My dad and mom met at Illinois State. Brian and I met at Illinois State. My dad still loves to support Illinois State. When my mom passed away he decided to put a scholarship in her name at ISU for anyone who lived in Henry County who has a high grade point average and is going into Education. It has made him proud each year when he gets to go to the presentation of the scholarship and meets the person who earns it. One year it was actually the daughter of one of my mom’s former students which was exciting.
This past week my dad went to watch the ISU girls basketball team. He was super excited when they won the first game and said he was going to the next game but afraid they wouldn’t win since it was a first place team. Well the basketball team surprised everyone and won against the better ranked team. My dad was super proud of his red birds and glad he was there.
It’s funny that ISU is such a big part of my dad’s life still and how much he supports it. He let me go look at any college I wanted to and would have supported me with my choice. He did say once however that he had hired several teachers and if I wanted to be a better than average one then Illinois State was where I should go. He truly believed that, but it didn’t stop him from letting ISU know where he thought they could improve when helping educate teachers when he would visit the education building with me. I would get so embarrassed. They did seem to listen to him when he told them that helping future teachers learn to teach reading was where all colleges struggled including ISU.
He was super excited to tell me on the phone that the girls were the champions.!!!! It is fun that at 84 he still gets super excited for ISU teams. Anyway go REDBIRDS!!
Aww, your dad is a champ! ! It’s wonderful he’s so active in collegiate affairs, a champion of what’s needed and best, and a sweetheart of a cheerleader of sorts for the basketball team. Go Redbirds indeed!
I loved ISU! I have such amazing memories and met such amazing friends. Not real sure about my education, I didn’t really put much effort in, but it got me where I needed to be;) I brought my kids there a few years ago, toured the campus, my old dorm and apartment, cheeseballs at the Pub…..Go Redbirds!!
Love the cheese balls!!!