By: Angela Mennecke
College of DuPage Teacher Preparation Associate Professor April Zawlocki was named Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education Teacher Educator (IACTE) of the Year for her demonstrated innovation in teacher education and leadership in improving Career and Technical Education programs.
Zawlocki said that the award symbolizes the strength of COD’s Teacher Preparation program.
“Since starting here 10 years ago, my vision has been to create a teacher pipeline that gives students high-quality, affordable options for obtaining their teaching license so they don't have to go into debt and can flourish in their life as an educator.”
If I can inspire future educators to invest in their students and to create a culture of learning, then I will have done my job.
April Zawlocki, Teacher Preparation Professor
In her tenure at COD, Zawlocki has developed numerous innovative pathways to address teacher shortages in Illinois. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was instrumental in developing a new 3+1 Technology Engineering Education bachelor’s degree agreement in partnership with Valley City State University in North Dakota. The program provides COD students with access to a teaching degree through VCSU at a significantly reduced cost.
“I love working collaboratively with future educators and look forward to calling them my colleagues,” Zawlocki said. “If I can inspire future educators to invest in their students and to create a culture of learning, then I will have done my job.”
The Teacher Preparation program at COD meets the needs of students planning to teach in elementary, secondary or special education settings. Many students enroll in the program to become educators or to take education courses for careers in youth counseling, criminal justice and parent teacher association leadership.
The College’s fall 2023 semester begins Monday, Aug. 21, and includes a 16-week, two 12-week and two eight-week sessions. Priority registration, for current students with 30 or more credits, begins April 12. Open registration begins April 19. For more information, visit cod.edu/registration.