Dear Colleagues and Friends,
A productive spring semester and a rewarding academic year for Education at Illinois have come to a close. Despite the challenges experienced within higher education this year, our community of scholars made contributions to be proud of—many of which you'll read about in this newsletter.
Most recently, we were pleased to welcome President of California State University, Fullerton and College of Education at Illinois alumnus Ronald Rochon, Ph.D. ’97 EPOL, back to campus as our May 2025 Convocation Ceremony keynote speaker. Dr. Rochon’s inspiring story and heartfelt words were part of a truly celebratory, memorable day for all faculty, staff, and the Class of 2025.
The College of Education also named Michelle Perry the inaugural Richard C. Anderson Professor of Cognitive Science of Teaching and Learning in early May. This is the first-ever endowed professorship in our Department of Educational Psychology and is the generous and forward-thinking gift of literacy education legend Dr. Richard C. Anderson and his late wife, Professor Jana Mason.
I was thrilled to visit with many colleagues, alumni and friends at our AERA Annual Meeting Reception in Denver in April. Thank you to everyone who attended and connected with us—so important for maintaining the strength of our community. My best wishes for a safe and restorative summer ahead!
Yours in Orange and Blue,
Chrystalla Mouza
Dean, College of Education