Carrie Foust receives UIC Award of Merit
Carrie Foust receives UIC Award of Merit Heading link
Carrie Foust, director of communications for the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford, received the University of Illinois Chicago Award of Merit during the annual UIC Employee Recognition Award Ceremony in Chicago on Nov. 2.
The award is an accolade given annually to recognize outstanding civil service and academic professional employees. It’s a university-wide award honoring staff who exhibit excellence in service, commitment and dedication.
Foust joined UICOMR in November 2015 as director of alumni engagement. In that role, she made an impact through the re-engagement of alumni with their alma mater organizing alumni events, creating alumni communications and updating the alumni database. These efforts resulted in an increase to the number of alumni who pursued faculty appointments and a rise in donations to the college. She became director of communications in November 2017 overseeing all aspects of marketing, strategic communications and public relations for UICOMR, including media relations, social media, advertising, the website and crisis communications.
A graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison, Foust worked for the University of Wisconsin for nearly 18 years, most recently as director of university relations/communications for a regional campus for nine years before joining UICOMR. She also has experience owning a public relations agency and in other communication roles in education and health care.
“Carrie Foust is professional, personable and knowledgeable. She interacts with virtually every area of the UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford, and does so with an eye toward inclusive and respectful communication,” says one of her nominators.
“Her work ethic and enthusiasm are infectious and carry through to her entire staff and she allows each person’s individual strengths to be highlighted,” said another nomination letter. “Carrie has the temperament and level-headedness to give her staff the direction and space to be successful.”
Dean Alex Stagnaro-Green, MD, MHPE, MHA, echoes those sentiments. He says Foust’s proven track record, her professionalism and her passion for the medical school make her the perfect candidate for the Award of Merit.
“Carrie is an exceptional worker and leader who has transformed her area into an outstanding communication unit, which serves as a shining model for the University of Illinois College of Medicine. I could not be more pleased with her work and am grateful that she is a member of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford Leadership team,” Stagnaro-Green says.
Foust is the first UIC Award of Merit recipient from UICOMR since Lori L. Young won the award in 2010. Young, a former customer service specialist, retired in 2019.