Helping people has always been a passion for Cari Edwards, office services assistant senior. Her desire to help people led her to IU Southeast and is a reoccurring theme in her life.

She grew up in Illinois and attended Western Illinois University. In college, she was a part of Chi Omega Sorority, which she said helped her to become interested in life on campus.

She received her bachelor’s degree in business management.

Edwards moved to Indiana with her family seven years ago.

She was an event planner before she found out the IU Southeast was hiring. She said she was interested in the position because she wanted to work with different people.

She has now been working in Campus Life since 2004.

“I like working with students and seeing them grow from freshmen to seniors,” Edwards said.

She helps by working on campus events and tries to meet different students. Her job doesn’t just stop at the end of the work day since she sometimes has campus events to attend.

“Cari takes a hands-on approach with students but would never to ask them to do anything she wouldn’t do,” Kathy Meyer, orientation and leadership coordinator, said.

Students recently voted Edwards as the Greek Council adviser.

Edwards has a lot of work to do in the Campus Life office.

Edwards currently takes care of 13 different financial accounts for organizations and activity fees on campus.

“I spend most of my time just keeping the office under control,” Edwards said.

The office deals with large numbers of people a day and many different tasks. Edwards helps keep everything organized.

“She is the backbone of this office,” Meyer said. “She is essential to our mission.”

Edwards said she finds the hardest part of her job to be just finding enough time in the day to get everything done, but she said she finds it interesting that every day she has a new challenge.

She does more than just work in the office.

Edwards also writes the online publication of “The Planet.” It is a weekly IUS publication about events happening on campus.

“Cari is one of the most kind and encouraging people I’ve ever met,” Meyer said.

By CHASTITY HILGERT
Staff Writer
chilgert@ius.edu