The new year has arrived, and so have some new faces to the Culver-Stockton College faculty. We welcome Sarah Koplinksi, Bill LaTour, and Tracie Hark.
Sarah Koplinski is now the Vice President for Advancement. The new VP for facilities and operations management is Bill LaTour. And lastly, C-SC has named Tracie Hark as the new Chief Financial Officer.
Sarah Koplinsk attended Blackburn College, earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration and political science, and a minor in speech communication. She previously worked with the American Cancer Society for 10 years, then returned to her alma mater, where she held multiple positions including the Vice President for institutional advancement.
Koplinski was first introduced to advancement while in college. She appreciates the help that alumni can offer. “Matching a college’s needs with a donor’s interest and allowing the donor the joy of making a gift is magical,” shared Koplinksi. She stressed the importance of advancement for the college. Previous donors have helped shape the campus that we see today. Many of the school’s buildings, programs, and scholarships are named after individuals who have helped fund these projects for current and future generations. “ Gifts to C-SC are a donor’s way of telling today’s faculty, staff, and students that they believe in the C-SC experience and see value in strengthening and expanding opportunities that enhance the student experience,” explains Koplinksi. Culver-Stockton College continues to grow because of the generosity of so many, including donors, alumni, foundations, and many more. With this, many students benefit from scholarships, which help make C-SC more affordable. Overall, the alumni’s reach in helping the school stretches far and wide.
He previously served as the VP for Operations at Des Moines Area Community College, and before that, the dean of operations at John Wood Community College. He has extensive experience working with physical plant operations as well as facilities planning and risk management. He earned a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement administration from Western Illinois University and a master’s degree in human relations/business from Amberton University.
Although he didn’t dream of pursuing a career in college operations, LaTour has had a successful career lasting more than 22 years. “Operations departments play a critical role in student and employee satisfaction and experience, and this is what energizes me to do the very best we can for the college,” explains LaTour. He shares his excitement for up coming project for the school. He couldn’t share much about it, but he ensured that students would appreciate the improvements forthcoming. Currently, LaTour is focused on doing “building-by-building assessments” to establish the priorities across campus. want to improve and modernize the student living spaces. “While this will take some time to reach every residence hall, we can do a lot to spruce up some areas and make them more attractive and on par with what students expect and deserve,” LaTour described. The marathon project that is at the top of the list is upgrading the college’s HVAC infrastructure. LaTour is very excited to collaborate with students and encourages feedback on improvements with the school. His office is currently located in the Mabee Center, room 202.
Tracie Hark attended C-SC and graduated in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration. She previously worked at the Northeast Missouri Ambulatory Surgery Center, where she managed facility operations, annual budgets, and regulatory compliance.“My priorities for my first year as the CFO include getting to know the campus community, working with faculty and staff to establish reasonable budgets for the coming year, and working with our Board of Trustees to keep up the financial integrity of our college,” explained Hark. For Hark she defines success as keeping tuition affordable for students. When it comes to financial decision making many people have their own opinion of where they would like to see improvement. “However, we must all work together to keep spending at a rate that is sustainable for future generations.” She encourages students to attend Student Government meetings and ask questions to gain more knowledge about what is going on with the college.
