31 minute read
One McKendree
Eggleston Succeeds Bahr as Provost
Dr. Tami Eggleston became McKendree University’s chief academic officer on Jan. 1, following a rigorous national search to succeed Dr. Christine Bahr, who retired as provost on Dec. 31, 2020.
Chris, who served the University since 2008, developed academic retreats and the Academic Excellence Celebration, improved onboarding for faculty, helped create the Student Success and Advising Center, successfully guided the University through two Higher Learning Commission accreditation visits, advocated for a more diverse faculty, and served for many years on the Social Justice and Equity Committee.
President Daniel Dobbins noted Tami’s “exemplary work ethic, creative and positive approach to problem solving, and her innate ability to energize others in their efforts to bring forward and implement solutions.”
Tami joined the faculty in 1996 and has been a professor of psychology and the associate provost for institutional effectiveness. As an associate provost since 2007, she oversaw the contract and payroll process for part-time faculty, organized the McKendree Values Part-time Faculty (MVP) orientation, coordinated the Teaching for Excellence (T4E) faculty development program, led the University’s award-winning assessment efforts, and participated in its last two successful Higher Learning Commission (HLC) visits.
She also serves as an HLC peer reviewer and a National Institute of Learning Outcomes and Assessment speaker. She is an Association of Applied Sport Psychology Certified Mental Performance Consultant, working with student-athletes on teams from the McKendree Bearcats to local high schools. She often presents about teaching, technology, strategic planning and assessment at various conferences and campuses. She enjoys finding specific, practical strategies that make a difference in what matters most—students.
https://www.mckendree.edu/news/ eggleston-provost.php
Academic Excellence Thrives
Dr. Tami Eggleston, Dr. Jean (Scheller) Sampson ’83 and Dr. Darren Cross presented senior Kristen Abbott with an Outstanding Business Students with graduation cords at a special ceremony in the Hett lobby.
Dr. Jessica Campbell, director of the Honors Program, presented senior Payton Price with a certificate upon completion of the McKendree Honors Program.
Senior Oliver Stephen presented “Creating a Culture of Ethical Computing in the IT Workplace” as part of the virtual AEC.
Greetings to New Trustees
The Board of Trustees has welcomed four new members in 2021. (A.) Richard Lloyd of Lebanon, Ill., was sworn in on May 1. He is a retired Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.
(B.) Deborah Belsheim, of Venice, Fla., and O’Fallon, Ill., was appointed to the board in March. Deborah has enjoyed a long relationship with the University as a donor and a partner with Locust Hills Village LLC, which gifted two of its McKendree West student apartment buildings and real estate to the University in 2017. Her late husband, Harold, was also a trustee.
Joining the board on Jan. 8 were (C.) R. Wayne Klenke, of Clayton, Mo., a partner and wealth advisor at AXIUS Financial; and (D.) Joe Koppeis, a Columbia, Ill., resident who is employed by Admiral Parkway Development commercial real estate and retail operations.
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New Director of Public Safety
Tony Tomlinson was sworn in as the new director of public safety by President Daniel Dobbins during a ceremony on April 19.
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Fond Farewells to New Retirees
by Stephanie (Coartney) Dulaney, ’10 The University community congratulates and thanks these longtime faculty and staff members who, collectively, represent 138 years of service to McKendree!
Shirley Baugh ’78
Director of Human Resources, 1997-2021
First a student and then an employee, Shirley Baugh ’78 never expected to find herself back on campus nearly two decades after graduating, however she quickly became an essential part of the University.
Shirley worked in real estate and at a credit union before taking a few years away from the workplace to raise her children. When she was ready for a change again, she noticed McKendree had a payroll position open and jumped on the opportunity. “I was hired by the first director of human resources in McKendree’s history,” she said. “His name was Hugh Place, and he was my mentor. He had a way of encouraging and empowering me that gave me confidence.” Thanks to his urging, Shirley returned to the classroom to earn her Human Resources certificate and master’s degree, preparing her for the role she would one day fill.
Since becoming the director of human resources in 2005, Shirley has helped hundreds of McKendree employees navigate life issues related to health insurance and benefits, as well as personal and professional concerns.
Her McKendree memories span over four decades, from living on campus with her twin sister twin sister, Sheila (Baugh) Smith ‘78, as a college student to being on stage at commencement when her son, Keith Jacob ‘07, accepted his McKendree diploma. Even the academic mace holds special significance for her because she witnessed the entire process of its creation, from selecting the tree for its wood to the first time it was used. “I just remember thinking I have witnessed history in the making,” she said.
Shirley now plans to enjoy one of her favorite hobbies, golf, as well as lots of quality time with her grandchildren. She hopes the McKendree community remembers her as a helpful and positive person devoted to her alma mater and its people.
Deanne Riess, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Health and Physical Education, 2002-2021
Dr. Deanne Riess’ teaching career spanned more than 40 years, almost half of which she spent guiding and shaping a generation of McKendree students. In April she was named the 2021 United Methodist Exemplary Teacher of the Year, an award given by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. It recognizes excellence in teaching, civility and concern for students and colleagues, commitment to value-centered education, and service to students, the institution and the community. In her courses, Deanne focused on topics to benefit students’ wellbeing and give them a strong foundation to serve them in their future careers, whether in education or health sciences. Her areas of expertise include wellness, holistic teaching and learning, motor development, and the use of technology to enhance learning.
While she loved her time in the classroom, some of Deanne’s most memorable experiences involved serving with students in the McKendree community. “One of my favorite memories was working the Special Olympics time trials each spring,” she said. “Experiencing competition with these athletes provided so many positive moments, not to mention incredible joy. Our students also gained an invaluable experience and lifelong memories working the event.”
Deanne looks forward to new adventures in retirement and says she will miss her friendships of nearly 20 years and time with students the most. She hopes to be remembered on campus simply as someone who loved to teach and learn.
“I have truly enjoyed the journey and have been blessed to have had the opportunity to meet and touch so many lives,” she said. “I believe teaching and learning are reciprocal events, and both require passion and dedication. My two-cents’ worth of wisdom is to love what you do and to respect others. The rest, most times, will take care of itself.”
For her years of service to McKendree, she was named Professor Emerita at the 2021 commencement ceremony.
Sara Bolten, M.S., R.N., C.N.E.
Senior Instructor of Nursing, 1997-2021
Sara Bolten began nursing at the Kentucky campus nearly 25 years ago, and while the times have changed, her love for the McKendree environment has not.
“At that time, we offered nursing classes one day per week at the Louisville campus and one day per week at the Radcliff campus,” she said. “Our classes tended to be large—often 30plus students—and most students took three nursing courses and one general education course on that day, so those class days were intense for all of us.”
The hard work was most rewarding, however, when Sara met the families of her students on graduation day. Seeing the pride in the eyes of parents, grandparents and children made her remember why teaching is her passion.
Nursing history is also an area of interest for Sara, and she plans to continue her research in this field during retirement. This fall she will present a paper she co-wrote with former McKendree professor Dr. Mary Ann Thompson at the American Association for the History of Nursing conference.
Sara plans to travel abroad in her retirement and spend lots of time rocking her newborn grandson. She will miss the moments shared with her students and fellow faculty members. “I am most thankful for the opportunities McKendree has afforded me through the years and for the chance to work with so many caring and kind-hearted people,” she said. “I hope I have added to the McKendree experience in a positive way here in Kentucky.”
Sara was granted Professor Emerita status at the 2021 commencement ceremony, making her a lifetime member of the McKendree community.
Reverend Dr. B. Tim Harrison
Chaplain and Director of Church Relations, 1998-2021
For the last 23 years, the Reverend Dr. Tim Harrison has been as constant and defining a feature on the McKendree campus as Bothwell Chapel itself. Not only has he brought meaningful spiritual enrichment to campus, but he has also supported students individually, encouraging them through some of the best or toughest moments in their lives.
Tim has had a passion for teaching since he earned his undergraduate degree in elementary and special education. After seminary and time spent serving as a minister, he found the perfect way to unite his love for ministry and teaching young people. “It has always been my desire to help young people during young adulthood in this important and transitional time of their faith journey,” he said.
During his time as chaplain, Tim has touched countless lives and created powerful memories, from holding an impromptu gathering and service in the chapel following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack to leading dozens of immersion trips locally and abroad to give students a broader world view. His work to further social justice issues and encourage inclusion and diversity on campus has made McKendree a better place for those from all backgrounds.
Tim was honored to be named a Presidential Excellence for Professional Service Award winner and grateful to have met his wife, Danielle, at McKendree. He looks forward to returning to church ministry after his retirement from McKendree. “I will miss the excitement in young people as I assisted in their discovery of new things about the world, about themselves, and about their faith,” he said. “I hope that I will be thought of as a servant leader and one who tried to work for the good of others and bring them an understanding of God’s love and grace in their lives. I hope that each person I came in contact with felt and knew that they were important and that they matter to God and to me, regardless of their job title, where they were from, or their faith or non-faith identity.”
Jill M. Weil
Assistant Director of Information Technology, 1972-December 2020
Jill M. Weil began working for McKendree in 1972, the year she graduated from high school. In December, she retired after 48 years of service. “I tell people, ‘I came to work at McKendree and forgot to leave,’” she jokes. Around campus she was known for her impressive Bearcat spirit, love of purple, and passion for the people and place to which she dedicated her entire professional life.
A native of Lebanon, Ill., Jill grew up on Merrill Street, just a few steps away from campus front lawn. She graduated from Lebanon High School and was hired as a secretary for McKendree’s director of institutional research. “There were no computers when I started,” she said. “My boss became the vice president for finance and planning. Then we got computers, and the programmers arrived in November of ’77. Shortly thereafter I moved down there. Training was hands-on. The disk plates were huge.”
Jill’s position transitioned from the Finance Department to what would become the Information Technology Office. Although the technology itself has evolved immensely over the years, one task she continued to do throughout her entire career was IPEDS, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System state and federal reporting of enrollment statistics. She recalls keeping track of student data on blue index cards when technology was in its early stages on campus.
Some of Jill’s fondest memories of McKendree took place during the times she became involved in campus life. She loved working the door for men’s and women’s basketball games, wrestling matches, and volleyball games when competitions were held in the old Bearcat Gym. Jill’s presence on campus was a constant for all who knew her and benefitted from her wit, good humor and kind spirit.
$750K Gift Endows New $5K Nursing Scholarships
A $750,000 gift to endow new scholarships offered by the Division of Nursing will enable many more students to earn their degrees, advance their careers, and develop skills to improve community health at a crucial time.
“The impact of the COVID-19 virus has dramatically reinforced the need for a health care workforce skilled in community nursing,” said Dr. Richelle Rennegarbe ’92, nursing division chair. “The Division of Nursing is honored and thrilled to have received this donation to provide scholarships to nurses practicing in the field of population health.”
The $5,000 Diana Joyce Doros Endowed Scholarship will be available each year to qualified nurses who do not receive tuition reimbursement from their employers. Applicants may include nurses working in critical access hospitals, public health departments, primary care provider practices, schools and parishes, home health agencies and hospices.
The new scholarship was made possible by the generosity of a forward-thinking donor, the late Nancye Doros of Oceanside, Calif. During her annual visits to the area, Mrs. Doros became familiar with McKendree University through a local family friend who serves on the Board of Trustees. “She visited the campus, enjoyed events at the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, and recognized the quality and value of a McKendree education,” said President Daniel Dobbins.
Mrs. Doros made a $750,000 gift in memory of her daughter Diana, remembering the nurses who helped and cared for Diana, who had cancer before she passed away in 1994. “Mrs. Doros knew the potential and lasting impact her gift would have on health outcomes in communities at the local, state and national levels,” said President Dobbins.
Scholarship applications will be accepted until July 15 for the fall semester. For information, visit mckendree.edu/bsn or mckendree.edu/msn or call Carol Fairlie, student services specialist, at (618) 537-6507.
To be eligible, a student must be initiating a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program or a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program in population health.
Few MSN programs in the nation offer a population health track. McKendree’s unique program addresses a shifting health care focus on community and personal well-being. With an emphasis on rural and underserved areas—often areas of greater hardship and health disparities—it provides students with real, relevant experiences to influence improved, sustainable health and wellness. The curriculum incorporates best evidence and practices; experiential learning; and strong collaborative partnerships with local, state and national resources and supporting organizations. These include public health departments, critical access hospitals, the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN), and the Illinois Academic/Public Health Partnership.
“What a wonderful opportunity for nurses serving our rural hospitals in Illinois,” said Pat Schou, ICAHN executive director. “Rarely are there education funds to help student nurses and those nurses seeking advanced degrees so they can work in their rural communities. McKendree University has been a good partner to rural hospitals and educating many of the nurses in our rural hospitals today. McKendree has a highly regarded nursing program, and this new nursing scholarship program represents the school’s commitment and dedication to nursing and rural healthcare.”
Nursing program graduate Melinda Albers ’96, MSN, RN, PEL/CN, understands firsthand the value and opportunities the Doros Scholarship will offer future students. “The BSN program at McKendree provided me with knowledge in leadership, management and evidence-based practice. This knowledge was instrumental in assisting me to successfully operate the health office in my new position as a school nurse,” said Melinda, who is employed by West Washington County District #10 in Okawville, Ill. “I’m grateful I was able to complete the program by paying for it by myself, but it was not without some sacrifice. A scholarship would have been extremely helpful for me and my growing family at that time.”
A ‘Voter Friendly Campus’
McKendree’s ongoing commitment to civic and electoral engagement has earned is a “Voter Friendly Campus” designation by two national nonpartisan organizations, the Campus Vote Project and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
The Bearcats Vote team held several voter registration drives, socially distanced presidential debate-watching gatherings and informative events about the candidates and issues before the Nov. 3 general election. On-campus resident student voters and residents of three local precincts cast their ballots at the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts polling place.
“We’ll continue to encourage our students to register and then vote, including during local and midterm elections as well,” said Dr. Ann Collins, professor of political science, who oversees the initiative with Jennifer Funk, M.A.Ed. ‘14, public services librarian. “It’s so important for students to realize the power of their voice and then vote at all levels of government. More and more students are beginning to understand that.”
Campus Pivots in Response to COVID-19
Minimizing the risk of coronavirus among the University community has required a comprehensive and ongoing effort by the COVID-19 Response Team, health services, the Bearcat athletics program, Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, Sodexo food and facilities management, and others across the campus. Many faculty members continued to teach virtually or in a hybrid model combining classroom and remote learning. Protective Plexiglas barriers were installed, masks were distributed, offices and community spaces were realigned, quarantine housing was established, and cleaning, disinfecting and social distancing measures were put into place.
Free drive-through and walk-up mobile COVID-19 testing has been held several times in partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the St. Clair County Health Department. McKendree also partnered with Walgreens and the IDPH to offer vaccinations at the Hett.
Adhering to state-mandated restrictions for group gatherings, the dining hall and 1828 limited their capacity and offered take out service and a grab-and-go food cart. Bearcat athletic teams practiced in small group “pods” to reduce exposure and vulnerability. During the spring semester, the majority of athletic teams competed in shortened seasons with no limited spectators.
In November, students and alumni collaborated to stage the play “10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine” to a limited in-person audience and live-streamed online. On the front lawn, the Chamber Choir, Concert Choir and Concert Band performed multiple concerts under the direction of Dr. John McDonald, assistant professor of music education, and Dr. Jennifer Moder-Bell, professor of music education.
Inspired by his faith and desire to make a positive impact, a call to service has been a key part of the college experience for Caleb Shipley ’21. The elementary and special education major is McKendree University’s Student Laureate, the state’s highest student honor for leadership, service and excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities. The Lincoln Academy of Illinois gives the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award annually to a noteworthy senior from each college and university in Illinois.
Caleb has been a student ambassador, First-Year Introduction group leader, and member of Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Eta Sigma academic honor societies. He earned Academic All-Conference honors for three years as a Bearcat football student-athlete. As the Fellowship of Christian Athletes president, he organized a “Fields of Faith” worship and testimonial service which drew more than 100 participants in 2019.
He is eager to become a devoted mentor to young people as he begins his special education teaching and coaching career. “I want to integrate more of the special education community into drama, athletics, music, and any other extracurricular activity,” he said. “My goal for my career is to positively impact as many lives as possible.”
https://www.mckendree.edu/news/ special-education-major-lincoln-laureate.php https://www.mckendree.edu/news/society-excellencepsychology-boysen.php
McKendree University Debaters Take Second at National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence
Mitch Deleel ‘21 and junior Kyle Garrett made school history by advancing to the final round of the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence (NPTE) for the first time ever.
https://www.mckendree.edu/news/debaterssecond-nationals.php
Psychology Professor Earns National Teaching Award
The Society for the Teaching of Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association, gave its highest national award to Dr. Guy Boysen at its virtual Annual Conference on Teaching in October. Criteria for the Robert S. Daniel Teaching Excellence Award are effective teaching; mentoring student professional development; advancing teaching and learning through scholarship and service; and training teachers of psychology.
Guy mentors senior thesis and honors thesis students, designing his research with opportunities for their involvement. Students have collaborated with him to create or analyze surveys or co-author research publications and professional presentations on subjects including trigger warnings and mental illness stigma.
MLK Humanitarian Awards Honor Student Leaders
Shelby Benn ‘21, Giavonni “Gigi” Hopkins ‘21, Dr. Pamela Manning and Dr. Martha Patterson received the 2021 MLK Humanitarian Awards.. Dr. Patterson dedicated her award to Dr. J.L. Simmons ’88 for her commitment to diversity and inclusion, her service to the university and region, and her devotion as a mentor to young people.
https://www.mckendree.edu/news/mlk-humanitarian-awards-2021.php
Associate Faculty
The Associate Faculty Awards for Excellence in Teaching honor the commitment, academic excellence, outstanding teaching and engagement of two part-time associate professors. This year’s honorees are Heather Schoenherr ’96, an undergraduate communication instructor for 22 years; and Joan Winkelmann, an instructor in the MBA program for 12 years.
https://www.mckendree.edu/news/parttime-faculty-award-2021.php
CBDNA Intercollegiate Marching Band
Nine Marching Bearcat Band members were selected to perform in the Intercollegiate Marching Band, organized by the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA). Joining nearly 2,000 band students from more than 200 colleges and universities were: sophomore Brad Eston, tuba/baritone; junior Julian Castillo and Justin Walters ‘21 , bass drum; sophomore Rachel Tucker, trumpet; senior Zach Langa, alto saxophone; seniors Erika Axtell and Michelle Schrock, junior Victoria Aunger and sophomore Breanna Sampo, color guard.
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=dVYM1UNqu6Y
Emerson Award
Dr. Darryn Diuguid, professor of education, received a 2020 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award.
https://www.mckendree.edu/news/ education-professor-award-2020.php
President’s Staff Awards
Praising their leadership, dedication and accomplishments, McKendree University President Daniel Dobbins announced Assistant Dean and Registrar Debbie Larson and Director of Public Safety Ranodore (Ran) Foggs as the 2021 recipients of the President’s Award for Professional Excellence.
https://www.mckendree.edu/news/staffexcellence-2021.php
While college marching bands were forced to the sidelines in 2020, the CBDNA Intercollegiate Marching Band kept the spirit alive by performing a special arrangement of Beyonce’s “End of Time” together virtually. The two-minute video premiered on Jan. 11, 2021, during halftime of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, shown in the stadium and online.
A Skull, a Screen, and a Quarantine: Teaching Shakespeare during the Pandemic
by Dr. Nichole DeWall
In more than a decade of teaching Romeo and Juliet at my small liberal arts college, I’d never had a student walk through class wearing only a towel. Then again, I’d never taught Shakespeare during a pandemic before.
Like many first-time remote instructors, I prepped my fall semester by researching best practices in synchronous online education, fretting about bandwidth and Zoom fatigue. But while my colleagues agonized over being so far away from our students, I worried about the opposite: that Zoom teaching brought us too close.
For all its usefulness, we’ve learned that Zoom is very bad at keeping secrets, and that concerned me. I was neither interested in my students’ secrets nor particularly keen to share mine. I knew my students would Zoom in from spaces that in pre-pandemic times they’d kept private: dorms, cars, locker rooms, and family homes. I was planning to teach from my bedroom while my two young children attended virtual school from makeshift workspaces in our house. Without the more neutral space of the classroom, it all felt way too personal.
You see, I’ve never been the kind of professor who knows much about her students’ personal lives. While I enthusiastically support their public endeavors—concerts, athletic events, thesis presentations—I don’t often know who they’re dating, what they post on social media, or what they do after hours. My students and I tend to form lasting connections by reading great literature together.
Likewise, I don’t share much about my private life beyond the occasional anecdote. My ability to be discrete, of course, is a marker of privilege: I don’t have a visible disability that divulges itself to the world without my consent, and the luxury of steady childcare ensures that my kids never accompany me to work. During my two pregnancies, I resented my swelling body for broadcasting my private business to my classes. When my students organized a baby shower for me, I was touched by the gesture; inwardly, though, I cringed.
As an assistant professor—newly minted, young, and female—I was advised against becoming too chummy with my students: “Don’t try to be their friends,” a colleague warned, “you’ll lose all authority.” Perhaps I inherited a certain stoicism from my Scandinavian ancestors, or as a Gen-Xer I’ll never understand my students’ generational embrace of self-revelation. In truth, I am envious of my colleagues’ more casual relationships with our students and their seemingly effortless abilities to move fluidly between their professional and private selves. They pepper their lectures with personal stories of loss, persistence, and joy. My colleagues adorn their offices with family photos and their kids’ artwork; my well-worn facsimile of the First Folio is the most personal object on display in mine.
It’s no wonder, then, that the idea of Zoom teaching felt so uncomfortable: it threatened to rupture my careful seal between work and home. “I feel like teaching from home will humanize me,” a colleague said. I nodded, and wondered what I was missing. What I did miss was the liminal stillness of my commute through the rural Illinois countryside. I missed feeling the quiet morning calm of campus give way to the scuttle and rush of students. I longed for the small rituals of the classroom: a backpack unzipping, a pencil poised, a book spine splaying. Above all, I missed the cathedral-like hush that descended upon us when we read out Shakespeare’s words.
I attempted to make new rituals. I commandeered a corner of our bedroom and staged it with bookshelves and a few select objects: Yorick’s skull, the Droeshout portrait. If my space looked enough like my campus office, my students wouldn’t sense the basket of dirty laundry or unmade bed just a few feet away. In a few weeks, I thought, I would forget how unnatural this all feels.
Teaching is performative; as a Shakespearean, I am undismayed by the notion that we are all actors on the world’s stage. As my students tentatively filtered into our Zoom classroom on the first day, I was determined to play the role of The Before Times Professor: rigorous, professional, and competent.
But it became clear after the first week that my students needed something different from me. They were at sea. They needed connections, not complications. They needed a professor who was more open, more vulnerable: a Falstaff, not a Henry IV.
And so I adapted. I forced myself to get personal. I shared my fears about the rising coronavirus cases in our area. I asked students to introduce me to their pets, children, and roommates. They lounged around on their beds, Zoomed in from their (parked) cars, and attended sessions during their breaks at McDonald’s. “I put up a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign for our writing conference,” a student revealed one afternoon, sheepishly, “but . . . well . . .” His voice trailed off. It was clear from his roommates’ game of Grand Theft Auto in the background that his request had gone unheeded. “No biggie,” I said, and reminded him of our newly adopted class mottos: “Come as you are” and “Embrace the weirdness.” My students were doing their best, and their efforts were commendable.
Before COVID-19, I dismissed get-to-know-you games as wastes of time; now I scoured the internet for virtual icebreakers. I let my students choose which pair of Shakespeare-themed socks I wore and polled them about their favorite Thanksgiving foods. One morning, I asked my 10-year-old son to recite Puck’s epilogue for the class. When my seven-year-old misplaced the password to one of her many e-learning apps, I stepped away briefly; my students understood. I exhaled.
The pandemic, of course, had a way of making everything personal. As the virus stalked closer to our small Midwestern town, my students and I braced for impact. My students’ parents, siblings, and grandparents lost their jobs or got sick. Together, we bore witness to the horrors of human frailty. The morning that preliminary vaccine efficacy data were released, we cheered in celebration.
The virus didn’t care about my students’ precious college experiences. Despite my university’s best efforts, some of my students became sick and quarantined during the semester. Most of them made full recoveries, but one infected student confessed that she’d lost vision in her left eye. My heart sank. “I’m so sorry that this is happening to you,” I said, and instinctively placed my hand on my screen. She smiled back anxiously. After that first week, I made a conscious decision to adopt a new teaching persona, one who turned away from complicating Shakespeare and leaned into my students’ connections to the plays. Instead of focusing on A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s allegorical references to Queen Elizabeth, my students were drawn to Titania’s plague-infested forest and its altered seasons. This upside-down world resonated with them like never before.
When we reached Hamlet’s churchyard scene, I held my plastic skull up to the camera. While students peered into Yorick’s hollow sockets, we talked of our pandemic’s memento mori: refrigerated morgue trucks, intubators, and N95 masks. Even so, we managed a few laughs. Prince Hal’s conflict between the Boar’s Head Tavern and his father’s court was my students’ conflict too: “He just wants to go out and have a beer with his buddies,” one student remarked, sighing, “I can totally relate.” When Friar John is quarantined in Romeo and Juliet, a student exclaimed, “No wonder the play feels apocalyptic! They’re in the middle of a pandemic, too!” “Excellent point,” I affirmed. “I guess Romeo and Juliet forgot about that whole social distancing thing, huh?,” another student quipped. Pandemic humor.
I worried that my students’ experiences in my class were not as robust or rigorous as their pre-pandemic peers’. But perhaps this semester had revealed the immense generosity of Shakespeare’s work. The plays expanded, contracted, and accommodated. They were always just what we needed them to be.
I harbor no illusions that one semester of pandemic teaching will radically change who I am as a professor or as a person. I will probably never decorate my campus office with family pictures or connect with students on social media. Going forward, though, I will try to better understand my students’ needs, even if doing so feels uncomfortable at first. It took a once-in-a-century pandemic to show me just how full my students’ lives are, and I won’t soon forget that lesson.
During our last class, I intended to deliver inspirational remarks about the persistence of the human spirit and the power of the humanities; instead, I simply told my students what an honor it was to be their teacher. They each waved goodbye from their little gray box, and I took a moment to capture this final pandemic tableau in my mind’s eye. Then I logged off.
Nichole DeWall, Ph.D., is a professor of English at McKendree University. She teaches medieval and early modern literature as well as drama and composition courses. Her research focuses on teaching Shakespeare and representations of disease in early modern drama.
This article originally appeared in The Teaching Professor on March 15, 2021.
https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/covid19/a-skull-a-screen-and-a-quarantine-teachingshakespeare-during-the-pandemic/
Commencement 2021 Debut
Traveling Salvation Show Great Day to be a Bearcat
Commencement 2021 Debut Lights on the Entryway
A Sister Bell
Since 1859, the Bothwell Chapel bell has rung out across the campus to mark the time and special occasions such as commencement and weddings. Cast in Spain in the eighth century, it was brought to the U.S., and later purchased for McKendree in 1855 by President Nelson Cobleigh and Risdon Moore, an 1850 graduate, mathematics professor and Army colonel in the Civil War.
In October the University acquired a “sister bell” from the Niedringhaus United Methodist Church in Granite City, Ill. Its measurements (25 x 31.5 inches) and classic Greek design of a lady with a lyre are a close match to the Bothwell Chapel bell, and both were recast by the same St. Louis foundry. The sister bell will be transported via cart to ring at football games, homecoming, parades and other celebrations.
Hett Virtual Events
The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts used alternate platforms this season to entertain audiences in safe, innovative ways. Socially distanced crowds enjoyed the U.S. Air Force Band Starlifter and The Jorrells from their vehicles, drive-in style via FM transmission.
The Traveling Salvation Show delivered an energetic, Neil Diamond tribute in a virtual concert to conclude #GivingTuesday on Dec. 1. On its YouTube channel, the Hett streamed a new “Campus Speaks” interview series, a “Soul of St. Louis” Black History Month concert on Feb. 23, and a “Women of McKendree” Women’s History Month event on March 30, featuring soprano Christine Brewer ’76.
Helping at the Holidays
The generosity of many McKendreans brightened the holiday season for local residents who faced an especially challenging year in 2020. The University joined with the ministerial alliance to support 48 families, including 113 children, in surrounding communities for the annual Christmas Families Project. The McKendree community contributed $2,008 in cash, checks and gift cards to the collaborative effort of other groups and churches to help those in need.
On campus, a food drive held during Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in November collected more than 1,700 non-perishable items for the Bearcat Pantry, which assists residential students, particularly those who remain on campus when the dining hall is closed.
See our New Location
305 Stanton Street, Lebanon, Illinois
1-4 PM Thursday-Sunday gallery@mckendree.edu to schedule a visit
The McKendree University Gallery of Art has moved! Come see us at our all-new, on-campus location at 305 Stanton Street. The new gallery space is freshly renovated, and was made open to the public in Spring 2021. This year, we were excited to feature solo senior exhibitions during the gallery’s debut. Our senior exhibitions this year featured works from Summer Brooks ‘21, Shakayla Clark ‘21, Dea’veon Harden-Smith ‘21, and Meina Rice ‘21 in the Spring 2021 gallery schedule.
Summer Brooks ‘21 | “Crown” Portfolio | https://summerbrooks828.wixsite.com/black-magic
Dea’veon Harden-Smith ‘21 | “Controller” Portfolio | https://deaveonhardensmith.wixsite.com/my-site Shakayla Clark ‘21 | “Father” Portfolio | https://kaycnite.wixsite.com/theobsidian
Meina Rice ‘21 | “Sisters” Portfolio | https://www.meinarice.com
