Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) College of Education is proud to announce that two of its alumnae have been named finalists for the Golden Apple Award for Teaching through the Golden Apple Foundation. The USF alumnae are among a list of 30 Pre-K to 3rd-grade teacher finalists in contention for the honor.
USF honorees include: Samantha Gill ’18, ‘19 (Albert Sabin Dual Language Magnet School in Chicago, Ill.), Carrie Lovell, Teacher’s Academy for Special Education Endorsement (St. Paul School in Odell, Ill.)
“On behalf of the College of Education, we are honored to celebrate our alumnae who have been nominated for the prestigious 2026 Golden Apple Award. This outstanding achievement reflects their exceptional commitment to students, their passion for the profession, and their dedication to making a meaningful difference in their classrooms and communities. Their nominations are a testament not only to their individual excellence but also to the values that guide our work in the College of Education at the University of St. Francis. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and we are grateful to see our graduates continuing to inspire and positively impact the next generation of learners.” Said Erin Evans, Ed.D., Acting Dean of the College of Education at University of St. Francis.
According to Golden Apple, “Golden Apple Award recipients will be surprised in the spring. Northwestern University generously provides a spring sabbatical to award recipients at no cost. Each recipient receives a $5,000 cash award. Award recipients become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a community of educators who play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs – which are dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois.” To see a full list of the 2026 finalists, visit https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.goldenapple.org/golden-apple-awards-finalists-2026.
About Golden Apple
According to their website, “Golden Apple’s mission is to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence, especially in schools-of-need. Our leading-edge preparation delivers exceptional teachers who make an impact. We help students thrive in the classroom and in life. Since our beginning, we have recognized master educators
annually; and, these master educators help prepare the next generation of teachers. Our vision is one in which every classroom has a great teacher and to realize this, we are committed to making a material difference in resolving the teacher shortage. Visit goldenapple.org for more information.
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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves more than 3,200 students worldwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 54,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.
University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.
