This year’s winner for Most Helpful Staff Member is Kara McElwrath, for all of her contributions to UIS. She has been working at UIS for 17 years now and currently holds the role of Director of Technology Operations in Information Technology Services. Kara also teaches for TEP, EDL, CSC and MIS. Kara is no stranger to winning awards, as she was awarded with Employee of the Year at UIS in 2010!

Kara often interacts with students during orientation, teaching them how to “get connected” with the many technological services UIS offers. She also interacts with students when instructors invite her to classrooms to help students with the technology components of projects. Her favorite part of the job? “It allows me to be helpful, and helping people is one of my favorite things to do,” says Kara, adding “I am never bored at UIS! There are always new things to try, new problems to solve, and new people to work with.” There is no doubt that we are lucky to have “Kara from ITS” helping and supporting us here at UIS!

RUNNERS UP: Justin Rose, Jamie Weber