On April 14, the SIU Foundation hosted a Men of Color: Advancing Impact in Philanthropy Dinner. Wendell Williams, SIU’s Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Enrollment, led the intimate event and offered the following information to attendees: A brief overview of SIU’s current enrollment, a projection of SIU’s growth over the next 5 years, and an estimation of scholarship and support funds needed to support African American male students at SIU.

SIU alums and corporate partners shared stories of accomplishment, each recounting the part that SIU played in their journey to success. They also discussed how they may continue to support student success by giving back.

The following funds were created below from attendees.

• Darius Robinson (’95) endowed the Darius Robinson Scholarship Fund to assist students who graduated from East St. Louis Senior High School in East St. Louis.
• Chad Pendleton (’97) endowed the Pendleton Family Bridging the Gap Fund to assist underrepresented students with need-based funding.
• Wendell Williams endowed the Wendell and Gloria Family Scholarship to assist underrepresented students in financial need.

If you would like to inquire about ways to give back to SIU, please contact Sherrica Hunt, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the SIU Foundation, at sherricah@foundation.siu.edu.

Sean Boston came to SIU with a plan: Play basketball and finish his business degree. While he accomplished those goals, his path wasn’t as straightforward as he originally planned.

“I feel like I have a pretty good story to tell,” he said. “I transferred to SIU to play for Coach (Rich) Herrin. It was an exciting time. I didn’t know how monumental that new beginning would be.”

Playing on a highly successful 1991-92 Saluki Men’s Basketball team, Boston was surrounded by talent. Multiple players from that team went on to play professionally, either in the NBA or overseas. A torn knee ligament cut Boston’s season short and put his focus on life after basketball.

“I developed huge camaraderie, both in Athletics and the College of Business, and was able to forge relationships and opportunities that lasted a lifetime,” he said.

During his senior year, the dean of the College of Business and Assistant Basketball Coach Rodney Watson strongly encouraged Boston to interview with Chrysler Corporation, as it visited SIU to recruit for open roles. Little did he know the greatest assist came from an SIU College of Business Hall of Fame alumnus, Ted Cunningham. Ted, the third highest ranking official at Chrysler, challenged his corporate staff to hire SIU graduates when recruiting new candidates to join the auto manufacturer. The interview was for a field sales position with Chrysler’s Mopar Parts division.

“Since it was a month from graduation, I had already packed my interview suit and shipped it back home to Chicago. Although I was mentally prepared for the in-person interview, my casual under-dressed attire wasn’t the impression I was trying to establish. Thank goodness for the amazing chemistry I was able to share with Harry G. Mathis (Mopar – Southeast Team Leader) as he hired me and another College of Business alumnus Tim Richardson,” Boston said. “At that time, I hadn’t realized how important that one verbal assist Ted Cunningham made would launch my professional career. I accepted the field sales position with Chrysler in Columbia, South Carolina, and I give all credit for that opportunity to SIU, as it paved the way for my career.”

In 1998, Boston earned an MBA from the University of Detroit. Nowadays, he is the director of marketing & sales effectiveness for Ace Hardware Corporation’s Wholesale Division – Emery Jensen.

Boston has also stayed involved with his alma mater. In 2012, he established an endowed scholarship that supports students in the College of Business. He’s also a member of the college’s Hall of Fame and was honored with its Distinguished Service Award. More recently, he joined the SIU Foundation Board of Directors.

“Everyone has to take their own path, and SIU gives everyone a fighting chance to fulfill their ambition,” he said. “We must make sure we’re making an impact in the community, both locally and in areas such as St. Louis and Chicago. Through philanthropy, we are planting the seeds of success with our students and catapulting them to bright futures.”

Boston also sees the value of expanding scholarship opportunities for all students.

“Scholarships are going to play a more pivotal role than ever before, with economic headwinds arriving in the near future,” he said. “We should aim to widen the scope of our scholarships. They should be accessible and attainable for more students. We can nurture our high-achieving students, but we must not alienate the middle-of-the-road students. They, too, will become the leaders of tomorrow.”

The SIU Foundation has more outreach events than ever before – the annual Day of Giving, Takeover Tours across the country, and the inaugural Saluki Ball in Chicago – and Boston is ready to help at every turn possible.

“I really appreciate the ability to be a proud Saluki,” he said. “I’m ready to do all I can to put the organization on the map and provide the next assist where possible.”

By Jeff Wilson

When Dean Hong Cheng looks at the College of Arts and Media (CAM), he sees opportunities and great potential.

“We are going to make our college a premier destination for prospective students,” he said. “We want to be a leader, both nationally and internationally, in the field of arts and media.”

To make these aspirations a reality, Cheng outlined how the college must embrace technology, value teaching, research, and creative activity, engage itself in communities, and remain mission driven.

“In CAM, we have a unique blend of artists, designers, performers, scholars, and writers,” he said. “We must grow our visibility, integrate holistically, and provide a meaningful contribution.”

Always the forward thinker, Cheng noted the impact that artificial intelligence will have not only on the world, but his college specifically.

“AI is not just for STEM programs,” he said. “It will impact everyone, and we in CAM are no exception. While more work is done by machines, creativity is much harder to replace.”

We are in the beginning of a Feeling Economy, one in which the most valuable skills are things such as empathy, communication, establishing and maintaining relationships, and spreading influence. With six unique schools – Architecture, Art and Design, Journalism and Advertising, Media Arts, Music, and Theater and Dance – Cheng said the college will be at the center of this revolution.

“All six of the schools within CAM are distinctive,” Cheng said. “We have a glorious past and an even brighter future. What we do is going to be more important than ever before.”

Cheng knows what it will take to ensure CAM is a leader in all its fields. A much-anticipated, state-funded upgrade to the Communications Building, one of the college’s major facilities, is just one step.

“We must elevate our facility,” he said. “We must be able to upgrade our technology now, and once this building renovation is completed, we will need to fill those rooms with state-of-the-art equipment and space for interdisciplinary collaboration.”

He is also dedicated to expanding professional development for faculty.

“To recruit and retain the best students, we must be able to recruit and retain world-class faculty,” Cheng said. “Doing that means funding travel and conference attendance. To increase enrollment, we must ensure we have the best people.”

While he may be new to campus, Cheng is grateful for CAM’s illustrious history and dedicated alumni base.

“I’m so impressed by the achievements our schools and programs have made over the years,” he said. “There are so many opportunities for our alumni to make a difference. We have naming opportunities all around us – from single rooms to the entire building to the college and its six schools. With the support of anyone who is passionate about arts and media, we can make great things happen.”

To learn more about CAM, contact Lisa Knight, Director of Development, at 618-453-4719. To make a gift online, visit cam.siu.edu/give.

There’s a new premier fundraiser on the SIU calendar – the Saluki Ball.

Hosted by Chancellor Austin Lane and Mrs. Loren Lane, the inaugural Saluki Ball brought 615 SIU alumni and friends together in an effort to raise funds that bridge the financial gap for students.

“Our focus tonight is on our students, especially those who need your help the most,” said Chancellor Lane during the ball, which was held Saturday, April 22, at the Marriott Marquis Chicago. “Increasing our enrollment to 15,000 students by 2030 – as established by our strategic plan – requires not only efforts in recruitment but also retention. We must ensure the students that we bring to Carbondale or who enroll in online courses are able to stay enrolled and finish with their degree.”

The Saluki Ball was sponsored by the Honorable Glenn and Mrs. Jo Poshard and ULLICO, Inc., and Laborers’ Local 773. Each donated $100,000 in support of the fundraiser. The event was emceed by SIU alumnus and ESPN radio host Marc Silverman.

Many of SIU’s most resolute supporters bought tickets and sponsored tables in support of SIU students. The money raised will help enhance funding for students who require assistance with their bursar bills to stay enrolled.

Drs. Philip and Pamela Pfeffer were honored with the Saluki Lifetime Achievement Award. Pam Pfeffer began serving on the SIU Foundation Board in 1995 and has served two terms as board president. A Metropolis native, she earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from SIU Carbondale in 1967. She is also a mentor with the Women’s Leadership Council.

Phil Pfeffer is a two-degree SIU Carbondale graduate, earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and chemistry in 1965 and a master’s degree in economics in 1966. He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1997, the SIU Distinguished Alumni Award in 1998, and Alumni Achievement Award in 1992.

The Pfeffers are life members of the SIU Alumni Association, the Paul and Virginia Society, and both have served on boards for the Alumni Association, SIU Foundation, and College of Liberal Arts. They have also been awarded the university’s Distinguished Service Award.

Two students, Luis Barrera and BriYanna Robinson, were recognized with Saluki Success Awards.

“Pam and Phil Pfeffer, BriYanna Robinson, and Luis Barrera are great examples of what a Saluki can and should be,” Silverman said.

The night was capped by a performance by R&B legend Brian McKnight and dancing.