As another year of teaching, learning, scholarship and service comes to a close, please know that it has been a true privilege to serve as your acting dean – and that I am honored and humbled to continue doing so for another
Read morePLEDGE-ECC cheers fourth ElEd cohort, celebrates Early Childhood trailblazers
Ask Ania Tyrka why she wants to become a teacher, and she immediately smiles and points right at 10-year-old Anthony. “This little guy – my son,” said Tyrka, a “mom, homemaker and wife” who also credits 12-year-old daughter, Zosia, for the decision
Read moreWelcome to the Blindness Experience: New course launches with 80 students
Eighty NIU students have gained a vivid understanding of the lives of people who are blind or visually disabled, thanks to a new course in the Department of Special and Early Education. SEVI 205/505: The Blindness Experience, an eight-week, 3-credit and asynchronous
Read moreAlumna Dominique Yackley inspires graduates at New Teacher Send-off
As a new group of NIU College of Education licensure majors prepared to graduate and become professionals in the classroom, a seasoned veteran advised them to pack well for the journey ahead. Their luggage, said Dominique Yackley, must include “exuberance.” “If you
Read moreOrientation and Mobility students travel to experience The Seeing Eye guide dogs
Six Orientation and Mobility majors in NIU’s Visual Disabilities program traveled to Morristown, New Jersey, in April to visit The Seeing Eye, Inc. The philanthropic organization strives to enhance the independence, dignity and self-confidence of people who are blind or visually disabled.
Read moreCreating connection, bridging divides: Book guides burgeoning belonging work
A book club formed in January is part of the College of Education’s sustained work to cultivate a healthy climate of belonging. Director for Equity Eric Junco worked with department chairs Suzanne Degges-White and Bess Wilson to lead their colleagues through a
Read moreCOE²: College of Education team gathers for pre-finals Celebration of Excellence
The NIU College of Education family came together May 3 in the ballroom of the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center to celebrate another year of teaching, learning, scholarship, service and success. Acting Dean Bill Pitney recognized several faculty and staff members, including
Read moreCongratulations!
Congratulations to these members of the NIU College of Education family! Peter Chomentowski, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, has been named the 2024-25 Provost Fellow in Faculty Affairs. This program is designed for faculty members interested in
Read moreNIU celebrates spring commencement
Congratulations to our newest NIU College of Education alumni! Two of our amazing graduates were featured a videos shown during the ceremonies. Meet Jennifer Lopez, who earned her B.S.Ed. in Middle Level Teaching and Learning … … and Cyndi Grobmeier, who completed
Read morePi-Sui Hsu honored with Presidential Engagement, Partnership Professorship
Pi-Sui Hsu knows her mission. “Scientific argumentation is one of the eight essential practices in the Next Generation Science Standards,” says Hsu, a professor in the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment. “I firmly believe that this practice can produce young
Read moreJenn Jacobs earns new professorship endowed by Dr. M. Nadine Zimmerman
Jenn Jacobs was born for her career. “I played sports from a very, very young age. I have memories of being on a basketball team at age 3 or 4. It was a coed basketball team, and I was one of the
Read moreCAHE’s Kassandra Kavanaugh honored with graduate teaching assistant award
Working as a counselor fulfilled Kassandra Kavanaugh. She became interested in the field during high school, when she started to explore career options, and then cemented that decision while taking a psychology course at the community college in her hometown of Brainerd,
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