Last Friday, I hosted 13 staff for lunch in my office as part of the annual Chancellor’s Lunchbox Club. It's one of my favorite lunches of the year because it gives me the opportunity to meet staff face-to-face and to personally thank them for their many contributions. I always encourage my guests to ask questions and share with me their experiences as staff members. I learn a lot and have a great time doing so.

This year 10 of the employees were chosen at random from 275-plus staff who signed up at the 2019 Staff Summer Celebration. They were joined by Staff Association Chair Luis Legaspi and Chair-Elect Bryce Besser, and one lucky staffer was nominated and selected by my assistant chancellors.