The Teaching, Learning, and Academic Support (TLAS) team has received two recent recognitions for their excellent work in the areas of student success and campus partnerships. In February, the entire department—Sara Holder, María Emerson, Kirsten Feist, Alex Deeke, Piper Martin, Sarah Christensen, Evie Cordell, David Ward, Carissa Phillips, Sanga Sung, Merinda Hensley, Wendy Gregory, and Gregg Homerding—was awarded the 2026 Student Success Champion Team Award at the Student Success Symposium. The award exemplifies the mission of Student Success @ Illinois by honoring a team for extraordinary performance and contributions to student success at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“This recognition is a testament to [TLAS’s] outstanding contributions and unwavering commitment to fostering student success within our academic community. [TLAS’s] dedication, innovative approaches and tireless efforts have set them apart as true champions of student achievement,” said the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Provost.
Additionally, TLAS was awarded the Illinois Promise Campus Partner Award by the Scholar Support Programs team. Illinois Promise is an award package offered to newly admitted students at Illinois who have the greatest amount of financial need. Scholars join a diverse community of students who benefit from uniquely tailored resources and programs throughout their time on campus. TLAS partners annually with the Scholar Support Programs team to host the “Main Library Tour and Duck, Duck, Food Truck” event, which introduces students to Library resources to help them thrive.
“Our team in Scholar Support Programs (SSP) never loses sight of the fact that our goals are impossible to reach without the dedicated work of our many campus partners. We have always felt that the TLAS team has exemplified what we look for in a campus partner: systems, services, and people anchored in serving the whole student and offering opportunities tailored to meet the unique needs of the students we serve,” said Richard Porter, Assistant Director of Scholar Support Programs.
From assisting researchers at the Information Desk to hosting signature events like De-Stress Fest, the TLAS team provides inclusive services and spaces that support student academic and life success. TLAS faculty and staff teach students curriculum-integrated research and information literacy skills, provide advanced research and scholarship preparation through the Savvy Researcher workshop series, and offer the Library 101 eText and other online guides that provide a self-paced introduction to the Library and core research resources. TLAS hosts events, workshops, and ongoing support services that reflect the University of Illinois’ commitment to collaboration, inclusion, empowerment, and wellness. By meeting both personal and basic needs—through resources like the food pantry and family study rooms—and fostering creativity and wellness through activities like craft making and stress management workshops, TLAS creates a welcoming environment that supports the diverse needs of students.
A warm congratulations to the TLAS team for these well-deserved recognitions!
