Melvin Terrell spoke about the importance of faculty involvement in students’ lives – especially outside the classroom – during the first Teach, Educate, Act (TEA) Talk of the semester. Terrell called student affairs the fabric of a university.

“Students spend most of their lives outside the classroom. We have to create environments where they’ll be successful,” he said.

Terrell was formerly the Vice President for Student Affairs and Professor of Counselor Education at Northeastern Illinois University for 20 years before retiring in 2008. He is nationally recognized for his many contributions to improving student affairs in higher education, and is chairman of the Melvin C. Terrell Educational Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting excellence in student affairs. Terrell is also a new member of the School of Education Dean’s Advisory Board.

Terrell encouraged faculty in attendance to get involved with mentoring programs and organizations outside the classroom, such as student government, stressing the importance of making a connection with their students.

The TEA Talk is part of an ongoing series started by the Diversity Committee at the school that includes guest speakers from around IU and beyond.

Watch Terrell’s talk on YouTube.