Meet the UAS Staff

Ryan Smith, Ph.D.

Director

Ryan joined UAS in July 2011 and has spent the last 15 years working in student affairs, planning and budgeting, assessment, and institutional research. Ryan received his Bachelor’s degree in Art History and Archaeology from the University of Missouri at Columbia, Master’s degree in Higher Education from Drake University, and Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where his dissertation examined the economic impact of students who attend out-of-state institutions. Ryan’s research has been published in journals such as the Journal of Education Finance and New Directions for Community Colleges. He has also published several policy studies through the Illinois State University Center for the Study of Education Policy and the Southern Illinois University Illinois Education Research Council. He has presented at several national and regional conferences, including the Association for Institutional Research (AIR), the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), and the University of Illinois O’Leary Symposium on Education Finance. Ryan lives in Bloomington with his wife, Angie (a staff pharmacist at ISU), and two children, Jenna and Jake.

Derek Herrmann

Coordinator

Derek has been the Coordinator for UAS since November of 2010. He currently is collecting data for his Master's thesis, working towards a Master's degree in Psychology (specializing in both developmental psychology and quantitative psychology). Prior to becoming Coordinator, Derek was a Graduate Assistant for UAS, as well as a Graduate Assistant for the Department of Psychology. In psychology, Derek taught lab sections of undergraduate statistics (PSY 138) and research methods (PSY 231) courses, as well as assisted with an undergraduate personality course (PSY 233). In addition, he has taught an undergraduate course in adult development and aging (PSY 303) twice. Derek also is an Illinois State alumnus, earning a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with Departmental Honors in May of 2008.

Emmalie Shuck

Office Manager

Emmalie Shuck started as Office Manager for UAS in November 2011. She is an Illinois State alumna who graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and an endorsement in Special Education. She lives in Normal with her three children ages 13, 4, and 2. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her children and working on her house.

Brian Day

Graduate Assistant

Brian is a first-year student in the Psychology Master's program (Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences sequence). He graduated in May of 2012 from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, majoring in both History and Psychology. Brian also is a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Psychology, performing research related to perception-action tasks and behaviors. After completing his studies at Illinois State, Brian plans to pursue a doctorate degree in psychology.

Student Aide