Former Dist. 211 administrator wins EIU lifetime achievement award

A former longtime assistant principal in Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 has been honored by Eastern Illinois University's College of Education and Professional Studies with the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award.

William Thiel, now of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, was given the award March 25 at a ceremony in Charleston. Thiel graduated from EIU in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and went on to give a lifetime of service to the education profession.

Thiel has served in many different roles in his career - teacher, superintendent, principal and assistant principal in both elementary and secondary schools, including the Chicago Public Schools. He has also written for more than 100 professional publications.

He was the assistant principal at Palatine High School between 1969 and 1980; and at Fremd from 1980 to 1986.

Thiel was appointed to the U.S. Olympic Power Volleyball Committee for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He received a master's degree in education from Loyola University of Chicago, a certificate of advanced study from the University of Chicago, and a doctorate in education from Loyola University in school law and finance.

Established in 2009, the College of Education and Professional Studies Alumni Awards program celebrates and honors alumni who have excelled in their fields. The Lifetime Achievement Award is given specifically to alumni who have attained distinguished professional success and prominence and are living role models in the discipline represented by the College of Education and Professional Studies.

This isn't Thiel's first award from EIU - in 2004 he was honored with EIU's Distinguished Alumni Award by the school's alumni association.