Daryl Dugas

What year did you start working at NIU?
2013

Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
I don't really have a "hometown." My family moved a lot when I was a kid. I currently live in Brookfield.

Where did you attend college and what degree(s) have you earned?
B.S. in chemistry from Benedictine University
M.S.Ed. in educational psychology from NIU
Ph.D. in comparative human development from the University of Chicago

In which department(s) do you teach?
Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

What do you like about working at NIU?
I appreciate that NIU gives me space to build my career in a way that’s meaningful for me. Teaching is important to me, and I’m allowed to put my energy into being an effective teacher. I’ve been able to build collaborative relationships with colleagues across campus to create programs that really make a difference in students’ lives. I’m so grateful to work here because I’m able to be who I want and need to be as a professor.

What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
There are people here to support you! I’ve had so many experiences with students where they missed an assignment or missed classes, and when I check in on them, they have so much going on and haven’t shared it with anyone. There’s a belief among many students (particularly those who are first generation, come from a low-income background or are from marginalized communities) that they have to make it on their own. You do not have to do all of this on your own! College is hard. You’re not the only one struggling. And a lot of that tuition money you spend is for resources like counseling services, the Huskie Academic Success Center and your academic advisor. If you’re struggling, it is not a sign that you’re failing. There are people here to help.

Tell us about a research or engaged learning project you have led.
Over the past several years, I’ve collaborated with colleagues in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to support STEM students’ ability to thrive. I worked on a program called BELONG in STEM that provided scholarships to STEM students with high financial need. My role in the program was to develop weekly support groups for scholars led by a graduate student in STEM. This was a really gratifying experience. Students talked about the support group as a space where they could talk about challenges and realize they weren’t the only ones struggling. There is real power in recognizing that people you respect are struggling in similar ways to you, and they said this helped them persist to complete their degrees. Currently, I’m working on a Noyce project funded by the NSF to prepare science teachers to teach in high-needs school districts. I wear a few different hats, but my main job is to run a support group for teachers after they graduate for their first two years in the field. This is a really important part of our program, since there is a high rate of teachers leaving the field in those initial years.

What do you enjoy most about mentoring students?
I think one of my strengths as a teacher is remembering what it was like for me when I was in my students’ place. As a mentor, my primary vision is to be the person I needed to be there for me when I was in their place. When I’m working with teaching candidates, this means telling them things about schools and teaching that nobody told me, making space for them to talk about the things they care about and that make them nervous about teaching, and to give them tools to address their worries and become the teacher they want to be. When I’m mentoring doctoral candidates writing their dissertation, this means sharing my own stories of feeling lost or frustrated when I was writing my dissertation and letting them know I have faith in them, that they will be able to get through this, just like I did.

What do you hope students take away from their college experience?
In our society right now, we have such a focus on the economic return on investment in higher education. Honestly, that’s understandable — college is really expensive. So yes, you do need to think about the future. But also, there are so many more things you can get out of college. I hope students take time to hang out with fellow students after class, go to involvement fairs to find clubs or activities that are meaningful to them, check out programs and events offered by all the centers around campus, and stay up later than they should talking with friends about an idea that came up in class that they’re really interested in. There is so much of yourself to discover, and these “extras” of college are what will give your life meaning beyond just a job.

What is your favorite memory of NIU?
Honestly, commencement is always a magical moment. So much work and intention culminating in this moment of achievement. I’ve had the honor of hooding doctoral candidates, seeing them succeed after years of hard work. I love being able to be part of that moment.

What fulfills you personally and professionally?
Being a dad is the most fulfilling part of my life. Spending time with my daughters, playing silly games or making up songs together, guiding and supporting them when they struggle — I love all of it. Even the annoying and frustrating parts. I also love co-parenting with my wife. It’s hard to put this into words — it feels corny typing it out. But being a dad is central to being me.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
When I was growing up, I wanted to be a doctor. Along the way, I realized that wasn’t a good fit for me — I have a rough time when other people are in physical pain. In high school, I discovered a love for chemistry and decided to go into research. But then in college I worked at a lab and saw what Ph.D. chemists actually did all day, and that wasn’t for me either. It was at that moment I decided to go into teaching. I taught high school science (mostly chemistry) for 10 years. All along while teaching high school, I had a feeling I’d want to move into teacher education, and I eventually went back to graduate school. I got my master’s in educational psychology right here at NIU, and then I left teaching to go back to school full time for my Ph.D. in human development. My dissertation was on the intersection between the first year of teaching and the transition to adulthood, and that work led me here, teaching in the College of Education.