Each semester, instructors from throughout campus submit proposals for University Teaching Grants—funds for in-class and out-of-class actions and assignments, visitor audio system, area journeys, and different instructional actions that enhance pupil success, studying, and belonging. The University Teaching Council and the Center for Integrated Professional Development (CIPD) are happy to announce the spring 2026 University Teaching Grant award winners.
Meet the spring 2026 recipients
Award winner: Dr. Oscar Núñez Enríquez, School of Kinesiology and Recreation, College of Applied Science and Technology
Collaborator: Dr. Mary Henninger, School of Kinesiology and Recreation, College of Applied Science and Technology
Project title: Jon’s Heroes in Training
Núñez Enríquez is an assistant professor who teaches undergraduate and graduate programs in the bodily schooling instructor schooling program. His venture focuses on difficult normative approaches to bodily instructor schooling by making a transformative studying setting by way of the Jon’s Heroes in Training after-faculty program, by which preservice academics have interaction straight with youngsters and youth with autism. The program will assist preservice academics develop skilled competencies for designing inclusive, culturally related, and developmentally applicable bodily schooling experiences that meet the numerous wants of Okay-12 college students, together with these with disabilities.
“Receiving the Spring 2026 University Grant is an important milestone for us as Illinois State University faculty,” Núñez Enríquez stated. “The funds provided make it possible to purchase specialized adapted equipment to help us expand meaningful, community-focused initiatives while giving physical education teacher education undergraduate students hands-on opportunities to work with children with autism and strengthen their preparation as future educators.”
Award winner: Dr. Michelle Gremp, Department of Special Education, College of Education
Collaborators: Dr. Christy Borders and Meghan Robertson, Department of Special Education, College of Education
Project title: Practicum Experiences Reimagined: Utilizing Experiential Learning to Ensure Equitable Exposure to High-Quality, Evidence-Based Instruction
Gremp is an affiliate professor in schooling of the D/deaf and Hard of Hearing program. With statewide shortages of academics of the deaf, it has turn out to be more and more troublesome for preservice academics to interact in sturdy, excessive-high quality scientific experiences. Gremp’s venture will implement a redesigned hybrid practicum mannequin that gives college students with excessive-high quality studying and creates extra equitable alternatives for practicum placements.
In addition, all candidates will take part in on-website scientific immersion at Central Institute for the Deaf (St. Louis) and Illinois School for the Deaf (Jacksonville, Illinois), partaking in guided remark and supervised “step-in” instruction throughout Listening and Spoken Language and American Sign Language settings.
“Given the current economic struggles that are faced by many students on campus, we value the opportunity to ensure that teacher candidates do not incur the expense of travel and meals as they attend these events,” Gremp stated. “We estimate a saving of more than $60 per student as a result of this grant.”
Award winner: Dr. Jennine Harvey-Northrop, Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Arts and Sciences
Collaborators: Dr. Gabriela Fonseca Pereira, Family and Consumer Sciences, College of Applied Science and Technology; Dr. Isaac Chang, Department of Technology, College of Applied Science and Technology
Project title: Creating a Virtual Reality Asset Library for the Interprofessional Education Project
Harvey-Northrop, an affiliate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, designed an interdisciplinary venture that responds to the want for proof-primarily based coaching for college students in the design, construct, and testing of digital actuality (VR) environments for speech-language pathology (SLP) rehabilitation and growing older-in-place practices.
“We are grateful for this support, which enables scalable, inclusive teaching innovations that benefit students today and for years to come,” Harvey-Northrop stated.
Through a 15-week interprofessional schooling (IPE) coaching program, college students will be taught the scope of observe, growing older in place, VR design, and scientific functions, thereby constructing better skilled information. Grant funding will assist the creation of a VR Asset Library, a sustainable assortment of VR property that college students will use to design growing older-in-place environments, code, and supply particular person-centered care.
Congratulations to all the awardees!
For extra details about the University Teaching Grant or different CIPD packages, go to ProDev.IllinoisState.edu.