Distinguished Alumna
Class of 2026

Cindy Kay (Shonkwiler) Arthur

AHS Class of 1975

As her career in education enters its 48th year, Cindy Arthur continues to use her skills as a business and technology instructor to guide her students. Over the decades, she has earned abundant accolades from her students and peers as she taught independence, found unique qualities in students and helped her students unlock their own skills and creativity.

Cindy Kay Shonkwiler, daughter of Myron and Kay Gamble Shonkwiler of Arcola, was born July 8, 1957, with brothers Scott and Rick soon following. Her father was a Whisnand Hybrid Seed Corn Company employee who would later become the owner/operator as her mother provided financial accounting for their business.

Cindy entered high school in the fall of 1971. With the enactment of Title IX in 1972, Cindy and her teammates launched interscholastic sports for generations of girls at Arcola High School. She competed in track, volleyball and basketball, leading as co-captain both her junior and senior years on Coach Nancy Stiff’s first Arcola basketball teams. Cindy was president of Girls Athletic Association and a National Honor Society officer, while also serving as a football manager and member of Future Teachers of America, Drama Club and Spanish Club. As a senior, she was selected Prom Queen and also received her class awards for DAR, Business, Social Science and Service.

Following her 1975 AHS graduation, Cindy continued her education at Eastern Illinois University, where she played basketball for the Panthers, was a distance runner on the track team and also took on junior varsity basketball coaching responsibilities. She was awarded the 1978 Business Alumni Award presented through the Foundation of EIU and then graduated with honors in 1979, completing her Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in business and a minor in physical education.

Cindy soon landed a teaching position as business instructor at Bushnell-Prairie City Junior and Senior High Schools. In her first year of teaching, she met the principal’s son, Bart Arthur, and they were married July 11, 1981, at First Christian Church of Arcola. Their son, Bradley, was born May 21, 1983. In her early years at Bushnell-Prairie City, Cindy became head coach for high school girls’ track, junior high girls’ basketball and high school girls’ basketball, leading her team to 4th in state in 1984. As her years as a business instructor progressed, Cindy became more interested in emerging technology and the ways it could be used to help students find creative paths to express themselves and learn. With the ever-changing advancements in technology, she continued her education with additional coursework, conferences and workshops.

By the time Cindy completed her twentieth year as business instructor at Bushnell-Prairie City, the school was recognized as one of the area’s leaders in exposing students to cutting edge video, computer and internet technology. She brought that same credibility to Abingdon High School in 1999 in her new role as business and technology instructor. Upon her request, a course was soon added allowing students the opportunity to work more extensively with technology. Her dedicated work with students led to her recognition as 2004 Abingdon CUSD #217 Teacher of the Year, 2005 Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year and 2005 Knox County Teacher of the Year. Cindy earned repeated listings in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and was inducted into National Honor Roll’s Outstanding America’s Teachers for Exceptional Performance in the Motivation and Empowerment of Today’s Youth in 2006. She also received an Illinois State Board of Education certificate of appreciation for her service and commitment to education that same year.

While at Abingdon, Cindy served as both Student Council and yearbook sponsors. She also became a part-time technology assistant at Galesburg’s Carl Sandburg College in 2004 and joined the staff of Goodwill Learning Center in 2009 as she volunteered her time to help others learn about new technology to assist in their job searches. Her vision and leadership directed the creation and installation of the Zimmer Studio, a media production and broadcast facility completed at Abingdon High School in 2011. The studio empowered students as they learned to work with cameras, a green room, picture, sound and graphics editing capabilities. Cindy’s 2013 retirement at Abingdon completed her thirty-fourth year as an educator at the junior and senior high levels. She had built strong relationships with her students, faculty, administration, parents and community members.

Cindy soon took on full-time responsibilities at Carl Sandburg College as technology assistant in 2013. By 2017, she was named Staff Member of the Year and again in 2020 as she guided students and faculty in their transition to online education during the pandemic. More recently, in her role as the coordinator of instructional technology, Cindy took the lead for the creation of the Virtual Reality Studio at Sandburg, which has become a center of innovation and learning for both students and educators.

While her work continues at Carl Sandburg College, Cindy finds time for weight training and has committed to daily walks in Galesburg since 2017, including a marathon walk on her 60th birthday. She and Bart play a little golf, are big fans of college basketball and especially enjoy their time with Brad and his wife Allison. Cindy has also enjoyed watching her Arcola nieces and nephews in their many sporting events.