Cynthia Taines, associate professor in the Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations, recently answered questions from the Ed News about her book titled “The Metropolitan Community: Partnering for Equality Across the Educational Divide.” Published by Myers Education Press, the book “tells
Read moreLindsay Harris to advance neuroscience of literacy while Senior Faculty Fellow
Lindsay Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Ohio State, and having enjoyed her coursework in Japanese, she secured a sweet job near Tokyo. An exchange program managed jointly by the local government of Saitama prefecture and the state of
Read moreDouble-alumna Cynthia Kilmer chosen for Teach Plus Illinois Policy Fellowship
Cynthia 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 moreEducate Global trip to Indonesia offers rich experiences in cultural awareness
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 moreMerritt speaker A.G. Rud to explore importance of discerning fact, fiction
For A.G. Rud, the view beyond his window is alarming. Rud sees George Orwell’s dystopian “1984” coming to fruition. He sees “a landscape of information, misinformation and disinformation.” He sees “authoritarian regimes disposing of information that’s not complimentary of them.” And that,
Read moreU-46 administrators share stories, take questions from aspiring superintendents
Members of the School District U-46 leadership team were front and center Sept. 30 for the latest Aspiring Superintendents Forum. Launched in 2021 by NIU Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations Associate Professor Ben Creed and Clinical Assistant Professor Lynn Gibson,
Read moreTorch lit, stoked, passed: Surbers retire from leadership of principal preparation
Wedding invitations. Birth announcements. Helpful conversations on choosing the perfect mother-of-the-groom dress. For Jim and Becky Surber, the longtime and now-retired coordinators of the NIU College of Education’s M.S.Ed. in Educational Administration – known colloquially as “principal preparation” – these little slices
Read moreDouble-alum Maurice McDavid readies Mitchell Elementary School for launch
DeKalb grew Maurice McDavid from the ground up. Born and raised in the Barb City, he called the Eden’s Garden neighborhood home. He spent kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary School, transferred to Tyler for first- and second-grades and completed third- and fourth-grades at
Read moreNIU awards Jenn Jacobs for excellence in mentoring master’s, doctoral students
When Jenn Jacobs arrived on the NIU campus in 2012, she came not to teach but to learn. Jacobs began her pursuit of a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology then, only three years after earning her bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois
Read moreA heart for students: Kim Suedbeck set to retire from instilling future teachers with compassion, grand expectations
Life has come full circle for Kim Suedbeck. “I started babysitting at a young age. I loved kids, and I always thought I was going to be a teacher – and I never changed my mind,” says Suedbeck, a clinical assistant professor
Read moreResearcher Rachel White presents work to NIU Aspiring Superintendents Forum
Research avenues that examine the superintendency are limitless – and winding. Just ask Rachel White. “When I ask a question, I think I’m going to find an answer,” White told about three dozen aspiring superintendents enrolled in NIU Ed.S. in Educational Administration
Read moreShine on! Two alumnae named finalists for Chicago-area Golden Apple awards
One 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
Read more