Thursday, September 19, 2024 from 10 am - 2 pm at Rice-Eccles Stadium
University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute and UHealth faculty and staff (including student staff) are invited to a day of fun and recognition: Employee Appreciation Day, taking place Thursday, September 19, 2024 from 10 am - 2 pm at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
About EAD:
Created in 2004, Employee Appreciation Day (EAD) is co-sponsored by the Division of Human Resources and the U of U Staff Council (UUSC). The goal of EAD is to celebrate our faculty and staff by providing a fun-filled event. With the success of the 2004 event, EAD will be an annual event, held this year on Thursday, September 19, 2024 from 10 am - 2 pm at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
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.
For more information about EAD, please contact Mandy Skonhovd at 801-581-6206 or EAD@utah.edu.
Thanks to Our Sponsors:
Presenting Partner
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
EAD News:
Other Benefits Quick Links
Hospitals & Clinics/U of U Health Employee Opportunities
We understand it's difficult to get away from your important clinical duties to attend our in-person EAD event, so that's why we are bringing EAD to you! This year, the Hospitals & Clinics recognition team will be setting up treat stations on Thursday, September 19 to recognize your incredible efforts at the following locations:
- University of Utah Hospital
- Moran Eye Center
- Huntsman Cancer Institute
- Huntsman Mental Health Institute
- University Orthopedic Center
- Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital
For questions, please contact Kari Smith with the Hospitals & Clinics Employee Recognition Team.
- Free food, drinks and dessert!
- Free tote bags courtesy of TIAA!
Concourse Activities
- Booths & Swag - check out booths, play games and receive swag from University of Utah departments and local businesses!
- Crafters Corner - bring your wallets to shop artistic wares, such as pottery, jewelry and more, from U of U employees at our expanded crafts market!
- Service Corner - help stuff hygiene kits and write words of encouragement for those in need for the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake City!
- Professional headshots - update your Outlook profile picture with professional headshots courtesy of University Marketing & Communications!
- Photo Booth - take commemorative photos with your friends and colleagues courtesy of University Print & Mail!
- The Poem Pros - back again for their third year at EAD, the Poem Pros are ready to whip up custom-to-you poetry on vintage typewriters! A truly custom EAD souvenir!
- Temporary Airbrush Tattoos - rock your U of U spirit with a nonpermanent tattoo!
- Hooked on Books - browse through donated books, CDs, DVDs, etc. for an EAD souvenir!
- Flu Shot Clinic - receive your annual flu shot from the U's RedMed nursing team!
- Buskers - this year, we will have several roaming buskers providing carnival entertainment for our guests, including:
- Master juggler, Tanner Alder (back for his third year in a row!)
- Balloon artistry & animals with Shan the Balloon Man
- Clowning entertainment with Paul Clark
Field Activities
- Football field goal kick - embody your favorite Utes player and see if you can score a field goal!
- Yard games, such as corn hole, giant Jenga, and inflatable basketball toss!
- Putting with the Police - see if you can score a hole in one using a comically large golf putt alongside U Police!
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
EAD Research Park Shuttle Route
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)
This year, we encourage those who can’t attend the in-person event due to work schedules, clinic schedules, etc. to join our U of U Plus virtual EAD game! U of U Plus is a new, official loyalty program for University staff, faculty, students and alumni, and will feature unique challenges for U of U employees only during EAD Week (September 16 – 20, 2024). Those employees who participate in EAD challenges, such as answering trivia questions, or reading EAD-related articles, will generate points to be entered to win prizes!
We encourage you to create your account by clicking “Get Stared!” on the homepage. While the EAD employee-specific challenges have not been posted, there are still many general U of U challenges you can start completing for points!
More information on how to participate in U of U Plus for EAD coming soon!
2024 information coming soon!
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 complete this sign-up form by Friday, August 2.
- 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.