Kelsey Plefka, who competed, coached and mentored student-athletes at Elmhurst University, brings a multitude of skill sets to COD as its Assistant Athletic Director for Student Eligibility and Services, beginning Jan. 2023.
Plefka served a variety of academic roles at Elmhurst since 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.
At Elmhurst, she 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.
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 earned her master’s degree in higher education leadership at North Central in 2024, and her husband Erik make their home in Glendale Heights, along with their beagles —Sibley and Ellie Mae.
