By Jeff Wilson

When Glenn and Jo Poshard were told about the fundraising focus of the Saluki Ball, they knew it was the perfect initiative to support. Thus, they decided to become presenting sponsors of the ball, dedicating $100,000 to the cause.

The inaugural Saluki Ball, to be held Saturday, April 22, at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, will help students bridge the financial gap as they strive to reach their ultimate goals.

“We both love the university. It gave us both opportunities we would have never had otherwise,” Dr. Glenn Poshard said. “The purpose of the ball – supporting low-income students – is consistent with what we believe in.”

For many students, alumni support is vital to their pursuit of a degree and the opportunity to improve their lives.

“Across the country, students are being forced to take time off school, and then are unable to finish,” Dr. Poshard said. “The funds raised during the Saluki Ball will enable them to finish on time. This kind of commitment to our students builds the reputation of our university.”

The Saluki Ball is black tie optional and will feature a performance by R&B legend Brian McKnight. It will be hosted by ESPN radio host and SIU alum Marc Silverman. There will be special awards for outstanding alumni and students.

“We are very excited about the ball,” Jo Poshard said. “It’s new, and it’s a first. The event itself is going to be fabulous. We’ll have family attending, many friends, and be surrounded by our Saluki family.”

The Poshards were also inspired by the current administration’s dedication to community outreach.

“I have been so impressed with Chancellor Austin Lane and President Dan Mahony,” Dr. Poshard said. “Chancellor Lane has become the face of the university, meeting more and more students locally. Through the Saluki Ball and other events, he’s sending the same message to Chicago alumni.”

A lifetime of service

Dr. Poshard is a three-degree graduate of SIU, receiving a bachelor’s in secondary education in 1970, a master’s in educational administration in 1974, and a Ph.D. in administration of higher education in 1984.

He taught high school and served as the director of the Southern Illinois Educational Service Center in Benton until 1984 after being elected to the Illinois State Senate. In 1989, he earned a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He ran for governor in 1998 and left Congress the following year.

Dr. Poshard returned to SIU in 1999 as the vice chancellor of administration, where he served until his appointment to the SIU Board of Trustees in 2004. At the start of 2006, he was hired as the SIU system president, serving in that role until 2014.

Jo Poshard is a 1971 alumna of SIU’s College of Education. She is a retired schoolteacher, who has served on numerous university and community boards.

Together, they started the Poshard Foundation for Abused Children, which raises funds to care for abused children and victims of domestic abuse throughout Southern Illinois. The Poshards are longtime benefactors of SIU and many local charities.

“Somebody was there for us when we were students,” Dr. Poshard said. “If you’re an alumnus, try to give something back. You’ll feel better for having done it. The university benefits. The students benefit.”

The ball’s other presenting sponsor is ULLICO, Inc., and Laborers’ Local 773. To learn more about the Saluki Ball, visit salukiball.siu.edu.

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s nationally recognized aviation program recently received a donation from The Boeing Company to further enhance offerings to its students.

Boeing’s latest gift of $50,000 will be used toward scholarships and enabling students in aviation-related student registered organizations to attend conferences where they gain additional knowledge and network.

“Partnerships with outstanding aviation organizations, like The Boeing Company, play a pivotal role in assisting the School of Aviation in acquiring the funding and equipment resources necessary to educate and develop the finest aviation industry workforce in the world,” said José R. Ruiz, professor and interim director.

Ruiz said the funds will be used to subsidize aviation education costs. Each of the three programs within the School of Aviation — aviation flight, aviation management and aviation technologies — will receive $10,000 in student scholarship funds. The remaining $20,000 is earmarked to support aviation-related RSOs and aviation outreach programs, such as Girls in Aviation, which introduces girls ages 6-13 from local communities to aviation, engage in aviation activities and explore the vast career possibilities. A portion of the funds will also be used to host a diversity luncheon in April with speakers focusing on diversity within the industry.

Strong SIU supporter

Since 2016, Boeing and its employees, through the assistance of the Boeing gift match program, have provided more than $344,000 to the Southern Illinois University Foundation.

“Boeing remains committed to ensuring that students of all backgrounds have access to globally competitive learning and are equipped with skills for the modern workplace,” said Randell Gelzer, Boeing senior director of state and local government operations. “Our partnership with the SIU School of Aviation will provide safe and inclusive learning environments and professional development opportunities for students from underrepresented communities, women and military veterans. This program is a key contributor to economic growth and talent development for our local aerospace industry.”

Student organizations will benefit greatly

Leslie Duran, a senior in aviation flight, is president of SIU’s chapter of the Women in Aviation (WIA), and Valarie Meyer, a senior who is in her second year in aviation flight and management, is the SIU chapter president of the National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA). Both emphasize Boeing’s gift is critical to the activities their organizations sponsor.

Meyer said the gift allowed chapter members to attend the NGPA Industry Expo in Palm Springs, California, earlier this month.

“This conference is one of the biggest gatherings of aviation companies, airlines and aviation enthusiasts. This event will allow our students to network and create lasting career connections,” said Meyer, of Salem, Wisconsin, who will graduate in spring 2024. “Attending this conference allowed many of our past members to secure jobs, create lasting friendships and solidify their place in aviation. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to connect even further with the aviation community.”

The Women in Aviation chapter will have six of its 40 members attend the WIA conference, Feb. 22-25, in Long Beach, California, including five members whose trips will be fully funded. Including this year, a total of 12 members will have attended the last two years.

Fell in love with SIU’s opportunities

In high school, Meyer was part of a program that allowed her to build and then fly an experimental aircraft. The program introduced her to mentors who guided her toward an aviation career and SIU, said Meyer, who wants to become a professional pilot for a Chicago-based corporate flight department.

Duran, a first-generation transfer student from Elgin, Illinois, had “zero aviation history or knowledge” after attending community college and considered pursuing a career as a flight attendant. Duran is in her second year at SIU and said participating in the RSO is one way to encourage other women. She wants to work for an airline after she graduates.

“I had never considered becoming a pilot because it was not catered to women,” she said. “The more I researched, the more I got excited and fell in love with the possibility. SIU became the answer to achieving this dream when I realized I could earn a bachelor’s and fly! SIU became home when it recognized me not only as a first-generation Latina woman but as a pilot.”

Assistantship, scholarship named for longtime professor, family

Most worthwhile college experiences include connecting with others. Some of these interactions are fleeting, but some make a lasting impact.

One such connection from decades ago inspired an SIU alumnus to ensure that impact stretches decades into the future. With two gifts, totaling $525,000, he and his wife have honored Dr. David Werlich and his family.

“I don’t think I would have ever finished my graduate degree without their support,” said the alumnus, who wished to remain anonymous. The first is a $425,000 gift that will establish the Werlich Family Graduate Assistantship in Digital Humanities at Morris Library Endowment Fund. The other is a $100,000 donation that creates the David P. Werlich Graduate Scholarship Endowment Fund in the Department of History.

Dr. David Werlich, an emeritus history professor, taught courses in Latin American history. However, it wasn’t his classes that inspired such a philanthropic gesture.

“I never took a class with Dr. Werlich, but I knew his son, Tom, and we went to graduate school at the same time. When I was there, all my undergrad friends had left, and I felt kind of alone,” said the alumnus. “That’s when we became extremely good friends. He introduced me to his family, and I ended up spending a lot of time at his home in Carbondale.

“Dr. Werlich would talk about a lot of things – history, politics, and particularly South America. The Werlichs were very good to me. It was like having a second family. It was vital for me.”

THE WERLICH LEGACY

A recipient of five assistantships during his time at SIU, the alumnus felt it was important to give other students similar opportunities. The Werlich Family Graduate Assistantship will help the library with its digitalization project.

Graduate students will be able to apply for the assistantship and receive it multiple times to help SIU and Morris Library develop future leaders in the field of digitalization.

“This gift will allow us to bring more of the treasures held in the Special Collections Research Center to our students and faculty in a digital format that leads to a deeper engagement with the actual documents,” said John Pollitz, dean of Library Affairs. “It promotes collaboration with the history department directly but will and provides the foundation for more digital humanities projects across campus.”

Pollitz shared his experience with Dr. Werlich, which makes this donation that much more meaningful.

“I took two classes in Latin American history from Dr. Werlich. They had a real impact on my life,” he said. “Many things about Dr. Werlich’s teaching have stayed with me since those times. He made the subject come alive and exciting. The idea of honoring this wonderful professor and making the library part of this gift was a high point in my life as a librarian.”

The David P. Werlich Graduate Scholarship will benefit a student in the Department of History who is focusing on Latino Studies.

“Dr. Werlich’s career at SIU spanned four decades and left a deep imprint on the teaching of history to thousands of students,” said Dr. Jonathan Bean, professor of history at SIU. “Under his leadership, SIU hired a new generation of history professors to reinvigorate the field.”

Dr. Bean, too, was directly impacted by the career of Dr. Werlich.

“He was famous for his wicked sense of humor, and he was popular as an instructor,” he said. “He was also mentor to students and faculty in ways that went beyond the imparting of advice. I am indebted to him for his mentoring – he made my early years at SIU a pleasure and his mentoring is something I aspire to pay forward to the next generation. The ripples of his influence will be felt for years to come.”

‘THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES’

After years of making smaller scale donations, including spreading funds to multiple areas during recent SIU Days of Giving, a conversation about something more substantial began.

“I was donating to a wide variety of causes, but I had not committed to a larger donation,” the alumnus said. “I knew I wanted to honor Dr. Werlich and his family.”

Both projects are forward-thinking in their nature, considering the value of digital records and understanding the importance of diversity, particularly that of the Latino culture.

“It’s important for the future success of the university. We want kids who are interested in focusing on these things,” he said.

The spirit of what Dr. Werlich was able to do for this particular alumnus is reflected in his generous donation.

“This is what it takes to have extras at the university,” he said. “There’s an element of feeling good about helping people out. It’s not easy out there.”

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