UK Employee Appreciation Day 2025: T-shirts are here and celebration is near
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 30, 2025) — As excitement builds for the University of Kentucky’s 2025 Employee Appreciation Day, the Staff Senate has announced that T-shirts have arrived and are ready for distribution. This year’s design — vibrant and bold in navy blue and white — showcases the energy and unity that make UK employees truly special. The shirt was designed by UK staff member Brittani Garland, communications associate in the College of Nursing.
T-shirts are organized by designated distribution areas, and it’s important that departments follow the pickup schedule to ensure a smooth process. Separate communications will be sent to each department’s assigned contact or business officer with instructions specific to their location.
Distribution
- Campus (Kroger Field, President’s Pavilion)
May 1 | 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Contact: UKAD Team at UKAD@uky.edu - UK HealthCare/Chandler Hospital
April 30 | 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Contact: UKAD Team at UKAD@uky.edu - Good Samaritan Hospital
April 30 and May 1 | 9-11 a.m.
Contact: Lauren Henley at lauren.henley@uky.edu - Eastern State Hospital
May 1 | 2-4 p.m.
Contact: Vikki Franklin at vikki.franklin@uky.edu - Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
Distribution begins May 1 for all employees who ordered a shirt. The college HR team will share unit-specific details.
Contact: Sarah Dodds at sarah.dodds@uky.edu
Departments must arrange to pick up shirts on the designated day. If your department’s designated contact is unavailable, please appoint someone else to collect the shirts. Any unclaimed shirts will not be stored; they will be available at the Employee Appreciation Day event on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Why we celebrate
Employee Appreciation Day is a time to acknowledge the dedication and talent of the staff who help make UK what it is. From administrative assistants to groundskeepers, nurses and lab technicians to advisors — every role contributes to UK’s mission.
Stay tuned for more announcements and event details ahead of the celebration scheduled for Thursday, May 22, at Kroger Field.
On behalf of the Staff Senate, thank you for all you do.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.