Before 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 morePLEDGE-ECC celebrates new graduates, program’s alumni roster surpasses 100
Olivia 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 moreCollege team gathers for fall meeting
Faculty and staff gathered Aug. 20 for the fall All-College Meeting, which culminated in the annual group photo in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commons and an invitation to Sunday’s picnic. Acting Dean Bill Pitney and associate deans David Walker
Read moreA person in the world: Educate Global students transformed by Indonesia visit
Nicholas Koronkiewicz was born and raised in Bolingbrook, the only place he’s called home. Just coming to the cornfields of DeKalb as a transfer student in the Department of Computer Science supplied some stranger-in-a-strange-land sensations for suburban Koronkiewicz, who soon declared a
Read moreSummer Camp 7.0 poses tough questions, encourages humanity
Exactly 12 hours later, the challenge to follow her example – and the fortitude, reflection, work and commitment that requires – was made plain. Michael Manderino, one of the four camp counselors with James Cohen, Joseph Flynn and Dana Isawi, delivered a
Read moreSummer campers attain purpose, motivation, ideas, camaraderie
After two years as a Social and Emotional Learning coach in Indian Prairie School District 204, Geraldine Troczynski is returning to the classroom this fall to teach eighth-grade English language arts and social studies. Going with her is a fresh immersion in
Read moreSummer Camp counselors savor opportunities to reflect, rejuvenate
James Cohen remembers well the closing moments of the first Social Justice Summer Camp for Educators in 2017. The plan for the future, as announced by Cohen and his fellow camp counselors from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, was to host
Read moreElementary Education alumna receives Fulbright award to teach in Luxembourg
“Hi Dr. Cohen,” the email begins. “I am SO EXCITED to tell you that I have been selected as a Fulbright Luxembourg English Teaching Assistant for the 2024-2025 school year!! I’M TEACHING IN EUROPE!!!” The message came to James Cohen from Kristal
Read moreSummer camp reflection: Michael Manderino writes of solidarity
by Michael Manderino I have had the tremendous fortune of being a NIU Social Justice Summer Camp co-counselor since Dr. Joe Flynn invited Dr. James Cohen and me back in 2016, and Dr. Dana Isawi in 2019, to help him build his
Read moreElementary Education alumni selected as Chicago-area Golden Apple finalists
Erin Odle has always loved working with children. Piotr Wojciaczyk drew inspiration from a high school music teacher. Dominique Yackley discovered her ambition from within after she left high school as a sophomore. Connecting the three NIU College of Education alumni, all
Read morePhotos: All-College Meeting, Social
The Spring 2023 edition of the All-College Meeting took place in the Regency Room of the Holmes Student Center, which provided a short walk to the social event in the Huskie Den. Colleagues were able to bowl or shoot pool. On the
Read moreUruguayan teachers visit NIU, nearby schools to gather ideas for improvement
After two weeks of visiting schools in DeKalb, Rochelle and the Chicago suburbs, 20 teachers from Uruguay made their way to Rockford. Their destination – Lincoln Middle School, opened in 1927 and located adjacent to the city’s historic Midtown District – provided
Read more