Aspire 2020

Page 81

Wishing Kevin Gillen the best By Diona Eskew

It’s a new semester this fall, new classes, new faces, and new routines. However, someone will be missing from the Communication Studies department in the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts. Senior Lecturer, Kevin Gillen retired over the summer. While he is leaving as a full-time faculty member, his legacy remains on campus. “In a recent faculty meeting, I looked around at eight of my colleagues,” Gillen said as he reflected on that day. “Perhaps it was coincidence that day, all lined up together, but across the conference table, I realized that the people in my view were all former students and advisees. Almost half of everyone at the meeting. I think I have never felt prouder.” Sitting at that conference table were Tami Martinez, assistant dean in the School of the Arts, senior lecturer in communication arts; Cory Iwaszewski, media and community outreach manager for the School of the Arts; Ryan Lohman and Diona Eskew, visiting lecturers for communication studies. “He hired me!” Tami expressed her gratitude for Kevin’s role in her being at IU South Bend. “It’s because of him that I’m at IUSB. I’ll always be thankful for that.”

Public Speaking has been the main course Gillen has taught over the years and his ability to put students at ease has made the course not just tolerable but enjoyable. “When I was first hired, I taught Public Speaking 100% of the time,” Gillen said. The first semester he taught 200 students. “I have since calculated and realized that I have watched and graded over 15,000 speeches.” Amazingly, Kevin has taught more than 4,000 students since beginning at IU South Bend, according to his math calculations. He has taught not only Public Speaking but also Interpersonal Communication, Business and Professional Communication, Introduction to Speech Communication, and has facilitated Internships. However, Kevin’s favorite course to teach has been Cross-Cultural Communication. “About two years into teaching, the assistant dean at the time made the decision to give me a chance to teach it, since it desperately needed a ‘reboot’ at the time,” Kevin explained. “I had long made my identity known as a minority rights advocate, but I also always had great interest in other cultures and how every aspect of communication is affected by it. So, it happened, and so it was meant to be. I taught the course continuously from that moment, until retirement.”

“He inspired me to find my path, which led me to teaching,” Eskew said. “From my undergrad studies to side-by-side offices I’ve always enjoyed learning and working with Kevin.” Kevin’s teaching has touched the lives of many students over the years both professionally and personally. His charisma puts students at ease in public speaking classes, his unique teaching style inspires and motivates students. “Kevin has always been student-focused,” said Tamea Rector, Coordinator of Student Services for the Arts. “He has put many a nervous freshman at ease about the prospect of public speaking and set them up for success in their academic careers as well as for future employment.” Ashley Cox, senior communication studies student, said, “Having him in class was a blast. I have never enjoyed a Public Speaking class as much as I did in his class. He always knew how to have a good time and to make you feel comfortable when it came to speaking in front of people.”

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Articles inside

Thank you Brianna & Tally

2min
pages 86-88

Heath Hicks: MA project gets the green light

4min
page 85

Inaugural Arts Video Intern Brandon Galvan

3min
page 84

Wishing Kevin Gillen the best

11min
pages 81-83

Fictional Space has a place of its own

2min
page 80

Once a Titan, always a Titan: Featuring faculty member Ryan Lohman

4min
page 79

Tim Hanson creates model of Drottningholm Slottsteaterl

4min
pages 76-78

A poet and a professor

6min
pages 74-75

Two centuries of Beethoven, two decades of the Euclid Quartet

5min
pages 66-68

Ryan Olivier’s Electronic Labyrinth

5min
pages 69-70

Lion King: Behind the seams

11min
pages 71-73

Printmaking: an impactful medium

3min
page 64

Honor roll of donors

1min
page 65

Michele’s Little Hearts Theatre

5min
pages 62-63

A holiday tradition comes to IU South Bend

4min
pages 60-61

A holiday celebration of the arts

5min
pages 58-59

Piano series provides world-class performances and education

5min
pages 50-51

A cult classic musical makes it in time for Halloween

3min
pages 52-53

Building unity & community through jazz

7min
pages 54-57

Spring BFA Exhibition goes online

7min
pages 44-48

Congratulations to our recent graduates

1min
page 49

Tap and Kick Line graduates dance their way to the top

17min
pages 38-43

From a temporary option to a proud alumna

5min
pages 36-37

A life changing performance

3min
pages 34-35

Long-term body on display for a limited time

4min
pages 32-33

The Many Faces of Patrick Watterson

5min
pages 30-31

A journey to find success

4min
pages 28-29

Integrated New Media student pushed the start of the Investment Club

2min
page 27

Leather Phase: when music and visuals combine

3min
pages 24-26

Music alumna ready for first album

4min
pages 22-23

Communicating the benefits of an IU South Bend education

3min
page 21

Creative Restless Spirit

4min
page 20

Kolton Sizer, painting a successful life after graduation

6min
pages 18-19

NEW MEDIA

4min
page 16

Never stop dreaming: the journey of Juan-Carlos Alarcon

2min
page 17

Bringing classical music to unexpected places

5min
pages 14-15

Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts officially becomes a Steinway School

4min
pages 10-12

Finally home

3min
page 13

FINE ARTS

4min
pages 8-9

Jorge Muñiz named interim dean

3min
page 7

SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

6min
pages 4-6
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