Last year, a doctor of physical therapy program at an institution of higher education faced an all-too-familiar challenge: how to celebrate the holidays in a way that felt meaningful for everyone. Instead of defaulting to the traditional catered lunch and gift exchange, the director invited faculty, staff and graduate students to co-create the event.

The group chose a potluck featuring dishes from their cultural traditions, scheduled the gathering at a time that accommodated teaching loads, administrative duties and studying, and added a gratitude board where everyone could publicly recognize each other's contributions.

The result? People lingered longer, conversations crossed silos, and new collaborations emerged. What started as a holiday........

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