Wanda Bracy and Patrick O’Sullivan

The School of Social Work is the second-place winner of the first-ever “Path to Excellence” award from the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT). The award recognizes the School as a campus leader in faculty development as measured by faculty participation in teaching development activities during the past calendar year. Dr. Patrick O’Sullivan, CTLT director, announced the winners at the annual Teaching and Learning Symposium on January 9. “I hope that this award sends the message across campus that faculty members who invest time in professional development activities are contributing to one of ISU’s core missions while enhancing our reputation as an institution that excels at teaching,” O’Sullivan said. School of Social Work faculty averaged 13.7 hours of participation per faculty member, which is 132% above the campus average. The School will receive $2,000 from CTLT to further support faculty development activities.

The first-place award went to Mennonite College of Nursing, while third place was awarded to the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences. Overall, ISU educators spent 6,347 hours in CTLT activities in 2007.

A recent article in Time magazine, “Why We Love,” cites research conducted by ISU Professor of Sociology Susan Sprecher. The article, which examines the biochemical nature of falling in love and staying in love, refers to an instrument developed by Sprecher and Dr. Elaine Hatfield and cites Sprecher's work in the area of personal relationships and passionate love. Sprecher is a leading scholar in the area of personal relationships, and her work is cited widely. “I am indeed honored to have my coauthored scale and research referenced in such a broadly read and highly regarded news magazine,”  said Sprecher. Interim Chair of Sociology and Anthropology, Diane Zosky, added, “We are all proud of Professor Sprecher. Her research is making a substantive contribution to knowledge in the field.”

Professor Gerald J. Savage, Department of English, is the winner of a 2008 Jay R. Gould Award from the Society for Technical Communication. The award honors the type of teaching that becomes true academic mentorship and applauds “the personal and professional concern that the best teachers extend to their students beyond the demands of the classroom.” Savage currently serves as the director of both the internship and technical writing programs. Since joining the ISU faculty in 1994, he has restructured existing courses and created new ones, placed over 500 students in internships across campus, and earned the College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award. “Dr. Savage deserves this honor,” said Han Yu, a former student of Savage who is now an assistant professor at Kansas State University. “I owe my professional career in technical communication to Jerry; without his classes, life stories, advising, and mentoring, I would not be where I am today.” Tim Hunt, Chair of the English Department, added, “Jerry exemplifies the ideal of the teaching scholar to which all of us at ISU aspire. He leads us all by example.”

Illinois State University students joined with students from Illinois Wesleyan’s Center for Community Action Research to help a local organization address the needs of new residents in the community. The students helped the Hispanic Families Work Group (a new community organization that seeks to address the needs of Latino families in the area) conduct a needs assessment in the community. The first phase of this collaboration culminated in a formal presentation of research findings at the organization’s December meeting. Two sociology classes were involved in assisting the organization: undergraduate students in Professor Maura Toro-Morn’s Senior Capstone Experience focused on the educational experiences of local high school Latino students, and graduate students in Professor Joan Brehm’s Community Project Design and Management course developed and implemented the assessment of child care needs of the Latino community.

WGLT and the School of Communication will sponsor the fourth annual Top of the Class Antiques Show and Sale from February 8 through 10. Over 38 exhibitors from several Midwestern states will gather to display various antiques and antique-related items. Proceeds from the show, which is produced and staffed entirely by volunteers, will help provide School of Communication students and faculty with additional educational resources. Featured items include American and European furniture, glassware, vintage jewelry, and photographic images. A wide variety of books, toys, dolls, early Americana, stoneware, pottery, metalware, ephemera, fishing and sporting goods, linens and textiles will also be available.