The College of Education will host a ribbon cutting celebration and reception for The Larry and Barbara Efaw Center for Educator Excellence on Friday, February 27. The Efaw Center supports future teachers from across Illinois State University in content test prep, mentoring, wellness, networking with educator alumni, civic engagement, and more. We’re excited to invite the campus community, alumni, and school partners to the newly renovated space made possible through the Efaw family’s generosity.
Friday, February 27
1 p.m., remarks in DeGarmo Hall 020A
1:30-2:30 p.m., Efaw Center tour and refreshments in DeGarmo Hall 018
Please contact Dr. Becky Beucher at rlbeuch@IllinoisState.edu if you need an accommodation to attend this event.
Larry ’56, M.S. ’59, and Barbara ’59 Efaw supported Redbird educators for many years. In 2021, Barbara and her family generously gifted the College of Education $500,000 to establish The Larry and Barbara Efaw Center for Educator Excellence. Today, their legacy of supporting educators is continued by their children David Efaw and Diane Gunz.
“We are proud that Illinois State is the largest preparer of teachers in the U.S. among public schools,” said Dr. Bryan Zugelder, dean of the College of Education. “With that comes a responsibility to ensure that we are preparing the best educators who have solid foundations and are ready to thrive in any classroom. We are committed to carrying out the Efaw family’s vision to center our work in student success, which is well-aligned to our college and university’s strategic plans.”
Since 2022, the Efaw Center has been supporting Redbird educators in professional skill building, and navigating and overcoming academic challenges as they advance through their coursework and in their clinical and student teaching placements.
“In the Efaw Center, we are focused on offering holistic support to foster resilience among future educators. We work in collaboration with our teacher education programs and campus partners,” said Dr. Becky Beucher, director of the Efaw Center.
Programming at the Efaw Center includes tutoring, content test preparation, peer mentoring, university resource connections, networking opportunities with student leaders and educator alumni, wellness activities, workshops on time management and organization, constructive criticism, educator advocacy education, culturally relevant pedagogy, and community building events.
With the newly renovated space, the Efaw Center can continue to increase support for Redbird educators and provide a space where students can study, meet, and build community.
“We are really excited about the newly renovated space and so appreciative of the Efaw family for their continued support of future teachers,” said Beucher. “This space was built for our education students, and we can’t wait to celebrate in February.”
