First-gen Success Stories
Our students have the support of the following faculty and administrators (and more!) who serve as examples of individuals who were once in their shoes as first generation college students:

Julie Burkholder
Business management and marketing student from Elkhart, Indiana

Abagail Catania
Director for Student Engagement

Lisa Hale
Assistant Professor of Education

Elizabeth Hennon Peters
Associate Professor of Psychology

Su Jin Jeong
Director of the Institute for Public Health / Associate Professor

Marisa Patterson-Knox
Administrative Assistant for Languages and Cultures, Archaeology, and First Year Seminar

Lori LeDuc
Associate Director of Human Resources

Todd Matteson
Department Chair, Associate Professor of Art

Evan McCracken
Assistant Professor of Psychology

Samantha Nelson
Accounting student from Poplar Bluff, Missouri

Alex Ortiz
2021-22 President, Student Government Association

Mari Plikuhn
Professor/Sociology

Rob Shelby
Vice President for Talent & Community and Chief Inclusion & Equity Officer

Jennifer Whitaker
Sr. Director of Major Gifts and Campaigns

Danielle Williams
Collection Development / Electronic Resource / Professor

Kimberly Zamora
Exercise science student from Round Lake, Illinois




- Dr. Vincent Campese, Assistant Professor/Psychology and Director of Neuroscience Program
- Dr. Jared Fulcher, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
- Dr. Cris Hochwender, Professor/Biology
- Mr. Ralph Larmann, Professor of Art
- Dr. John Layer, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
- Ms. Leanne Nayden, Lecturer, Coordinator of Student Teaching
- Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, President
- Dr. Elizabeth Powell, Associate Professor/Biology
- Dr. Diana Rodríguez Quevedo, Associate Professor of Spanish
- Dr. Jim Ware, Professor Emeritus of Religion
- Dr. Katie Whetstone, Clinical Associate Professor of Physical Therapy