Dear Redbird Educator community,

It is such a pleasure to serve as dean of the College of Education. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know our college’s stakeholders, including our students, faculty, faculty associates, staff, alumni, donors, and school district partners. The pride of our university’s legacy in educator preparation is so exciting and a consistent theme I have seen firsthand. During my first year as dean, our team’s work has centered on student success and institutional prestige. We are so proud that Illinois State University is the largest preparer of teachers among public schools and is one of the top 100 education programs in the United States. I am confident this is because of the strong community built around the fabric of our university’s DNA, dating all the way back to our founding as a normal school.

Our College of Education enrollment increased by 4% this year. This brings such hope for our most noble profession that, despite a national teacher shortage, our students are committed to demonstrating passion and desire to shape the lives of our future. We are appreciative of the numerous donors who contributed more than $1.1 million in scholarships for more than 580 education students. Our donors make it possible for students to eliminate financial barriers so they can pursue their passions at Illinois State. This collective effort allows us to attain one of our critical goals to improve student success.

Did you know that the College of Education is the highest earner of external funding in contracts and grants at Illinois State? In 2025, the college received more than $11.4 million in contracts and grants, including projects from the National Science Foundation and the Illinois State Board of Education. Our faculty, faculty associates, and staff combined produced more than 325 scholarly contributions that included journal articles, books, presentations, and consultations with school districts. This work is what increases institutional prestige, and the College of Education is a significant contributor to the University’s success.

In this year’s Statewide Standard, we are so proud to showcase the talents of our college’s efforts. You will see how we are leading the way in using AI across our education programs and in the Laboratory Schools and learn about our newly formed Education Student Leadership Advisory Board. We are proud to feature our state-level advocacy work with future educators engaging with legislators, and the accomplishments of our alumni who are demonstrating extraordinary impact across the nation. We are also proud to highlight some of our generous donors who have invested in advancing the work of the college. I hope you enjoy these stories and more.

On behalf of the entire College of Education, I thank you for being part of our Redbird Educator community.

All my best,

Bryan S. Zugelder, Ed.D.