College of Education News

The classrooms and halls of the College of Education were lively on April 9, 2010, with more than 170 graduate students, faculty, and alumni participating in the Inaugural College of Education Graduate Student Conference. The event kicked off with a welcome from the Conference Planning Committee and Dean Mary Kalantzis, followed by a full day of graduate student presentations. Through paper presentations, symposia, and a morning poster session, the research and scholarship of approximately 62 graduate students was highlighted.

In her opening remarks, Dean Kalantzis named the Graduate Student Conference one of the best moments of her tenure as Dean of the College, adding that the spirit of collaboration between the six committee members was an inspiration.

The conference was initiated and organized by graduate students representing each of the college's six departmental units and was supported by a generous donation from University of Illinois alumna, Dr. K. Patricia Cross. The six-member Conference Planning Committee enlisted the assistance of approximately 30 graduate students who volunteered to review proposals, to chair conference sessions, and to help with technology, registration, and logistics at the conference. The event was intended to provide all students with an experience comparable to professional conferences, as well as provide opportunities for all members of the college to interact with one another, as reflected in the conference theme: Building Communities of Research and Practice.

The Conference Planning Committee structured the event to encourage cross-departmental interaction and create opportunities for graduate students to share their research with other graduate students.

"Presenting at the conference was a great experience," said Andrea Ruppar, graduate student in Special Education. "I valued the opportunity to present my research to a diverse audience of grad students and faculty from different departments. I got great feedback, and I will definitely present again next year."

Since the conference coincided with the College's annual Distinguished Alumni Awards events, four alumni award recipients participated as discussants for student paper presentations. The alumni also co-facilitated lunch roundtables with faculty, engaging attendees in a discussion about Building Community in the Real World. Alumni and faculty shared their experiences as educators, leaders, and researchers as they related to students, K-12 education, higher education, and within communities.

"I found the roundtable session extremely interesting but also useful," said Ayesha Boyce graduate student in Educational Psychology. "We had a discussion about how to expand unity within the college and how to provide more outreach to surrounding elementary and high school communities."

In line with the conference's theme of building community, Boyce said fellow roundtable participants agreed to take the day's discussion to the next level and meet again.

"What impressed me most was that a group of about 10 students, including myself, and three professors have committed to meet to discuss these issues further and eventually come up with some concrete ideas for how to make positive change within the College of Education and the surrounding community."

One of the roundtable discussions inspired a group of graduate students to organize a praxis-oriented committee. With input from faculty, the students are planning their first meeting to be held before the end of the semester. Graduate students interested in joining the discussion are encouraged to contact Shameem Rakha at rakha@illinois.edu.

For more information about the College of Education, contact our Communications Office at 217-244-8335 or email communications@education.illinois.edu