Congratulations!

Gretchen Schlabach
Gretchen Schlabach

Gretchen Schlabach, Professor Emerita in the NIU Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, will be inducted Wednesday, June 26, into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.

The NATA Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements of the athletic training profession’s legends; Schlabach is one of seven members of the Class of 2019 being inducted into an exclusive circle.

Inductions will take place during the the 70th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo in Las Vegas.

Schlabach began teaching at NIU in 1991, serving as professor and program director for Athletic Training.

She taught in the area of injury evaluation and professional ethics; her research interest included professional ethics (ethical reasoning using dimensions of moral values, universal health care principles and moral theory) and legal Issues in athletic training.

Previous to her time at NIU, she served as the head Women’s Athletic Trainer at the University of Mississippi from 1977 to 1985.

She holds a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from University of Maryland, College Park; a master’s degree in Athletic Training from Indiana University Bloomington; and a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification in Physical Education from Ithaca College.

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Patricia Kee received congratulations, along with flowers and a balloon, from NIU President Lisa Freeman.

Patricia Kee, office manager in the Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations, is one of the 2019 Outstanding Service Award winners. She was honored during a May 7 ceremony.

The award is given each year by the Operating Staff Council to NIU civil service employees, recognizing their outstanding service and significant contributions to the university community.

Kee’s colleagues nominated her for the honor, saying her professionalism and kind heart help make NIU a better place.

“In my 24 years at NIU, I have never seen an administrative professional contribute more than she does,” LEPF Chair Carolyn Pluim said.

Beyond her excellence on the job, Kee is deeply involved in community service work.

She helps the Huskie Food Pantry, organizes coat drives at NIU and at her church (purchasing new coats and often crocheting matching scarves), provides a location in her department for a drop box that collects toys for needy children and spends countless hours after work during the Christmas season baking cookies for homeless families.

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Danae Miesbauer is congratuled by SPS Council President Cathy Doederlein (left) and NIU President Lisa Freeman.

Danae Miesbauer, academic counselor in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, received a Certificate of Recognition this spring from the NIU Supportive Professional Staff Council.

The SPS Council awards a number of certificates to Supportive Professional Staff employees who have achieved accomplishments in addition to their regular job duties.

Certificates are awarded for such accomplishments as presentations or papers delivered at professional conferences; leadership in professional associations; advanced academic degrees or professional certifications earned; and for extraordinary service to the NIU community and its students.

Miesbauer was honored for developing multiple methods of advising to meet the diverse needs of students as well as recruitment tracking methods that have been adopted by other graduate department advisors in the College of Education.

She also co-chairs GSARP, a partnership with the Division of Student Affairs that matches new students with potential GA positions, and presented at professional conferences.

Her grant from the NIU Foundation helped to develop programming to encourage and prepare under-represented undergraduate students to consider graduate degrees.

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Corrine Wickens

The NIU College of Education presented the annual awards during the May 3 Celebration of Excellence.

  • Excellence in Teaching Award by Faculty/Clinical Faculty: Pete Chomentowski, KNPE
  • Excellence in Research and Artistry Award by Faculty: Clayton Camic, KNPE
  • Excellence in Service Award by Faculty: Jeff Chan, SEED
  • Exceptional Contributions by Instructors: Brandon Male, KNPE
  • Exceptional Contributions by Civil Service Staff: Gail Myers, SEED
  • Exceptional Contributions by Supportive Professional Staff: Judy Puskar, ETRA
  • Outreach/Community Service Award: James Cohen, CI
  • Exceptional Contributions in Diversity/Social Justice Award: Corrine Wickens, CI

Dean Laurie Elish-Piper also took the opportunity to acknowledge Myoung Jung, recipient of an NIU Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award for 2019, and Jim Ressler, who was named as the college’s 2019-2021 Senior Faculty Fellow.

The ceremony also recognized Kristin Rinehart and Joan Smola, both of whom are soon to retire from NIU. (Watch the NIU Arts Blog, published by Smola’s longtime home in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, for more about her service to NIU over the years.)

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