The Civil Service Council will feature a civil service employee at Illinois State University each month to highlight an exceptional colleague and the outstanding work being done on campus! This month get a chance to learn about and applaud Connie Blick from the School of Theatre and Dance.
What is your position on campus and how long have you been with the University?
I am the Office Manager for the School of Theatre and Dance and wear a lot of hats! I help students, support our admin team and faculty, and oversee the social media, among many other responsibilities. Someone told me once I’m like the “stage manager of the department,” keeping everything in this fast-paced department running and in order. I’ve been in this position since November of 2018, though I started at ISU in July 2017 as a Customer Service Assistant in Facilities Management, ending a 16 year career as a waitress in your friendly neighborhood Chili’s.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
I get to utilize a lot of my personal & creative skills in this position. But mostly, I love the interactions I have with our students as a friendly face in the main office that gets to play a small part in their journey here. I also enjoy being able to witness the result of their hard work because Theatre and Dance is an area where a lot of the student’s work & talent is reflected in physical or visual projects, whether that be acting in a show, a dramaturgy display, costume or lighting design, a short film, dance, etc.
What are your hobbies or favorite past-time?
I love collecting anything retro & eclectic, especially mod or mid-century modern vintage made in the 50s-70s and also collect vintage cross-stitch samplers. I am heavily involved in local community theatre in Bloomington-Normal and act and direct. I started a site-specific theatre company called Nomad Theatre where we produce works in locations specific to the play whether it be in an art gallery, bar, or even your front porch; it’s quite literally theatre that moves. This passion project has taken off and I feel lucky that my personal passions intersect in many ways with my professional position. Walks in the forest with my family is also at the top of the hobby list!
What else would you like others to know about you or your time at ISU?
I am actually an alum of the department and majored in acting. In 2007, I ended my college journey early, six credits short of graduating. When life brought me back to this department professionally – I was encouraged by my colleagues and motivated to finish my degree. I did just that in 2020, so I guess I just want people to know it is never too late!
More about Connie from Ann Haugo, Director, School of Theatre and Dance:
Connie Blick is an exemplary colleague. In her role as office administrator, she manages student staff, leads our marketing and social media projects, and coordinates much of our communication to students and the rest of the campus. Her inventiveness and ingenuity have made our Birds Give Back campaigns successful on many fronts – engaging with record numbers of students, finding new and fun ways to communicate about what we do, and of course, drawing significant numbers of donors to the project. This year, she has led teams of undergraduates working on social media promotions on Insta, TikTok, and Facebook that are reaching record numbers of audiences, and I’m so happy to say that the University will also be recognizing her team’s work and her leadership.
