In December 2017, a committee of students, faculty, staff and alumni from areas that spanned from Student Affairs to Heersink School of Medicine to Athletics were commissioned to write our university creed. They researched what other universities had done, as well as studied the oaths and mission statements of all of the UAB units and professional schools. After tireless discussions, they found that there were common traits of a UAB Blazer that rose to the top:

• Honor and Integrity
• Diversity
• Innovation
• Service
• Scholarship

Those words became the tenets to our university creed, and soon the language that supported them followed. Our creed begins with self-accountability, an acknowledgement that everyone who ascribes to this has chosen UAB and its culture. It then expands into belief and behavior statements, celebrating our common values, and ends with a crescendo of a rally cry.

At UAB, we take pride having a culture of service to each other and to our community. Walking out these principles together unites us, and serves as a bridge that stretches from the hospital to the university to the administration to our alumni. It’s the Blazer Way!

Special thanks to the creed committee for their contribution of hard work in this important moment in UAB’s history: Mary Wallace, Ph.D., Student Affairs (committee chair); Kamina Perdue, Honors College; Kristen Bowen, Student Affairs Fraternity & Sorority Life; Tracy Lyons, Undergraduate Student Success and Retention; Sean Ries, Student Affairs University Recreation; Justin Quinn, Student Affairs Disability Support Services; Lindsey Beechwood, Student Affairs Title IX; Marla Townsend, Athletics; Timia Acklin, Residence Assistant, Student Affairs Housing; Mugdha Mokashi, USGA; Brandi Lamon-Pinkerton, Provost Office; Jennifer Breland, Alumni; Jason Noah, Heersink School of Medicine; Meredith Kahl, Student Affairs Parents and Family Services; and Sam Miller, National Alumni Society Board of Directors.