myHR: April 22, 2026

Join the 2026 Models of Excellence Celebration on June 1

Now in its 27th year, the Models of Excellence Award program continues to honor staff members who make the University of Pennsylvania experience engaging and rewarding. The whole Penn community is invited to join this annual campus-wide celebration.

Award Celebration on June 1

The Penn community will celebrate the honorees’ outstanding efforts and achievements at the Models of Excellence ceremony on Monday, June 1, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Harrison Auditorium at the Penn Museum. The ceremony will be followed by a reception. President Larry Jameson, Provost John Jackson, Jr., Executive Vice President Mark Dingfield, and Vice President of Human Resources Felicia Washington will present the awards on stage. Please register by May 26.

This spring, 73 staff members will receive Models of Excellence Program awards for 2026. The work of these individuals and teams exemplifies the University’s principles and practices. They’ve gone beyond expectations to propel Penn forward in building trust with those we serve, enabling bold discovery, and extending Penn’s geographic reach and impact across a lifetime.

The 2026 Models of Excellence Selection Committee chose this year’s honorees from a wide group of nominees for their outstanding work in three categories: Models of Innovation, Pillars of Excellence, and Model Supervisor.

Learn about the 2026 honorees’ amazing work at www.hr.upenn.edu/models or download the 2026 Models of Excellence Honoree list.

Be in the Know: Earn Rewards for Preventative Care

The clock is ticking on Penn’s 2025-2026 Be in the Know annual wellness campaign, but there’s still time to turn regular health appointments and actions into points and earn up to $300 in cash rewards. You have until June 15, 2026, to submit your completed preventative health activities. Keep reading for important details.

Preventative exams, screenings, and vaccinations all count toward your rewardable wellness activities total, and the points can add up quickly. The chart below outlines the eligible activities and the number of points you can earn for each, with a maximum of 1,000 points available this campaign year.

To earn points and rewards for Be in the Know, you must first enroll on the WebMD platform. Get started by visiting WebMD or downloading their “Wellness At Your Side” app (connection code: Penn).

Penn’s annual wellness campaign is available for all benefits-eligible faculty, staff, and postdocs. The campaign year runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. (Please note the June 15, 2026, deadline to report preventative health activities.) Complete your choice of qualifying wellness activities to earn points and cash rewards, plus support your overall well-being. All cash incentives will be added to your paychecks (less applicable payroll taxes) and paid on a monthly basis.

How to Report Your Activities

To report which preventative health activities you have completed, fill out the Preventative Health Verification Form. You can download the form on the WebMD platform or Be in the Know webpage. The form takes just a few minutes to complete and only requires:

• Your name
• Penn ID number,
• Dates of completed activities
• Medical provider name
  

Here are some important details to keep in mind:

1. You will only need to complete this form once per campaign year, and you can earn up to 1,000 points for your choice of exams, screenings, or vaccines.
   
2. You do not need to complete every activity listed on the form. Only report the ones you choose. 
   
3. You can submit your completed form by uploading it to https://support.webmdhealthservices.com or faxing it to WebMD’s secure fax line at 317-810-8725.
   
4. The final submission deadline for earning credit for the 2025–2026 program year is June 15, 2026. You may report activities completed as early as July 1, 2025, through the submission deadline.
   
5. If the form is successfully submitted, you will receive a pop-up message that says, “Upload Successful.” Forms missing any required information are considered “incomplete” and will not be processed. If your form is incomplete, you will receive an email requesting you resubmit the form with the missing information.
   
6. Please allow for up to two weeks for forms to process and to receive credit. If you do not see credit for your Preventative Health Verification Form or if you have any questions, please call WebMD at 1-800-493-5980.
   

Take action while there’s still time! Complete your preventative health activities, submit your verification form, and make the most of the wellness resources and incentives available for the 2025–2026 campaign year. It’s a great way to invest in your long‑term health while earning meaningful rewards.

For more information, visit the Be in the Know webpage. 

Building a Strong Financial Future 

Think of saving money as paying yourself first and the whole idea starts looking even better.

Penn offers a generous retirement matching plan, contributing dollar for dollar up to 5% of your salary when you do the same. That’s a 100% return on your investment – instantly.

If 5% feels like too much right now, start small with what you can. Even a 1% or 2% contribution gets the ball rolling. Then, set a reminder in the near future to increase it over time. Small steps today can lead to big security tomorrow.

The Basic Plan and Matching Plan work together to help you boost your future financial well-being. Here’s a breakdown: 

Don’t leave money on the table. Enroll or adjust your contribution now. Visit  Penn’s  Saving for Retirement webpage, look for the “Enroll or Make Changes” box, and take full advantage of Penn’s match. Your future self will thank you.

For Questions or Help

Talk to a TIAA financial consultant to help you better understand your retirement plan and ways to maximize your savings. This service is available at no additional cost as part of your employee benefits. To schedule an appointment today, visit tiaa.org/schedulenow or call 800-732-8353, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET).

Embracing Change with Confidence 

Just like spring naturally gives way to summer, change is a normal part of life – but it can be an opportunity for growth, balance, and renewal. Attend the Roll With It: Strategies for Embracing Change workshop on June 2 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. to learn how to manage life’s everyday situations.

In this session, Talent and Organizational Development Consultant Sam Lunney will explore strategies for dealing with and embracing change. Lunney will discuss why it’s important to welcome change, particularly in your professional life; how to use the Seven C’s to smooth transitions; how to achieve a “change-ready mindset”; and why it’s important to take risks.

“Understanding the difference between change and transition helps explain why even positive changes can feel challenging at first,” says Lunney. “While change is often immediate and outside your control, transition is personal and unfolds over time as you process what’s different.”

The workshop presents the right tools and tactics that can help individuals reframe and adjust their own thoughts and attitudes in managing not only stressful situations but everyday life. You will learn how to assess your own attitudes, deal with your thoughts more effectively, manage your perspectives in negative situations, and discover coping methods for dealing with change.

“This session is about giving people tools they can actually use to manage their thoughts and responses during change,” Lunney adds. “We’ll focus on realistic, evidence-based strategies that can help people handle change more effectively in their day-to-day work.”

Register today for Roll With It: Strategies for Embracing Change and learn how to navigate life’s transitions with confidence.

For more professional development resources, visit the Learn & Grow section of the Human Resources website.

Create Your Learning Path Today

With year-end performance reviews underway, now is a good time to identify professional development opportunities. You can curate a list of learning opportunities available at Penn by creating a Learning Path, a feature of Workday Learning.

A Learning Path in Workday Learning keeps a list of courses that you can access at any time.  For example, this Time Management Learning Path identifies popular, digital LinkedIn Learning courses to help you get work done more efficiently and effectively.

You can create your Learning Path by browsing and adding from an array of hundreds of courses and programs provided by Penn Human Resources, various University training providers, and more than 10,000 digital courses provided by LinkedIn Learning. Topics are diverse and span expertise levels from beginner to advanced.

You can keep your paths private or share them with other learners in Workday. Managers can share their Learning Paths with their teams.

Step-by-step instructions are in the Learning: Learning Paths Workday tip sheet.

Healthy Meals: Mediterranean Bowl

Mediterranean Bowl from the American Heart Association is a masterclass in flavor and texture. Hearty whole grain sorghum provides a nutty base for protein-rich chickpeas and edamame, while juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers offer a refreshing crunch. The dressing, a zesty blend of lime, cumin, and Dijon, perfectly ties the smoky roasted peppers together. Topped with creamy avocado slices and tangy feta, every bite is a bright, wholesome, and utterly delicious escape to the coast.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked whole grain sorghum
• 1/4 cup olive, canola, or corn oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1/2 medium lime)
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (lowest sodium available)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 pint), halved
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, cannellini beans, red kidney beans, or black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/2 cup green onions (about 4 medium), green parts only, chopped
• 1/4 cup fat-free feta cheese
• 1/2 medium avocado, pitted and sliced into 8 slices

Directions

1. Prepare the sorghum using the package directions, omitting the salt.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the tomatoes, beans, bell peppers, edamame, cucumber, and green onions. Stir in the cooked sorghum. Pour the dressing all over, stirring to coat.
4. Put the sorghum mixture into serving bowls. Sprinkle with the feta. Top with the avocado slices.

Meet With a Registered Dietitian Today!

• One-on-one, virtual sessions you can schedule at any time that works for you
• 100% covered under many insurance plans
• Available to spouses and dependents
• Fill out the Ramp Health Nutrition Counseling Sign Up Form or call 800-484-7720.

Did You Know: How to Bridge the Summer Childcare Gap

With summer vacation around the corner, your Bright Horizons benefit can help you manage school and daycare breaks. Join the Using Your Bright Horizons Benefit to Bridge the Summer Childcare Gap session on May 6 from 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. to learn about back-up childcare options, additional care resources, and enrichment programs (with discounts). Register for the webinar to log on live or receive the session recording.