Jenny Tripses

Biography

Dr. Jenny Tripses came to Bradley in the fall of 1999. She teaches educational leadership courses that prepare graduates for master’s degrees in educational administration that satisfy Illinois State Board of Education course work requirements for school principal licensure.

Professional Experience

Dr. Tripses was an elementary principal for nine years, three years in a small rural school district, and six in a large suburban district. Her public school teaching career included 17 years in Peoria Heights in grades kindergarten through three.

Teaching

Dr. Tripses teaches courses including Instructional Leadership, Human Resource Management, Leadership Perspectives, The Principalship, Community Relations, Legal and Social Change, Interpersonal and Organizational Leadership and the Administrative Field Experience.

Dr. Tripses also taught a course entitled Leadership in a Diverse Society for many years during the January Term.

Scholarship

Dr. Tripses was awarded a second a Fulbright Scholar spring 2017 where she lectured on social justice school principals and conducted research on social justice school leaders at the University of Latvia during spring 2018. Dr. Tripses collaborated with Latvian, Estonican, and Lithuanian scholars to better understand how accomplished social justice school leaders actually conduct their work. The subsequent research was merged with research through the International School Leaders Development Network, which is connected with the University Council of Educational Administration (UCEA) and the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS).

Dr. Tripses spent the spring 2012 semester at the Vinnytsia State Pedagogical University in Ukraine on a Fulbright Scholar grant. While there, she presented at the Kyiv National Economic University, the Ukrainian National Aeronautical University and the Vinnytsia English Teachers on minds for the future. Since returning from Ukraine, her research interests have shifted to international education. She has co-authored several manuscripts and book chapters with Ukrainian colleagues. Annually, Dr. Tripses and Sveta Kuzmina, an instructor at the Vinnytsia State Pedagogical University collaborate to teach an online class to Ukrainian students. To learn more about Dr. Tripses‘ experiences in Ukraine go to The world in our hands.

Dr. Tripses’ research interests continue on social justice school leaders, women school leaders, and mentoring from the protégé perspective. She has presented at national and international conferences on these topics.

Dr. Tripses co-authored a book with Linda Lyman and Dianne Ashby entitled Leaders Who Dare (2005), which spotlighted the skills of women school leaders in situations where their values conflicted with organizational practices.

Service

Dr. Tripses has been active in Illinois School Leader Reform since 2001. She served as president of the Illinois Council of Professors of Educational Administration (ICPEA) (2003-05), vice president (2001-2003), was a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission convened by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (final report 2006), co-chaired several statewide committees, most recently the School University Partnership Committee which made recommendations to the Illinois Board of Education. On the national level, Dr. Tripses was elected to the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration in August 2008 for a three-year term. She continues to mentor through NCPEA. Dr. Tripses served as the Executive Director of Illinois Women in Educational Leadership (formerly Illinois Women Administrators) from 2008 through 2014. Dr. Tripses served as department chair (2001-04 and 2015-17, 2018-19) and as Educational Leadership Program Coordinator.

Dr. Tripses collaborated with Dr. Michael Risen to develop the curriculum and achieve approval and accreditation from the Bradley Curriculum & Regulations process, the Bradley Board of Trustees, the Illinois State Educational Program Licensure Board (SEPLB), and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Since returning from Latvia in June 2018, Dr. Tripses has actively participated in preparations to launch the Bradley EdD School Leader Program.

Dr. Tripses is an active member of the International School Leaders Development Network (ISLDN), the Central Illinois Valley Illinois Principals Association board, the British Education, Leadership, and Management and Administration Society (BELMAS), and the International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership (ICPEL formerly named NCPEA).