Congratulations to our newest NIU College of Education alumni! Two of our graduates were featured in videos shown during the ceremony. First, meet Jocelyn Campos Diaz, who earned her B.S.Ed. in Physical Education. Next, meet Emerson Baptist, who completed his M.S. in
Read moreRockford LEAP graduates celebrate bachelor’s degrees in special education
Andria Williams stepped behind the podium, smiled and raised a victorious fist in the air. “We did it, y’all!” The new graduate of the NIU College of Education’s LEAP (Licensed Educator Accelerated Pathway) program with the Rockford Public Schools served as the
Read moreNew Teacher Send-off urges graduates to ‘just remember why you’re doing it’
Graham Davis felt ready to become a teacher. His NIU College of Education curriculum. His clinicals. His student-teaching. He was prepared. But then came job interviews, followed by an unexpected thought: “I don’t know what I’m doing.” “After that third interview, I
Read moreAlumni stars of ‘A Teacher’s Shoes’ talk educational philosophies at film’s debut
NIU College of Education alumni featured in the new documentary, “A Teacher’s Shoes,” spoke about their work during a panel discussion held after the Nov. 12 debut screening. Educators Grace Desmsedt, Ashley Manor and Dominique Yackley told stories about creating routines that
Read moreDr. G Alumni Mentoring Program thrives in fourth year of cultivating connections
NIU’s Dr. LaVerne Gyant Mentoring Program launched in the fall of 2021 to pair students in the College of Education with Black/African American alumni toward fostering success in school and life. Four years later, the initiative continues to create safe and supportive
Read moreStudent Affairs 101 Conference earns rave reviews, draws large attendance
NIU last hosted the Student Affairs 101 Conference in 2021, drawing an impressive 70 people despite the lingering circumstances of COVID-19. Four autumns later, the event returned to DeKalb – as did a crowd. A big crowd. More than 180 people representing
Read moreVisual Disabilities students head north to visit Wisconsin School for the Blind
Eleven students in NIU’s program in Visual Disabilities gained close-up exposure this fall to a career option they might never had considered. Molly Pasley, assistant professor in the Department of Special and Early Education, drove the group to the Wisconsin School for
Read moreNew P.E. grad Juel Mecklenburg follows destiny, father into teaching, coaching
Juel Mecklenburg is entering the family business. The new graduate of NIU’s Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education has a job secured for January – teaching P.E. at Crystal Lake’s Prairie Ridge High School – as she continues a McHenry County legacy
Read moreCOUN 500 graduate students present research on profession-related topics
Burnout. Social anxiety. Communication barriers. Intimacy. Negative parental emotions. New graduate students in COUN 500: Professional Identity and Ethics in Counseling researched these topics and more for the course’s annual poster presentation, held Dec. 8 in the Sky Room. Melissa Fickling, associate
Read moreCongratulations!
Chynar Amanova, a grant program assistant and tutor with the RISE (Rockford Inspiring School and Community Excellence) initiative, received NIU’s Outstanding Staff Contribution to International Education award this fall. Amanova was among four individuals and one department honored during International Education Week
Read morePE alumni launch mentorship program
Members of the NIU Physical Education Young Alumni Network officially kicked off a mentorship program in the fall – and it’s already thriving. Forty-five alumni mentors are now working with current P.E. majors, sharing advice, stories and support. “It’s been inspiring to
Read moreCounseling faculty win national award for excellence in standards, innovation
When NIU received the national Robert Frank Outstanding Counselor Education Program Award this fall, Suzanne Degges-White was thrilled. But she wasn’t surprised. Just look at the facts, she says. The first in Illinois to receive the seal of approval from the Council
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