers; you may not have been here long, but I hope this is just the beginning of your outstanding work at this university.}

^{You are greatly appreciated.}

Rhonda Evans, assistant director, Blood & Marrow Transplant Program, was recognized by Brenda Miller.

^{Thank you for being a fearless and tireless leader to our team. You are always positive and point out how others are excelling, but this is because we have a great leader like  you.}

^{A great leader in my book is one that promotes teamwork, does not squash ideas, but encourages the best out of each team member. And to top it all off, you have shown tremendous leadership all while battling cancer and never once asking for a pass or an excuse.}

^{Because of you, our team is thriving!}

Hilary Jensen, senior HR specialist, University Human Resources, was recognized by Diane Fountain.

^{I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank Hilary for the invaluable support and partnership as we navigated a recent complex employee situation. Her insight, professionalism, and steady guidance made all the difference.}

^{Hilary is not only a trusted advisor, but also a calming presence throughout a very challenging process. Her ability to balance empathy with clarity and doing what's right was deeply appreciated.}

^{I feel incredibly fortunate to work alongside her. I am grateful!} 

Raelene Lenoch, staff nurse, was recognized by Jennifer Babcock.

^{A huge shout-out to Raelene for stepping up in a big way when the team needed it most! In a critical moment, she filled a vital gap within the Admission and Transfer Center – making sure patient throughput kept moving and ensuring our patients received timely access to the care they deserved.}

^{Her dedication, quick action, and teamwork didn't just support her colleagues, it directly impacted the lives of patients depending on us. That's the true spirit of ATC, and Raelene embodied it perfectly.}

^{Let's all give her the recognition she deserves. Thank you for going above and beyond for both your team and our patients!}

Kayla Pfau, research specialist, College of Education, was recognized by Asih Asikin-Garmager.

^{Thank you for your leadership in the IBC project. It is such a massive project with lots of moving pieces and deliverables.}

^{Your leadership and detailed project management make the work we do so seamless and flow well. You have also been an amazing mentor to the graduate students! I love your dedication to ensure that they have the skills they need to succeed in the project and beyond.}

^{I've enjoyed working on this project with you and learned a lot from your leadership and mentorship approaches.}

Andrew Aarhus, senior communications infrastructure engineer, Health Care Information Systems, was recognized by Robert Houchin Sr.

^{I want to take a moment to personally thank you for the tremendous work you've put into the fiber audits and capital projects. The level of dedication and attention to detail you bring to each task does not go unnoticed. It's clear that the quality of your work sets a standard that inspires confidence across the team.}

^{Your commitment has been a huge factor in our success, and I truly appreciate the way you consistently go above and beyond. Please know how much your efforts mean to me and to the team as a whole. You've made a lasting impact, and I'm grateful to have you driving these important initiatives forward.}

^{Keep up the outstanding work – you're a big reason our team is as successful as it is today.}

Aubry Lyon, senior project manager, was recognized by Judy Steinman.

^{Aubry is incredibly thoughtful and intentional in how she supports our team. She makes sure that birthday cards are in our inboxes on the right day, reminds us of upcoming events and important meetings, and consistently ensures we have what we need to be successful.}

^{She is a true team player, willing to step in, take on additional responsibilities, and help keep us aligned and moving in the same director. Aubry's contributions strengthen our team, create a sense of connection, and make a real difference in how we work together.}

^{Thank you, Aubry, for your dedication and the positive impact you make every day.}

Jennifer Schiele, nurse manager, Medical Center Downtown Utilization Management, was nominated by Kimberly Rios.

^{I want to thank you for always being there for our team.}

^{You go way beyond what is expected of you to make sure that our team is up to date and has all the latest information needed to accomplish the most from our given positions. You do it in a way that is easy to understand and explain why the changes need to be made to make things the most productive. You never ask us to do anything you wouldn't do yourself. You are one fantastic leader and person.}

^{I am so proud to be working not only with you, but for you. Thank you for all you do every day.}

Mary Saulsbery, clinic services specialist, Family Medicine Clinic, was recognized by Dominica Rehbein.

^{Mary is bright, dedicated, and a rockstar in our clinic.}

^{We have been short-staffed for some time at the front desk and Mary has stepped up to help fill coverage gaps, while also remaining diligent about the daily maintenance tasks of keeping the clinic schedules accurate. When we are down a person at the front desk, she organized the team to reschedule a full clinic of patients due to a provider medical emergency.}

^{She does this with a positive attitude and great communication. I am so lucky that I get to work with her.}

Laura Jacobus, director of operations and research administration, Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, was recognized by Dori Hinson.

^{Thank you for all  your hard work and your fearless approach to using new technology to make the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science better than ever.}

^{I truly appreciate your fresh perspective on meetings, minutes, and audits – your use of Teams and REDCap make things easier for all of us. You've brought new energy to the workplace and even inspired me to embrace technology for everyday tasks, which says a lot considering how long I've been here!}

^{You've done all this while learning a new role, meeting new people, and weathering all types of stressors.}

In addition to a Hawkeye High-Five, consider other ways to celebrate your colleagues:

• Employee Recognition Notecards: Send a handwritten thank you note with Iowa-branded cards.
• Supervisor Guide to Recognition: The guide provides practical tools for recognizing employees, including recognition types, tiers, policies, ideas, and resources, as well as using AI as a recognition partner.