Dear Alumni and Friends,
It's hard to believe that December is here already and 2024 is nearly complete! While the fall semester has flown by, it was also full of wonderful stories and accomplishments—many of which are highlighted in our email newsletter.
First, however, I am thrilled to share with you that following a national search Heather Zorn has been named Assistant Dean for Advancement and Chief Advancement Officer for the College of Education, effective December 2, 2024!
With over 20 years of leadership in higher education advancement, Heather is well-equipped for this role. Most recently, she has served as the College’s Interim Chief Advancement Officer and Director of Constituent Engagement, so it’s likely you may recognize her already. A proud University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumna herself, Heather knows what makes an Illinois—and College of Education—experience unique and life-changing. We look forward, with Heather’s leadership and the continued generosity and participation of Education at Illinois alumni and friends, to advancing the College’s mission of teaching, research and engagement. To this end, I thank you again for partnering to support our faculty, students, research, and programs.
It was a pleasure to connect with many of you during our 2024 Homecoming Open House and Reception, at the 20th Annual Goldstick Lecture in the Study of Communication Disorders, through our revived Youth Literature Festival, or at any number of our events this fall. And I look forward to interacting with alumni and friends in the spring 2025 semester through more fantastic opportunities that Heather and her team organize. Hearing about the accomplishments of our alumni in the field of education never disappoints, and I hope you share your achievements and stories with our Advancement team in the coming year to keep uplifting our collective Education at Illinois community.
Yours in Orange & Blue,
Chrystalla Mouza
Dean, College of Education