James D. and Nancy L. Quisenberry
This fund is being established by James and Nancy Quisenberry, long-time residents of Carbondale and supporters of Southern Illinois University.
Dr. James D. Quisenberry, an internationalist since undergraduate days at Indiana State University, has taught at all levels from public school upper elementary, through junior high and high school (English and German), to university graduate courses. He held teaching positions at Indiana State University, Indiana University (where he earned his Ph.D. in English Education and Linguistics), and at SIU Carbondale, from Instructor to Associate Professor in the Curriculum and Instruction Department, with specializations in English Language Arts, Literature for Children, Computers in the Classroom, and teaching in the multi-cultural classroom. He served on 54 Masters and 63 Doctoral Committees, chairing 9 Masters thesis committees and 19 dissertation committees. He finished his SIU career as Director of International Programs and Services during the time SIUC ranked 8th in the nation in total international students.
Dr. Nancy L. Quisenberry taught nursery school, elementary grades one and three and high school home economics prior to entering university teaching. She taught at Indiana University and Indiana University-Purdue University prior to coming to SIU. She became a faculty member in the Department of Elementary Education in 1971 upon completion of her Ed.D. at Indiana University. She served as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor in that department and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction until 1998. She taught courses in early childhood, elementary education, reading/language studies, and teacher education. From 1976 until 1996 she was an Associate Dean in the College of Education. From 1996 to 1998 she served as Interim Dean of the College. During her years of teaching at SIU, she was the major advisor/chair for 46 Masters degree students, 1 Specialist student, and 34Ph.D. students in the areas of Early Childhood and Reading/Language Studies.