Kelsey Hott, human resource officer in Human Resources, has been named the University of Illinois Springfield Employee of the Month for July 2026. 

Her nominator recognizes her as a hard-working team member who is committed to improving her department. 

“The work Kelsea does is varied and helps the HR department meet and exceed its goals,” her nominator said.

Hott’s supervisor, Drew Schlosser, notes that she is a “tremendous asset to the university and HR team.”

“She radiates the concept of ‘service with a smile,’ and her positive attitude has made significant strides in building a positive personification of human resources amongst our campus community,” Schlosser said.

Her positive attitude is especially important in HR, where interactions can be emotional.

“With Kelsea, coming to work is a joy because she is always there with a smile, to listen, talk or just provide emotional support,” Schlosser added.

In addition to her role on campus, she serves as the HR State and University Employees Combined Appeal (SECA) coordinator and as a member of the HR Happiness Committee.

Hott works to identify areas of improvement within HR and across campus.

“She has identified gaps in the knowledge base, areas of confusion and brought those misunderstandings to life through her professional development opportunities that offer diverse and unique training opportunities to help educate the greater campus community,”
 Schlosser said.