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Online Programs Student and Alumni Experiences

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  • Marlee Bunch

    Marlee Bunch: Finding Her Scholarly Family

    Marlee Bunch is nearly finished with her online Ed.D. in Diversity and Equity in Education (EPOL) and plans to spend the fall of 2022 preparing for her final doctoral defense. She describes her Ed.D. experience as "worthwhile, challenging, and incredibly transformative."

  • Precious Hills

    Precious Hills: Flexibility and Accessibility Keys to Success

    Precious Hils, of Albany, Georgia, says two factors were the difference in making her online Ed.D. in Diversity and Equity in Education (EPOL) experience a practical success: program flexibility and ease of accessibility.

  • Lisa Brown

    Lisa Brown: Fulfilling Both Career and Academic Interests

    Lisa Brown, Ed.M. ’09 EPOL, Ed.D. ‘21 EPOL, has worked in instructional design and training management for the U.S. Army for over twenty years. The now two-time College of Education alumna completed her doctorate with a concentration in Human Resource Development.

  • Ahlam Hassan

    Ahlam Hassan: Being Valued as an Online Student

    Meet Ahlam Hassan from Orland Park, Illinois, who has several irons in the fire and is pursuing her online Ed.D. in EPOL's Global Studies in Education program. She says so far, her online program has exceeded her expectations—which is high praise, coming from this capable and accomplished individual.

  • New Scholarships Available for Education at Illinois Online Ed.M. and Ed.D. Students

    The College's Offices of Online Programs and Advancement are pleased to announce two new scholarships specifically designed for online students in Ed.M. and Ed.D. programs.

  • Sydney Schwaller smiling

    Sydney Schwaller: Exploring Diverse Avenues in Education

    Sydney Schwaller is currently pursuing a Master's of Education (Ed.M.) in EPOL with a concentration in Global Studies in Education. Prior to starting her online graduate program in the fall of 2021, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwuakee in Spring of 2021 with a Bachelor's of Arts and Science degree in International Studies and a minor in Spanish.

  • Steven Ovares

    Steven Ovares: Equipped to Best Serve All Students

    Steven Ovares completed his online Ed.D. in Diversity and Equity in Education (EPOL) in 2021. Now, he says he's applying the knowledge and experience he gained through the program in myriad ways that benefit his community and school.

  • Danielle Huff

    Danielle Huff: Advocating for Fair and Inclusive Learning Environments

    Danielle Huff, Ed.D. '20 EPOL, is an assistant principal at East St. Louis Senior High School, where she shares in the leadership of roughly 1,200 students and 125 faculty and staff.

  • Mark Brandin

    Mark Brandin: Growing Academic Roots While Teaching Abroad

    Mark Brandin, Ed.D. ’21 EPOL, is originally from Northbrook, Illinois, which is the geographically closest to campus that he has ever been. His teaching career began as a third-grade teacher in the U.S. Territory of Guam.

  • Juliana Sandri

    Juliana Sandri: Gaining Perspective and Persistence

    Alumna and Brazilian Juliana Sandri completed her online Ed.D. in Human Resources Development (EPOL) while working in a high-level government position. While not easy, she says doing so allowed her to get the best of each perspective.

  • Brandon Brockhouse

    Brandon Brockhouse: Advancing His Future at His 'Dream School'

    Current doctoral student Brandon Brockhouse chose the online Ed.D. in Human Resources Development (EPOL) because it aligns with his career goals. And because he's thrilled to be part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, his "dream school."

  • Carol Dimopoulos

    Carol Dimopoulos: Online Program a Perfect Match for Academic & Professional Needs

    Carol Dimopoulos CEO, Founder, Adjunct Faculty

  • Isaac W. K. Thweatt

    Isaac W. K. Thweatt: Empowered to Lead and Guide

    Isaac W. K. Thweatt is pursuing his online Ed.D. in Diversity and Equity in Education (EPOL) and says the coursework "empowers me as an institutional advancement leader to coach and guide fellow fundraisers, Board members, and volunteers on how to best connect to our institution and to one another."

  • Naureen Rashid

    Naureen Rashid: Phenomenal Faculty a Difference Maker

    Naureen Rashid completed her online Ed.D. in Diversity and Equity in Education (EPOL) while being a new mom and working as a university administrator. The support, encouragement, and continuous guidance from College of Education at Illinois faculty made it possible.

  • Keith Hinds smiling

    Keith Hinds: Understanding How Organizations, Teams, and Individuals Are Successful

    Keith Hinds, M.Ed. ’13 EPOL, is an author, speaker, and practitioner with experience in forming and managing training departments and business units within Fortune 500 and Fortune 150 companies.

  • Armando Madrid

    Armando Madrid: More Opportunities to Advocate for the Marginalized

    Californian Armando Madrid finished his online Ed.D. in Diversity and Equity in Education (EPOL) from the College of Education at Illinois and now, he says he has a seat at the table to advocate and elevate the experiences of marginalized communities in higher education.

  • Josh Lewyckyj

    Joshua Lewyckyj: Innovation That Reaches All

    Joshua Lewyckyj, Ed.D. ’21, EPOL, has taught AP U.S. History and Global Studies for eight years at Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, New York.

  • Darrell Sampson

    Darrell Sampson: Broadening Skills, Getting Equipped for Greater Contributions

    Darrell Sampson is a native Illinoisan turned Washington, D.C. area transplant who understands the inherent value in a University of Illinois degree while appreciating his online program's rigorous coursework yet flexible format.

  • Erin Mills

    Erin Mills: Support That Engages and Transforms

    Erin Mills is a Secondary International Baccalaureate History teacher at an international school in Uruguay. She is currently in the doctoral dissertation sequence, pursuing an online Ed.D. with a double concentration: Learning Design and Leadership (primary) and Diversity and Equity.

  • Spencer Long

    Spencer Long: Insights Translating to Immediate Impact

    Spencer Long, Ed.D. ’21 EPOL, is already applying what he learned during his Learning Design and Leadership doctoral program to his professional role as the Senior Director of Member Education and Development for Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity at the national level.

  • Teresa La

    Teresa La: Equipped to Create Impactful Learning Experiences

    Teresa La, Ed.M. ’22 EPOL, earned her online master’s degree in Human Resource Development. She is as an instructional designer in the healthcare industry, working with subject matter experts to develop eLearning courses and training programs through a variety of eLearning authoring tools.