On the afternoon of March 28, NYU Abu Dhabi’s central plaza was filled with games, gifts and good spirits as the community took time out to recognize and thank its dedicated contract staff for their hard work. The two-day event offered various activities, including a decorated photo booth, pampering sessions from Studio XY and performances from both students and staff.

The event took off at 3 p.m. with an opening performance by Myra Guerrero Armita, followed by vigorous dancing. Staff took to the stage to sing and dance their hearts out, greeted by loud cheers from the audience. The student band 1am performed their own original music for the crowd and received a similarly energetic response.

Staff were very enthusiastic about the event, a fact evident through their participation and their shared wide smiles. Raj, a Public Safety officer, was happy to be part of the day.

“The people, they have been appreciated for the things they have been doing here, so it’s good to be appreciated,” he said.

Simon, a member of the Serco team, also expressed his fondness for the event.

“My favorite part of the event was the little kids singing and dancing, I was very impressed,” he said.

Similarly, students Julie Liu and Ganjina Oripova, Class of 2021, enjoyed the event because they were able to interact with the contract staff members outside of their daily roles.

“I liked the part when two staff members performed their traditional dance. They were really talented. I was surprised to see another side of the staff members,” said Liu.

“It was just amazing. She is so talented,” Oripova enthused about the soulful rendition of Michael Jackson’s We Are The World by Eva, an ADNH Compass staff member.

One of the highlights of the day was the fitness challenge organized by the Athletics Department, where staff were asked to show off their planking skills under the supervision of Faiza the Falcon. After planking for over 15 minutes, five champions received well-deserved awards for their dedication in the sweltering afternoon heat.

The two days were peppered with many other performances, ranging from group dances by the Attitude Dance Club to a Nepali music band, all the way to audience members showing off their talents on the open stage.

Various speeches were also given by faculty but the standout monologue came from Naresh, a Serco staff member, who took a moment to thank the NYUAD community in his own words. His heartfelt speech was met with vigorous applause from the attending crowd of students, staff and faculty.

Santina Cherian, Class of 2020, head of the volunteers, was happy with the management of the event.

“It’s going great. We have a lot of people showing up,” she said. “I had a great team behind me, a team of 10 other individuals, and they put it all together and pulled it off.”

Salote Veisamasama, Class of 2021, who also volunteered at the event, thought that the event was amazing in its capacity to bring everyone together.

“I think this is a good time for students and staff members to really get to know each other. I won’t lie, it’s a bit tiring, but it’s completely fine,” said Veisamasama. “Just seeing their faces makes it all worth it,” she added.

The event allowed students to reflect on the importance of NYUAD’s contract staff in their lives. Filip Bendevski, Class of 2021, voiced his gratitude for the care shown by the staff for students.

“I’m very appreciative of the fact that they’re always willing to take some time to listen to you,” he said.

Another student Bhrigu Bhatra, Class of 2021, added, “they make our lives so much easier than we care to think, I shudder to think how much cooking I’d have to do for myself. I’m so happy to have them here on campus.”

This semester’s Appreciation Day was a successful event, both in the eyes of the students, the organizers and staff. As the two-day celebration of NYUAD’s hardworking and dedicated contract staff came to an end, the crowd parted in good spirits, with a sentiment expertly phrased by Serco staff Naresh: “Thank you very much for making us smile.”