College of Education honors philanthropy, friends

The NIU College of Education's Donor Recognition Dinner was held Friday, May 20, at NIU-Naperville.

The Donor Recognition Dinner is sponsored by the college's Alumni Council and Development Board. The dinner provides the college an opportunity to honor its donors and to share with them how their gifts have made a difference to the college.

Each year at this event, the Philanthropic Award and Friend of the College Awards are presented during the dinner. The College of Education Development Board nominates and selects recipients who exemplify the spirit of giving and who have made a significant difference to the college through their generosity.

This year, the College of Education recognized Dr. Lou Jean Moyer and Dr. Tom and Mrs. Shirley Scott.

The College of Education Alumni Council also recognizes exceptional friends of the college. Recipients of the Friend of the College of Education are selected based on a number of criteria that include long-term service and/or support, influence over state and federal educational policy, and volunteerism in support of the college.

This year the College of Education recognized Penny Fike Cameron, Frederick Kitterle, and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert.

Lou Jean Moyer

The College of Education is pleased to recognize Dr. Lou Jean Moyer for her generous support of the College of Education and the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

Moyer came to NIU in 1962 after earning her doctoral degree at the University of Iowa . She served on the faculty in Physical Education until 1988 and was widely recognized by students and faculty as an excellent teacher. During that same time, Moyer served as the women's volleyball coach, and her teams enjoyed great success. From 1988 until her retirement in 1992, she served as NIU's associate provost.

Moyer believes that students come first, and worked long hours to ensure that all students received quality programs and instruction. She worked tirelessly to improve the retention rates of minority students. As a faculty member, she was very active in the curricular process at all levels, serving on a variety of committees, several of which she chaired.

Upon her retirement, Moyer's parents established and endowed the Lou Jean Moyer Scholarship in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education. This scholarship supports undergraduate physical education majors in achieving their dreams. She is devoted in her support of the ideal of helping others reach their fullest potential.

Thomas and Shirley Scott

The College of Education is pleased to recognize Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Shirley Scott for their generous support of the College.

Together, the Scotts have been strong advocates and financial supporters for many years.

Tom received the first doctoral degree in Adult and Continuing Education awarded by NIU and served as the assistant dean in the College of Continuing Education at NIU for more than 10 years. His passion for lifelong learning led him to become the director of extended learning and dean of the evening and weekend program at George Williams College , his alma mater. Tom is currently a real estate associate in Glen Ellyn.

Shirley, a lifelong educator, taught first and second grades in Franklin Park, Lombard and Elmhurst . Since retiring, she volunteers her time to tutor young children and works on a variety of community service projects at NIU and in Elmhurst.

The Scotts established an endowed scholarship in the College of Education for students from the Chicago metro area who want to become teachers, are involved in the School-University Partnership program and plan to return to the Chicago area to teach. Higher education has been an important part of the lives of Tom and Shirley Scott, and they are committed to assisting others in realizing and expanding their potential in the academic world.

Friend of the College Awards

Dennis Hastert

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert has been a strong supporter of the College of Education and Northern Illinois University for many years. He earned his master's degree in educational foundations, focusing on educational philosophy.

As a congressman and Speaker of the House, he has worked to improve the educational atmosphere for all students, from kindergarten through graduate school. Among Representative Hastert's many efforts on behalf of education and the university is the funding and subsequent acquisition of the Monsanto, Inc. property in DeKalb. This new facility will house clinics that focus on serving children and families and will soon be the new home to the College of Education 's Reading Clinic.

Representative Hastert and his wife, Jean, return to Illinois frequently and to NIU when his schedule permits.

Penny Cameron

Penny Cameron has been a strong and consistent supporter of the College of Education for many years. She is a graduate of the elementary education program and a former third grade teacher.

Service to others has been a guiding force in Cameron's life as evidenced by her involvement in a number of organizations focused on helping women and children. She recently retired from more than 24 years of service to the Kane County Board. During her more than 10 years of service to the College's Alumni Council, Cameron served as the College of Education Alumni Council chair and as the alumni liaison to the Development Board.

Cameron's exemplary commitment to serving others is further evidenced by the establishment of the Penny Fike Cameron Scholarship in the College of Education . Cameron and her husband, Ken, are frequent visitors to the College of Education and to a variety of NIU events on and off campus.

Fred Kitterle

Dr. Fred Kitterle came to NIU in 1995 as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

A passionate advocate for teacher education at Northern Illinois University , he created a strong partnership between the College of Education and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to enhance the quality of teacher preparation programs at NIU and the quality of support provided to local schools.

As a critical member of the NIU P-20 group, Kitterle's drive and ideas pushed forward collaborative projects that brought faculty members from various colleges together in efforts to improve education. He was co-principal investigator on two multi-million dollar grants with the College of Education : a Teacher Quality Enhancement grant in Rockford (Project REAL) and a Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology grant (the ITAAR project). He played an active role in both grants, using his wit and humor to bring disparate groups together around a common purpose.

Kitterle was proud of his collaboration with the College of Education , and was active in disseminating information about the partnerships between the two colleges through presentations and publications. He encouraged other liberal arts and sciences deans to get involved in supporting teacher education.

In May 2005, NIU lost Kitterle to cancer.

The College of Education recognizes Kitterle for his commitment to teacher education and for his consistent support and advocacy for the College of Education , and will miss his indomitable spirit.

6-6-05