Northeastern Illinois University to Host Annual Jean Burke Carlson and Diane Berger Ehrlich Memorial Lecture

Northeastern Illinois University’s Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education will host a panel of arts educators for its 12th annual Jean Burke Carlson and Diane Berger Ehrlich Memorial Lecture.

The event, titled "What Learning Matters? Generative Tensions and Transformative Inquiry through Arts Integration," will feature speakers from the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE). The lecture will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, in the Auditorium on Northeastern's Main Campus, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave., in Chicago. A pre-lecture reception will be held at 5 p.m. in the Student Union, Golden Eagles Room. A post-event reception will follow the lecture.

The lecture and receptions are free and open to the public. Complimentary parking will be available on Levels 4 and 5 of the Parking Facility. Event-related questions or accessibility needs can be directed to Cindy Jones at c-jones@neiu.edu or (773) 442-5507.

"Arts integration represents one of the most powerful approaches to transformative education we're seeing in Chicago today,” said Dean of the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education Tom Phillion, Ph.D. “When professional artists collaborate with classroom teachers through models like CAPE's, they fundamentally reimagine what's possible in the classroom by breaking down traditional boundaries and connecting academic content to students' real-world experiences.”

Presenters from CAPE include: Associate Director of Education, Community Programs and Research Teju Adesida, Ph.D.; Associate Director of Education, In-school Programs and Exhibitions Mark Diaz;  classroom practitioners and researchers Louanne Smolin, Ed.D., and Erin Preston, Ed.M.; and collaborators Luz Santellano (5th grade science teacher) and Niema Qureshi (teaching artist).

Together, they will share insights from their research-based work on arts integration, demonstrating how strategic partnerships between classroom teachers and professional artists enhance student achievement and foster inquiry-based learning that connects academic content to practical applications.