Taking the time to celebrate with your team can have a significant positive impact on team culture and retention. In addition to participating in celebrations on campus, engaging in campus wide events with your teams and individual colleagues can create a greater connection to your unit and the larger UI mission and operations.
Campuswide Celebrations
Celebration of Excellence and Achievement Among Women
The CEAAW committee is a cross-campus team that celebrates and supports exceptional female leaders at Iowa. This annual event spotlights female student scholarship winners as well as female faculty and staff doing inspirational work.
Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony
Many campus groups come together to celebrate the fantastic work University of Iowa faculty and staff have accomplished throughout the year at this campus wide award ceremony planned and sponsored by the President's Office.
Please note: In addition to these campus wide celebrations, there may be more local opportunities available to celebrate with your team. Ask your local HR and Leadership teams for more information regarding area specific celebrations.
Discover Your University
The Discovery Your University program offers sponsored visits to various campus sites.
Health and Well-Being Fair
Create meaningful connections and boost your well-being at the UI Health and Well-Being Fair.
Homecoming at Iowa
Homecoming week brings together students, faculty, staff, future Hawkeyes, and alumni.
On Iowa!
Volunteer to welcome new first-year and transfer students to campus through On Iowa!
Staff Appreciation Weeks
There are many unique classifications and employee populations on campus. Consider celebrating these employee groups during "Appreciation Weeks/Days." Some units celebrate by creating unique Zoom backgrounds, posting appreciation posters, signing cards, and celebrating through a potluck or other food related gathering.
Appreciation Weeks- By Month
January | February | March
- International Thank You Day | January 11, 2026
- National Pharmacist Day | January 12, 2026
- Women Physicians Day | February 3, 2026
- Pride in Foodservice Week | February 3-7, 2026
- National Random Acts of Kindness Day | February 17, 2026
- National Social Work Month | March 1-31, 2026
- Dental Assistants Recognition Week | March 2-8, 2026
- Dentist Day | March 6, 2026
- Employee Appreciation Day | March 7, 2026
- International Women's Day | March 8, 2026
April | May | June
- National Library Week | April 6-12, 2026
- Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week | April 7-11, 2026
- Public Safety Telecommunications Week | April 13-19, 2026
- Student Employee Appreciation Week | April 14-18, 2026
- Administrative Professionals Day | April 23, 2026
- Nurses Week | May 6-12, 2026
- National Higher Education Day | June 6, 2026
July | August | September
- Intern Day | July 31, 2026
- Global Talent Acquisition Day | September 3, 2026
- Day of the Programmer | September 13, 2026
- IT Professionals Day | September 16, 2026
- National Tradesmen Day | September 19, 2026
- National Food Service Employees Day | September 25, 2026
- National Research Administrator Day | September 25, 2026
- HR Professional Appreciation Day | September 26, 2026
- National Compliance Officer Day | September 26, 2026
October | November | December
- National Custodial Worker's Recognition Day | October 2, 2026
- National Boss' Day | October 16, 2026
- National First Responders Day | October 28, 2026
- Accounting Day | November 10, 2026
Please Note: This list is not exhaustive. Please contact oe-leader@uiowa.edu if you have appreciation days or weeks that can be added to this list to represent additional employee populations.