Education at Illinois

A person is holding an open children's book, displaying an illustration of a large sheep and smaller sheep on a landscape. The surroundings include shelves with colorful folders and papers, and a wall with a calendar.

Being a cooperating teacher means making a connection with young educators. This helps them become better teachers and provides a foundation for their careers. Ready to be a cooperating teacher? Apply today.

See how our cooperating teachers impact our student teachers: https://bit.ly/4b3Ysic

Welcome home!

Congratulations to all the newest Illini receiving their admission today. We can't wait until you're here!

Schedule a visit: https://bit.ly/46XiqKj

A group of five people smiling and standing in front of a sign for "Dr. Zola's Coffee Bar." They are wearing University of Illinois merchandise. The background includes a College of Education logo and promotional material for "Orange & Blue Days."

Honoring his legacy, the Dr. David Zola Coffee Bar is the hub of collaboration, community, and inspiration within the College of Education.

Supporting it provides coffee, snacks, and equipment upgrades that directly impact Education students.

Support the Zola Coffee Bar ▶️ https://bit.ly/4aOnCku

A group of individuals smiling in front of a scenic lake and mountain backdrop. The image promotes the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Education's "Education Study Abroad" program, with the words "Orange & Blue Days" displayed.

When you give to study abroad scholarships for the College of Education, you invest in educators who will inspire understanding, curiosity, and compassion.

Go #OrangeAndBlue and make global learning accessible, affordable, and transformative for our students.

▶️ https://bit.ly/46ppZsO

Documentary Elevates Black Stories That Have Never Been Told A new film by Curriculum & Instruction assistant professor Asif Wilson has debuted with screenings throughout Illinois. Against the Current, which explores Black resistance throughout Illinois’ histor...

Asif Wilson has been touring Illinois screening his new documentary, Against the Current. The documentary follows a Chicago Public School student as she travels from Chicago to Cairo, exploring sites of Black resistance.

She and Wilson talked to ABC-7 Chicago about the film and its powerful message

A teacher working on a smart board in a classroom wearing an Illinois t-shirt.

Teachers!

We're looking for cooperating teachers in Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle Grades, and Secondary English, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

If you're interested in hosting student teachers in your classroom, apply today: https://bit.ly/405kHPC

Gov. Pritzker Renews Push to Ban Cell Phones from Illinois K-12 Classrooms Rebecca Hinze-Pifer, assistant professor of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, talked with WCIA-TV about the renewed push from Springfield and the realistic challenges to anticipate in imple...

In his most recent state of the state address, Governor J.B. Pritzker renewed his call for a cellphone ban in Illinois classrooms.

Rebecca Hinze-Pifer talked with WCIA 3 about the fine line administrators must walk between enforcement and equitable treatment.

A graduate in a blue cap and gown holds up a diploma in front of an orange backdrop featuring the University of Illinois logo and the word "Education."

Registration for Convocation 2026 is now open 🌟

If you’re looking forward to celebrating with us at the College of Education ceremony on May 17, don’t forget to sign up! 🎓

Register here: https://go.education.illinois.edu/convocation-registration

Hedrick-Shaw Earns Dissertation Award

Congratulations to @ciatillinois.bsky.social assistant professor Devon Hedrick-Shaw on receiving an honorable mention dissertation award from the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE).

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Alumna Named Special Education Teacher of the Year by ISBE

Congratulations to Lisa Jackson, '95 English Education, on being named to the Illinois State Board of Education's Teacher of the Year cohort and Special Education teacher of the Year!

Jackson teaches high school and special education classes at Woodland High School in Streator, IL.

Wilson Receives Two Grants from the State of Illinois

Congrats to @ciatillinois.bsky.social's Asif Wilson on receiving two grants from the State of Illinois.

A $2 million grant from the Illinois State Board of Education will help Wilson and a team of Illinois scholars develop resources and training for inclusive social studies for teachers statewide.

Orange and blue promotional graphic with the text "Orange & Blue Days March 4, 5, 6.

Get ready for Illinois Orange & Blue Days! 🔶 🔷

Held March 4-6, Illinois’ three-day crowdfunding initiative supports student experiences and campus projects. Give to a project that supports our students:

Education Study Abroad: https://bit.ly/46ppZsO
Zola Coffee Bar: https://bit.ly/4aOnCku

For Stratton’s Mallett, State Bilingual Teaching Honor 'Very Rewarding'

Champaign's Danielle Mallett, ’17 Elementary Education, was named to the 14-member Teacher of the Year cohort as Bilingual Teacher of the Year.

Mallett has found a special connection with Stratton Academy of the Arts, where she has taught since her student teaching placement.

Latina Voces Brings High School Student Art, Dance to Krannert Art Museum Saturday, January 31, Krannert Art Museum (KAM) held students, families, and community members for Latina Voces, a high school student-led exhibition and live performance celebrating culture, identit...

The Latina Voces program partners students at Urbana High School with university faculty, including @ciatillinois.bsky.social Idalia Nuñez, Monica Gonzalez Ybarra, and Catherine Dornfeld Tissenbaum, to create art that celebrates their identities.

EPOL Ed.D. Alum Receives Award from GlobalEd

Congratulations to Erin Gahimer, Ed.D '24 EPOL, on being named to the 2026 Cohort of the Early Career Research Fellows program from GlobalEd!

Erin currently works for Indiana University, Bloomington, in International Admissions.

Climate Change Education: A Practical Workshop for K–12 Educators

The Forum on the Future of Public Education is hosting a workshop for K-12 teachers that will help them navigate the new state climate change education mandate. The workshop is being held on March 7 at the Campus Instructional Facility.

Please RSVP to attend by February 26.

Centering Latine Voices in the History of Education at Illinois Mirelsie Velázquez, associate professor in Education Policy, Organization & Leadership and Latina/Latino Studies) is also a 2025–26 HRI Faculty Fellow. Her current research project, “Genealogies of Em...

As part of her Humanities Research Institute Fellowship, Mirelsie Velázquez, associate professor at EPOL, is researching Latine activism at the University of Illinois and showcasing how they have been instrumental in transforming educational spaces.

Illinois Public Media, College of Education Create New Media Initiative for Teens The initiative, led by Malaika McKee, assistant professor of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, builds on the Teen Summit of the 1990s, created by Illinois alumna and Black Entertainment Tel...

Building on the foundation of the popular Teen Summit of the 1990's, @ilpublicmedia.bsky.social and assistant professor Malaika McKee are creating a new version for today's teens.

The initiative is backed by BET co-founder and Illinois alum Sheila Johnson.

Rochelle Gutierrez

Join us as we celebrate @ciatillinois.bsky.social professor Rochelle Gutierrez on her election to the National Academy of Education.

February 17
2-4 p.m.
ACES Funk Library, Heritage room

More Info:https://bit.ly/4rUfxC2

Ph.D. Student Publishes Article in the Journal of Education

Publication alert!

EPOL Ph.D. student Israt Z. Nipa was recently published in the Journal of Education. The article examines the lived academic experiences of South Asian Bangladeshi and Indian international doctoral students at a U.S. midwestern university.

University of Illinois promotional image displaying a mobile app interface. Features include sections for "My Events," "The Daily Illini" news, bus schedules, and wellness tips. The image highlights university statistics, such as 60,000+ students and 31,000+ employees.

Cameron Schwing, Ed.M. '20 @ciatillinois.bsky.social, is representing the University of Illinois in the Big Ten Academic Alliance’s Data Visualization Championship.

Voting closes tomorrow! Vote here: https://bit.ly/4rHAzmZ

The image is a promotional poster for the "Dean's Distinguished Speaker Series" featuring Keena Arbuthnot from Rutgers University, Y. Barry Chung from San Diego State University, and Shireen Pavri from California State University. The theme is "Leading and Thriving in Our Current Climate."

Join us on March 5 at 6 p.m. for a virtual session of the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series.

Leading and Thriving in Our Current Climate features Illinois alumni who are serving in senior educational leadership roles. No registration required to attend.

More: https://bit.ly/4mkqXLQ

Kalantzis to Receive Funding From Spencer Foundation

Congratulations to EPOL professor Mary Kalantzis on receiving funding from the Spencer Foundation. It will fund her initiative to explore the potential of Generative AI to support translingual Latinx students’ disciplinary literacy in U.S. middle and high schools.

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Free Mental Health Clinic Now Open in Champaign

We’re proud to offer a new resource for our local community.

@epsyatillinois.bsky.social's Healing, Training, and Research clinic offers budding mental health counselors hands-on experience under the supervision of licensed counselors, while providing services free of charge.

Tapaha, Tanner, Publish Article in AERA Educational Researcher

Congrats to EPOL assistant professor Oliver Tapaha and alum Nathan Tanner on their publication in AERA Educational Researcher.

Together, they tell the story of the black educators recruited to Navajo Nation schools in the wake of the Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Wilson to Host Screening of New Documentary

Join @ciatillinois.bsky.social assistant professor Asif Wilson for a screening of his new documentary, Against the Current.

The film follows Kyla, a high school senior and community organizer, who journeys across Illinois in search of ways Black people have resisted oppression throughout history.

EPOL Team Publishes Research as Part of Public Engagement Fellowship Program

Congratulations to @paul-bruno.com, an assistant professor, and Haeryun Kim, a Ph.D. student at EPOL, on their new publication in the journal Leadership and Policy in Schools.

Their research uses unique data from a school district in Central Illinois to study how teacher hiring committees work.

Becki Salzman Keeps the “Living Room of Campus” Bustling

With more visitors than Memorial Stadium and State Farm Center each year, the Illini Union is a campus hub for connection. Becki Salzman, M.A. ’07 EPOL, oversees it all. The lifelong Illini was profiled by the University of Illinois alumni association for keeping the campus icon a welcoming place.

Martinez Negrette Earns Early Career Reviewer Award

Congratulations to @ciatillinois.bsky.social assistant professor Giselle Martinez Negrette on receiving the Early Career Reviewer award from the Bilingual Research Journal.

More: https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/1526/1883638244

From College-in-Prison Program to Working Towards U. of I. Degree

You may be familiar with Mike Pierce, a Master’s student at @ciatillinois.bsky.social and the first @ejpatil.bsky.social student admitted to Illinois. He’s now been accepted into a Doctoral program in the College of Education. He talked with @ilpublicmedia.bsky.social about his path and what's next.