The Biggest Education Stories of 2025

Education Welcomes Largest First-Year Class Since 1971, Adds 12 New Faculty

The 2025 first-year class for the College of Education was the largest since 1971, with 240 students beginning their college careers in Education. The Class of 2029 continued an upward trend in undergraduate enrollment, with a 35% increase over the last ten years. The College also welcomed 12 new faculty members to expand our capacity for teaching, research, and engagement capacity.

Aspiring Educators Chapter Wins National Award

The Illinois Chapter of Aspiring Educators was honored with the Outstanding Emerging Chapter award from the Illinois Educators Association and the National Education Association. “This award reflects the incredible growth and transformation of our chapter,” says Michal Nizar, president of the chapter. “It shows the power of student leadership and collaboration when we connect our passions as future educators to advocacy, equity, and community. We are all so proud of what we’ve built together and what it means for the future of Education.”

Following the Signs to Find Her Passion

When Katie Moore graduated in May 2025, she achieved something that fewer than 1% of deaf learners accomplish: earn a doctoral degree. Moore discovered her passion and reached her goals with the help of her Illinois community.

Centers Celebrate Campuswide Status

In 2025, we celebrated the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA) and the new Center for Research and Innovation in Technology-Enhanced Learning (ITEL) becoming campus-recognized centers. CREA is building on a long history of innovation at the College level with new leadership and a bold vision. ITEL continues the work of an earlier initiative, TIER-ED, to build an interdisciplinary research and design hub that aims to shape how people leverage technology in learning environments.

The Living Wall: How Education’s Building and Curriculum are Going Green

The new plant wall in the south lobby of the Education Building is not only a beautiful visual feature, but also part of a larger vision to expand sustainability education. The wall and the new curriculum represent the College’s commitment to sustainability, experiential learning, and student well-being.

IGlobal Program Earns 2025 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization

The University of Illinois was one of three universities nationally to receive the award from NAFSA: Association of International Educators. “We’re very proud of this award, and most especially of the undergraduate and graduate students who bring their creativity, dedication, enthusiasm, and teaching skills directly to the world through IGlobal,” said Allison Witt, director of International Programs. “Thank you to our interdisciplinary colleagues across campus and abroad who support the program with their passion and expertise.”

Are Illinois Social Studies Educators Prepared to Teach Inclusive Topics?

Curriculum & Instruction Assistant Professor Asif Wilson’s Social Studies Network has been working since 2022 with the Illinois State Board of Education to develop professional learning opportunities to help prepare every social studies teacher in the state for the revised State of Illinois learning standards for social science education, which are all inquiry-based and inclusive. Are efforts working?

Mildred Barnes Griggs: A Legacy of Possibilities

According to those she taught and inspired, Mildred Griggs was many things. A teacher. A leader. An advocate. A trailblazer. When Griggs passed this summer, she was remembered by her mentees, peers, and friends as someone who demonstrated to those around her what was possible through hard work and dedication to education for all.

Student-Athlete, Student-Teacher: Mastering Grad School and Big Ten Basketball

Being a graduate student is stressful—classes, research, and student teaching. Your free time is scarce. But for Kendall Bostic, she tackled it all while being one of the Big Ten’s fiercest rebounders, ranking third all-time in the conference, and leading Illinois Women’s Basketball to its first NCAA tournament win in 25 years.

Bridging the Gap Between Two Divergent Special Education Fields

Erica Mason examined the two primary schools of thought in Special Education, which are diametrically opposed, and wondered why they couldn’t be bridged. In response, Critical Special Education is the framework she proposes that aims to benefit researchers and educators and create a more just and humanizing education for students with disabilities.

First EJP Student Admitted to the University of Illinois

What began as a way to socialize in prison ignited a passion in Mike Pierce. He took classes through the Education Justice Project (EJP) and earned his bachelor’s degree. After being transferred to a transition center in Peoria, Mike decided he wasn’t done with school. And this Fall, he became the first-ever EJP student admitted to the University of Illinois, pursuing a master’s degree in Trauma-Informed Practice and Pedagogy.