Amoloza was perched in the balcony of Westbrook Auditorium in Presser Hall, sitting with faculty colleagues, when she heard the announcement by IWU s Provost and Dean of Faculty Janet McNew. It was a total, total surprise. It was a well-kept secret, too, since Amoloza s husband and daughter were on hand, secretly driving to Bloomington from DeKalb, Ill., and St. Louis, Mo., respectively. Amoloza s husband, Jerry, is working on a doctorate in economics at Northern Illinois University. Amoloza s enthusiasm for teaching is reflected in her attitude toward students.
Students appreciate that more than getting an extra book to read at the end of the semester.
Amoloza comes from a family where a premium was placed on education. Her father, Pedro Oliveros, is a retired semi-skilled worker, age 80, and her mother, Rufina, age 75, cared for the family s 10 youngsters. All of Amoloza s nine surviving siblings have earned college degrees, including two brothers and a sister who Amoloza put through college. This honor is as much theirs, as it is mine. Amoloza, who was born in the Philippines, earned bachelor s and master s degrees in agriculture and statistics, respectively, from the University of the Philippines, Los Banos, and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.