Faculty/Staff Focus

Adrienne Stewart
Director, Multicultural Student Affairs
B.A., Chicago State University
M.A., Governors State University

“I love working with students—they help keep me young with their unique perspective on the world,” says Adrienne. She and her staff work with minority and English language learner students to ensure they have a great college experience while at Moraine Valley.

“I chose to work in higher education because when I was in college, I didn’t get exposed to some of the programs and services that would have made my experience better,” she says.

Michelle August
Department Chair/Assistant Professor, Information Management Systems
B.S., Illinois State University
M.A., Concordia University

“Many of my students are very goal-oriented when they come here. It’s a pleasure to work with them to achieve their goals,” says Michelle. She structures her classes so students gain as much hands-on experience as possible. “The more students practice, the more they absorb the material, and it stays with them,” she says.

Michelle believes that students benefit from the collaboration among faculty members on campus. “This is such a friendly environment, and everyone here is willing to help students find their paths to success,” Michelle says.

Irene McCauley
Associate Professor, Art; Coordinator, Digital Art/Design
B.A., Hamilton College
M.A., Middlebury Graduate School of French
M.F.A., School of the Art Institute of Chicago

“The content and delivery of courses I teach here are the same as any other college I’ve been associated with,” says Irene, who taught at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before coming to Moraine Valley.

Irene feels it’s important for students to get as much hands-on experience as possible. “The best way to learn is by doing,” she says. “I love watching students grow in confidence as they gain greater control over their digital tools to create art and design pieces.” She has over 30 years of experience teaching art classes, and she enthusiastically notes that “students are missing a resource jewel if they don’t take advantage of the art program here at Moraine Valley.”

Timothy Mullen
Associate Professor, Communications/Literature
B.A., Loyola University
M.A., Chapman University
Ph.D., University of Wales

“I believe when students relate what they learn to their own experiences they’re more excited and what they learn becomes their own,” says Timothy. To keep his classes fresh and interesting, Timothy incorporates numerous educational strategies and tools to appeal to many different learning styles. “I include active and collaborative learning activities, films, music – even public radio – into my classroom environment and assignments,” he says.

Timothy believes Moraine Valley affords wonderful opportunities to our students. “We have a dynamic faculty, attractive facilities and extensive resources to help our students succeed,” he says.