Carolyn Neitzke named the 2013 UIS Employee of the Year

Director of Conference Services Carolyn Neitzke was named the 2013 University of Illinois Springfield Employee of the Year during a celebration in the Sangamon Auditorium Lobby on January 29, 2014.

“Carolyn goes way above and beyond when it comes to her commitment to her job and UIS,” said one of her nominators. “She is here at all hours of the day and night, following up to see that an event will go off without a hitch.”

Neitzke started working at UIS in September of 1990 and is known for her friendliness and sense of humor even when dealing with last minute changes and difficult situations.

“It cannot be easy to maintain her welcoming nature and good sense of humor in the midst of the chaos in which she often finds herself and yet Carolyn somehow finds a way to do so,” writes another nominator.

In presenting the award, UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch thanked Neitzke and other UIS employees for their dedication and strong work ethics.

“By my count, I’ve witnessed over 30 people, since I’ve arrived, become employees of the month and everyone one of those people represents a great story, a great member of the team,” said Koch.

Neitzke accepted the award by thanking her colleagues and speaking about her time at UIS.

“Every day I learn something new about what it takes to make a university function,” said Neitzke. “I appreciate this so much and I appreciate the opportunity to call so many of these colleagues my friends.”

The Employee of the Year gets a check for $500, plus a special parking spot for the entire year.

Carolyn Neitzke is December EOM

It's not easy surprising Carolyn Neitzke. After all, she's the director of conference services and in charge of knowing what events are happening where on the UIS campus. However, when she walked into a conference room last week, she was stopped in her tracks when she saw friends, family, and co-workers waiting to congratulate her for being named the University of Illinois Springfield Employee of the Month for December 2013.

Her nominator says Carolyn "epitomizes everything that an Employee of the Month should be: she's incredibly organized, efficient, and thorough as she plans and executes the many events for which she's responsible." In addition, she's friendly and kind and maintains those qualities regardless of the kind of workday she's experiencing. "It cannot be easy to maintain her welcoming nature and good humor in the midst of the chaos in which she often finds herself and yet Carolyn somehow finds a way to do so," her nominator writes.

Her colleagues are not the only ones to notice Carolyn's friendliness, humor, and dedication to doing a good job. The public have also chimed in by contacting her supervisor after events to express how much they appreciated the attention they received from Carolyn and her staff.

"Carolyn is a GREAT lady with a wonderful work/life outlook and is an invaluable ambassador for UIS," writes her nominator.