Carol Bailey

Administrative Assistant, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
Unsung Hero

(presented by Maria Zuber, Vice President for Research)

It’s always gratifying to celebrate the Unsung Heroes across the Institute. Often they are human safety nets, always on the scene where they are needed most. And that perfectly describes our next recipient Carol Bailey. She is an Administrative and External Affairs Associate in the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science.

Carol supports the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, External Affairs, and the HST Alumni Board, coordinates events, handles web development and maintenance, as well as media and social media, serves as IT liaison, manages resources, equipment, and supplies, and is the Facilities contact. And then there are her volunteer activities—commencement team leader, community giving liaison, Working Group on Support Staff Issues, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and on and on.

One of her many supporters for this award recounted a crisis that Carol averted: “What Carol Bailey does every day is critical; what she does in times of major stress and crisis is beyond amazing. Carol is unflappable, capable to an extreme, and has not only equanimity but also boundless good cheer. Though I could go on for pages, there is one experience that is especially emblematic of her incredible value. We were holding an international symposium at MIT for some 275 people and at the last minute the support person took ill and was out of commission. We were on the verge of cancelling the entire event when Carol stepped up and took over. She pretty much had to start from scratch but, in just a very few days, made all the arrangements. I remain to this day amazed that she pulled this all together—and with minimal fanfare, self-pity, or self-promotion. But this is her standard of performance: above and beyond. Carol Bailey is a true Unsung Hero.”

Carol Bailey, you are “unsung” no longer!