The Humanities/Communications/Fine Arts Department faculty have an essential mix of credentials, teaching and real world experience. Combined, these instructors have over 262 years of experience teaching at SVCC.
24 Years of Service at SVCC
Amanda has been an instructor at SVCC for more than 15 years where she has taught education, early childhood education, and English classes.
- M.A., English, Northern Illinois University
- B.A., Literature, University of Miami
8 Years of Service at SVCC
For 35 years Glenn has worked in the fields of fine art, commercial design, museum management and higher education. His artwork has been exhibited nationally and published in numerous books, periodicals and as commercial products. Prior to Sauk, Glenn was an Assistant Professor of Art and the Director of the Montana Western Art Gallery & Museum at the University of Montana Western.
- M.F.A., University of Montana
- B.F.A., Southern Oregon University
- A.A.S., Commercial Art, Luzerne County College
22 Years of Service at SVCC
34 Years of Service at SVCC
Ms. Murray has taught a variety of subjects at SVCC, including in the music program, for more than 25 years. Kris’ research interests include the digital humanities, history of work and leisure, history of photography, and the World's Columbian Exposition. Other interests include black and white photography, electronic music, and life-long learning.
- M.A.L.S., Arts and Culture, North Central College
- B.S., Liberal Studies, Western Illinois University
- A.A., Music, Sauk Valley Community College
33 Years of Service at SVCC
Mr. Berkey has been a full-time instructor at Sauk since 1991, has taught developmental English, Composition I and II, American Literature I and II, and Introduction to Oral Communication. A life-long learner with a variety of interests, he also serves as Faculty Leader for Fine Arts, Communications, and Humanities.
- M.A., English, Western Illinois University
- B.A., English, Western Illinois University
24 Years of Service at SVCC
Specializing in developmental education, Odile has taught developmental English and reading for many years. In 2009, she received the Distinguished Service Award for Adjunct Faculty, and in 2011, she was recognized with the Student Support Leadership Award. She is a member of NADE, the National Association of Developmental Educators.
- M.S., Written Communication, National-Louis University
- M.D., Doctor in Medicine, I.N.T.E.C.
- C.A.S., Post-secondary Literacy, National-Louis University
- Certification, Methodology in English As a Second Language, APEC University
16 Years of Service at SVCC
- Ph.D., Communication Studies, University of Texas
- M.A., Speech Communication, University of Illinois
- B.S., Marketing, Depaul University
24 Years of Service at SVCC
- Ph.D., Political Science, Syracuse University
- M.A., Communication, University of Kansas
- M.A., Political Science, Syracuse University
- B.S., Political Science, University of South Dakota
10 Years of Service at SVCC
Ms. Brunner is a published poet and a regular presenter at national and international conferences. She is particularly interested in writing and reading about conservation and environmental science and heads the SVCC Prairie Committee which is dedicated to renewal and expansion of the SVCC prairies.
- M.A., English, Bradley University
- B.A., English, Rockford University
- A.A., Rock Valley College
24 Years of Service at SVCC
Richard has been an instructor at Sauk for more than 15 years. His philosophy of education is that it is a journey rather than a destination.
- Intremediaire B, Programme intensif de français langue étrangère, Université Laval, Québec (City), Québec, Canada
- M.A., History, Northern Illinois University
- L’Alliance Française, Levels 3 and 4, Chicago, IL
- M.A., English, University of Central Missouri
- B.S., Psychology, University of Maryland, European Division, England
- A.A., General Studies, University of Maryland, European Division, England
- A.A.S., Security Administration, The Community College of the Air Force
24 Years of Service at SVCC
- M.A., English, Northern Illinois University
- B.A., History, University of Illinois
19 Years of Service at SVCC
Tom Irish received his Masters degree in English from Western Illinois University in 2001. He taught composition at WIU from 2001 until starting work at SVCC in 2005. He has taught SVCC's creative writing, journalism, literature, and composition classes at all levels. He is the advisor to The Works, SVCC's student-produced literary and arts publication, and is the co-director of SVCC's Honors program. He has published his own fiction and poetry in venues such as Literature Today, Mystery Times Ten, Calliope, and Vine Leaves Literary Journal, as well as in The Works. He lives in Davenport, Iowa with his two children.
- M.A., English, Western Illinois University
- B.A., English, with Minor in Writing, Illinois State University
