EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY
Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 10 am - 2 pm at Rice-Eccles Stadium
Thanks for Attending EAD 2025! Check out Post-EAD Stats & More!
University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute and U of U Health faculty and staff (including student staff) are invited to a day of fun and recognition: Employee Appreciation Day, taking place Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 10 am - 2 pm at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
About EAD:
First held in 2004, Employee Appreciation Day (EAD) is co-sponsored by the University of Utah Human Resource Management and the University of Utah Staff Council (UUSC). The goal of EAD is to provide a day of fun in the sun and free food/activities to recognize and thank our amazing faculty and staff employees. EAD is an annual event, this year taking place on Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 10 am - 2 pm at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
For more information about EAD, please contact Mandy Skonhovd at 801-581-6206 or EAD@utah.edu.
EAD Entry:
All EAD attendees should plan on bringing their cell phone to check into the event using our QR code registration system - be sure to bring your Ucard or know your UNID as well. If guests do not have a cell phone, an alternative means of entry will be provided at the entrance gate.
EAD Sponsors:
EAD would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors!
PRESENTING PARTNERS:
GOLD PARTNERS:
SILVER PARTNERS:
PREMIUM PARTNERS:
- Broadway Across America
- Canyon View Credit Union
- Pioneer Theatre Company
- RealRx
- U of U Health Communications
EAD News:
Other Benefits Quick Links
- Additional Benefits
- Employee Appreciation Day
- Employee Events & Recognition
- Employee Childcare
- OneU Cares Faulty & Staff Emergency Fund
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Preferred Realtor Program
- Staff Excellence Awards
- Staff Recognition Dinner
- Staff Service Awards
- Tuition Reduction
- Training & Development
- Menu Item
This special day is a meaningful opportunity to recognize and celebrate the incredible individuals who care for our patients, support our employees, and strengthen our communities—especially those who are unable to attend the campus stadium EAD event.
Cookies from Wowza Bakery will be available at the following locations on Thursday, September 25, 2025 at the following locations:
Main Hospital | 11 am - 5 pm and 6 pm - 8:30 pm
- Entrance to Area A (Lower Level)
- Entrance to Area E (Main Floor)
Other Hospitals | 11 am - 3 pm
- Craig H. Neilsen Rehab Hospital
- Huntsman Cancer Hospital
- Huntsman Mental Health Institute and Crisis Care Center
- University Othopaedic Center
For questions or for more specific details, please contact Kari Smith with the Hospitals & Clinics Employee Recognition Team.
- Free food, drinks, dessert and swag!
- Flu vaccinations & COVID vaccinations (new update as of September 23)
Concourse Activities
- Celebrate the U's 175th Anniversary - swag and dessert available & an opportunity to learn about the history of the U via the 1850-2025 timeline!
- NEW - Challenge your colleagues to a game of pinball or 4-player Pac-man at our Arcade Zone!
- NEW - Introducing our very own treasure hunt at EAD - the Swag Swap! Pick out a piece or two of various U of U department swag to take home as a souvenir and give it a second chance at life!
- NEW - "The Grandparents Are In!" Free Advice Booth - meet members of the U's Emeriti Club and ask for advice or elderly wisdom on just about anything!
- NEW - Take a tour of the new FeedU Pantry van and participate in a service project to create thank-you kits for pantry volunteers!
- Professional headshots courtesy of University Marketing & Communications - a great chance to refresh your Outlook profile pic!
- Take a photo with colleagues at the Print & Mail photo booth!
- Hooked on Books returns thanks to the efforts of the Marriott Library! Browse books, DVDs, and other donated media items and pick out a free souvenir!
- Rock your Utes spirit with an airbrush temporary tattoo!
Field Activities
- Putting with the Police - see if you can score a hole in one using a comically large golf putter with the University of Utah Police!
- Football Field Goal Kick - channel your inner Ute and see if you can score a field goal!
- Yard games - giant Jenga, basketball toss, and more!
TRAX
Scanning your Ucard and hopping on the TRAX red line for a free ride is the best way to get to EAD this year! All University of Utah employees ride for free on TRAX (and bus!). The Red Line will bring you directly to Stadium Station. Use UTA’s website to plan your TRAX journey!
Campus Shuttles
Another option to get to EAD this year is to use a campus shuttle. We have two special campus shuttle routes in place to help get both our guests and employee volunteers to the event. These shuttle routes are particularly useful for employees who work downtown, the Hospital, or Research Park. Shuttles will be available throughout the duration of the event, starting at 9:30 am and running through 2:00 pm
Parking
Parking is extremely limited for Employee Appreciation Day, so we highly suggest our guests utilize campus shuttles or the TRAX system to get to the event.
Below are parking lot options available to our guests and volunteers, first-come first-served. Please note these lots have parking moratoriums in place, meaning no one will be ticketed if they choose to park there for the event – no extra permit is required. If you choose to park in a lot not listed here, you may be subject to a parking ticket.
Main Stadium Parking Lot 001
The main stadium parking lot (Lot 001) is located off S. University St and 500 South.
Please note that there are reserved stalls managed by a parking lot attendant in Lot 001. These reserved stalls are for the event’s vendors, sponsors, activities/entertainment and approved University of Utah leadership volunteers only.
Guardman Way Parking Lot 040
The Guardsman Way parking lot (Lot 040) is located by the U’s Public Safety building on Guardsman Way and 500 South.
If you park in Lot 040, you can either:
- Walk from the lot to the Stadium (approximately 0.5 miles/15 minutes to Gate E’s East Volunteer Entrance)
- Hop on the Guardsman Way & South Campus shuttle via the BSB/Downtown & Hospital EAD shuttle route and get off at the College of Social Work to enter through Gate E’s East Volunteer entrance
Shoreline Ridge Parking Garage Lot 081
The Shoreline Ridge garage (Lot 081) is located near the Shoreline Ridge dorms on Medical Tower Way and S. Medical Drive on upper campus.
If you park in Lot 081, head along the Bonneville Shoreline trail past Red Butte Garden, and hop on the Research Park EAD shuttle route from the Natural History Museum (approximately 0.4 miles/10 minute walk)
What is UU+?
UU+ is the official loyalty program for University staff, faculty, students and alumni. Participants can complete different types of challenges to accumulate Plus Points in exchange for rewards and prizes.
How to Play
1) Sign in or sign up for a UU+ account by heading to uofuplus.com
2) Head to the EAD UU+ Challenge Homepage (this page will be live on September 22!) and start participating in challenges during EAD Week (September 22 - 26).
3) Participate in challenges to earn Plus Points, which include trivia questions about the history of the University of Utah in honor of our 175th Anniversary (hint: the online 1850-2025 timeline is a great place to look for answers!) and some fun open-ended questions to get your creative juices flowing!
4) You may participate in any non-EAD challenge, but only Plus Points generated from participating in EAD-specific challenges will enter you for a chance to win the Grand Prize!
UU+ EAD Challenge Grand Prize
Earn 2500 Plus Points to be entered to win two Utes football home game tickets to an upcoming game:
- Utes vs Arizona State | October 11
- Utes vs Cincinnati | November 1
- Utes vs Kansas State | November 22
You will also be invited to the Auxiliary Business Development Department tailgate BBQ for free food before the game!
Employee Appreciation Day is made possible through our campus partnerships. Thank you to our sponsors for their generous support! We welcome community businesses and campus departments who want to reach out to our employees at Employee Appreciation Day.
- Local businesses/community organizations
- Sponsorship packages
- Questions? Reach out Jordan Schmitz at jordan.schmitz@utah.edu
- Campus Departments/Groups
- Campus booth package
- Questions? Reach out to Jacob Sorenson.
Consider volunteering for this year’s Employee Appreciation Day! This event wouldn’t be possible without the help of generous U employees who volunteer 1-2 hours of their time in various areas, such as activities/games, food & beverage, and more!
If you are interested in volunteering, please click here to sign-up by Friday, August 8!
- Who is allowed to attend the in-person Employee Appreciation Day (EAD)? University of Utah, HCI and U of U Health faculty and staff are invited to attend! Student employees are also invited to attend.
- Who is not allowed to attend the in-person EAD? Due to safety concerns, pets are not allowed to attend (service animals are welcome, however). Children and family members of employees will not be permitted to attend either. Essentially, if you do not have a valid UNID or U Card, you will not be allowed to enter the event.
- Who is allowed to participate in the virtual EAD activity (U of U Plus)? Any University of Utah, HCI and U of U Health faculty and staff member (including students) who can't make it to the in-person event can participate in this virtual activity! If you work-from-home, work from a different state, are a part of our University of Utah Korean campus, or an employee in our Hospitals/Clinics system (who often can't leave their shifts for the in-person event), this is a great opportunity to get involved! You can still participate if you attend the in-person event too.
- What do I need to bring with me to EAD this year? We recommend bringing your cellphone for guest check-in, your Ucard, and a wallet to shop our new expanded Crafts Market!
- What is the check-in/registration process? This year, guests will check in to the event via a QR code located at the signs to either the west or east entrance of the stadium, so it is highly encouraged that you bring your cell phone! Guests will input their UNID after scanning the QR code, and this will verify their employment with the U on the backend in addition to providing some important information about the event (venue map, meal ticket info, etc.). Please show your employment verification to the volunteers working the entrance gate to enter the event.
- What is the bag policy for this event? Guests will be given tote bags courtesy of our Presenting Partner, TIAA, as they arrive at the event. Guests are asked to leave backpacks, workbags, large purses, etc. at home/work, but if they do bring them to the event, they will be searched by our on-site security team.
- How do I enter the event if ADA access is required? If you arrive at the event near Gate D (the historical entrance to EAD) off the main stadium parking lot, you will find an ADA entrance located near the Gate E lobby area. You will take the lobby elevator to the 2nd floor to then exit onto the concourse. This is also the way for ADA access to the field level for field-level activities.
For further questions, please contact EAD@utah.edu.