Each year, National Employee Appreciation Day offers a meaningful reminder of the remarkable people who make UAB an exceptional place to learn, work and serve. UAB leadership would like to take this opportunity to express its deep gratitude to the faculty and staff whose dedication strengthens our mission and drives progress across campus and in the communities we impact.
“Every achievement at UAB is made possible by the people who bring their skill, compassion and determination to work each day,” said UAB Chief Human Resources Officer Janet May. “Our faculty and staff consistently elevate this institution through their commitment to excellence, and we are proud to recognize and celebrate them today and every day.”
In 2025, the Great Colleges to Work For® program once again ranked UAB among the nation’s top employers, recognizing its high performance in job satisfaction, compensation and benefits, supervisor/department chair support, faculty and staff well-being, shared governance, and faculty experience. UAB also received, for the first time, the program’s prestigious Honor Roll distinction, which reflects an institution’s exceptional workplace culture and commitment to employee engagement and satisfaction.
UAB is continuing to grow and strive for excellence in 2026 through the ongoing progress of the Student SUCCESS Initiative, which is kicking off a new student recruitment campaign this year, and the Research Strategic Initiative, which supports UAB’s research enterprise through a number of new and continuing funding and training opportunities.
Progress across these and many other areas, along with the national accolades UAB continues to earn, would not be possible without the hard work and dedication to excellence of its employees.
“It is the talent and dedication of our people—our greatest asset—that drives UAB’s success in all pillars of our mission,” said UAB President Ray Watts. “We are grateful for the outstanding work done daily, all around campus and our community, that is enabling us to have a greater impact than ever on the lives of students, patients and many others we serve throughout Alabama and beyond.”
UAB Human Resources strives to support our faculty and staff by providing resources to support their professional development and enhance their overall well-being. Visit the Faculty & Staff Development page to explore some of the available opportunities.
In an effort to recognize deserving members of the UAB community, faculty and staff are also invited to submit nominations for the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching or the UAB Values in Action Program (UAB VIP Award/President’s Award for Excellence in Shared Values). These prestigious awards represent the highest honor reserved for faculty and staff, respectively. Nominations are open now.
On National Employee Appreciation Day, and every day, UAB leaders are pleased to recognize its employees for their contributions to the workplace and to the overall mission of the institution.