Melissa Eaton has returned to campus this year after graduated in 2001 with an environmental science degree with a concentration in biology. She is now working as an instructor in the science department.
Despite her 17 year absence from campus, Eaton has consistently remained a part of the community.
“I stayed in the area doing regional planning on environmental issues. I did a lot of work with Illinois River Protection and Restoration Policy as well as some other environmental projects,” Eaton said. “I did a lot of grant writing for them, and through those, I was able to stay in contact with the community and the professors. [Professors help] because we were able to pull the expertise from them on environmental issues.”
Eaton continued her work in the area by teaching middle school students at Peoria Montessori. In her time there, she was devoted to helping students recognize their strengths. She said she believes that being able to learn science at such a young age can help aid the growth of the students’ passions.
“I loved teaching science at the middle school,” Eaton said. “That was
amazing. I’m glad to be doing it this year at the college level, but I miss seeing the kids at that [age] and being able to watch them light up. I would say that my passion project would be being able to engage kids in science.”
Sherri Morris, chair of the biology department and the co-director for STEM education, taught Eaton when she attended Bradley. Morris remembers Eaton’s skills in the classroom as a student, which eventually led her to bring Eaton on staff.
According to Morris, she has worked side by side with Eaton for many years and has mentored her during her time at Peoria Montessori.
“We talked quite a bit in terms of teacher or professional development. [We discussed] how to find content for the students’ inquiry,” Morris said.
Bradley continued to support Eaton in her passion for teaching the students at Peoria Montessori. Through a Masters program, teachers can check out special kits for their lessons to help interest the students. Eaton said she remembers using the provided Bradley materials in her classroom to help engage the kids. With the help of the kits, student interest in science sky-rocketed.
“The Center for STEM Education
provides professional development for teachers, but we also have a very large storeroom that has materials the teachers can check out,” Morris said. “The majority of our interaction [for these projects] was really about the resources we have that we can supply to her.”
Besides her work in Peoria, Eaton has significantly contributed to the department through her immense intelligence and passion for her practice.
“[Eaton] really has a deep understanding of ecology and the environment. Her background from being a student here, [has allowed her] to develop really critical thinking skills, as well as ways to link the content of the scientific process. She really can help our youth start to see the connections.”
Eaton desires to be part of a learning process that sparks an interest for the students in science programs. However, even if the students aren’t science majors, she said she hopes that everyone can find their own love and respect for the subject.
“Science is a process, an ever- evolving process. I hope they are able to find something that they enjoy within science,” Eaton said.
