Western Illinois University: Macomb Campus

Teaching with Technology (previously Innovative Use of Technology)
Leaunda Hemphill
Instructional Design and Technology

"She consistently seeks ways to effectively integrate technology, with a particular focus on such integration in educational settings. She exhibits an almost intuitive awareness of how what may seem an insignificant development or application can fundamentally improve the experience of learning for those who teach and study in schools." - from nomination letter

Community and University Service (previously Outstanding Service)
Eric Mansfield
Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies

" His service is characterized by its structured diversity. ...One of his most demanding responsibilities has been his multi -year service as the adviser for the Student Education Association. It is evident that the steady stream of students visiting his office on association business brings a host of possibilities and an equally long list of challenges." - from nomination letter

Internationalizing Campus
Gloria Delany - Barmann
Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies

"...whether in Guatemala, Bolivia, or Beardstown (IL), Gloria burrows into culture and community as she works. And her approach has been complementd by the many grants she and her collegues have secured over the years to expand and extend this critical work." - from nomination letter

Multicultural Teaching
J.Q. Adams
Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies

“At Western, many hold that Prof. Adams’ name is nearly synonymous with multicultural education. His film series and publications have been recognized internationally, and closer to home the Dealing with Difference Institute is approaching its second decade of preparing educators and others to deal effectively with a rapidly and continually changing world. He challenges people, and this sometimes means that his colleagues and students disagree with him. He welcomes such exchanges, however, because he has committed himself to reminding people here at Western and in a much larger and more complex society of the need to think and act beyond ourselves.” - from nomination letter

Teacher of the Year
Jen Plos
Kinesiology

"Clinical education accounts for 50 percent of the student's educational preparation as an athletic trainer. Jennifer must be vigilant in determining the placements are appropriate for student learning. Her greatest strength as a teacher is her ability to communicate with students, and she is an excellent mentor. The department of kinesiology has really benefited from Jennifer's presence. Her advocacy for the students and her commitment of time to the service roles she completes are exemplary." - from nomination letter

Outstanding Service
Darlene Young
Kinesiology

"My reward comes from knowing I have been involved in activities outside of the classroom that help strengthen the students' educational experience and in committee work that will contribute to achieving the departmental and University mission, goals and objectives."

Innovative Use of Technology
Mary Jensen
Special Education

"Dr. Jensen has been continually devoted to integrating technology into education. Her creativity with implementing technology into student projects have enabled her to motivate her students to use technology in their coursework as well as in their preparation for their future classrooms. She has dedicated her own time and resources to go to local schools to provide training and support so those under-served populations have the opportunities to become technology literate."

Internationalizing Campus
Leaunda Hemphill
Instructional Design and Technology

"In my classroom, I always try to include resources and activities to enhance educators' awareness and understanding of international and cross-cultural issues and challenges. For example, I wanted to incorporate global perspectives in my IDT 534 Issues in Instructional Design course. As part of their coursework, my students look at cultural, social and legal issues related to technology integration in the K-12 classroom, while gaining international awareness. I worked with a professor from Hebei University in China on two collaborative online projects between our two classrooms. Rich cross-cultural exchanges were evident in the discussion forums."

Teacher of the Year
Renee Polubinsky
Kinesiology

"As program director of the Athletic Training Program, Renee has improved the quality of the program in ways that we could not have predicted five years ago when she was hired. She has worked tirelessly on the accreditation renewal and developed opportunities for the students to document ‘learning over time,’ a critical component of the accreditation process, by revising the curriculum to meet accreditation standards. Her hard work resulted in the renewal of the program’s accreditation through 2010. Her strong work ethic and dedication to the program is noticed and respected by both faculty and students in the kinesiology department.” - from nomination letter

Outstanding Service
Cathy McMillan
Kinesiology

"I believe and embrace wellness and for me, wellness mirrors service. Service and wellness both provide the opportunity to be engaged in an active process of making choices and commitments that enhance the quality of life and maximize personal potential. Service can provide the 'tie that binds:' it's where theory meets practice, where professional knowledge can actually be put into 'real world' settings and where the sharing of life experiences actually take place. Being involved in service stimulates interest and involvement. I'm able to link academic study to community activity and I believe that it's important for those in higher education to foster learning in the community."

Outstanding Scholarly/Professional Activity
Donna McCaw
Educational Leadership

“Dr. McCaw has made contributions at all levels – local, regional, national and international. One of the most innovative areas of research that Dr. McCaw has developed is her work with Dr. Watkins into questions that school boards should be asking their administrators relatve to improving student achievement. Based upon their research, they have been offered a contract to develop a book centered on the 20 questions identified. Additionally, Dr. McCaw’s grant activity with United Township High School in East Moline and the six elementary feeder districts has been held up as a model by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. She is passionate about improving educational opportunities for students.” - from nomination letter

Innovative Use of Technology
James LaPrad
Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies

"Dr. LaPrad has proven his dedication to enhancing teaching and learning through the use of technology in many ways. He was a successful participant in the Faculty Innovators program, and as a result, he created substantial technology projects. He rose to the challenge of using the technology on his own and supervising the use of the technology by his students. Together, Dr. LaPrad and his studens created countless audio recordings, more than 500 digital images and more than three hours of video footage that was assembled into a multi -episode podcast and published worldwide to Apple iTunes .” - from nomination letter

Teacher of the Year
Mary Jensen
Special Education

"When asked about the best part of being a teacher, I always say the students. They come first, and my goal as a teacher is to inspire every student in my classes to be the most competent, effective teacher possible. I want my students to aspire to be the kind of teachers whom students call their favorite. I believe that when I teach my classes with patience and kindness, and use fun and interesting educational methods, my students are more likely to be motivating and effective teachers themselves."

Outstanding Service
Tim Piper
Kinesiology

"My first service experience in Macomb was helping with the local Salvation Army weight-training program. This experience has had such a profound impact on my own life that I actually turned down potential jobs elsewhere just so I could stay in Macomb and continue to volunteer my time, efforts and expertise. "My upbringing also taught me the importance of serving our older population. This is something I try to instill in my students. As part of one of my classes, students are involved in service-learning, working with older adults in Macomb . Outside of class time I work with these students at such facilities as The Elms, MDH Day Health Services and Wesley Health Care. I feel it's vital we instill a sense of giving in our future generations."

Innovative Use of Technology
Bill McFarland and Richard Henriksen
Counselor Education

"The project continued our efforts to draw upon and incorporate current and emerging technologies to present current material, challenge students to think more complexly and conduct assessments of student learning in these courses. "We have sought to increase students' proficiency with technology by incorporating Internet-based resources in and out of the classroom and requiring students to make use of technology applications in their classroom presentations."

Internationalizing Campus
LEJA delegation: Stephen Reinhart, Clyde Cronkhite , Terry Mors, Dennis Bowman, Ken Durkin and Vladimir Sergevnin

The delegation established an academic relationship with St. Petersburg University in Russia. The goal is to provide opportunities for faculty and student exchanges, internships, and research.

Outstanding Scholarly/Professional Activity
Bonny Mhlanga
Law Enforcement and Justice Administration

"Until the survey on criminality rates, very little research had been conducted to relate estimates of crime to factors such as one's lifestyle, conviction history, type of offense committed, as well as demographic factors. The research experience I have gained has been extremely valuable as I use it in the classroom. I tend to apply these experiences and skills with an international emphasis as well, and I believe my students appreciate that."

Multicultural Teaching
Fetene Gebrewold
Health Sciences

"The preparation of teachers is one of this University's major missions. The website created by this Fulbright experience is now used in the educational and interdisciplinary studies pre -professional education sequence that is required for teacher education candidates. The curriculum materials that resulted from our study abroad trip increases student awareness of cultural issues, demonstrates the importance of cultural issues in education and provides a model for interdisciplinary collaboration."

Teacher of the Year
Karen Zellman
Social Work

"One of my primary functions as a teacher is to serve as a role model for students. Through all my contact with students, I work to model professional social work. I model the values and behaviors that are essential to good social work practice, including accessibility, open-mindedness, respect, preparedness, ability to deal with conflict and critical thinking."

Outstanding Service
Terry Mors
Law Enforcement and Justice Administration

Service activities included LEJA Curriculum Committee, LEJA Graduate Committee, LEJA Professional Advisory Board, LEJA Investigators Club, Concert Safety Corps adviser, the Institute for Applied Criminal Justice, COEHS Technology Committee, TEAM LEAD Committee, and Illinois Association of Police Chiefs.

Outstanding Scholarly/Professional Activity
Ritchie Gabbei
Kinesiology

"In order to be good teachers, we must continue to answer new empirical questions, re-examine our findings, and engage the consumers of our study by pursuing scholarly activities at all levels. Good teachers instruct cutting edge information gained from their scholarly pursuits. Good scholarship and good teaching are inextricably linked."

Innovative Use of Technology
Greg Montalvo
Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies

"To make EIS 500 work, I had to rethink my role as an instructor. More specifically, I discovered that I do not have to be a disseminator of content. I spend most of my time providing informative feedback and directing students learning."

Internationalizing Campus
Gloria Delany - Barmann
Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies

"I believe that my achievements at Western Illinois University demonstrate my commitment to continued scholarly and creative development from an international perspective. These, in turn, inform my classroom practice and influence my participation in department, college and university initiatives and activities on Western's campus."

Multicultural Teaching
Richard Henriksen
Counselor Education

The award was based on Henriksen 's counseling experiences, courses taught, recognitions received and publications authored.