UIS professor honored with a national dissertation award from the Association of Teacher Educators

Meghan Kessler, assistant professor of teacher education at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been honored with the 2020 award for Distinguished Dissertation in Teacher Education from the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE).

Her dissertation, “Teaching for the Test: Social Studies Student Teacher Perceptions and Enactments of High-Stakes Performance Assessments,” examined secondary social studies teacher candidates’ perceptions and enactments of teacher evaluation during one student teaching semester. The qualitative, multi-case dissertation study provides a new perspective on the complex and dynamic negotiation of preservice teacher learning and evaluation during the student teaching semester.

“I’m extremely honored to have my dissertation recognized by the Association of Teacher Educators,” said Kessler. “This organization plays an important role in teacher education research and practice in the U.S., and has been instrumental in establishing high quality teacher preparation. Winning the Distinguished Dissertation Award from ATE truly inspires me to keep pursuing new lines of inquiry in teacher education practice and policy in Illinois.”

Kessler earned a bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education from Augustana College, a master’s degree in teaching and leadership from St. Xavier University in Chicago and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to working in higher education, she taught high school social studies and speech.

Kessler will present her dissertation and receive the award at the Association of Teacher Educators annual meeting Feb. 15-19, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

UIS Education Honor Society inducts eight new members during ceremony

The University of Illinois Springfield’s Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education, inducted eight new members during a ceremony on Oct. 12, 2019.

Samantha Missey, a teacher at the Sangamon County Learning Academy and former UIS Kappa Delta Pi president, was the guest speaker at the event.

The Society inducts individuals who have exhibited the ideals of scholarship, integrity in service, and commitment to excellence in teaching and its allied professions. Selection as a member of Kappa Delta Pi is based on high academic achievement, a commitment to education as a career, and a professional attitude that assures steady growth in the profession.

Students inducted at this year’s ceremony listed by hometown:

In-State
Carlinville: Meghan Woods
Lake Villa: Teagan Ross
McLean: Kendra Peifer
Rochester: Madison Neuweg
Springfield: Christine Flynn, Haley Jackson
West Chicago: Jackie LaCour
Wheaton: Angela D’Onofrio

Kappa Delta Pi was established in 1911 to recognize and promote excellence in education. Through its programs, services, and strategic partnerships, the honor society supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout all phases and levels of their careers. The organization currently has more than 600 chapters and an active membership of nearly 40,000 worldwide.

For more information, contact Ronda Mitchell, chapter advisor and UIS clinical associate professor of teacher education, at 217-206-7008 or rmitche@uis.edu.

UIS Assistant Professor Jennifer Martin to be honored for her article on Transgender bathroom access

University of Illinois Springfield Assistant Professor of Teacher Education Jennifer Martin will be honored with the Paula Silver Case Award from the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership for her co-authored work titled “The Bathroom Case: Creating a Supportive School Environment for Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Students” during a November conference in New Orleans.

The journal article examines the nuances of accommodating transgender student needs, while examining the legal requirements for schools, and the practical implications of those requirements.

Martin and co-author Jane Beese, an associate professor at Youngstown State University, found that Title IX regulations have long permitted school districts to segregate male and female students in separate but comparable toilet, shower, and locker room facilities, but the legal issue presented by transgender students is how to gain access to facilities that match their gender identity.

The Paula Silver Case Award was instituted by the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) in 1999 to memorialize the life and work of Paula Silver, a UCEA associate director and president-elect who made significant contributions to the program through excellence in scholarship, advocacy of women, and an inspired understanding of praxis. A sterling silver bowl is presented annually to the author(s) of the most outstanding case published during the last volume of the UCEA Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership.

Martin started teaching at the University of Illinois Springfield in fall 2018. She holds a doctorate in education from Oakland University and two master’s degrees in English and liberal studies from Eastern Michigan University.

The award-winning article was first published in September 2017 by the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership and can be read online.

Leadership lived: Future elementary school teacher gains valuable experience in and out of the classroom at UIS

Growing up in small town Taylorville, Illinois, Kelsey Marucco was inspired by her fourth grade teacher. That inspiration turned into a passion for helping others, which led her to major in education and psychology at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Marucco, who is now a senior at UIS, is only a few steps away from becoming an elementary school teacher. She is currently doing preclinical observation at Edinburg Elementary School in Edinburg, Illinois and will soon start student teaching next semester.

“I've been observing a fourth and fifth grade classroom here for the past few weeks and I've learned a lot about classroom management, a little bit about lesson planning and how to conduct a classroom during lessons,” she said. “There's a lot of in class parts that we do at UIS, but being here at the elementary school kind of gets me hands on in the classroom.”

Marucco says she chose the University of Illinois Springfield because of the quality of the Teacher Education Department.

“I like how a lot of the teachers in our classes are teachers themselves, so we go in the evening when they're done with school and you're talking to someone who has experience, so they're really helpful and give you a lot of advice,” she said.

On campus, Marucco is heavily involved as a member of the Capital Scholars Honors Program and the Tri Sigma Sorority. She also works for UIS Campus Recreation and at the Cox Children’s Center on campus. She is a member of the Kappa Delta Phi educational honor society, the Psi Chi honor society and recently served as the public relations and social media chair for Dance Marathon, a UIS fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network.

“Before coming to college, I was more shy and kept to myself, but UIS helped me become a bigger leader and get me out there more and gave me a lot of opportunities in that aspect as well,” she said.

Following graduation from UIS, Marucco would like to work at a smaller elementary school in central Illinois and possibly coach an athletic team.

“I would love, just like this school, to stay at a small school so I can be more personable to my students. I hope to work and coach kids one day too alongside teaching,” she said.

She’s glad she made the decision to come to UIS and get involved on campus.

“I'm really glad I went to UIS because it kept me close to home, so I could stay with my family here and there, but I do live on campus. Being on campus allowed me to go out and do these opportunities day-to-day and keep myself really busy,” she said.

UIS Education Honor Society inducts eight new members

The Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education, at the University of Illinois Springfield inducted eight new members during a ceremony on March 23, 2019.

Dustin Day, superintendent and high school principal of Waverly Community Unit School District #6, was the guest speaker at the event.

The Society inducts individuals who have exhibited the ideals of scholarship, integrity in service, and commitment to excellence in teaching and its allied professions. Selection as a member of Kappa Delta Pi is based on high academic achievement, a commitment to education as a career, and a professional attitude that assures steady growth in the profession.

Students inducted at this year’s ceremony include: Jennifer Brooks, Julie Dzubin, Sara Leverton, Kyle Murphy, Erica Peak-Nordstrom, Yuli Salgado, Sydney Smith and Sara Tebrugge.

Kappa Delta Pi was established in 1911 to recognize and promote excellence in education. Through its programs, services, and strategic partnerships, the honor society supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout all phases and levels of their careers. The organization currently has more than 600 chapters and an active membership of nearly 40,000 worldwide.

For more information, contact Ronda Mitchell, chapter advisor and UIS assistant professor of Teacher Education, at 217/206-7008 or rmitche@uis.edu.

Four UIS Teacher Education majors write peer reviewed article for Wikipedia

Four University of Illinois Springfield Teacher Education majors recently had their research article published on the website Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia. The students wrote an article on “Mainstreaming” in education as part of an optional final project in Assistant Professor of Teacher Education Jennifer Martin’s TEP 315 class.

Students Ashley Brown and Kelly Mast of Jacksonville, Lauren Reichert of Winchester and Cassidy Yates of Springfield wrote the article, which was peer reviewed by Wikipedia.

“The Wikipedia Student Program is a formalized exercise,” said Martin. “Students must complete a series of training modules, and any writing they do goes through a serious vetting process.”

According to their Wikipedia article, “Mainstreaming” in education is “the practice of placing students with special education services in a general education classroom during specific time periods based on their skills.”

“This assignment allowed me to focus on an area of the education field that I feel passionate about, as well as challenged me to go above and beyond to create something that others would learn from,” said Brown.

“I really enjoyed this project because it gave my research for our course an actual purpose - it motivated me to work at a higher level, because I knew that it would be accessed by anyone wanting to find out more information on the topic,” said Reichert.

Yates added, “It was great to be a part of the process that occurs between the publication of academic journals and the creation of Wikipedia articles.”

Martin became aware of the Wikipedia Student Program two years ago when she attended a conference featuring representatives from the website.

“I learned that writers for Wikipedia tend to reflect dominant/hegemonic narratives. In other words, there are fewer articles on women and people of color, issues of equity, etc,” she said. “At the training, I learned that Wikipedia was looking for more diverse authors of content, and for new authors to rewrite some articles that were told only from a dominant perspective.”

Martin decided to offer the optional final project as a way to promote education equality on the website.

“I am glad that Dr. Martin gave us this option and very grateful that she motivated us and assisted us in the process,” said Mast. “It is rewarding to know that the hard work put forth by my group will be seen by many.”

Leadership lived: Future teacher gains valuable experience working at the UIS Cox Children’s Center

Rhilee Cochran is gaining valuable experience working at the Cox Children’s Center at the University of Illinois Springfield. The elementary education and psychology major plans to use the lessons she’s learning when she becomes an elementary school teacher.

“As a student-employee, I go around to all of the rooms and just help the teachers out wherever they need extra assistance,” she said. “Whether that’s just sitting with the kids at nap time or helping them out with lessons. It can be all kinds of different things.”

Cochran was recently honored with the Student Affairs Division’s first Student Employee of the Month award in recognition for her outstanding work at the children’s center.

“I want to work with kids just because I really like learning and I really enjoy children,” she said. “It’s just fun to see them grow, especially here at Cox Children’s Center because you can see them all of the way from the infant room up to the preschool room.”

In addition to working at the Cox Children’s Center, Cochran is also currently completing her pre-clinical observation hours at a Springfield elementary school as part of her degree.

“You learn a lot from the time in the classroom, more than I think when you’re just sitting in class listening to a lecture,” she said.

As a commuter student from Mt. Auburn, Illinois, Cochran says she chose UIS because of the right-sized supportive community and quality education.

“I just really like UIS not only because it’s close to home, but because I like the close-knit community that is UIS,” she said. “I really like how it’s a small school. I can’t walk across campus without seeing somebody that I know and will say ‘hi’ to me.”

Cochran says she’s learned many lessons about how to define leadership at UIS.

“UIS has taught me that leadership can come in many forms,” she said. “It can be helping kids make octopuses out of play doe or it can be leading a campus-wide project. There’s lots of different ways to be a leader, so it’s not just one set thing saying you’re a leader.”

UIS Education Honor Society inducts eight new members

The Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education, at the University of Illinois Springfield inducted eight new members during a ceremony on March 25, 2018.

Dustin Day, superintendent and high school principal of Waverly Community Unit School District #6, was the guest speaker at the event.

The Society inducts individuals who have exhibited the ideals of scholarship, integrity in service, and commitment to excellence in teaching and its allied professions. Selection as a member of Kappa Delta Pi is based on high academic achievement, a commitment to education as a career, and a professional attitude that assures steady growth in the profession.

Students inducted at this year’s ceremony include: Joshua Atwood, Taylor Bauer, Lauren Capranica, Brianna Graham, Naylin Ronchetto, Jennifer Ruggless, Ashley Trader and Cassidy Yates.

Kappa Delta Pi was established in 1911 to recognize and promote excellence in education. Through its programs, services, and strategic partnerships, the honor society supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout all phases and levels of their careers. The organization currently has more than 600 chapters and an active membership of nearly 40,000 worldwide.

For more information, contact Ronda Mitchell, chapter advisor and UIS assistant professor of Teacher Education, at 217/206-7008 or rmitche@uis.edu.

Leadership lived: Junior leads new student organization while boosting school spirit at UIS

 
University of Illinois Springfield junior elementary education major Maddie Cullick admits she’s busy. She’s leading a new student organization, while cheering for the UIS Prairie Stars and working at the Cox Children’s Center on campus.

Cullick is the president of the Legion of Ladies, a student organization founded in spring 2017 and made up of about 40 female students. The organization is focused on empowering women, community service, friendship, bonding and leadership.

As president of Legion of Ladies, Cullick schedules meetings, coordinates events and serves as a mentor to many of the younger women in the organization.

“I’ve definitely learned how to be a positive role model to the people in the organization and I think it’s definitely helped prepare me, in general, about how to make decisions and how to be a good leader.”

As part of Legion of Ladies, Cullick helped organize and collect food for the Central Illinois Foodbank during Trick or Treat for Canned Goods. The team collected 6,000 pounds of food and won second place in the competition. The group has also planned or co-sponsored numerous social events on campus.

As a UIS cheerleader, Cullick is passionate about school spirit. She has been cheering since her freshman year at UIS and has found it to be a rewarding experience.

“It’s just been a great opportunity to get involved on campus,” she said.

Cullick is also the campus relations chair on the executive board of Dance Marathon, a student volunteer organization that raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network. She is a member of the Capital Scholars Honors Program where she is a peer tutor and Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in the field of education, and Alpha Lambda Delta, a national academic honor society.

“UIS overall has taught me a lot about leadership. I’ve definitely learned how to become a leader because of UIS. I think it will definitely help me in the future, especially going into a teaching role.

Following graduation from UIS, Cullick plans to become a first grade teacher. She feels confident that the skills she’s learned at UIS will serve her well in the classroom.

“My UIS experience overall has been life changing,” she said. “I think it’s just been a very great experience and I couldn’t have hoped for anything better.”

Leadership lived: UIS student helps future Prairie Stars transition to college

The first time Marquiera Harris visited the University of Illinois Springfield she felt so welcomed that she instantly knew that UIS was her perfect fit. Now, the social work major is helping other students make the transition to UIS as an orientation coordinator.

“I love this campus,” she said. “It’s beautiful and definitely feels like home away from home. The professor’s care, they want you to get involved and I try my best to be involved.”

As a student orientation coordinator, Harris supervises 18 student orientation employees and helps to coordinate social media operations. On the day of orientation, she is responsible for supervising the help desk for new students and their parents.

“I make sure everything is going smoothly at the help desk in the mornings and make sure that students get to where they need to be,” she said.

UIS holds a total of six orientations for new students in June, July and August, which often means that Harris is working 50 to 60 hours a week to make sure everything goes as planned.

“We always get comments that ‘everything ran so smoothly’ and I’m always amazed because they don’t see the stuff that goes on behind the scenes, the little hiccups, but we make sure they don’t see it,” she said.

Harris says she has learned many lessons about leadership by supervising fellow student employees, many of whom she is friends with after hours.

“It’s been an amazing experience, stepping out of my comfort zone and taking the initiative to be a leader,” she said.

On campus, Harris also serves as the organizational liaison for the Research Society at UIS where she helps to plan events. She recently presented her academic research at the Midwestern Psychological Association meeting in Chicago and at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Memphis, Tennessee.

“UIS has been an amazing fit for me,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. It’s a lot of work, but it’s a great pay off in the end.”

Leadership lived: Student learns about other cultures by studying abroad

Before enrolling in classes at the University of Illinois Springfield, Abbegayle Stevenson had never traveled outside the country. Now, she’s traveled to five countries in Europe and is about to embark on a summer study abroad trip to Croatia.

“I actually decided I wanted to study abroad when I came for a campus visit before I even started coming to UIS,” she said. “I stopped at the study abroad table and it just seemed so interesting.”

Stevenson, a social work major at UIS, spent the past 9 months studying abroad in Trollhättan, Sweden at Högskolan Väst (University West).

“It was weird at first, because I was so used to coming to UIS, but once I landed in Sweden I could already tell it was going to be a different atmosphere and it was,” she said. “We would have 10 week courses and that was it, so I only had 3 or 4 courses, but it was spread out throughout the semester.”

The shorter classes allowed Stevenson to have time to travel around Europe. She traveled to Norway, Italy, France and Spain and saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower and the Roman Colosseum. She also made a lot of friends along the way.

“I created some Swedish friends and they helped me out with where to go and places to see,” she said. “They were just all around great friends and I can’t wait to go back and visit them.”

At UIS, Stevenson is a founding member of the Chi Chapter of the Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority Inc. and is a member of the Leadership for Life Service Organization.

Following graduation from UIS, she wants to earn her master’s degree in social work and eventually work for the Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS).

However, before she graduates, she plans to continue to travel and experience new cultures by studying abroad. She encourages other UIS students to take advantage.

“People say they found themselves when they studied abroad. I can honestly say that I think I did,” she said. “I grew as a person and as an individual.”

UIS Education Honor Society inducts seven new members

The Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, chapter at the University of Illinois Springfield inducted seven new members during a ceremony on October 22, 2016.

Kim Thomas, the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2016 Teacher of the Year, was the guest speaker at the event. She is a math teacher at Woodruff Career and Technical Academy in Peoria, Illinois.

The Society inducts individuals who have exhibited the ideals of scholarship, integrity in service, and commitment to excellence in teaching and its allied professions. Selection as a member of Kappa Delta Pi is based on high academic achievement, a commitment to education as a career, and a professional attitude that assures steady growth in the profession.

Students inducted at this year’s ceremony include: Nicole Barney, Thomas Kollmann, Katlyn Krones, Roberta Kubik, Samantha Missey, James Shamp and Allie Wright.

Kappa Delta Pi was established in 1911 to recognize and promote excellence in education. Through its programs, services, and strategic partnerships, the honor society supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout all phases and levels of their careers. The organization currently has more than 600 chapters and an active membership of nearly 40,000 worldwide.

For more information, contact Ronda Mitchell, chapter advisor and UIS assistant professor of Teacher Education, at 217/206-7008 or rmitche@uis.edu.

Leadership lived: Resident assistant learns life lessons at UIS

Audrey LeVault says being a resident assistant (RA) at the University of Illinois Springfield is teaching her valuable leadership skills and preparing her for a future career in social work.

“Being an RA has taught me to really have an open mind when I come into a conflict,” she said. “I can’t just assume that one person is right and one person is wrong. You really have to be willing to listen to the full story and not take sides in a situation.”

LeVault has been an RA on campus for the past two years, is a member of the Capital Scholars Honors Program, the Social Work Club and is on the Christian Student Fellowship leadership team.

As an RA, she goes on rounds checking on students, works at resident hall front desks and responds to lock outs, fire alarms and noise complaints. However, she says the most important part of her job is community building.

“We really just want residents to feel at home, so we put on different programs trying to get them out of their houses, so they can interact with their neighbors,” she said.

She often comes across challenging situations, where corrective action is required, but believes lessons can be learned from a second chance.

“Everybody makes mistakes and it’s being willing to work with that person when they make a mistake, so they don’t have to go through this again, that makes conflict a learning experience and not just getting someone into trouble.”

LeVault, an Edinburg, Illinois native, says she chose UIS because of the right-sized campus feel.

“I love how tiny it is, because I feel like you have so many opportunities,” she said. “There’s so many different student-lead organizations here. You have such a good chance to be involved, if you want to be involved.”

Following graduation from UIS, she plans to earn her master’s degree in social work with a focus on either school social work or children and family services.

“Overall, my experience at UIS has been great,” she said. “I’m super glad I chose UIS. If I had to do it over again, I’d still pick UIS.”

UIS welcomes seventeen new faculty members

Seventeen new faculty members have joined the University of Illinois Springfield for fall semester 2016. Six will teach in programs within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, four in the College of Business and Management, one in the College of Education and Human Services, four in the College of Public Affairs and Administration and two in Library Instructional Services.

Amandailee Adams, visiting instructor for allied health in the College of Liberal Arts and Science, holds a Master’s Degree in biology from the University of Illinois Springfield. Adams research includes microbial biofilms, emergence and implications of antibiotic resistant organisms. When she is not teaching at UIS, Adams enjoys spending time with her two young children, going on family adventures, traveling, boating, exercising and mentoring children.

Yazan Alnsour, management information system lecturer, in the College of Business & Management, earned his Ph.D. in computer science and information systems from the University of Colorado, Denver. Alnsour’s professional interests include health information technology and innovation, analytics and big data. Away from UIS, Alnsour enjoys biking, hiking, camping and traveling.

Matthew Brown, a business administration lecturer, in the College of Business & Management, holds a Ph.D. in economics from Florida State University. Brown’s research includes financial economics, law and economics, political economy, Austrian economics and market process theory, as well as cultural, social and economic history. Other professional interests include LGBT history/queer theory.

Paul Caselton, visiting associate professor of accountancy in the College of Business & Management, holds a J.D. in law from Stanford Law School. Caselton’s professional interests include law as well as state and federal tax law. When not at UIS, Caselton enjoys reading both fiction and history.

Chun Zhang Creaser, assistant professor of human services in the College of Education & Human Services, holds a Ph.D. in education, curriculum and instruction, from the University of Minnesota. Creaser’s research includes the reciprocal influence of parent-child learning and development among diverse culture and ethnicities. Her personal interests include hiking and swimming in the summer and snow skiing during the winter.

Brandon Derman, associate professor of environmental studies in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, holds a Ph.D. in geography, from the University of Washington. Derman has a professional interest in geography, socio-legal studies and geographic information systems; politics of climate justice. Away from campus, Derman enjoys music, food, spending time outdoors and relaxing with his wife and daughter.

Angela Doehring, assistant professor of allied health in the College of Liberal Arts & Science, holds a Ph.D. in health promotion and disease prevention/gerontology from Purdue University. Her professional interests include studying the physical activity and behavioral changes in older adults. Personally, she enjoys spending time with her family outdoors.

Mark Huson, assistant professor of computer science in the College of Liberal Arts & Science, received a Ph.D. in computer science from Arizona State University. His research includes computer security, parallel and high performance computing, computer architectures and computer simulation. Outside of UIS, Huson enjoys music, reading, science fiction, material arts and doing anything outdoors.

Sally LaJoie, clinical assistant professor in Library Instructional Services, holds an M.L.I.S. in library science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. LaJoie’s professional interests include information literacy and usability. Personally, she enjoys traveling, running and reading.

Gregory Mayes, visiting instructor of computer science in the College of Liberal Arts and Science, holds a Master’s Degree in computer science from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Eugene McCarthy, assistant professor of legal studies in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, holds a Ph.D. in rhetoric from the University of California Berkley. McCarthy’s professional interests include law, culture, the humanities; legal philosophy and theory, corporate personhood and corporate law; legal history. His personal interests include running, baseball and outdoor activities like hiking and camping.

Debra Parker, visiting instructor of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Science, is working on her Ph.D. in English studies and rhetoric at Illinois State University. Parker’s professional interests include rhetoric, writing, autobiography, linguistics, cultural studies and interdisciplinary pedagogy. Her dissertation is titled: "The Rhetoric Bravery in Contemporary Women’s Memoir". Outside of UIS, Parker enjoys running, biking, baseball, photography and spending time with her family.

Neetu Singh, assistant professor of management information systems, in the College of Business & Management, holds a Ph.D. in business administration from Georgia State University. Singh’s professional interests include health information technology, design science research, big data/advanced analytics adoption and actionable business intelligence. Outside of UIS, Singh enjoys traveling, reading, cooking and dress design.

Steven Ward, visiting clinical assistant professor in Library Instructional Services, holds an M.L.I.S. in library and information science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Professionally, Ward has an interest in academic librarianship: reference, instruction and assessment. His subject specialties include African American studies, environmental and political sciences, criminal justice and global studies. Outside of UIS, Ward enjoys writing and cooking.

Celest Weuve, assistant professor of allied health in the College of Liberal Arts and Science will also serve as the program director for athletic training. She received her Ph.D. in athletic training from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Her professional interests include workplace environment, bullying and harassment. In her free time she enjoys carpentry work.

Kimberly Wiley, lecturer in public administration in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, is working toward her Ph.D. in public administration and policy from Florida State University. Wiley has a professional interest in public administration, nonprofit management and public policy. Away from campus, she enjoys gardening and taking day trips to the beach.

Adam Williams, assistant professor of public administration in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, holds a Ph.D. in public administration from Florida Atlantic University. Williams’ professional interests include public procurement, budget and finance and public management. Outside of campus, he serves as a soccer referee and enjoys traveling the world.

Leadership lived: UIS student enjoys making a difference

Jennifer Hickey has always enjoyed helping people. The University of Illinois Springfield senior is a mentor on campus, volunteers in the community and works with children at The Autism Clinic of The Hope Institute for Children and Families.

At a young age, Hickey was inspired by her grandmother, a school social worker, to help people in need. Now, she is following in her footsteps by earning a bachelor’s degree in social work.

“I want to focus on school social work and applied behavioral sciences, which is just another type of intervention for students that have autism, behavioral disorder or developmental disabilities,” she said.

On campus, Hickey is co-director of the Leadership for Life service organization and entertainment chair for Dance Marathon, an organization that raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network. She also has participated in the last three Alternative Spring Break volunteer trips.

Hickey was recently honored as the “mentor of the year” by the Capital Scholars Honors Program where she also works as a writing tutor. She finds it rewarding to watch the students she mentors grow in the classroom.

“That’s been the best part of tutoring for me,” she said.

Overall, Hickey is glad she chose UIS because of the abundance of opportunities she’s been offered on and off campus.

“I definitely would recommend UIS,” she said. “I don’t think I’d have these opportunities anywhere else.”

Following graduation, she plans to earn her master’s degree in social work and begin her career as a school social worker.

Leadership lived: Student becomes the face of the MAP grant funding effort

When Jamie Anderson came to the University of Illinois Springfield, she never expected to be in the spotlight. However, that all changed when her ability to pay for a college education was threatened by a lack of a state budget.

Anderson is one of nearly 700 UIS students for whom the state-supported Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) is essential for access to a college education.

Since October 2015, Anderson has been advocating for funding alongside U.S. Senators, state constitutional officers and leaders in higher education.

“So many students are worried about if we’re going to get MAP grants this year, next year,” she said. “MAP grants make up about $4,000 to $5,000 of my financial aid and that’s a huge chunk that I would not be able to contribute on my own.”

Anderson has spoken at press conferences, attended the governor’s state of the state speech at the capitol and testified before a house committee on higher education funding.

“I never would have imagined speaking in front of so many important people, having important people come up to me on the street saying ‘nice job’,” she said.

Outside of her MAP grant efforts, Anderson is also starting a group on campus called UIS Child Advocates to teach students how they can better advocate for children.

“It’s really boosted my confidence in a way to say I can be a leader and I can advocate for something way bigger,” she said.

Anderson also mentors kids through 4-H and Big Brothers Big Sisters and mentors first-generation college students as part of the Necessary Steps Program.

Following graduation, Anderson plans to earn her master’s degree in social work with a concentration in child welfare.

“Me being the shy person I was, I always hated being the center of attention,” she said. “Now that I’ve got to experience some of it, it’s like wow. I love how I’ve seen myself grow over the time of me being a freshman until now.”

UIS Education Honor Society inducts eight new members

The Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, chapter at the University of Illinois Springfield inducted eight new members during a ceremony on December 7, 2015.

Steven Elza, the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2015 Teacher of the Year, was the guest speaker at the event. He’s an automotive technology teacher at William Fremd High School in Palatine.

The Society inducts individuals who have exhibited the ideals of scholarship, integrity in service, and commitment to excellence in teaching and its allied professions. Selection as a member of Kappa Delta Pi is based on high academic achievement, a commitment to education as a career, and a professional attitude that assures steady growth in the profession.

Students inducted at this year’s ceremony include: Kendra Baber, Carrie Chelbian, Amanda Collins, Holly Earhart (Secretary), Christina Foster, Amie Herrara, Kyle Kent (Vice President) and Makinzie Yoho (President).

Kappa Delta Pi was established in 1911 to recognize and promote excellence in education. Through its programs, services, and strategic partnerships, the honor society supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout all phases and levels of their careers. The organization currently has more than 600 chapters and an active membership of nearly 40,000 worldwide.

For more information, contact Ronda Mitchell, chapter advisor and UIS assistant professor of Teacher Education, at 217/206-7008 or rmitche@uis.edu.

UIS Professor Carolyn Peck honored for her outstanding accomplishments in the field of aging

University of Illinois Springfield associate professor and Human Services Department Chair Carolyn Peck, Ph.D., will be honored for her work in the field of aging with the Dorothy S. Kimball Award. 

The award from the Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland will be presented at its annual meeting at noon on Thursday, September 25, 2014 at Southwind Park. 

The award has been established to honor individuals in 12 central Illinois counties for outstanding accomplishment in the field of aging or on behalf of older adults and/or family caregivers. 

Peck joined the UIS College of Education and Human Service in 2002 as an assistant professor. Her areas of teaching focus on Gerontology and end of life issues. She has conducted and published research on compassion fatigue in geriatric case managers with the Illinois Department of Aging. In 2010, she was the recipient of the UIS Faculty Excellence Award. 

“Being selected to be the recipient of the Dorothy S. Kimball Award by the Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland is an honor and also a career highlight,” said Peck “To be recognized by direct service providers for the work that I do is very affirming.” 

For more information, please contact Angela Try in the UIS Office of Campus Relations at atry2@uis.edu or 217/206-6716.

Outstanding Master's Thesis Award presented to Environmental Studies graduate Chris Young

Environmental Studies graduate student Chris Young of Springfield was presented with the University of Illinois Springfield’s Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award for the 2012-13 academic year during a reception on February 3, 2014 in the Public Affairs Center.

Young’s thesis was entitled “Response of the Franklin’s Ground Squirrel to Recreational Trail Development in Springfield, Illinois.” Young is the outdoors news editor for The State Journal-Register newspaper. He was advised by Associate Professor Tih-Fen Ting.

Graduate biology major Nathan Grider of Donnellson was presented with the Special Merit Award for his thesis entitled “Growth, Condition, and Diet of Alligator Gar (Atractosteus Spatula) Released in Merwin Preserve.” He was advised by Professor Michael Lemke.

The following students received their departments’ Outstanding Thesis or Project Award for 2012-13 and were nominated for the UIS Outstanding Master’s Thesis/Project competition: Adam Bell of Naperville, Educational Leadership; Juanita Blanco of Champaign, Political Science; Kristen Chenoweth of Jacksonville, English; Ryan Nelson of Rockford, History; Blake Wood of Springfield, Communication.

For more information, contact Derek Schnapp at 217/206-6716 or dschn3@uis.edu.

UIS Professor Scott Day honored with the Illinois Principals Association's highest honor

The Illinois Principals Association (IPA) has honored Scott Day, associate professor and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership at the University of Illinois Springfield, with the Abe Lincoln Region Herman Graves Award.

Considered the highest honor bestowed by the Illinois Principals Association, the Herman Graves Award was established in 1991 to recognize outstanding service to the IPA. The award was presented during an awards banquet on August 14, 2013 in Decatur, Ill.

A Danville, Ill. native, Day earned his doctorate in education (Ed.D.) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2000. Before coming to UIS, Day spent the thirteen years as a middle and high school assistant principal in Pennsylvania and junior high principal in Illinois.

His research publications includes work on blended learning, using design-based research to improve online courses and programmatic change, technology uses of at-risk students, and school district reorganization issues.

Day was one of two founding faculty to develop and teach one of the first courses in the online master’s in Teacher Leadership degree program at UIS. The program was awarded the Sloan-C Outstanding Program of the Year in 2010. Also in 2010, Day was awarded the Pearson Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching at UIS.