Carrie Zack

What year did you start working at NIU?
2005

Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
Riverdale, Illinois, and DeKalb.

In what department do you work?
Office of Accreditation, Assessment and Evaluation

Where did you attend school? What degree(s) did you earn?
Loyola University Chicago, B.A. in sociology with Illinois educator licensure for grades 6-12; NIU, M.A. in sociology; NIU, Ph.D. candidate (all but dissertation) in educational psychology.

If you attended college, were you a first-generation student? If so, what advice would you offer to current first generation students?
I never know whether or not to count myself as first generation. My parents went to college for a couple of years or so but neither earned a degree. However, I have aunts and uncles who did. My advice is to be patient with yourself about what you don't know and use all of the resources available to you (friends, advisors, faculty, the course catalog, the university website) to explore and ask lots of questions — that's what we are here for! There are more first-generation professors and staff here than you may expect. I would also advise them to talk to people (Career Services, faculty in their department) about getting experiences working, internships and doing research to help you figure out what you want to do and help get a job in the future. Many of us who were first generation have no idea what jobs are out there or that you need to get experiences while you're in college to help you land that first professional job later.

Describe your typical day—what do you do while at work?
In a typical day I'm working on how to best support faculty and staff to bring students the best learning experiences possible. I keep up with my own lifelong learning in order to support others' learning. I attend workshops and conferences and read lots of articles and books on teaching, learning and assessment. This enables me to provide support to department chairs as well as other faculty and staff working to measure and improve student learning. I get to work with faculty one on one or in small groups and host workshops. This fall I got to lead a new initiative where we read and discussed a book together. It was a great source of reflection, conversation and learning for all of us.

What do you like about working at NIU?
I love that NIU has lots of friendly people who care about students, their learning, and their current and future success. I love that it is part of our mission to focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging because these are important to our collective future and benefit us all. I like that I have some flexibility in my work to take care of my family's needs. And I like that I can continue my education at NIU without going further into debt.

What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
Focus on the positive things people say about you and believe them even if you don't see the same things in yourself yet. And step out of your comfort zone to do or consider things you might not have thought about doing before. For example, I never considered going to graduate school, but a professor saw potential in me and put the idea in my head, which has led to a career I didn't know existed.

What is important for students to know about the office/department that you work in? What student services does your office provide?
The office I work in doesn't provide services directly to students, but we do important work that ultimately affects students. We advise academic departments on the learning outcomes they set for the degree programs, the data they collect to measure attainment of those outcomes, and the use of data to inform decision-making about ways to better support learning. We also work with the University Assessment Panel, which includes two student representatives, to ensure students have input, too.

In what ways do you see your colleagues help student success?
My colleagues help student success by engaging in thoughtful conversations about learning and using data to help inform actions to improve student learning. We see degree programs do things like redesign curriculum and improve the design of their assignments to better provide support for student learning that fosters success at NIU and beyond. We also provide support and advice to departments collecting additional data that affects learning, such as department climate or cost of course materials. These things can affect how well students learn while they're here and whether they stay at NIU to complete their program of study.

What is your favorite memory of NIU?
I have so many memories over the past 18 years at NIU as an employee and student that it's hard to pick one. One that comes to mind happened when I left one office to go work in another office at NIU. There was a large committee I had been working with in my role at the time for 13 years. When I told them I was moving to a position in another office where I may not interact with them regularly anymore, there was a collective sound of sadness followed by multiple congratulations and well wishes. I felt very valued and cared for in that moment.

What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of?
I am most proud of helping to spotlight how to approach assessment of student learning with an equity lens. There is much more work to be done in this area, but I am proud to play a role in moving it forward.

What fulfills you personally and professionally?
Personally and professionally I am fulfilled by being part of a community that is committed to learning and acting in new ways that are more inclusive and welcoming because we recognize that past and present practices have left people out and caused harm.

Which of NIU’s core values align with your own?
My own values align with all of NIU's core values. My educational and professional journeys have focused on equity and inclusion. I'm working in higher education because I value the curiosity and creativity that can be fostered here. These are things that help us enjoy life and move us forward. And I believe that it is important to be of service to the broader community as we share what we've learned, acting ethically with integrity while we do so.

Have you contributed to any NIU Foundation fundraising campaigns such as the Day of Giving or Huskies United? If yes, why did you decided to support NIU?
I have contributed to NIU Foundation fundraising campaigns. NIU has an important mission of advancing social mobility for generations to come. NIU has created this social mobility for members of my family and my community. I want to support this good work that is under-resourced but provides so much value.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
When I was growing up, I wanted to be an artist, then a gymnast, then a hair stylist and finally a teacher. I am a teacher of sorts, just not the way I imagined. I went to college and earned my license to teach high school and middle school. I ultimately decided that teaching at that level was not a good fit for my strengths and personality. I then decided to come to NIU and pursue my love of research by earning a master's degree. I still wanted to work in education, so I looked for jobs at the college level. When I was about to graduate with my master's degree, I found a listing for a job that matched my skill set at a community college in an office responsible for institutional research and assessment. I had a great experience in that first job, and it launched my career in this direction.

Are you participating in or have you participated in any NIU shared governance or professional development groups? If so, how has your participation enhanced your experience as an employee?
I have participated in a number of committees throughout my time at NIU, although most were a required part of my job (UCIEL, UCANELP, UAP). In my early days on campus, I briefly participated in SPS Council and now I am part of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. Committee participation has put me in contact with a variety of interesting people here on campus and made me feel like part of the community. Being part of a caring community is a big part of what makes me enjoy working at NIU.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
To relax and recharge, I like to spend time with my pets and my family and watch my favorite shows or movies.

Do you have any hobbies or interesting personal pursuits you're involved with in your spare time?
I don't really have any hobbies unless you count shopping (both at physical locations and online). I love keeping up with trends in fashion and home decor by browsing what is available. It's also a way to spend time with my teenager, who shares this interest.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your NIU Huskie story?
When I came to work at NIU in 2005, I had no idea what to expect. I applied for a job I thought was a long shot that I wasn't totally convinced I knew how to do (underestimating myself). When I got here, faculty and administrators treated me with respect despite what I saw as all my limitations (i.e., lack of a doctorate, only two years' experience working in higher education and my age — 28 at the time). Throughout the years, I got lots of opportunities for professional development and worked with a series of supervisors who modeled working with integrity, humility and authenticity, as well as confidence. A number of them were from working-class backgrounds just like me. This is what I want to be for our students and my fellow employees: part of a community that sees value in every person, nurtures their development and helps them see possibilities for the future.