JUDI SCHULTE: QUALITY TEACHING ADDS UP TO SUCCESS

Judi Schulte has made teaching her full-time career. Along with instructing various math courses as an adjunct faculty member at CLC, she also teaches at Columbia College Chicago and online for the University of the People.

Schulte, who has been teaching at CLC since 2006, got her bachelor’s degree in nance and worked in banking before pausing her nance career to care for her daughter. en she heard about the opportunity to teach at CLC and decided it was perfect for her.

“It was one of those things that just t,” she said. “It wasn’t something I planned, but it just kind of happened.”

Math is a subject many students struggle with or don’t enjoy, and Schulte enjoys helping students feel empowered while learning to improve their experience. In her class, students are encouraged to participate in class openly without the regular requirement of raising their hand.

“Many students feel intimidated in math class,” Schulte said. “I want them to feel like they work hard so they feel good and like they’ve achieved something. Students can learn from each other, so it’s good when they talk more.”

Schulte was surprised by the announcement during one of her Zoom classes that she won CLC’s 2023 Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award.

“It felt good to know how my students felt about me,” Schulte said. “Just to be nominated, I feel so appreciative and humbled. ere are so many good instructors, and I feel grateful that I was selected.” e treatment, which she partially received at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, was crucial for Russildi, an aspiring college soccer player. She was out of the brace and ready to play by tryouts during her freshman year at Round Lake High School.

Alondra Russildi had back pain when she was younger, but doctors couldn’t nd the cause. e pain hindered her ability to play soccer and a ected her posture. Later, it was discovered that she had a fractured back and needed multiple treatments, including wearing a back brace as she entered high school.

Russildi’s positive experience at the hospital motivated her to pursue a career in medicine and to give back.

“I was scared I wasn’t going to be able to walk a er everything,” she said. “I knew I needed to do something nice in return.”

While she was still in high school, Russildi decided to independently manage a toy drive during the holiday season. She used social media to help promote it among her friend and family networks. She also dropped o bins to collect donations at local businesses in Round Lake and at CLC, where she’s a soccer player.

In the rst year, Russildi collected 165 toys. is past holiday season, she more than doubled the number of donations.

“We strive for excellence in our athletics program—in the classroom, through competition, and within our community,” said CLC Athletic Director Brad Unger.

“We are so proud of Alondra and fully supported her student-led initiative. It was amazing to see so many students come together because of her leadership and provide so many children at Lurie’s Children Hospital with some holiday magic.”

Russildi plans to continue the toy drive when she transfers to Roosevelt University in Chicago next year to continue studying pre-med and advance her collegiate soccer career.

“I believe that even in hard times, there’s a reason for it,” she said. “If it wasn’t for my back fracture, though it was absolutely hard on me and my family, I wouldn’t be running a toy drive or probably even have the mindset to want to give back.”