Larry and Barbara Efaw Center for Educator Excellence

The Larry and Barbara Efaw Center for Educator Excellence supports education students and alums in their development as excellent educators across the educator lifespan. The Efaw Center provides individualized attention, focused learning communities, and event programming for all education students. The Efaw Center acknowledges that barriers to academic success can be addressed by proactively offering a holistic approach to support services. Further, the Efaw Center embraces ISU values related to equity, diversity, access and belonging (EDAB) and is involved with promoting these campus and college initiatives in the center and through our collaborations. Efaw staff work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students across campus who interact with education students.

Contact Information

Dr. Becky Beucher
Director
(309) 438-2041
DeGarmo Hall, 511

Services

To connect with the Efaw Center and access services, the Efaw Center Connection Form must be completed by faculty, staff, or students.

Efaw Center Connection Form

The student who has been referred will receive an outreach email within 2-3 business days within normal university operating hours of submitting this form. This email will include information about how to schedule your first appointment. You can refer yourself or someone else can refer you.

Note: New Efaw Center staff are currently training to support student this upcoming year! Peer Mentoring and ILTS Content Test Preparation services will resume September 2026. Starting mid September, we will reach out to student referrals and students resuming peer mentoring from last semester. The Efaw Center is currently open for studying, connecting, and eating your snacks/ lunch between classes! We are also actively recruiting mentors and mentees for the 26/27 Educator Alumni Mentoring program (see more below).

Refer a Student Schedule Your Appointment

If you are experiencing a crisis, check the Redbird Well information and contact the Student Counseling Services.

Undergraduate Student Support

Mentoring

Connect with an Efaw Center staff member who can support you in accessing campus resources. Engage with a thought partner, address areas for professional learning outlined in the Professional Expectation Review (PER), to get support around organization, time management, punctuality and attendance, conflict resolution, communication, and/or constructive criticism. Fill out the connection form for yourself or your student to get started!

Workshops & Canvas Modules

The Efaw Center offers professional learning workshops and Canvas modules for undergraduate education students on a variety of topics related to teacher educator professionalism

Learn More here

Educator Alumni Mentor Program

This program is open to all education students and all education program areas. Designed for students seeking leadership development, this mentorship program matches education students with educators working in the field.

Learn More about the program

Graduate Student Support

Writing Fellows

As a graduate student, you can make an appointment for yourself with one of the writing fellows. Writing appointments are available throughout the semester, including evening and weekend hours.

The writing fellows can support you with:

proper citation,
developing your writing style,
organizing your writing,
literature reviews, and more!

Register for Writing Support

Location

DeGarmo 18, Garden Level.

*When facing the glass doors, turn right down the hall. The Efaw Center is located at the end of then hallway.

Upcoming Events

Hours

Study with us! Now serving snacks and tea!

Monday-Friday 9am-3pm (check back for updated hours as student staff return from summer break!)

Events will be posted soon!

Please visit Redbird Life and search Efaw Center events to RSVP for events.

If you need an accommodation to fully participate in a program/event, please contact Dr. Becky Beucher, Director of the Efaw Center. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.

Recruiting Now! Educator Alumni Mentorship Program

Are you interested in being matched with a Mentor (FA 26/SP 27) who is a graduate from an ISU education program? If so, complete the Interest Form and learn more about the program on the Educator Alumni Mentorship subpage.

Campus Partners and Student Resources

Career Services

Center for Civic Engagement

Dean of Students

Department of Educational Administration and Foundations

Department of Psychology

Graduate School

Health, Wellness and Promotion

Honors College

Milner Library

Office of Financial Aid

Office of International Engagement

Student Access and Accommodations

Student Counseling Services

Study Abroad

School of Teaching and Learning

Special Education Department

University College

Visor Center

The Efaw Family

Barbara ’59 and Larry Efaw ’56, M.S. ’59 supported Redbird educators for many years. In 2021, Barbara and her family generously gifted the College of Education $500,000 to establish the Larry and Barbara Efaw Center for Educator Excellence.

Barbara and Larry met at ISU and were both active students while on campus. Passionate about literacy, education, and family, Barbara became an elementary educator, mother, and grandmother and Larry, a father and grandfather, served as the Executive Director for the Library Book Selection Service in Bloomington, Illinois. The Efaws credit their experiences at Illinois State for their success in education.