IMSA Honors Two Cherished Community Members
For Immediate Release, October 2004
For comment, contact Brenda Buschbacher at
(630) 907-5033
The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) has lost two cherished members of its community.
Mary Van Verst joined the IMSA community on August 18, 1987. For more than 16 years, Mary was a valued member of the IMSA Chemistry team. During her long teaching career at IMSA, she developed an Organic Chemistry curriculum that was, as IMSA President Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall said, “really more a department into itself rather than just two classes and an independent study.”
In addition to her passion for chemistry, Mary created and led IMSA students after school in learning about Nuclear Magnetic Resonance imaging. In order for students to learn about NMR from the experts themselves, Mary recruited scientists outside of IMSA to volunteer their time in this effort. This was a truly unique and rare learning opportunity for students at the undergraduate level and was another example of, as Dr. Marshall said, Mary’s “profound respect and deep affection for her students and their abundant potential.”
Mary’s impact on her students was evidenced throughout the years by the many notes she kept from them. One of these included the following:
I hope I can pursue my career with as much dedication, enthusiasm, and fervor you showed, because you showed me that you should always love what you are doing, in order to give it your best.
The following is an excerpt from Mary’s memorial service on September 26, 2004, read by IMSA President Dr. Marshall:
Mary was a teacher’s teacher. She was an expert. A master. A disciplined and caring mentor.
She knew the quiet joy of inviting students to deeply engage in and experience the wonders and mystery of science and its connection to the human experience.
Above all else, Mary saw her life’s work as using science to invite students into a live and loving encounter with ideas, and from this live encounter, new connections were made, imaginations were stirred, perplexities were exposed, insights were shared, and young minds were altered forever.
Daniel Eidson joined the IMSA community on August 7, 2000. During his career at IMSA, Dan was a valued member of the IMSA Residential Life team. For the past four years, he served as a Resident Counselor and Student Council Advisor to IMSA students.
In addition to his role here at IMSA, Dan also held leadership roles outside of IMSA, serving as Executive Director for the North Central District (Illinois) for High School Student Councils and also on the board for the Illinois State Association of Student Councils.
IMSA Principal Eric McLaren said that the IMSA community and its students will miss Dan’s contributions to Academy campus life.
"As executive director of the North Central District for High School Student Councils, Dan shared his passion and deep knowledge of student government and leadership with IMSA students, " said IMSA Principal Eric McLaren. "At IMSA, we place a high value on student leadership development and we will always remember Dan's ability to empower students to make a difference in the world around them."