The Power of Gratitude: Appreciation Boosts Well-Being

New Paws-Up Feature Provides Avenue for Uplifting Colleagues Through Gratitude

cute fluffy friends a cat and a dog catch a flying butterfly in a sunny summer garden

This October as we celebrate National Veterinary Nurses Appreciation Week, the PVM Wellness Committee would like to highlight how we all can take advantage of a popular evidence-based strategy to boost our collective well-being. Research shows that both extending, and receiving, gratitude can have a profound impact on workplace well-being and career satisfaction.

What are some of the benefits of expressing gratitude? Regularly sharing gratitude has been linked to reduced stress, lower rates of depression, and increased happiness. It helps people focus on the positive aspects of their work life. Another benefit of extending gratitude is that it promotes stronger relationships among team members. Recognizing our colleagues’ efforts creates a culture of respect and cooperation in our workplace.

What are some of the benefits of receiving gratitude? In addition to simply feeling good, being on the receiving end of gratitude can help to reinforce our sense of accomplishment and self-worth. When employees feel valued they are more likely to enjoy their work which can lead to more job satisfaction and decreased turnover. Being recognized can help improve our motivation to continue giving our best effort and it can energize our engagement. For 31 more scientifically supported benefits of gratitude, read this article by Happier Human.

Considering all the benefits of gratitude, the PVM Wellness Committee is introducing a new Vet Gazette feature, called “Paws Up.”

“Paws Up” gives everyone at PVM the opportunity to share gratitude throughout our community by recognizing a person (student, staff, or faculty), or team/department who did something to brighten your day, or, who you would like to highlight for their “behind the scenes” job which helps keep PVM functioning well on a daily basis. Please consider contributing to this effort by clicking here to make your submission.

Submissions for “Paws Up” should be 75 words or less and include the name of the person or team you are nominating, the PVM department they work for, and describe how they brightened your day, helped you do your job better, or kept things running smoothly behind the scenes.

Submissions will be published anonymously in the Vet Gazette and spread throughout the year. The Vet Gazette team may edit submissions for grammar, length, and clarity before publication. We are looking forward to reading more about the wonderful people who uplift our community through your submissions!

Writer(s): PVM Wellness Committee | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

The Wellness Committee would like to extend a heartfelt Paws Up to Laurie Marsh, who is a supervisor for the Emergency Critical Care & Small Animal Reception team.

Purdue VBMA Club Hosts Picture-perfect Activity

When veterinary students in the Purdue Chapter of the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) were looking for a new event to host as a student organization, an intriguing idea came to mind that was easy to “picture” as a perfect success!  So the club set out to plan the activity in order to meet an important need of the club members while also providing a fun chance for the students to get keepsake images of their furry study buddies.

PVM Faculty Legends Honored at 25th Annual Healing Oasis Wellness Center Conference 

The theme “Knowledge – Like a Precious Metal, is PRICELESS,” proved especially appropriate for the 25th anniversary of the annual Healing Oasis Wellness Center Conference spearheaded by a Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumnus, Dr. Pedro Rivera.  That’s because the conference, held at the end of 2025 at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois, gave special recognition to legendary Purdue Veterinary Medicine educators Kathy Salisbury and Ron Hullinger.

How the Brain Recognizes What It’s Seen Before and Why It Matters for Autism Research

When you walk into a familiar place — your kitchen, a classroom, or your neighborhood — your brain instantly starts matching what you see with memories of past experiences. A new study from Purdue University reveals a key piece of how that recognition process works, and why it may be disrupted in conditions such as Fragile X syndrome, a leading inherited cause of autism.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Today we are recognizing Chloe Morris, RVT, who is a veterinary technologist in Anesthesiology in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.

Partnership to make Purdue Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning program available to employees at more than 1,000 general practice veterinary hospitals

Already Purdue’s largest online program, the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning program is partnering with National Veterinary Associates General Practice to offer the VNDL program to technicians at NVA’s more than 1,000 general practice veterinary hospitals.

PVM Distinguished Professor Suresh Mittal to Speak at Purdue’s Westwood Lecture Series

The Westwood Lecture Series is part of Purdue President Mung Chiang’s efforts aimed at enhancing the intellectual vibrancy of the Purdue West Lafayette campus, and the next featured speaker is Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Distinguished Professor of Virology, Dr. Suresh Mittal. His presentation entitled, “Universal Influenza Vaccine — An Aspiration or Reality?” is scheduled for January 28, and registration for the lecture is now open.

PVM Concludes 2024 with Recognition of Service Anniversaries and Award-winning Staff

As 2024 came to a close at Purdue University, the College of Veterinary Medicine continued a long-standing tradition of celebrating staff service anniversaries and recognizing staff and faculty accomplishments at the Staff Service Recognition Ceremony. Held in Lynn 1136 on Wednesday, December 18, the ceremony honored more than 70 PVM personnel.