Pursuing advanced degrees is often a natural progression for professors in the School of Education at Olivet Nazarene University (ONU). Four faculty members are currently completing their doctoral studies and research, in addition to continuing with their teaching and administrative responsibilities. Highlighting their research is an important prelude to extending them the rights and privileges of a doctoral degree.
“As ONU’s School of Education continues to grow and evolve, the dedication and hard work of our faculty in pursuing their doctoral degrees serves as a powerful testament to our commitment to academic excellence and innovation,” says Dr. Lance Kilpatrick ’02, associate dean. “Faculty members are enhancing their own expertise while also elevating our students’ education by bringing fresh insights, advanced research and a deeper understanding of the issues shaping education today.”
Amanda E. LaLuna-Chorak ’03, Child Development Program Director and Assistant Professor School of Education
Degrees and Certifications:
Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education
Illinois Teaching License
Master of Science in Child Development, Child Life Specialization (M.S.C.D.)
Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS)
Certified Educator Infant Massage (CEIM)
“Preparing future professionals within the growing B.S. child development degree program is my calling,” says professor Chorak. “I want our students to find the calling God has for each of their lives. We are preparing child life specialists, developmental therapists, pediatric occupational therapists, speech therapists, early learning teachers, care providers and many others for the unique ways they will care for our world’s children and families.” 
Now in the final stages of her Ph.D. program with her degree expected in 2025, professor Chorak is looking forward to reaching this finish line in her career. Her doctoral research has focused on the power of play, a truly universal language that can repair and heal. She stresses the importance of connection and play for children, teens and families in the post-pandemic era.
Her dream is that in the near future, all early childhood locations (homes, child care, classrooms, school districts, restaurants, child and family state/federal laws, churches, parks, etc.) are developmentally appropriate and truly set up for all the developmental needs of growing children. Potential brain development for the child and health for society depend on the quality of each child’s life, especially from birth to 8 years old.
“My hope for all who care and work with young children is that they remember the tremendous importance of their calling,” professor Chorak says. “They must be committed to understanding the complexities of human development, promoting resiliency in the face of societal adversities and supporting families. In a world that often presents chaos and uncertainty, the importance of quality childcare and dedication to helping children and families is priceless.”
Kristin Mathews, Program Coordinator, Elementary Education and Assistant Professor School of Education
Degrees and Certifications:
Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education
Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
National Board-Certified Teacher in English Language Arts for Early Adolescence (NBCT)
Professor Kristin Mathews is completing her Ed.D. in curriculum and teaching, expected in May. Her research focuses on “The Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards and Their Implementation in Higher Education Teacher Preparation Programs at Predominantly White Institutions.” She is also a leader in Illinois’ statewide initiative for developing a pipeline to include underrepresented and minority teachers in the school systems.
“My research has helped guide ONU’s School of Education in developing and strengthening key community partnerships with our surrounding Kankakee County organizations like the Kankakee Public Library and Youth for Christ,” professor Mathews says. “I have also used my research to identify and implement more sustainable ways for the School of Education to align programming even more with best practices for training preservice teachers for culturally responsive teaching in an increasingly diverse K–12 school system.
During her doctoral studies and research, professor Mathews has discovered that the School of Education faculty and students understand and embrace the call to model themselves after the Master Teacher, Jesus. Faculty members are uniquely positioned to implement Illinois’ Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards to train this population of preservice teachers in strategies that improve achievement for more diverse student populations.
“The core components of ONU’s conceptual framework are based on Christ-centered character and a foundational implementation of best practices, which have helped with implementation,” she says. “I hope my research highlights that, regardless of the demographic makeup of an institution, it is possible to prepare preservice teachers to honor the culture and diversity of the students God allows them to teach.”
Mary Peeken ’04, ’06 M.A.E., Licensure Officer and Adjunct Professor School of Education
Degrees and Certifications:
Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education
Master of Arts in Education
Doctor of Education, Educational Psychology
Dr. Mary Peeken, licensure officer and adjunct professor, defended her dissertation in December 2024 for her Ed.D. in educational psychology. Dr. Peeken conducted research surrounding the national teacher shortage and factors related to educators who are leaving the field.
She began her doctoral journey in fall 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic began. During her research, she discovered that many of the educators she interviewed for the study emphasized dramatic changes in student engagement and performance after students returned to full-time on-ground learning. Major themes for their departure, which she identified during her research, included a lack of disciplinary and behavior support, ineffective leadership, declining parental involvement, increased workload and lack of respect.
“I walk with ONU’s education students as they journey through their program majors,” Dr. Peeken says. “I meet them as freshmen in my Human Development classes and then continue with them as I arrange for their student teaching placement, degree conferral and licensure with the Illinois State Board of Education. It is rewarding to see them grow academically and professionally as they move through each phase of our program. My research provides an updated perspective of modern-day education and the current challenges, which will assist ONU in preparing these students to enter a classroom of their own.”
Tonya S. Peterson, Assistant Professor School of Education
Degrees and Certifications:
Bachelor of Science in Education, Elementary Education
Master of Science in Education, Special Education
Master of Science in Educational Leadership
Professional Educator License, Elementary Education, Learning Behavior Specialist I and Principal Endorsements
Certified Teacher Evaluator, Illinois State Board of Education
Professor Tonya Peterson is completing her Ed.D. in interdisciplinary leadership in higher education, expected in May. Her doctoral dissertation, “Faculty Perceptions of Neurodiverse College Students,” provided her with the opportunity to examine — through qualitative interviews — how faculty perceive neurodiverse students and the neurodiversity-affirming practices they use.
“Special education, students with disabilities and issues of social justice have always been important work to me,” professor Peterson says. “My dream is to see all neurodiverse students at ONU, as well as all ONU students, faculty and staff who have disabilities, know that they are loved and valued.”
Professor Peterson’s doctoral research focused on ways to foster a sense of belonging for marginalized populations, including students with disabilities. Her goal is to help students acknowledge their disabilities and develop a positive disability identity. She wants to see the culture shift so that a person who is neurodiverse can focus not on the challenges and barriers of neurodiversity but on the blessings and strengths of having a unique way to think and view the world.
“I think that ONU is the perfect place to begin to shift that paradigm,” professor Peterson says. “This is a place that sees all of us as created in the image of God, and all of us deserve to belong. My dissertation focuses on making this truth a stepping stone to social change and increased equity for neurodiverse college students on a campus where God is invited to lead the way.”
From Olivet The Magazine, Think On These Things – Spring 2025. Read the full issue here.
