On August 24, 2021, the National Center for Urban Education (NCUE) had the pleasure of hosting the first Taste of ISU event with future Redbird educators from the recently launched program Teach Chicago Tomorrow (TCT). It was a wonderful day full of new experiences for first-year students: meeting new people and learning more about ISU and its community partners, schools, faculty, and staff.
Illinois State University’s College of Education hosted its third annual Future Teacher Conference (FTCON) in person. Following CDC and the University’s health guidelines, over 800 high school students and 100 education personnel from over 30 Illinois school districts participated in various workshops throughout the day.
The National Center for Urban Education (NCUE) in Chicago works directly with Illinois State University faculty to offer students a firsthand look at culturally responsive practices through urban education and community experiences. This 15-year-old program directly relates to ISU’s comprehensive plan to promote equity, inclusion, and anti-racism by supporting and promoting discourse aligned with campus values of diversity and inclusion. This fall semester, 25 course sections have participated in NCUE clinical experiences virtually with one participating in person with the hope of moving to more in-person visits as clinical experiences return to K-12 classrooms.
Sponsorships for the Center for Civic Engagement’s annual Holiday Helper program are officially open. The program annually provides gifts for hundreds of children in the community.
Illinois State’s Department of Chemistry has implemented several eco-friendly practices in its facilities.
Cecilia Montesdeoca, an alum of the Stevenson Center, discusses her experience at her placement with the Dakota Resource Council and her current work with MOVE Texas.
Dr. Jacqueline Schneider and Dr. Susan Woollen’s partnership has given Illinois State students the opportunity to see just how important it is to look out for others.
Nastasha Powers ’19 has a passion for the work she does on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse and trauma.
In each issue Redbird Impact highlights an Illinois State faculty or staff member who exemplifies the University’s core value of civic engagement. The fall 2021 Campus Hero is Dr. Becky Beucher, an assistant professor of secondary literacy education in the College of Education.
The Center for Civic Engagement is hosting its Exploring Wicked Problems series in October, focusing on health inequities and the social determinants of health.
