As the new year begins, Palo Alto University gathered its faculty and staff for the All In Community Celebration, an event that reflected the values at the heart of the institution: connection, collaboration, and shared purpose.
The gathering marked People Operations’ first university-wide event and set a thoughtful and collaborative tone for the year ahead. More than a celebration, the gathering created space for connection. Colleagues came together across teams and roles, some in the same room, others joining virtually. The focus staying squarely on the people behind the work.
People Operations Director, Rein Johnson, opened the event, welcoming everyone and setting an inviting tone from the start. The gathering also offered a chance to recognize new faculty and staff who recently joined PAU. The moment served as a reminder that PAU’s continued growth brings new perspectives and experiences to our community.
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President Farouk Dey then shared reflections on the year ahead and what All In means to him. He spoke about a clarifying vision for Palo Alto University, one shaped by the ideas and contributions of many across the community. While emphasizing the importance of thinking boldly, he also acknowledged the operational challenges the University continues to navigate and pointed to upcoming visioning sessions as an opportunity for deeper collective engagement.
Dr. Dey described All In not as a collective agreement, but as collective decision-makin, bringing many voices into the conversation, listening across perspectives, and moving forward together even when full consensus is not always possible. That shared responsibility, he noted, is central to how PAU reaches its greatest potential.
To illustrate this idea, President Farouk Dey shared a personal story about a ring he was drawn to while out one day. Designed as a compass, it bears the inscription, “Find a Way or Make One,” a message he said resonated deeply with him. For Dey, the ring reflects what All In means at PAU, committing to the work of reaching the university’s potential, even when the way forward is not fully defined. Progress, he noted, does not happen overnight, but is built through consistent and purposeful effort.
The tone of the gathering became even more personal during the icebreaker challenge. Colleagues submitted anonymous fun facts about themselves, which were read aloud as the group tried to guess who they belonged to. The activity sparked laughter and curiosity, with surprises ranging from impressive accomplishments to unexpected life experiences. It offered a rare chance to learn something new about one another beyond work, and it quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the event.
The energy carried through the remainder of the celebration, including the raffle, which drew plenty of enthusiasm from both in-person and online attendees. As names were called and prizes claimed, the room and virtual chat filled with reactions, reinforcing the sense that everyone was fully part of the moment, regardless of where they joined from.
Rein closed the gathering by thanking everyone for taking the time to join and for the energy they brought to the space. She encouraged colleagues to carry that sense of connection into the year ahead and wished everyone a strong start to 2026.
