By: Mark Reinhiller
Kelsey Plefka is the new Assistant Athletic Director for Student Eligibility and Services at College of DuPage.
Plefka brings a multitude of skill sets to COD after nine years at nearby Elmhurst University. She served a variety of academic roles at Elmhurst after completing her bachelor's degree in 2013. A former student-athlete in cross country and track and field, she served as an assistant coach in those sports for four seasons and also served as a financial aid assistant at Moraine Valley Community College in 2015.
"We are very excited for Kelsey to be joining the COD athletic staff,'' Director of Athletics and Recreation Ryan Kaiser said. "Kelsey has had many different experiences that will lend themselves to being helpful. Being a former student-athlete, coach, mentor and successful career coach, while having the expertise of financial aid will help our students navigate their college experience. Kelsey will primarily focus on the academic success of our athletes while being the primary liaison for compliance to the NJCAA.''
At Elmhurst, Plefka counseled as a gift aid/financial literacy coordinator and student outreach coordinator, before eventually overseeing the financial aid counseling efforts as the Assistant Director in the Office of Student Financial Services.
Also, she mentored students as a college life coach for the Department of Student Affairs her final four years at Elmhurst. She assisted students in transitioning from high school to college, coordinated presentations with first-year seminar faculty on college transition topics and conducted monthly meetings with assigned students.
"I'm really excited about this opportunity to work with COD student-athletes, by helping them achieve their athletic goals while competing at a high level in their respective sports,'' she said.
Her accomplishments include appearing on the Financial Aid Advisor session panel at the 2021 ILASFAA Virtual Conference and creating an interactive budgeting exercise "Budget or Bust" for New Student Orientation.
Kelsey, who is working toward a master's degree in higher education leadership at North Central College, and her husband, Erik, make their home in Glendale Heights, along with their beagles —Sibley and Ellie Mae.