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2024 - Steven Daniels
Faculty Senate
Dr. Steven W. Daniels began teaching in the Physics Department in 1991. He earned his Ph. D. in Physics from the University of Maryland. His research has included Optics, Lasers, and Plasma Physics. He has been PI on NSF, DARPA, and DOE grants, as well as several internal grants. Dr. Daniels was the driving force for events surrounding two Solar Eclipses at EIU. He has been the President of the Charleston Rotary Club, the President and also Treasurer for the Excellence in Education Foundation which supports the local school district, the President and also Secretary of the EIU Council of Chairs, and Chair of the Physics Department for many years. Dr. Daniels has shepherded the Electrical Engineering major from its inception to the point where two classes have graduated and it is a fully functioning and vital part of the curricular offerings of EIU. He is a longtime member of the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers executive board. He also serves on subcommittees of the American National Standards Institute which develops laser safety standards for the country. Dr. Daniels is an avid runner and has bowled on the Faculty-Staff Bowling League for over 30 years.
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2023 - Angela Yoder
Faculty Senate
Dr. Yoder began teaching in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education in 2000. She earned her Ph. D. in Counseling Psychology from Indiana State University. Her research has focused on play therapy, Child-parent relationship therapy adaptations (Child-senior relationship training in school settings), creative expression group therapy, self-care and foster parenting and has been published in internationally and nationally peer reviewed publications. She serves the department, university, and counseling community in a variety of ways. She is a licensed clinical psychologist, a registered play therapist, and a fierce advocate for children and families. She established both an introductory and an advanced play therapy course, as well as an annual play therapy conference which is attended by professional counselors, alumni and students. She advocated for student research posters and as a result, has been serving as the poster committee co-chair of the Illinois Association for Play Therapy for a number of years, allowing students the opportunity to advance their education. She is coordinator for clinical practicum and internships, co-advisor of Chi Sigma Iota, and provides presentations for students on self-care. But it is her service to her students that is her greatest joy, mentoring students in their clinical work, grant writing, research, publications, and presentations at the local, state and international levels where they have exceeded all expectations.
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2022 - Diane Burns
Faculty Senate
Since 2007, Dr. Diane Burns has been on the Eastern Illinois University faculty in the department of Geology and Geography, serving as Chair of the department since 2017. Dr. Burns earned her M.S. and PhD from the University of Wyoming after earning her undergraduate degree at California State University, Sacramento. Her research focuses on the geology of Wyoming and of East Central Illinois. Dr. Burns has provided invaluable service to EIU and to her discipline. Between 2018 and 2022, she was the national president of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, the national honors society for Earth Science. She continues to serve as a Vice President of that organization. She has been involved in the organization of numerous conferences. At Eastern, in the 2021-2022 academic year alone she was Chair of the Council of Chairs, Chair of the Science subcommittee on the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Strategic Planning Committee, Faculty Advisor for three Recognized Student Organizations, and served on numerous other University, College, and Departmental committees. This is typical for Dr. Burns’ formal service commitments over her years at Eastern, but at least as important is her dedication to serving her students, including mentoring student research, organizing field trips, and dedicating herself to student success and well-being. Dr. Burns truly exemplifies the commitment to service inside and outside the University that the Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award is meant to honor.
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2021 - Paul Switzer
Faculty Senate
Dr. Paul Switzer is a Professor in the Biological Sciences department at EIU. He is the founder and director of the Urban Butterfly Initiative (UBI), a multi-faceted, international community service organization dedicated to creating urban green spaces that are more ecologically functional by intergrating butterfly-friendly landscapes. UBI includes projects throughout Charleston, including on the EIU campus, and has spread internationally as well with sites now in India. Dr. Switzer forged important partnerships with the City of Charleston, IL Department of Natural Resources, Fox Ridge Foundation, EIU student group EIU Earthwise, the Rajana Trust in India, and many other stakeholders in the establishment of butterfly hotspots. Additionally, Dr. Switzer has organized a citizen science project affiliated with UBI, the Charleston Butterfly Blitz, as an annual event with over 40 participants in 2020 and 2021, resulting in 3500 butterfly observations. He serves as the president of the Grand Prairie Butterfly Club, which he created in 2003, and which now has nearly 400 members. Dr. Switzer plans the organization's fieldtrips and maintains their website, which serves as an important outreach endeavor. Dr. Switzer also initiated and developed the Box Turtle Community Project, another citizen science project. He regularly submits observations to iNaturalist and eBird, and he is the coordinator/developer of marine animal educational displays. On top of this intenstive outreach and community service, Dr. Switzer serves on myriad departmental committees, including Biological Science's DPC. Dr. Switzer's exceptional service record both on and off campus, particularly with the UBI, reflects the dedication to service that the Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award exemplifies. Congratulations, Dr. Switzer!
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2020 - Sheila Simons
Faculty Senate
Dr. Sheila Simons is a Professor in the Department of Public Health at EIU. She has been very active on the EIU GSD (Gender and Sexual Diversity) Advisory committee, which has involved mentoring students and assisting with planning for an HIV testing clinic. She also works with SACIS (Sexual Assault Counseling and Information Services) to offer training to staff and assist them with being able to see clients safely. During the COVID-19 pandemic she delivered information to the public and academic community through presentations and papers, spearheaded contract tracing on campus, and works to assist students and faculty with understanding proper procedures at EIU. Outside of EIU, she assisted with delivering food to older residents in the community and held community meetings to respond to questions regarding the virus. She puts students first by working to fundraise for scholarships and delivered needed items for students in quarantine. Her hard work and dedication to EIU and the community has been exceptional, particularly during a time of substantial disruption and concern.
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2019 - Danelle Larson
Faculty Senate
Dr. Danelle Larson (Music) is an Associate Professor of Music Education and Director of the Music Education Division at EIU. She has played a key role in the advancement of the MA programs in the music department as well as undergraduate education. She serves the music profession at the national and regional levels, while serving on many university, college and departmental committees. A few of these include serving as the President of the Music Teacher Educator Division of IL Music Educators Association (ILMEA) Board of Directors and Facilitator of the ILMEA’s New Music Teacher Mentorship Program. She visits schools in the region adjudicating area ensembles at music festivals, as well as bringing in nearly 300 students to campus each summer for music camp. This is in addition to being an active researcher, mentor, and devoted teacher.
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2018 - Melissa Ames
Faculty Senate
Dr. Melissa Ames (English) has been awarded the 2018 Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Ames is recognized for her dedicated service to the English department, EIU, her profession, and the community. In addition to serving on numerous university, college, and English department committees, she has done exceptional work in organizing and leading the English Department summer camp over the last four years. She also regularly volunteers in the public school, having served as a literacy volunteer in the Champaign Public School System, as a PTA Secretary, and a Young Author’s Contest facilitator and judge. This involvement demonstrates another way in which Dr. Ames shares her expertise as a member of the university learning community with the wider public and clearly ties into the work she does in teaching and mentoring future teachers.
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2017 - Heidi Larson
Faculty Senate
Dr. Heidi Larson (Counseling and Student Development) has been awarded the 2017 Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Larson's record of service is exemplary in regards to her work at EIU and in the surrounding community. She demonstrates professionalism and innovation when working with students, educating them on how to become better counselors, but leaders within their own communities. Dr. Larson has worked to assist students with internships and practicum experience, in addition to serving on multiple committees within her department. Most notably, her involvement in the Mattoon High School Mentoring Program (B.I.O.N.I.C. - Believe It Or Not I Care) clearly demonstrates her desire to help others, and to provide service to the community itself.
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2016 - Grant Sterling
Faculty Senate
Dr. Grant Sterling (Philosophy) has been awarded the 2016 Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Sterling has served at EIU for 25 years in the Department of Philosophy, taking on leadership roles and dedicating his time to initiatives on campus and in the Charleston community. Dr. Sterling has not only served on the membership of nearly all of the most significant committees and organizations at Eastern Illinois University—Faculty Senate, EIU-UPI, CAA, and CUPB, to name a few—but also has held leadership roles in those groups and several others. While many of his service accomplishments are at the university, college, or departmental levels, he has actively participated in professional organizations and conferences at the state and regional level, served as a consulting editor at the national and international level, and contributed to local community organizations.
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Previous Recipients
Faculty Senate
2015 - Dr. Linda Ghent (Economics)
2014 - Dr. Rebecca Throneburg (Communication Disorders and Sciences)
2013 - Dr. Andrew Methven (Biological Sciences)
2012 - Dr. William Addison (Psychology)
2011 - Dr. Kathlene Shank (Special Education)
2010 - Dr. Charles G. Eberly (Counseling and Student Development)
2009 - Dr. Les Hyder (Journalism)
2008 - Dr. Vincent Gutowski (Geology/Geography)
2007 - Dr. Charles Delman (Mathematics and Computer Science)
2006 - Dr. Debra Reid (History)
2005 - Dr. Patricia McCallister (Family and Consumer Sciences)
2004 - Dr. David Carpenter (English)
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