Magnolia “Maggie” Im of the School of Teaching and Learning has been named the recipient of the 2015 David Strand Diversity Achievement Award. The award recognizes a current faculty or staff member who is instrumental in extraordinary curricular or program activities that assist the University in responding to its commitment to diversity.
Im, a first-generation college student, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in college student personnel at Illinois State. A first-generation American with parents from Mexico, Im focused her work on Latino student issues and underrepresentation within the Illinois State campus.
After graduation, Im remained at Illinois State and for the last 16 years has assisted Latino, underrepresented and academically at-risk students. She has served as an interim project coordinator and academic advisor for the University College’s TRiO/Student Support Services program, which helps first-generation and low-income students make successful progress toward graduation. As the assistant coordinator of University College Academic Advisement, Im directly addressed the needs of predominately underrepresented students through the Success 101 program. She also served as an instructor for several University courses, including an introduction to Latino/a Studies.
Im currently serves as the program field coordinator for the Training of Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers of English Language Learners in School District U-46 (TPI U-46) through the School of Teaching and Learning. The federally funded program develops bilingual-bicultural and ESL elementary education teachers in the Elgin community.
