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FOLLOWING HER DREAMS

By Pete Rosenbery

An associate professor in the School of Allied Health’s dental hygiene program, Jennifer Sherry has been able to combine two of her influences while growing up -- the dental profession and education.

Recognized by her professional peers for her efforts and by her students for her personalized instruction, Sherry earned the College of Applied Sciences and Arts’ 2015 E.J. and Mary C. Simon Distinguished Faculty Award.

“I’m humbled that I was even considered for the award,” Sherry said. “Knowing the history of the Simon family and their legacy here at SIU, it is very gratifying to receive the award.”

Sherry recalls watching television as a child and explaining to her mother the person’s teeth, mouth and bite. A grandmother was also a dental assistant, which also sparked her interest in the profession.

Sherry always considered the possibility of teaching -- about six members of her immediate family, including her mother, have been involved in some form of education. A three-degree SIU Carbondale graduate, Sherry’s family also has a lengthy connection to the campus as her parents, grandparents, an aunt and two great aunts all went to SIU.

“I get the best of both worlds. I can teach what I am really passionate about,” she said. “It’s a win-win situation.”

E.J. Simon was dean of the college from its inception in 1951 until his retirement in 1970, and both he and his wife, Mary C. Simon, remained strong supporters of the university and CASA. E.J. Simon died in 1989; Mary Simon passed away in 2011.

Sherry’s goal is to come into a classroom energized and “prepared to do whatever I need to do to make it interesting for students to learn and retain the information.” That includes word associations, such as “dot in the slot” and “thin is in, stout is out” in discussing radiograph procedures.

Sherry enjoys seeing “that light bulb go on” for a student when they are studying something challenging and it becomes understood. It is important that students understand the importance of examining and tracking patients’ medical history and the correlation to effective dental care.

Brianne Borvan, a May 2015 dental hygiene graduate, wrote in a letter supporting Sherry’s nomination that her lectures “catered to every learning style that exists” by using pictures and images, learning games, take home assignments, partner work and weekly reading quizzes.

Sherry works with several organizations, including serving as president of the Southern Illinois Dental Hygienists’ Society, coordinator for the ADDUS adult day care center dental and oral cancer screening program, the annual “Give Kids a Smile Day,” “Give Adults a Smile Day,” and the SIU Oral Cancer Walk. She is also involved in myriad student-related activities and events.

“To me, a distinguished faculty member is not just someone who has a class with a high pass rate. A distinguished faculty member is someone that can pass their knowledge on to their students while being a role model and inspiration both in and out of the classroom,” Borvan wrote.

It is critical for students to understand the importance of volunteerism and giving back to their communities, Sherry said.

“Being able to provide care to the underserved is one of the most important things they can do,” she said.

Sherry started at SIU in 2000 and received the college’s term faculty teaching award in 2003. She became an assistant professor in 2007 and earned tenure and promotion to associate professor in 2013. Sandy Collins, an associate professor and director of the School of Allied Health’s Health Care Management program, wrote in her nomination letter that Sherry eagerly participates in collaborative interdisciplinary research and is among the leading grant writers in the school -- receiving 10 grants or gifts-in-kind, conducting 15 presentations at professional meetings and publishing eight manuscripts since 2008.

Sherry focuses much of her research on energy drinks and children’s health issues, and making sure that parents and children understand the importance of their diet and healthy snacks vs. unhealthy snacks in development of their teeth.

The dental hygiene program is the only one that offers a baccalaureate degree in Illinois, which Sherry said is a large selling point.

“Many times students want to build upon their dental hygiene career and this gives them the opportunity to pursue areas including marketing, sales and teaching in community colleges. There is so much more students can do in addition to the clinical practice. It is awesome to see the profession grow.”

Sherry, a native of Marion, and her husband, Lawrence, live in Cambria. Their daughter, Lauren, is a senior at SIU Carbondale majoring in finance.