Laurie Elish-Piper

2016 has been a tough year for many of us. I’ve been nursing a knee injury for months, and many of my friends, family, and colleagues have been struggling…

Now that the weather has warmed up, school is winding down, and the sun is setting later into the evening, I find myself excited about these unscheduled…

Recently I was at O’Hare Airport, waiting in a long line to get through security. As I sized up the crowd, trying to figure out how long it would be…

My fondest memories of my son growing up are the thousands of hours we spent reading together. Of all the things I’ve done for my son, I’m proudest that…

Laurie Elish-Piper, Ph.D., is dean of the College of Education at Northern Illinois University.She is also a Presidential Engagement Professor and a…

The recent flurry of news stories about how the Illinois budget impasse has forced the state to hand out IOUs to lottery winners has drawn attention away…