News, alumni notes and updates from the Northern Illinois University College of Education
Jayda Greiwe entered her Educate Global trip to Malaysia “with no expectations.” Yet the senior Elementary Education major from Palatine cannot say the same about the students ages 13 to 17 who she met at Imtiyaz Islamic School. “They had a lot
Read moreNIU’s Penguin Players returns to the Cavan Auditorium stage this fall with “The Pinocchio Show.” A campus-wide, cross-college effort is underway to resurrect the theater troupe for “artists” – adults with special needs – and “mentors” from the Huskie student body. The
Read moreWhy does Noemi Hernandez teach? “The real reason? I’m just bossy,” laughs the double-alumna of the NIU College of Education, “so it naturally comes. I remember always helping my siblings with school, and I remember always thinking that if I could be
Read moreRockford RISE has graduated 18 new teachers. Launched in 2024, the “Rockford Inspiring School and Community Excellence” initiative to turn Rockford Public Schools paraprofessionals into licensed teachers is the result of a grant from Grow Your Own Illinois, a long-time nonprofit organization
Read moreNicole Morys knows what kind of teacher she will become this fall. “I want to teach because I want to inspire kids to grow and to be the best version of themselves, and also to just make my teaching environment comfortable for
Read moreCynthia Kilmer, a double-alumna of the NIU College of Education, has been named a 2025-26 Teach Plus Illinois Early Childhood Educator Policy Fellow. According to the Teach Plus website, the program selects outstanding teachers to “develop their leadership abilities and learn to
Read moreWhat motivates educators to devote their lives to the process of teaching and learning? How do they find the energy to climb out of bed each morning, fill their water bottles, pack their lunches and drive through the darkness to their schools?
Read moreBefore Daisy Cruz went on the Summer 2025 Educate Global trip to Indonesia, she considered herself “a very shy person.” Now the senior Elementary Education major classifies that as “stepping into her voice.” “My biggest reason why I wanted to experience this
Read moreAriella Cole hasn’t started teaching yet. Cole is among the 20 paraeducators currently pursuing NIU bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education through the RISE (Rockford Inspiring School and Community Excellence) initiative. But she’s a behavioral intervention specialist who already works in District 205
Read moreOlivia Warren had never really considered becoming a teacher. A part-time job as an elementary school cafeteria/recess aide changed that. “I was interested in going into social work because I really like the mental health aspect,” Warren says. “Then, I started working
Read moreWhether pizza truly is America’s favorite food is the stuff(ed crust) of hopeless debate. But considering the infinite personal preferences for preparing a pie, it’s no surprise how many ways that creative teachers can slice it up for the sake of learning.
Read moreOne dreamed of teaching art but eventually decided that she would not pursue that goal – until, well, she did. The other wanted to work as a print journalist, and even did so for a while, but ultimately realized that she needed
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