Daniel Labrecque's work as a business systems analyst and functional architect in the Office of Information Technology may all be behind the scenes, but colleagues who work directly with students know his work frees them up to deliver better service.
Labrecque received the 2023 Administrative Faculty Member of the Year award for senior professionals. Colleagues who nominated him applauded the way he has provided continuity and a high level of service, regardless of recent changes in Financial Aid and Scholarships systems. They also share how he has constantly worked to generate creative solutions and improve efficiencies and automation.
"I take pride in the work that I do and have done for many years now." Labrecque says, "Being recognized by the community at large does make me step back a little and realize that much of the time what I consider to be 'all in a day's work' has been going above and beyond. I am truly honored to be recognized."
Labrecque has worked at UNLV since 2001 and has supported Financial Aid and Scholarships since the implementation of PeopleSoft Campus Solutions. He was inducted into the Higher Education User Group Hall of Fame at the Alliance 2023 conference and elected to its board of directors this year.
Labrecque says that he has always wanted to work with students and make a difference in their lives. He worked as a financial aid counselor at UNLV and was asked to be part of the implementation team for the student information system MyUNLV. His inspiration for this change, says Labrecque, was to grow professionally. Ultimately, he merged his background in Financial Aid and his desire to work on the technical side by improving the Financial Aid's "behind-the-scenes" processes to benefit the students and their families.
People sometimes have misconceptions about Labrecque's work. Since 2013, he has worked remotely on improvements for the university that require a lot of effort — but may often times go unnoticed.
"I think the misconception about being a remote worker is that we may be less productive," says Labrecque. "That thinking is antiquated and without merit. In fact, working remotely, and I can only speak for myself on this, means knowing when not to work. It is easy to ignore the work/life balance needed for self-care."
Labrecque unwinds after hours by playing table-top role-playing games and brewing beer.
For Labrecque, the community and the friends made along the way are the most memorable part of his time at UNLV. Throughout the many changes the campus has undergone, he says has always found strength and support in those around him to overcome any difficulty.
About the Administrative Faculty Awards
UNLV's administrative faculty make considerable contributions to all aspects of the university. This year, the Administrative Faculty Committee recognized two exemplary administrative faculty employees: Dan Labrecque won the senior award for a professional with more than eight years of service while Janelle Yasukochi won the junior award for a professional with less than eight years.
