FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: April 30, 2003
Contact: Donna McCracken, 206-6716
SPRINGFIELD – Nancy
Nelson, an adjunct faculty member in the Human Services program at the University
of Illinois at Springfield, is among the recipients of the 2003 Part-Time
Faculty Recognition Honor bestowed by the Association for Gerontology in Higher
Education. Recipients will also be honored at the AGHE conference, to be held
in February in Richmond, Virginia.
Intended to recognize part-time or adjunct instructors
who have made significant contributions to gerontological education, the award
honors part-time faculty nationwide, without whose efforts and dedication many
gerontology programs would be unable to deliver a full curriculum.
To be eligible for this recognition, nominees must
demonstrate high-quality teaching documented by peer and/or student
evaluations, as well as at least five years’ commitment to gerontology
education, in the classroom and beyond.
Nelson has taught a course in policies and programs
for the elderly at UIS for many years. Presently executive director of the
Illinois HomeCare Council, a membership association representing home health
care, hospice, and home care agencies, she was formerly deputy director of the
Illinois Department on Aging. Nelson earned the master’s degree in Gerontology
at UIS.
Jeffrey Chesky, professor of Human Services and
Biology, nominated Nelson for the award to recognize her service “above and beyond.”
“In addition to teaching for us, she’s mentored students, served on committees,
and been responsible for many field placements, which often resulted in
permanent positions for our students,” he explained. “She has been exemplary.”
Human Services at UIS is a master’s-level program that
includes a 12-hour professional development sequence in gerontology. The
sequence is designed for individuals who already hold a master’s degree and who
are working in some capacity with the elderly or who otherwise want to gain
basic, graduate-level course work in gerontology.
AGHE is an educational unit of the Gerontological Society of America and seeks to advance gerontology as a field of study in higher education through conferences, publications, research, and consultation with policy makers. There are more than 300 member organizations and institutions of higher education nationwide.
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