EIU Faculty Senate

EIU Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award

One of the most prestigious honors available to EIU faculty, the Mendez Award was established in commemoration of the contributions of Foreign Languages department faculty member Luis Clay Mendez following his sudden passing in 2003. The award is presented each fall to the EIU faculty member or department chair who best exemplifies dedication and achievement in service to the university, their profession, and the community at large (local, state, national, international).

2023 Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award 

Dr. Angela Yoder began teaching in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education in 2000. She earned her Ph. D. in Counseling Psychology from Indiana State University. Her research has focused on play therapy, Child-parent relationship therapy adaptations (Child-senior relationship training in school settings), creative expression group therapy, self-care and foster parenting and has been published in internationally and nationally peer reviewed publications. She serves the department, university, and counseling community in a variety of ways. She is a licensed clinical psychologist, a registered play therapist, and a fierce advocate for children and families. She established both an introductory and an advanced play therapy course, as well as an annual play therapy conference which is attended by professional counselors, alumni and students. She advocated for student research posters and as a result, has been serving as the poster committee co-chair of the Illinois Association for Play Therapy for a number of years, allowing students the opportunity to advance their education. She is coordinator for clinical practicum and internships, co-advisor of Chi Sigma Iota, and provides presentations for students on self-care. But it is her service to her students that is her greatest joy, mentoring students in their clinical work, grant writing, research, publications, and presentations at the local, state and international levels where they have exceeded all expectations.

Past Recipients of the Luis Clay Mendez Distinguished Service Award

2022 - Dr. Diane Burns (Geology/Geography)

2021 - Dr. Paul Switzer (Biological Sciences)

2020 - Dr. Sheila Simons (Public Health)

2019 - Dr. Danelle Larson (Music)

2018 - Dr. Melissa Ames (English)

2017 - Dr. Heidi Larson (Counseling and Student Development)

2016 - Dr. Grant Sterling (Philosophy)

2015 - Dr. Linda Ghent (Economics)

2014 - Dr. Rebecca Throneburg (Communication Disorders and Sciences)

2013 - Dr. Andrew Methven (Biological Sciences)

2012 - Dr. William Addison (Psychology)

2011 - Dr. Kathlene Shank (Special Education)

2010 - Dr. Charles G. Eberly (Counseling and Student Development)

2009 - Dr. Les Hyder (Journalism)

2008 - Dr. Vincent Gutowski (Geology/Geography)

2007 - Dr. Charles Delman (Mathematics and Computer Science)

2006 - Dr. Debra Reid (History)

2005 - Dr. Patricia McCallister (Family and Consumer Sciences)

2004 - Dr. David Carpenter (English)