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Engaged Learning Exemplar: Ches Thurber

February 14, 2018

Ches Thurber

Assistant Professor, Ches Thurber, knows student engagement strengthens communities. That’s why his colleagues from the Department of Political Science nominated him to be recognized as an engaged learning exemplar for his outstanding commitment to engaged learning, teaching and scholarship.

“Engaged learning underscores that higher education is not simply about accumulating credits toward certification,” says Ches Thurber, assistant professor in NIU’s Department of Political Science, “it’s about developing a skill set that students can draw upon to strengthen the communities in which they live.”

Last spring, Thurber led a team of NIU students in a project to track nonviolent protests across the United States as part of a nationwide Crowd Counting Consortium. The Washington Post published their findings of who was protesting, why they were doing so and what tactics they used.

“The results of the Crowd Counting project helped amplify the voices of groups around the country who are exercising their rights to speech, expression and assembly,” says Thurber.

Join Thurber, along with other faculty, staff and students for the first Engaged Learning, Teaching and Scholarship Conference. This new event is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6, and uncovers and recognizes the faculty perspective of collaborations with students and community partners. Several faculty and staff will present on best practices in engaged learning, teaching and scholarship in the Holmes Student Center. All are welcome to attend; registration is open online.

Co-sponsors of the Engaged Learning, Teaching and Scholarship Conference are the Office of Student Engagement and Experiential Learning; the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development; the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center; the College of Business Experiential Learning Center; and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

For more information, call 815-753-8154 or email rkersh@niu.edu.