Professor Scott Sibley
Extraordinary. Passionate. Determined. Caring.
Students in Scott Sibley’s Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) courses describe him as having all those attributes – and more.
“I had never met a professor so passionate about his field and caring about his students,” said Breanna Terry, a senior majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences. “He is also such an open professor; he is willing to talk about aspects of his life and field when they apply to material, making his class lectures impactful.”
Sibley joined NIU’s School of Family and Consumer Sciences in 2015 and is currently an associate professor and area coordinator. Simply put – he loves what he does and it shows.
“I love everything about teaching at NIU and being in the classroom with our students,” Sibley said. “I feel incredibly supported by my faculty colleagues, staff, and administrators to excel in the classroom, and my students continually inspire me by their perseverance, dedication, and resilience.”
It’s fitting that Sibley – who is known for his student-centered approach – would win an award that is nominated by students.
“Receiving this award was very unexpected and I am both humbled and grateful to be recognized for my teaching in this way,” Sibley said. “I am passionate about teaching, mentoring, and helping student achieve their future goals.”
Students hail Sibley for his efforts inside and outside the classroom. He is lauded for being “approachable, available and genuinely interested in helping his students succeed.”
“I was comfortable enough to go to him to talk about stressors I had outside of school, and he was able to get me the resources I needed to help me succeed,” a student said. “Without his help, I probably would not be where I am in my personal life and academics.”
Sibley believes in his students and encourages them on a consistent basis.
“Any student will tell you that he constantly reminds us that even if we have had a brutal past, it does not mean we are doomed for failure in our future relationships,” Terry said. “As long as we have passion, determination, and resiliency, we can accomplish anything in the field. This is what makes him such an excellent teacher.”
Thomas Pavkov, chair, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, said Sibley’s passion for teaching is evidenced on several levels.
“I always find students outside my office waiting to meet with Scott,” Pavkov said. “He has created opportunities through his student research group for a lot of first-generation students to become aware and active in doing research.”
In addition, Pavkov said Sibley’s commitment to the area of family science has also resulted in a number of students pursuing graduate training in fields such as marriage and family therapy and social work.
Sibley will be celebrated during the 2023 Faculty Awards Ceremony on April 20 from 3-5 p.m. at Altgeld Hall Auditorium.
Source: NIU Today CHHS News
