Bob and Pat England give back to the place where their story began
By Britni Bateman
More than 50 years after meeting at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bob and Pat England are giving back to the place where their story began.
Through a $250,000 gift, the couple has established the England Student Center Lounge, a gathering space for students on the fourth floor of the SIU Student Center. Their gift will support maintenance and ongoing enhancements, ensuring the space serves generations of Salukis.
For the Englands, the gift honors the university that shaped their lives and celebrates the connections they formed on campus.
“We’re incredibly grateful for what Bob received through his education at SIU,” Pat England said. “And what I got from SIU was Bob.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony dedicating the England Student Center Lounge will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 30, 2026, in the SIU Student Center. Remarks are scheduled for 11:15 a.m.
A Saluki education that opened doors
Bob England arrived at SIU from Decatur, Illinois, on a football scholarship in the late 1960s. Like many first-generation college students, the transition to college life wasn’t easy at first.
He struggled academically before realizing that success at SIU required a new level of commitment.
“I figured out pretty quickly that I needed to focus,” Bob said. “Once I did, everything changed.”
Bob found his place in the university’s industrial technology program, which provided hands-on training in fields ranging from engineering and mathematics to foundry work and construction methods.
“It gave me exposure to a little bit of everything,” he said. “I understood enough about a lot of subjects that I could talk with anyone about what they were doing.”
That versatility became a defining strength throughout his career.
After graduating in 1969, Bob began working in the steel industry before eventually becoming an entrepreneur.
A phone call that changed everything
While Bob’s academic path shaped his career, a simple phone call shaped his life.
In 1969, Bob called a friend living in Steagall Hall on campus, hoping to find a date for a party that weekend. As fate would have it, Pat, who is originally from Carmi, Illinois, happened to be walking down the hallway when the friend answered the phone and handed her the receiver.
The conversation led to their first meeting, which included a drive through Carbondale during a rainstorm in Bob’s red 1967 Mustang and a stop for coffee.
The connection was immediate.
“Before long we were inseparable,” Pat said.
The couple married just months later and have now been together for 57 years.
Building a family business
After starting their careers, Bob and Pat eventually moved to Texas, where they built a business with their two sons.
What began as a small operation grew into N-Line Traffic Maintenance, a company specializing in roadway striping and traffic safety.
The company expanded rapidly and eventually employed more than 500 people across Texas before the family sold the business after 24 years.
Throughout its growth, the Englands focused on work that mattered.
“Paint on a road might not seem like much,” Pat said. “But those lines keep people in their lanes and keep them safe.”
The company created jobs and helped protect workers and drivers on highways and construction sites.
“It was about providing opportunities for people,” Bob said.
Memories that never faded
Although the Englands eventually settled in Jupiter, Florida, and rarely returned to campus, their memories of SIU never faded.
They remember walking through Thompson Woods between classes and spending time in the student center with friends.
One memory still makes them smile.
Students would gather in the student center lounge to watch the television show Dark Shadows, a daily ritual that brought people together.
“You don’t have to follow every game or come back every year to know how important a place was in your life,” Bob said. “We never forgot what SIU meant to us.”
Creating a place for connection
Their connection to campus resurfaced when they learned about an effort led by the Undergraduate Student Government to establish a dedicated student lounge in the SIU Student Center.
The idea began with Penny Bordewick, who campaigned for the creation of a student gathering space while serving as USG president. She believed students needed a welcoming place to study, collaborate and connect outside the classroom.
The initiative continued under Lydia Phelps, the next USG president, who carried forward the promise and helped move the project toward reality.
For Pat England, the vision behind the project felt especially meaningful. During her career in student life at Texas A&M University, she worked closely with students and saw firsthand how campus spaces and supportive leadership can help students pursue their ideas and ambitions. That experience deepened her appreciation for student-led initiatives like the effort at SIU.
When the Englands learned about the project, the idea resonated immediately.
The space itself reflects that student-driven vision. Located on the fourth floor of the Student Center, the lounge is transforming a once underutilized area, formerly home to student radio station WIDB, into a vibrant, multifunctional hub designed by students for students.
Plans for the space include flexible seating areas for conversation and collaboration, a large television for watch parties, recreational games and a jukebox, along with a feature wall honoring WIDB’s legacy. Bar-style seating overlooking Thompson Woods will provide a scenic place for students to gather, while upgraded sound and technology will support events and daily use.
Additional spaces will support a wide range of student needs, including study and small-group collaboration rooms with whiteboards and charging stations, a conference room for Registered Student Organization meetings, a podcast room inspired by WIDB’s history, and a kitchenette for convenience. The lounge will also include a dedicated lactation room, reinforcing the university’s commitment to supporting all students.
Together, these elements create a space that will be used daily by hundreds of students, from commuters to those living on campus, for studying, meetings and connecting between classes.
“We want students to have a place where they can meet, share ideas and relax,” Pat said. “College isn’t only about classes. It’s also about the relationships you build along the way.”
A legacy of opportunity
Looking back, the Englands say their story would not have unfolded the same way without SIU.
The university gave Bob the education that launched his career and gave both of them the place where their life together began.
“If this space helps students come together and make a difference, then we’re happy to be part of that,” Bob said.
And perhaps, they say with a smile, the England Student Center Lounge will even help spark a few new Saluki love stories.
Supporting connection and opportunity for future Salukis
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is one of only 21 universities nationwide to hold both Carnegie Research 1 (R1) and Opportunity University designations, reflecting its strength in high-level research and its commitment to expanding access and outcomes for students from all backgrounds.
As SIU advances as a national research institution focused on student success, investments like the Englands’ help strengthen the campus environment where students live, learn and grow.
Their gift also supports the Imagine SIU 2030 fundraising campaign, which has approximately 2½ years remaining. To date, the campaign has raised more than $464 million toward its $500 million goal, making it the fifth-largest fundraising effort in Illinois higher education.
In the most recent fiscal year, the SIU Foundation awarded more than $5.6 million in scholarships to 2,111 students, representing 17% of the student body.
For the Englands, the impact of their gift comes down to something simple: helping ensure that future students find the same sense of opportunity, belonging and possibility that defined their own time at SIU.
By Ava Steffens
In addition to his academics, Hartke and several peers reestablished the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity chapter at SIU in 2022. The organization provided him with valuable connections and leadership experience, motivating him to take on roles such as serving on the advisory board for Saluki Athletics. He described TKE as a community‑focused, philanthropic group of “like‑minded men” committed to doing good and preparing for future success.
During his time in TKE, he has helped conduct numerous fundraising events benefiting organizations like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The chapter focuses on community service goals and mentoring younger fraternity members. Hartke said that he admires those who try to give their time or resources to their institution, as he hopes to do so through his own work.