NIU Today

NIU President Doug Baker invites the entire university community to join him in congratulating the newly named Board of Trustees Professor, Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professors, Presidential Teaching Professor, Presidential Engagement Professor and the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and Instruction Award winners. A reception in their honor begins at 3 p.m. today in the...

Robert L. LaConto, who taught broadcast journalism at NIU from 1964 until his retirement in 1990, died Thursday, July 30, in DeKalb. He was 91. LaConto won NIU’s Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award during his final semester on the faculty. Students considered him not only an aspirational teacher and mentor but a friend. “Professor LaConto...

NIU President Doug Baker invites the entire university community to join him in congratulating the newly named Board of Trustees Professors, Presidential Teaching Professors, Presidential Research Professor, Presidential Engagement Professor, and the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and Instruction Award. A reception in their honor begins at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in the Altgeld Auditorium....

There’s an old saying that a teacher's purpose is not to create students in her or his own image,

The daughter of a businessman in the rubber and plastics industry, Mary Lynn Henningsen once considered working as a chemist at the company where her father was employed. Instead, she decided to follow in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother. Growing up in a family of educators, Henningsen was exposed to their shared passion...

Growing up in Walnut Creek, Calif., Geoffrey Pynn had fleeting thoughts of becoming a musician, a poet, and even maybe an artificial intelligence researcher. He was admittedly a little flaky in his younger years, never really settling on a specific career path; he was intrigued by seemingly everything. A philosophy major at Bates College in...

Toni Van Laarhoven used to share the stage with her twin sister as they rocked clubs with their band Go Figure. But those days are behind her now as she devotes her attention to making a difference in the classroom. Since childhood, she always wanted to work with children with disabilities. Having a sister with...

J.D. Bowers believes he has found the perfect position to capitalize on his diverse teaching, administrative and service experience: associate vice provost of University Honors. Bowers begins his new job Monday, July 1. “University Honors has some of the most engaged and rigorous academic offerings, exciting programming and sustained student, faculty, staff and alumni outreach...

Timothy Aurand could have had his choice of careers in business, but growing up in the small town of Lena, Ill., he always saw himself working in one of two related fields – automotive or education. He ended up doing both. Immediately after graduate school, Aurand went to work for Caterpillar. His thirst for professional...

Like many kids, Rebecca Hannagan had a laundry list of dream jobs that intrigued her as a child, including astronaut and fighter pilot. While teaching runs in the family – her father was a social studies teacher – it wasn’t until she was introduced to politics as an undergraduate at College of Saint Benedict that...

Betty La France is sarcastic; it’s a personality trait she attributes to growing up in Detroit. She was once intrigued by investigative journalism, and although she believes her personality would have fit the profession, it was after taking her first research-methods class that she realized teaching was the path she wanted to follow. While La...

Every college student dreams of one day donning a cap and gown. It’s a moment of pride – a sign of perseverance and strength. But long before these students flip their tassels, each encounters a teacher or an instructor who motivates them to think, to learn, and most importantly, to succeed. This month, during Celebrating...