Pause for Applause: Fall 2024
Good neighbor
Appears In Illinois State: Fall 2024 Being of service: A teacher and Army veteran inspires his students to honor those who died for their country FirstWord: Fall 2024 Tennis players serve teammates a taste of home Then and Now: Founders Day A Day in the Life: Students connect through sport clubs Where are they now?: Nancy Lind Redbird alum’s career takes flight Class notes: Fall 2024 In memory: Fall 2024 Team behind the team: Redbirds play starring roles behind the scenes for the Chicago Bulls The indie rock stars of CTK: Professors build community by sharing wisdom gained on the road Homelessness to hope: Social work alum forms nonprofit to lift people out of poverty Slice of college: How pizza shaped the Redbird experience Where are they now?: Jeff Kellen ’11 Redbird trivia: Fall 2024 Athletics briefs: Collins earns Hall of Fame induction University News briefs: Yazedjian named VP of Academic Affairs, provost Redbird Legacy: A family tree with Redbirds on every branch Thanks to you: Scholarship support allows student to pursue community health passion Read AllJon Farney ’93 was named president and CEO of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. The College of Business alum, who first joined State Farm as an intern, has served in various roles at the company for over 30 years; he was most recently senior vice president, treasurer, and chief financial officer. Farney owns a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Illinois State University and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He was active in Beta Gamma Sigma as a student at Illinois State, and he remains engaged at the University through scholarship support and serving as a guest speaker and advisory board member.
Supreme wisdom
Yolanda Gibson, M.S. ’06, earned a Telly Award last year for her documentary, Wisdom from the Brooklyn Bridge, chronicling a 21-day weight-loss journey at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and political and social protests in New York City. The work was named for the revelations Gibson experienced on daily walks across the 1,595-foot bridge, and it earned her a Telly in the online longform category in 2023. An online entertainment writer since 2010, Gibson has written for Medium, Yahoo!, and Examiner.com. She’s conducted red carpet interviews at the Tribeca Film Festival, BET Hip Hop Awards, and Soul Train Music Awards.
Driven by excellence
April Schermann ’02 earned two national teaching awards and reached a coaching milestone during the 2023-24 school year. The Normal West High School teacher was named the Computer Science Teacher of the Year by Project Lead the Way and recognized in the Disney Imagination Campus 100 Teachers Celebration. Schermann also recorded her 500th career coaching win as head coach of the Normal West softball team last spring. The former Redbird softball standout has guided the Wildcats to eight regional titles, four sectional championships, seven conference titles, and a runner-up finish in the 2016 Class 4A state tournament during her 21 years as the team’s coach.
Good as gold
Aimee (Hutchison) Legatzke ’03, a kindergarten teacher at Fox Meadow Elementary in South Elgin, received a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Legatzke was one of 10 statewide recipients of the award selected from more than 600 nominated teachers. A dedicated, student-centered educator who adapts her teaching style to meet student needs, Legatzke was lauded for working with not only students, but their families, too. The award comes with a $5,000 cash prize and a spring sabbatical provided by Northwestern University. The Golden Apple Foundation is Illinois’ leading nonprofit committed to preparing, mentoring, and honoring leaders in education.
Latest Publications
- Illinois DCFS selects Illinois State as partner for Central Illinois regional simulation training hubIllinois State will become one of four regional training hubs for the State of Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) when the ISU Child Protection Training Academy (CPTA) opens in early November 2024.
- Young adult authors to visit Milner LibraryPablo Cartaya and Michelle Quach will visit Illinois State University in the coming weeks and will give presentations at Milner Library on writing, creativity, publishing, and more.
- Fall virtual speaker series on research methodologiesThis fall, the 2024 Theory + Method virtual speaker series will host five leading scholars whose work advances innovative and inclusive methodologies and community-engaged research.
- Professor interprets artifacts for Stowaway with the Ewings: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Their World TourWhile sitting in an office in Ewing Manor reading a century-old personal journal, Dr. Miranda Lin sometimes laughed out loud. At other times she was surprised to read about a place in China or Thailand she’d been to.Born in Taiwan and fluent in Mandarin, the School of Teaching and Learning professor was tapped to interpret some of the writings and artifacts from Davis and Hazle Buck Ewing’s 1924 trip around the world.
- Meet the September 2024 GradBird Scholar: Alina NiftulaevaThe Graduate School has selected Alina Niftulaeva as its September 2024 GradBird Scholar recipient. GradBird Scholar is an initiative to recognize graduate students for their scholarly endeavors at Illinois State University.
- Dr. Ali Riaz re-elected as AIBS presidentDistinguished professor Ali Riaz has been re-elected as the president of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS) for the 2024-2028 term.
