Celebrating Gratitude

Cultivating Gratitude and Connection

Through recognition, connection, and reflection, the Office of Organizational Culture and Community is helping UMSI strengthen its foundation of care and belonging.

As the semester draws to a close, the Office of Organizational Culture and Community (OCC) team encourages every member of the UMSI community to pause, reflect, and express gratitude. Our commitment to reflection and appreciation is grounded in the Culture of Care framework, introduced last spring and revisited during our latest community gathering. By embracing the Culture of Care pillars—Promoting practices that celebrate success, Advancing meaningful connections, Communicating with transparency and respect and Taking space and time to thrive—we build an inclusive and supportive organizational culture.

Celebrating Success and Recognition

November is UMSI Gratitude Month. This tradition sets aside time for expressing thanks and publicly sharing those messages. Celebrating success doesn’t solely mean reaching big milestones; it includes learning, deepening partnerships, and small moments of support. By giving thanks for a person, team, or opportunity, we create a tradition of recognition—a norm everyone can participate in and anticipate.

Gratitude Month offers tangible ways to take part: Submit a note of appreciation or gratitude for acts, gestures, or those unspoken “just-in-time” moments that make a difference. These notes will be shared throughout UMSI on digital monitors in the Leinweber Building and UMSI Central, bringing visibility to the moments, large and small, that connect us. Even a brief pause to contribute or read these notes helps center our attention on shared values and a collective sense of appreciation.

Advancing Meaningful Connections

Intentional expressions of recognition and gratitude are foundational to fostering belonging. They signal that individuals and teams are seen, heard, and valued—both interpersonally and within the larger organization. The OCC actively aims to cultivate this sense of belonging for students, faculty, and staff, ensuring no one is overlooked.

There are additional opportunities to engage in gratitude. On November 7, you can attend a drop-in thank you card writing event. The simple act of writing thank you cards allows us to acknowledge those who matter to us at UMSI and beyond.

Transparent Communication and Genuine Appreciation

Gratitude isn’t about ignoring real challenges or promoting “toxic positivity.” Instead, it’s about fostering a nourishing environment that empowers us to act in line with our individual and shared values, even amid difficulty. Public recognition, from award nominations to high-visibility presentations, gives our community’s contributions the spotlight they deserve. Even smaller gestures—a brief note, a shoutout at a meeting—reinforce the message: your efforts matter.

Taking Time and Space to Thrive

Building a culture of care is an ongoing journey. The UMSI Culture of Care Committee, composed of faculty, staff, and students, continues to guide this initiative— this year they are making recommendations on ways to integrate the pillars into UMSI life. We invite everyone to explore what these pillars mean personally and collectively, and to help create new traditions rooted in gratitude and care.

As the semester ends, let’s support one another by celebrating successes, nurturing connections, and making space for gratitude. When we build these practices into our routines, we lay the foundation for an inclusive and thriving UMSI for all.