What do you do at ISU? I help students to live a "dream" where they can see the world beyond the pages of their textbooks, become more independent, and ultimately gain a competitive edge in the job market. My goal is to get the word out to all students about options to study abroad for a short-term summer, semester or even a full year. My day is spent meeting with students and helping each one to find just the right program. I help with the entire process from how to get a passport, what is needed to submit a complete application, where to find information on scholarships and aid, and how credits will transfer. I take them through a mandatory pre departure orientation including important health and safety information, staying in touch while abroad, and then assisting when they return.

Why ISU? I came to ISU 19 years ago with my husband when he was offered a position as Chair of the Chemistry Department. At first, I taught Spanish as an adjunct professor. I am a former high school Spanish teacher with an MA in Spanish Language and Literature. In 1992 I helped to" put study abroad on the map" here. We had one program (in Vienna) and one student went in 1993. We now have programs in over 40 countries and send almost 140 students abroad each year.

 
What do you do at ISU? As the Dean of Students, I am concerned about the students’ well being and their adjustment to college life. I oversee several areas and am represented on several committees and councils. Currently I provide leadership for the African-American Cultural Center, the Student Counseling Center, the Career Center, Student Activities and Organizations, and the Associate Dean and problem solver for students (better known as Ombudsperson). Additionally I advise SGA and serve as the appeals representative to Student Judicial Programs.

Why ISU? I absolutely love working at ISU because it is a great size where you can make a difference and not get lost. The environment is very family orientated and I like that.

 
What do you do at ISU? I am the Associate Athletic Trainer. I work with Women's Basketball, Cheerleading and The Sparkettes.

Why did you choose ISU? I chose ISU because I want to contribute to the nationally recognized Athletic Training Department and help clinically educate our Athletic Training Students.

 
What do you do at ISU? I am a senior undergraduate student here at ISU. I am a theater major, I work on and study the technical and design aspects of theatrical productions. I work for the Office of Information Technology as an Apple Certified Technician and I am also the Director of Public Relations for the Student Government Association. Currently, I am the Vice President of Pi Kappa Alpha.

Why ISU? I chose to come to ISU for all of the reasons I listed what I do. There is opportunity for experience, learning, and growing. I wasn't interested in being an ID number, or just another student paying tuition. I wanted more from my university and I saw the chance for that four years ago when I arrived here.

 
What do you do at ISU? My primary role at ISU currently is as a Professor of Communication and Women's Studies. That role involves me in teaching and research in my disciplinary areas (performance/cultural studies and feminist studies) and in service to the Department of Communication and the Women's Studies Program. I also coordinate the Liberal Studies program, which is ISU's "design your own" degree program that features interdisciplinarity as a framework for organizing individual plans of study or paths to degree. I also serve in several roles that contribute to professional development and faculty governance.

I am fortunate to fill my work with challenges that bring me joy and contribute to my continued intellectual and personal growth. I am the campus coordinator of the American Democracy Project, which is a national effort to ensure that our students understand themselves as civic agents in our democracy--capable of meaningful political action as well as community service. Through the ADP, I am involved in producing a multifaceted co-curricular program and have the opportunity to work with faculty, student affairs professionals, and students across campus. Together we brought "Pizza and Politics," "Banned Books Outloud," "Debate Watch," and many, many other programs to ISU. I chair the Charlotte Zietlow Women Faculty Research Grant selection committee, which each year has the wonderful opportunity to award money to pre-tenure women faculty to support their successful path to tenure at ISU. I co-coordinate a Faculty Learning Community, "Partial Success," which engages a group of women faculty in the national conversation about persistent gender gaps in our profession--hiring, wage, tenure, promotion; this year's FLC continues work we began last year with the FLC "Closing the Tenure Gap," which brought together pre-tenure women faculty around the topic of the national gender gap in tenure decisions.

This year I was elected to several roles: I am a Senator on the Faculty Senate and serve as the liaison from the Senate to the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Council; I represent Arts and Sciences on the General Education Council; also, I serve on the Arts and Sciences Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Women's Studies Program Advisory Board.
I teach the Learning Community for new freshmen majoring in Communication, which gives me the great experience of working directly with about 40 new freshmen in the classroom, practice lab, and as their academic advisor. I teach advanced communication courses at the undergraduate and graduate level in Communication and I teach courses in Women's Studies ("Gender, Race, and Nation") and I teach for the University Honors Program. In addition to advising the new freshmen majors in Communication, I am the academic advisor for all Liberal Studies majors.

ISU also supports my work as a scholar in domains of civic engagement and traditional writing for publication. I am on the Board of Directors for Leadership Wabash Valley and conduct three or four sessions focused on leadership development for each year's class. My traditional scholarship includes work on contemporary television and other media, particularly with questions about agency and identity. I was fortunate to begin working in Sri Lanka in 1993 (when I received a Fulbright-Hays award) and to continue that work through the years. My scholarship focus in Sri Lanka has included examining dress as an aspect of post-colonial identity, world exhibitions of Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in the context of empire, and the impact of insurrection on everyday performances of identity.

Why ISU?My career has not been marked by extraordinary planning. I have been blessed by circumstance. In 1990, I was happily (really, really happily) enjoying life as an Assistant Professor at a small, private, liberal arts university that allowed me to do so much good work with good people and also rewarded me for that work. Then, ISU announced a search for its first Director of Women's Studies, and someone nominated me. I thought about my commitment to Women's Studies, my absolute belief in public higher education, and my sense of what I could contribute in the position of Director and I applied. Some folks think I came to ISU because I am an alum or because I am from Indiana. Those factors played no part in my decision to accept the position in 1990. Sometimes I wonder why I have stayed here and I think that the main reason is that I've been given the opportunity to do so many different things that I forgot to notice how much time was passing. I became Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences in 1997 and remained in that position until 2007; during my tenure in the Dean's Office I also co-coordinated ISU's Lilly grant to transform the first year experience and was able to help increase our student success in terms of rate of persistence to 72% (from a benchmark pre-grant of 64%). Those five years connected me with a wonderful community of colleagues nationally and internationally who care about such things. Also as Associate Dean I became the first person from ISU selected as an American Council on Education Fellow, which let me leave ISU for one year and shadow a wonderful president of another university. Throughout, I have been able to remain involved and engaged in what matters most to me--working with students to ensure we create a world that is more just and characterized more by compassion and joy than by hatred and fear. Education is the only real "magic" in the world and it is my privilege to be part of that work--at ISU.

 
What do you do at ISU? I am a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Administration, and Foundations. My faculty role relates to the preparation of K-12 principals and superintendents. I am currently serving as Dean of the College of Education.

Why did you choose ISU? ISU was always a “professional home” or “center” for me while serving as a school principal and superintendent. ISU was my go-to place when faced with school challenges. Faculty were readily available to listen, coach and mentor me through the day-to-day challenges of being an educator. I wanted to give back to the profession of education as ISU faculty had done for me in years past. ISU helped ensure my professional success, and I could think of no better university to work for – one that truly places students first!

 
What do you do at ISU? I work to promote the climate, competencies and connections that will enhance the lives of all our students, staff, faculty and administrative personnel as well as others who live in the greater Terre Haute community. The ISU Office of Diversity, working in conjunction with the President's Council on Diversity, advocates for practices, programs and policies that model equity and lead to multicultural excellence. I work with students and student organizations who want to grow in their understanding of diversity and to share their cultural traditions and expressions with the broader University and Terre Haute community.

Why did you choose ISU? I sensed a commitment to inclusive excellence at ISU – from the students to the President. The whole community is speaking in the same terms. We value diversity and hope to learn how to better leverage that diversity for enhancing our relationships, building more creative teams, and preparing ourselves for life in a global society.

 
What do you do at ISU? I am senior running back on the ISU Football team majoring in Exercise Science.

Why did you choose ISU? I chose ISU because I was given the opportunity to play the running back position here after I transferred from Kentucky. I felt like this senior class has the potential to change the program around to where it needs to be.

 
What do you do at ISU? I am the Director of Choral Activities here at ISU.

Why did you choose ISU? I chose ISU because it has a dynamic music faculty that cares about its students. Not only can they teach, but they are internationally known performers.