Double-Double Huskies: Thomas, '07, MBA '15, and Julie, '07, M.A. '11, Konczyk
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet
Thomas Konczyk, director of partnerships, Cirque du Soleil in the United States. (Photo: Tom Konczyk)
“A true Huskie isn’t afraid of doing it ‘The Hard Way’; they get after it, grab it, and never let it go!” said Thomas Konczyk, ’07, MBA ’15, when asked what qualities define a true Huskie.
Tom was, of course, speaking of “The Hard Way” motto first embraced by Huskie football players, but now a mindset etched into the identity of every Huskie. It represents the hard work Huskies endure to overcome challenges, even when the path is steep, because with hard work, success is always sweeter.
Some Things Are Just Meant to be Easy
Tom met his wife, Julie Konczyk (née Edmunds), ’07, M.A. ’11, while at NIU, and despite yielding high rewards for their academic and professional stamina, finding each other is notably their sweetest success story.
“We worked hard together, supported each other in undergrad and grad school,” Tom said. “I got myself into some shenanigans, as any student does, but our focus was always on bettering ourselves and starting a life together. She is brilliant, dedicated and my true inspiration.”
The feeling is mutual, as Julie’s favorite NIU memory is meeting Tom.
“We lived in the same off-campus apartment building in DeKalb and met shortly after he moved in. We have been inseparable ever since,” she said.
Double Degrees Laid the Groundwork for Success
Leaving his close-knit family in Naperville, Illinois, Tom followed in the footsteps of his older brother and came to NIU. After meeting Professor Rick Ridnour, Ph.D., he decided to pursue a marketing degree with an emphasis in professional sales and later earned his MBA.
“I took an impactful course taught by Professor Ursula Sullivan, Ph.D., during my MBA,” Tom said. “Dr. Sullivan is not only brilliant and a tremendous educator, but she is also genuine, professional and kind. NIU shaped my career path, 100%.”
Today, Tom is the director of partnerships for Cirque du Soleil in the United States. He aligns brands to build partnerships with Cirque across its portfolio of touring and residency shows, as well as with its innovative and best-in-class production capabilities.
Tom spent eight years of his career at Feld Entertainment, where he served as a regional sales manager of global partnerships, traveling across the United States to build dynamic partnerships for events such as Supercross, Monster Jam, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Disney on Ice, and others. He also spent five years representing his alma mater as the general manager of Huskie Sports for Learfield, a media and technology company specializing in college athletics.
“I’m pushing 20 years in media, sports, and entertainment sales and marketing,” Tom said. “The connections I have made, the people I have met, and the events I have experienced while traveling have been nothing short of amazing.”
A Passion for Education Unearthed
Julie came to NIU from the north suburbs of Chicago. She chose NIU, seeking a large, diverse university with strong academics, and was drawn to the Anthropology Department and Museum Studies Program.
Thankful for receiving several scholarships and additional support for working as a tour guide in the admissions office and as a peer advisor in the Honors Program, Julie earned both a bachelor's and a master’s degree in anthropology.
“The Honors Program largely supported me through my undergraduate work, and I am so grateful to the Center for Southeast Asia Studies (CSEAS) Foreign Language Area Scholarships for supporting my graduate work and study abroad experiences,” Julie said. “I studied abroad at an archaeology field school that explored the pre-Roman settlements in western Sicily. I worked alongside a global team of students and researchers for a summer, collecting data and digging through specific sites identified for that season.”
Julie said NIU was the perfect place for her, offering her many opportunities to thrive. She fondly remembers the Department of Anthropology Chair, Judy Ledgerwood, for her guidance, leadership and scholarly excellence, in addition to CSEAS overall.
“CSEAS has top-tier faculty, staff and academics and offers graduate students unparalleled study abroad opportunities and research connections,” Julie said. “I was supported academically, socially, financially and professionally throughout my time at NIU and am so grateful to those who helped make that possible for me.”
Today, Julie is the associate dean of continuing education at College of DuPage, where she oversees the career and professional training team, the homeland security education team and their enrichment programs. Offering diverse programming and working with experts in their field, she is proud of the College’s growth and its ability to adapt to the community’s educational needs.
“For me, it’s really about the students and faculty I get to work with,” she said. “In education, we often say we’re changing lives—it can sound disingenuous on the surface, but it’s true. There’s nothing like seeing a student succeed, hearing a parent’s gratitude for sparking the joy of learning in their child, or watching someone achieve what once felt impossible. I’ve been lucky to work with such an inspiring group. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Before joining the College of DuPage for her 10-year-plus career, Julie spent over four years at NIU, where she served as the external programming credit coordinator in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The Power of Incremental Growth
Hard work and perseverance guided Tom and Julie’s professional journeys; still, they credit their achievements to embracing the power of slowing down and recognizing that success doesn’t require perfection.
“I try to be better every day, do a little more, be a little more efficient, try to make something better, try to make someone’s day a little better,” Julie said. “I’ve worked with a number of people who can’t seem to move forward unless they feel 100% ready, or the project is 100% perfect. I make mistakes and see better decisions in hindsight; I also make a lot of great decisions. I focus on the balance, trying to make something a little better each time rather than chase short-term wins or a false sense of perfection.”
“Maya Angelou said, ‘Do your best until you know better, then when you know better, do better,’” Tom said. “Slow down, listen, learn and provide feedback. It’s a skill we will never perfect.”
With insights that echo each other so closely, it’s almost as if Tom and Julie have been sharing notes since their graduation.
It’s no surprise that two Huskies, each armed with two degrees, equals exponential wisdom and Huskie Pride.
Discover how you can support Huskies through scholarships here.