GALESBURG —Sandburg recognized the 2025 winners for Faculty of the Year, Adjunct Faculty of the Year and Staff Member of the Year during its 57th annual commencement Thursday evening on the Galesburg campus.
Jennifer Wright was selected as Faculty of the Year, Becky Echelberger was named Adjunct Faculty of the Year and Valerie Hinderliter was chosen as Staff Member of the Year.
2025 Faculty of the Year
Jennifer Wright
Part of the Sandburg faculty since 2014, Jennifer Wright serves as an associate professor of English as well as the college’s English coordinator and honors program coordinator.
Wright holds a bachelor’s in English and a master’s in American & British literature from Northern Illinois University, and she has more than 20 years of experience in higher education. Wright’s course load regularly includes Freshman Composition, Introduction to Composition and a variety of literature classes.
“I have absolutely loved this class, and it is easily my favorite course I have taken at Sandburg,” one of Wright’s students wrote in nominating her.
Wright was instrumental in Sandburg being awarded a developmental education grant from the Illinois Community College Board. She led the formation of the college’s English lab and piloted a transitional English course to remove economic barriers while providing a welcoming space for developmental students.
“The writing and reading load is pretty rigorous in my classes, but I feel like my students take on the challenge,” Wright said. “They always convey that they're excited about their readings and can't believe how meaningful they are. I feel the excitement in my classrooms, and I’m touched to know that somebody would go out of their way to nominate me.”
Wright has also volunteered for several years as a judge for Sandburg’s annual poetry contest. She’s a member of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges and the Modern Language Association. Wright lives in Macomb with her husband, Neil, and their two sons, Leo (8) and Charlie (6).
“I try to teach my classes in a way where I imagine what kind of classes I would want my kids to take in the future,” Wright said. “I want them to have books in their hands. I want them to be reading some of the best literature there is. I want them talking with their peers in the classroom, and I want them to be comfortable debating with one another and being respectful at the same time.”
Jennifer Wright
2025 Adjunct Faculty of the Year
Becky Echelberger
A 2006 graduate of Sandburg’s dental hygiene program, Becky Echelberger has been an adjunct clinic instructor in that field at the college since 2014.
Echelberger’s passion for teaching oral hygiene goes beyond the classroom and clinic. She annually visits elementary schools in her hometown of Kewanee to present to children on the importance of dental health and safety. Echelberger has included students in the dental hygiene program on those visits in recent years. She’s also worked with local health departments to complete oral cancer screenings for area residents.
“All of our instructors are there for us, but Ms. Echelberger has always been patient and kind,” one student said in their nomination of Echelberger. “She will stay after clinic to help us figure things out and take extra time to help calm us down and figure things out. I’m so grateful to her and couldn't do this without her.”
In addition to teaching at Sandburg, Echelberger works as a dental hygienist at The Dental Group of Galesburg. She lives in Kewanee with her children, Jubilee and Will.
“It keeps the little fire burning in me,” Echelberger said of her reaction upon hearing about the award. “Sometimes you don't know if you're making a difference or making that big of an impact on students. Then you get an email saying you're nominated for this, and it's like, ‘Oh my gosh, wow. I am getting through to them.’ I just feel honored and fortunate.”
Becky Echelberger
2025 Staff Member of the Year
Valerie Hinderliter
A Sandburg alumna, Valerie Hinderliter has worked at the college since October 2021 and serves as its health professions support specialist. In her role, Hinderliter uses her organizational skills to assist faculty, administrators and students in the nursing, radiologic technology, medical assisting, dental hygiene and mortuary science programs as well as Sandburg’s nursing assistant course.
“I really do enjoy my job a lot,” Hinderliter said. “When I started, all the people in my position for the other departments were so helpful in figuring things out, and they have been throughout these years. Everybody I work with is the reason I like my job so much.”
Hinderliter graduated from Sandburg in 2015 with an Associate in Applied Science in business administration. Prior to joining the staff at Sandburg, she worked at Kellogg Printing, G&M Distributors and Oak Lane Nursing & Rehab.
“I love that I knew what I came from in having graduated from here,” Hinderliter said. “It was a really good experience going to school here, so coming to work here was a no-brainer.”
Hinderliter lives in Monmouth with her husband, Morley. She has a daughter, Zoey, and four stepchildren: Harley, Chevella, Anastasia and Luke.
Valerie Hinderliter