While continuous improvement through lifelong learning has been a key part of UTMB’s culture for years, this tenet comes to life at the Sealy and Smith Laboratory for Surgical Training, Assessment and Research (LSTAR).

The focus on providing Best Care extends well beyond the unit or clinic setting, as every employee contributes—directly or indirectly—to providing top-notch care to patients across our institution.

It’s no secret UTMB is comprised of some of the most outstanding employees, but on May 16, more than 1,700 were celebrated for reaching important milestones in their careers during the annual Employee Service Day ceremony in Levin Hall.

“Doing more with less” has become a commonly heard phrase, as health care organizations across the country—including UTMB—face financial challenges. Employees throughout the institution are working tirelessly to accomplish our mission more effectively and efficiently—and for a team within Information Services, the hard work is paying off.

Three UTMB employees were chosen as inaugural recipients of the Regents’ Outstanding Employee Award. Chad Connally, nursing program manager, Emergency Services Administration; Mike Mastrangelo, program director, Institutional Preparedness—Facilities Risk Management; and Scott Woodby, nurse clinician V, MICU/CCU, received the prestigious award in recognition of their outstanding performance, innovation, enthusiasm and dedication in their jobs.

As the University of Texas System community continues to mourn the sudden loss of UTMB Police Chief Tom Engells, those who knew him are remembering his charismatic personality and the legacy he built.

UTMB honored faculty, staff and students who have served in the military with its first-ever Veterans Day Luncheon celebration on Nov. 2 on the Galveston Campus.

More than 1,700 UTMB employees were recognized for reaching important milestones in their careers during a festive Employee Service Day ceremony on May 31 on the Gal­veston Campus.

Nov. 20 concluded the EAC election, with more than 2,000 votes cast—a record! Congratulations to newly elected Employee Advisory Council Members: Lori Kocian DeWillis, Laura David, Gopakumar Manikandaseril and Truc Phuong Tran.

When people at UTMB say “working together to work wonders,” zombies aren’t the first thing that come to mind. But this fall, the university community’s amazing success with the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) illustrates that together, what we can do is quite wonderful.

The biggest philanthropic effort in UTMB history—our $450 million Working Wonders Campaign—officially concluded on Nov. 17, having exceeded the goal by raising $450,954,995 as of that date for various initiatives at our university. President David L. Callender announced the record-breaking total at a special celebratory gathering of UTMB’s Development Office staff.

For Dr. Joaquin Cortiella, it’s all about teamwork. From saving soldiers at war to building bioengineered lungs at work, teamwork is the constant driver of his success. So, it was only fitting for the pediatric anesthesiologist and U.S. Army Colonel to point to others when he accepted the U.S. military’s prestigious Legion of Merit award on Sept. 10 at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

Dr. Herman Barnett III went from World War II fighter pilot to becoming the first African American admitted to medical school in Texas. Dr. Edith Bonnet might have never become a doctor, and one of the first woman interns at John Sealy Hospital, if her beau had made it to the train station. These and many more stories of UTMB School of Medicine alumni who graduated between 1893 and1953 are on display at the Moody Medical Library through January.

Twenty-one UTMB faculty, staff and students recently received UTMB President’s Cabinet awards for projects that promote outreach, education and improved patient care in the community. The nine funded projects total more than $200,000 and were presented during a banquet on Sept. 9 at The San Luis Resort in Galveston.

It was a party atmosphere as more than 1,600 UTMB employees were celebrated for reaching important milestones in their careers during the annual Employee Service Day ceremony on April 13 at Levin Hall. Collectively, the employees represented 21,960 years of service to UTMB and its mission. Special service pins were presented in five-year increments, with 50 years being the longest tenure honored at the ceremony.

“The best laid plans often go astray.” Erin Lindsey would know. As a midwife at UTMB, she’s seen carefully thought-out birth plans turn into emergency cesarean sections and “Plan Bs,” but she never expected that to happen during her own pregnancy.

This 12-hour basic self-defense class is designed for women and provides personal safety education through a blend of threat-avoidance strategies and real-world assault-resistance tactics.

The National Diversity Council recently recognized UTMB’s Veterans Resource Group (VetsRG) as one of the top Employee Resource Groups in Texas.

UTMB’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion recently launched the Strategic Diversity and Compliance Toolkit, a Web-based library of resources designed to provide UTMB employees with support tools and strategies for addressing workforce diversity and inclusion.