Meet the University Assessment Services Staff

Derek J. H. Meyers, EdD

Assistant Director

Derek has been the Assistant Director of UAS since May 2014 after having been the Coordinator since November 2010. He is an Illinois State University alum who completed a BS in Psychology (with Departmental Honors), an MS in Psychology (specializing in both developmental psychology and quantitative psychology), and an EdD in Teaching and Learning. Derek's classroom-based dissertation research incorporated the case study research design to both describe his undergraduate psychology students' feedback processes when completing a semester-long research proposal paper assignment and also compare those processes when the feedback was provided by either him or other students.

Within UAS, Derek facilitates academic degree program assessment and guides this work with program faculty and staff. He also provides assessment-related support for academic programs completing internal program reviews/external accreditation reviews and manages survey projects regarding academic program assessment (e.g., exit or alumni surveys). In addition, Derek serves as the chairperson of the Assessment Advisory Council and provides leadership for the Process for the Review of Academic Assessment Plans (PRAAP) and the Annual Assessment Update. Derek has collaborated with ISU faculty and staff on their research grants/contracts as an external evaluator, data analyst, and survey developer/administrator. He also has presented with ISU faculty and staff at local, regional, and national/international venues. In addition, Derek has published with ISU faculty and staff in International Journal for Academic Development and Citizenship, Social and Economics Education.

Prior to becoming UAS Coordinator, Derek spent two-and-a-half years as a Graduate Assistant in UAS and in the Department of Psychology, where he assisted with an undergraduate personality course (PSY 233), taught lab sections of undergraduate statistics (PSY 138) and research methods (PSY 231) courses, and taught an undergraduate course in adult development and aging (PSY 303) twice. After finishing his master's degree, Derek was a Lecturer/is an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and has taught courses on educational psychology (PSY 215) and adult development and aging (PSY 303). The first course he taught/currently teaches is advanced research methods in psychology with a focus on developmental research (PSY 331/415) that was the setting for his dissertation research.

Emmalie Shuck

Administrative Aide

Emmalie started as Office Manager for UAS in November 2011 and was promoted to Administrative Aide in June 2017. She is an Illinois State alumna who graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and also has an endorsement in Special Education. She lives in Normal with her three children, Brendan, Collin and Danielle, her dog Piglet, and her three cats, Cougar, Joules and Spice. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her children and working on her house.

Ryan Smith, PhD

Director

Ryan joined ISU in July 2011, and lives in Bloomington with his wife, Angie (a pharmacist at ISU). He enjoys spending time with his two kids, dog Vinnie, reading, road cycling, kayaking, visiting museums, reading in libraries, and hiking. Ryan received his B.A. degree in Art History & Archaeology from the University of Missouri-Columbia, M.S.E. from Drake University, and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where his dissertation examined the economic impact of students who attend out-of-state institutions. Ryan also teaches an assessment and evaluation course in the College of Education. He also worked as an admissions counselor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, as a graduate assistant in Financial Aid at Drake University, and as a graduate assistant in Financial Aid and in Planning & Budgeting at the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign. Ryan’s research has been published in journals such as the Journal of Education Financeand New Directions for Community Colleges. Links of interest: Strava // McLean County History bike tour // Jhumpa Lahiri // Atlas Obscrua // ISU Archives