Welcome to our February issue of People of EIU—our second issue of the 2025 calendar year. Like you, I’m looking forward to the spring and the return of warmer weather, when campus once again will be alive with renewed energy and activity. But cold weather hasn’t stopped us from adding new and exciting events to the EIU Calendar. 

If you’d like to recognize a colleague or student for their notable commitments to EIU, please nominate them for a future People of EIU feature or Shout Out to acknowledge them for their EIU passion.

And as always, a note of genuine appreciation for all you to do for EIU and for each other. Your contributions to our campus and community are critical, and the work we do is as important as ever for our students, our communities, and our world. 

Thanks,

Shoaib Mohammed Younus Ahmed

Shoaib has been instrumental in learning the IT portion of his duties as a new Graduate Assistant here in the School of Extended Learning. He is getting real-world experiences in handling our LMS platforms. His communication skills, knowledge and technical background is superb and has been beneficial in the work that he is performing. He provides great customer service to our partners and without hesitation he begins the tasks that are given. I am not for sure where we would be right now without his assistance in keeping SEL Platforms afloat. I appreciate all of the hard work and dedication that he has put into his duties to make this department a great place to work. He is greatly appreciated for his efforts that he puts forth.

Cat Shick

Cat has been with the School of Extended Learning since the beginning of January. Her organization skills and attention to detail are amazing for such a young Office Manager. She doesn't hesitate in asking questions and takes initiative to jumpstart projects that need done. She is a great asset to SEL and we are happy to have her on board. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to your position to make this department a great place to work. You are greatly appreciated for your efforts that you put forth.

Jeane Breiland

Jeane has been a top-notch organizer for our Academic Challenge Competition. I have relied on her knowledge and expertise to assist the School of Extended Learning Staff in putting this event together for this academic year. It has taken a lot of patience and learning as we go so that we can put on a successful event. I appreciate all of the hard work and dedication that you have put into your duties to make this department a great place to work. You are greatly appreciated for your efforts that you put forth.

MD Sakib

MD has been a great asset to the School of Extended Learning since coming on board the beginning of October. He has been an instrumental key player in working with our Aceware System. He also did not hesitate to learn and assist with the organization and handling of the Academic Challenge Competition. His technical expertise has definitely become an asset to SEL and we are happy to have him. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to your position to make this department a great place to work. You are greatly appreciated for your efforts that you put forth.

Shannon Bell

This shout out is for Shannon Bell. Her knowledge and skills are indispensable to the work we do in the College of Education. She is THE "go-to" for so many processes and procedures, and she is ALWAYS willing to help. She is truly a remarkable example of a professional, a collaborator, and a servant leader.

Darren Hendrickson

Thanks for taking the reins of an important faculty search! You are appreciated!

Amanda Repp

I appreciate the great job that Amanda did for me in helping me with an HR issue. She helped me take care of things that I didn't even know I needed help with ... And hey she's a Yellowstone fan!

R.J. Vanderwerf

A big thanks for your assistance in managing the many IT related needs that we request that get handed off to you! We appreciate your timeliness in getting our requests addressed and your professionalism in doing so.

John Blue

We wanted you to know that we APPRECIATE you and all of your efforts, especially with all of the changes and transitions occurring in the greater political and social ecosystems. Your role was difficult and challenging enough, and it probably now seems even tougher. Many of the students in our office who have worked and interacted with you have given you high praise. You're great and we are so happy that you are EIU!

Cristine Shick

Christine - you are doing a terrific job managing Student Employment! Our department's staff have talked about how great your communication with them has been, how terrific you have served them as customers, and overall how wonderful it has been working with you. Keep up the great work! It is having a positive impact on our campus!

Ian Wynn

Thank You Ian for all your hard work! We can't wait for you to be back as nothing is getting done without you!

Jessica Cobert

A huge thank-you to Jessica for her tireless dedication to supporting students and staff. Jessica is deeply committed to mental health education and promotion, ensuring students are equipped with vital resources, coping strategies, and tools to manage personal challenges. Jessica makes a profound impact on our campus community, and we are so fortunate to have a great campus partner. Thank you for all that you do.

John Blue

John is an exceptional ally, advocate, and voice for all students. Despite wearing many hats, he consistently brings positivity, enthusiasm, and a strong commitment to collaboration across campus. John's leadership on the Dr. MLK Jr. Community Breakfast was instrumental in its success, showcasing his dedication and innovative ideas. We're fortunate to have such a hardworking and supportive campus partner. Keep shining, John!

Joshua Ernst

Had some frustrating computer issues that were preventing me from getting work done. Josh was very patient and understanding as we worked through a solution. He took time out of his day to attempt at finding a remote fix and when that didn't work he came over to my office to make sure my computer was all good to go. Josh has great customer service and was excellent to work with. Thanks dude!

Janette Beals

Thank you Janette, for making the holiday's a little extra fun in Old Main this past December! We all enjoyed looking for EIU's "elf on the shelf" and seeing what mischief she had been up to while we were away.

Jeremy Sanders

Thanks for doing such a great job cleaning Lincoln 2 & 3 this week. Its the cleanest its been in a long while.

April Fletcher

Thank you!

Aaron Allison

Aaron continues to be an asset to the university and a great help to others and myself. Not to mention working tirelessly to keep us all secure. Thank you for all you do.

You've earned this! ;-)

Chelsy Cunningham

Chelsy is an asset to the counseling clinic. She consistently goes above and beyond by taking on responsibilities, always with a genuine desire to support her students in achieving both academic and personal success.

Bobbi Kingery

Bobbi is an asset to Eastern Illinois University. She is dedicated to supporting students in all areas of wellness and ensuring their academic success. She is also always open to collaborate and brainstorm ideas. She is great to work with! We are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of the EIU community.

Amanda Repp

Thank you for all you have done to ensure that our staff have been set up correctly making some corrections. We appreciate you taking the time to work with us and making sure everything is accurate!

Austin Schaefer

Austin really went above and beyond when coming to our office for an IT computer request. He has been easy to work with and assisted us with several different things at once. If there was a task he was unable to complete, he would set me in the right direction with who to contact. We really appreciate him

Conor Baltz

Big congrats to Conor from the whole CLAS Dean's Team on successfully shepherding the installation of the Doudna's new projection screen in the Dvorak Concert Hall! It required a great deal of patience, working with multiple teams, and a lot of random factors, like weather, vendor delays, etc. and he handled it all with grace and thorough professionalism. We're lucky to have you on the team!

Travis Trimble

Travis is always ready and willing to help in any situation even it means he has to learn something new or figure out a different process. Travis thank you for always being willing to help in any situation.

Tyler Custer

Tyler's position is in International Students and Scholars. But he has assisted with domestic graduate admissions recently; his extra efforts have kept admissions flowing without delays.

Lana Beasley

Lana has recently gone well outside her job description to assist with graduate admissions. There have been no delays thanks to her extra efforts.

Juli Bishop

Recently Juli has showed extra dedication to graduate admissions by working under unusual circumstances. Admissions have continued without interruption thanks to her efforts.

Christopher Upton

Chris does a great job helping keep his residence hall cleaned and looking good for students!

Jeffrey Duck

Jeff (and Julie!) are academic advisors in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Foundations. We call them the "dynamic duo." They make a great team, and they offer such support to our students, faculty, and administration. The value they bring to the department is so appreciated and much deserving of this shout out!

Julie Viertel

Julie (and Jeff!) are academic advisors in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Foundations. We call them the "dynamic duo." They make a great team, and they offer such support to our students, faculty, and administration. The value they bring to the department is so appreciated and much deserving of this shout out!

Cathryn Gordon

Just wanted to send a huge thank you to Cathy. She is always so helpful and cheerful when dealing with issues. Her knowledge and willingness to help is an asset to the Grad students on campus. Thanks for your patience and kindness.

Jeffrey Browning

A BIG KUDOS to Jeff and the Grounds Crew for their GREAT WORK in clearing the sidewalks after the big storms we've had. I had taken their efforts for granted until I stepped off campus to grab lunch and had to traverse the ice and snow on the sidewalks on the other side of 4th Street. Thank you for keeping our health and safety in mind and keeping our sidewalks clear!

Amanda Wolf

Your efforts and hard work in helping facilitate and secure external funding are greatly appreciated! Grant seeking is never a simple task in a university setting, and you have helped make it a smoother process. We are greatly indebted to you for your help and assistance. Many thanks!

Austin Schaefer

Thank you to you and your team for your hard work in getting all of the new computers the university receives set up. We appreciate this task, as it would cause many of us great frustration!

Cristine Shick

Cristine has been fantastic to work with. She is always ready to answer questions, research issue and provide guidance and tasks that need to be completed. He is so nice to work with people who care about the people they are helping and not just act like we are an annoyance.

Susan Allen

I had an absent minded professor moment and messed up my textbook assignment for a class that I'm teaching this spring! Luckily Susan was able to very quickly find a solution to this problem and helped to get the class sorted out. Thanks Susan!

Jeffrey Stowell

Jeff has offered to meet with numerous prospective students throughout the Spring 2025 semester when they are visiting campus. He is so helpful and insightful when meeting with each of these students and their families. When each of these potential future Panthers sit down to make that final college decision, Jeff will be one that makes a big difference for those who choose EIU! We were especially grateful for his willingness to meet with Parker on Monday after asking him 15 minutes prior to her showing up at his office door. You're amazing, Jeff! Thank you!

Makayla McPhedran

Makayla REALLY stays on top of her workload and churns out requisition and POs so quickly! We had a sudden change in a grant with just a short time to make line item and vendor changes before the grant expired. Makayla made sure that everything went through quickly and seamlessly. Thanks Makayla!

Melissa Schmieder

During new hire orientation, Melissa was very informative and knowledgeable when it came to our benefits. I have never met anyone who has understood insurance more than she does. She guided me in understanding exactly what each plan has to offer, and I feel more confident in deciding which one is best for me. Thank you so much, Melissa!

James Lay

Thanks to you and all the Doudna BSW staff for keeping the building so clean (especially in my office, with all the salt residue from the snow storms)! You are all appreciated.

Austin Schaefer

Thanks for always making time to help out, Austin. You and the rest of the ITS crew are always willing to lend a hand when needed, even when you're super busy with other projects. It's appreciated!

R.J. Vanderwerf

RJ is always prompt to respond and goes out of his way to help and explain processes that often are well beyond my understanding (helping me learn in the process), and is patient & understanding while doing so. Thank you for being so helpful!

Angie Cawthon

Angie's hard work and attention to detail is so appreciated! Students and advisors are so lucky to have her on our side here in CLAS.

Jerrod Harden

There are so many unsung heroes on this campus and Jerrod is one of them! Thanks for taking the time to investigate the locks in McAfee and make sure I have access to my new office! I appreciate you!

Stacy Smith

I appreciate Stacy being so attentive and efficient in helping us with parking for our job fairs. She is so accommodating, pleasant, and friendly it takes some of the stress out of planning for employers to visit our campus. I look forward to working with Stacy every semester. She deserves much more recognition for her contributions and for representing her department in such a stellar way.

Eric Hiltner

I sure enjoy having clear sidewalks and roads on campus. That doesn't magically happen. Big thanks to the grounds crew for working long days and nights to make campus accessible for everyone!