For Gloria Tison, general counsel for Legence Bank and a member of the SIU Foundation Board of Directors, Women’s History Month is more than a celebration—it’s a call to action.
Tison, who also serves as co-chair of the SIU Foundation Women’s Leadership Council (WLC), has built a career marked by resilience, advocacy, and a deep commitment to uplifting women. Her early experiences in the legal field underscore how far gender equality has come—and how far it still must go.
“When I started as an attorney, women in my office weren’t allowed to wear pants,” she said. “The first job I was offered came with an unusual request—they wanted to speak to my husband to verify the hours were acceptable. I turned it down. That was my first direct experience with gender discrimination, but it was far from my last.”
Tison recalls being routinely referred to as “the woman attorney” or “the blonde one”—a label she shared with another female colleague.
“No one would call and ask for ‘the brunette male attorney,’” she said.
Despite the challenges, Tison credits trailblazing women before her for helping to carve the path she followed.
“It takes confidence, perseverance, and determination,” she said. “Without those who paved the way, we would not have the opportunities we have today.”
At SIU, Tison channels her passion into the Women’s Leadership Council, a network of women who champion one another through mentorship, scholarships, and community support. The WLC funds student scholarships, microgrants for faculty, and community grants for women-led businesses.
“These grants do more than provide financial support—they send a powerful message: We believe in you,” Tison said. “That belief can be life changing.”
Tison sees the council’s work as a modern-day answer to the “boys’ clubs” that have historically excluded women from professional growth.
“WLC recognizes the power of women supporting women,” she said. “Through mentorship and networking, we create a space where women are empowered to lead.”
As SIU continues its mission to shape the next generation of leaders, Tison remains focused on creating a future where gender is no barrier to opportunity.
“Women’s History Month reminds us of the unique strengths women bring to the world and inspires us to keep pushing forward,” she said. “When we invest in our students, we invest in our future. Now, it’s up to us. Mentor, support, and uplift the women around you. Together, we can ensure the next generation has even greater opportunities than we did.”
For more information about the Women’s Leadership Council, visit siuf.org/wlc.
CARBONDALE — When Ashley B. Gibson, a 2009 graduate of Southern Illinois University’s College of Business and Analytics, first stepped onto campus, she had no idea how the experience would shape her career and inspire her to give back.
A seasoned leader with over 15 years of consulting experience, author, and public speaker, now she is making a lasting impact on the next generation of women in accounting through the Ashley B. Gibson Accounting Excellence Scholarship Fund.
Gibson, 37, grew up in Carterville and chose SIU for its strong academic reputation and proximity to home. At the time, her father was working overseas in Iraq, and staying close to her mother was a priority. While earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accountancy, Gibson found mentorship in Dr. Marcus Odom and was deeply involved in student organizations. Her leadership in the Accounting Society and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) opened doors to scholarships and national recognition, ultimately paving the way for her service on IMA’s Global Board of Directors.
“I remember when I received IMA’s highest scholarship. I was standing in Rehn Hall when I got the call,” Gibson said. “After I hung up, I slid down the wall, crying tears of joy and relief. It was the first external scholarship I had received, and it validated that people believed in me.”
During her time at SIU, Gibson was recognized as the Outstanding Senior in Accounting, Outstanding Senior in the College of Business, and one of the Top 25 Most Distinguished Seniors—an achievement she likens to winning the Triple Crown in terms of involvement at SIU.
“It was recognition that I’ll forever remember and reminded me of what all I accomplished during my time at SIU,” she said. “Those honors were not just a celebration of my hard work—they also highlighted the importance of having a strong support system and access to opportunities.”
Despite her professional success and accounting acumen, Gibson has dealt with challenges that many women face in the workplace, especially in leadership.
“When women, especially leaders in their field, are asked to perform remedial tasks such as getting coffee or taking notes, it’s because those asking don’t understand the implications it has,” she said. “While there are seats for women at the table, it’s sometimes a silent one, and I want to help change that.”
Her decision to establish the Ashley B. Gibson Accounting Excellence Scholarship Fund is rooted in a commitment to empowering women from Southern Illinois. With an initial pledge of $10,000, she aims to provide financial support and mentorship opportunities for aspiring female accountants.
“I always knew I wanted to create a scholarship for the School of Accountancy. I just wasn’t sure how or if I had enough to start one,” Gibson said. “Then I realized, why wait? Life is too short. I want to meet the recipients, follow their careers, and see the impact firsthand.”
For Gibson, giving back isn’t just about financial support—it’s about fostering a culture where women feel valued and encouraged to lead. She hopes her scholarship will inspire others to invest in SIU’s future and support the next generation of female accountants.
“The earlier I invest in future professionals, the greater the impact,” she said. “We need to break the stigma that philanthropy is something you do later in life. If you want to give back, start now.”
Gibson encourages other young alumni to consider how they can contribute, no matter their stage in life or career.
“If not now, when?” she said. “The SIU Foundation makes it easy to start the conversation. Just ask.”
Through her scholarship, mentorship, and advocacy, Gibson is determined to create lasting opportunities for women in accountancy. As she continues to rise in her own career, she remains committed to lifting others along the way.
“I hope this scholarship ignites a fire in other women to succeed,” she said. “This is my own version of the Butterfly Effect—one action leading to another, shaping the future for the women who follow.”
Rock Steady Boxing received a $15,538 donation from Com-Pac, International.
By Jeff Wilson
The mission of Rock Steady Boxing is to help people with Parkinson’s disease improve their quality of life. This unique program recently received support from Com-Pac, International in the form of a $15,538 gift.
Misty Wright (second from left) leads a Rock Steady Boxing class.
The funds will help expand the program, which is hosted in SIU’s Student Recreation Center from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. every week, Monday through Thursday. Rock Steady Boxing was established in 2006 in Indianapolis and has expanded to more than 825 locations worldwide. SIU’s classes are instructed by Misty Wright and Barbara Tyler.
“We are blessed to be one of those 825-plus locations,” said Wright, who has been working with the program from more than 6 ½ years at SIU. “We started with one fighter, and now we have about 25 regulars. It’s being prescribed by doctors and has spread greatly through word of mouth.”
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement, balance, and coordination. The exact cause is still unknown, and there is no cure.
Rock Steady Boxing is a fitness class for people with Parkinson’s disease hosted in the SIU Student Recreation Center.
“These classes help Parkinson’s patients with fitness, mobility, and flexibility. It improves their cardiovascular function and hand-eye coordination.” Wright said. “It also provides them with a sense of community. Many of them say they couldn’t live without it. One of our main goals is to give them a better, happier life.”
The donation will allow Wright and Tyler to help cover the small registration fee for participants, help expand the offerings within the gym, and host special events to promote the program more broadly.
“This level of support is incredible. It’s really a blessing,” Wright said. “I want to thank Com-Pac for this gift, and I want to thank SIU for allowing us to help these people.”
Growing up in the small Randolph County town of Walsh, SIU was the only reasonable college option for Ron Smith.
“It was where you could get the most bang for your buck,” he said. “SIU was so good to me and changed my life and made it better than it would have been.”
Since graduating in 1964 with a degree in marketing and a master’s in business administration in 1966, Smith has stayed engaged with his alma mater, including donating more than $250,000 over the last 20 years. Now, he’s taken his support a step further, making a leadership gift of $500,000 to establish a fund that will help students cover the cost of textbooks.
Endowed chairs help attract and retain high-level faculty members by making the position more attractive and keeping salaries competitive with other institutions.
“I’m doing this to help the students of SIU,” Smith said. “I want to make the university stronger and provide better opportunities and better training for the students.”
Smith has long been a donor to Southern, especially the College of Business and Analytics and Saluki Athletics. Despite living in California, he has maintained season tickets to Saluki Football games and supported the Blackout Cancer fundraiser. He also recently made a $10,000 gift to Saluki Softball.
Smith has fond memories of his time at SIU, noting that he attended the university during the Delyte Morris era and the time of College of Business Dean Henry J. Rhen, for which the COBA building is named. Smith was also classmates with another of SIU’s most prolific benefactors, F. Lynn McPheeters.
“Dr. Morris was wonderful to listen to, and I was lucky to be there during his era,” Smith said. “The university had lots of programs that were geared toward students with limited financial resources. I was fortunate enough to make good enough grades that my professors thought I was a good candidate for graduate school.”
After graduation, he joined the Peace Corps and spent 30 months in Colombia. He worked with farmers and fishermen, teaching them how to make the most of their assets. He credits his education from SIU with giving him the expertise to share with those people and give them a vested interest in the business side of their industry.
Smith, a first-generation student whose niece now attends SIU as a fourth-generation student, said his continued support of the university shows the impact alumni can have even when they’re not able to get to campus as often as they may like.
“Is there a way you can help build up the university?” Smith said. “Even if you’re in California, like me, you can help folks in Southern Illinois.”
For more information about supporting the university, visit siuf.org.
As part of Women’s History Month, the SIU Foundation is proud to spotlight alumna Jennifer Franklin, a dedicated advocate for education and a champion for transfer students. From her beginnings in East St. Louis to her current home in Chicago, Franklin’s journey reflects the transformative power of higher education and the impact of giving back.
She transferred to Southern Illinois University Carbondale after two years at a community college, seamlessly transitioning to university life.
“Everyone was so welcoming, and I knew that SIU was the right place for me,” Franklin said.
At SIU, she initially pursued a degree in information systems technologies, envisioning a future in database management. However, a single class altered the course of her career.
“The African American Experience in a Pluralistic Society class changed my life,” she said. By the end of the semester, she added a minor in Black American Studies (now Africana Studies) and set her sights on law school.
“I literally would not be a lawyer had I not taken that class,” she said.
Her passion for advocacy and justice was ignited at SIU, setting the foundation for a successful legal career.
A Global Perspective
One of Franklin’s most cherished memories at SIU was her study abroad experience in Ghana during the summer of 2004. Having just completed her bachelor’s degree, she took the opportunity to finalize her minor before beginning law school that fall.
A particularly memorable moment occurred while she was in Accra, Ghana, watching Barack Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention on television.
“I knew at the time that he would definitely be the next senator for Illinois, but I had no idea that I was watching the future first Black President of the United States while I was on the African continent. Even after all these years, it is still surreal when I think about it.”
Giving Back to SIU
For Franklin, giving back to SIU is more than a gesture—it’s a responsibility.
“SIU gave so much to me as a student. I am still benefiting from lessons I learned as a young woman on that campus,” she said. “Being an SIU alum is part of my identity, so giving back feels like a natural part of my existence.”
Her commitment to supporting students led her to establish the Franklin Perseverance Fund, which provides scholarships to transfer students in financial need, with a special focus on African American women.
Franklin believes strongly in the power of women investing in SIU’s future.
“The doors that we walk through today were opened by the women before us, and it is our duty to keep them open for future generations,” she said. “The biggest door is access to education. The impact of women being able to attain a college degree cannot be understated.”
She encourages women who have benefited from higher education to pay it forward, ensuring that future generations have the same opportunities to succeed.
Reflecting on her college years, Franklin shares one piece of advice she would give to her younger self: Do not let your fears hold you back. Feel your fears, but do not live in them. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is acting in spite of it.
With a career shaped by resilience, purpose, and generosity, Franklin exemplifies the spirit of SIU alumni making a difference. Her story serves as an inspiration to current and future Salukis, proving that lifting others while you climb is the true mark of success.
Roland Burris has held many titles, but none may be more apt than this: Trailblazer.
His own path began in Centralia and led him to Southern Illinois University, Germany, Howard University School of Law, Illinois state government, and eventually the U.S. Senate, but that only scratches the surface.
Beyond his expansive roles, his influence has impacted countless lives, and he has been equally impacted by those he has met along the way. It’s these relationships that inspired him to donate $100,000 to establish the Burris Financial Emergency Fund at Southern.
Former U.S. Sen. Roland Burris (middle) joined Chancellor Austin Lane, SIU Foundation CEO Matt Kupec and hundreds of SIU alumni and friends during the Saluki Takeover Tour Chicago in the fall of 2024.
“The Lord has taken care of me. Why shouldn’t I try to make sure that I’m paving a way for others?” he said. “Set your goals. Dare to dream.”
Inspired by Paul
While a student at SIU, Burris had a roommate named Paul. His story became the inspiration for Burris’ emergency fund.
“Paul was a freshman from Du Quoin and worked at the post office in the military barracks that were in the student union. He had trouble getting lunch and dinner. He would drink water and lay down,” Burris said. “He didn’t receive any mail from home. We started helping him when we realized he wasn’t getting enough food. He was rail thin.
“One evening, Paul didn’t show up. He was gone. He had packed up and dropped out of school because he couldn’t get money from home to continue. That stuck with me. I knew if I ever got into a position to help … I don’t want to see any more Pauls.”
The emergency fund isn’t a scholarship. Funds from the endowment are dispersed through the Office of Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to students who need financial help to stay enrolled at SIU.
“A few years ago, I was being honored on campus and a student approached me and gave me a hug. He said that he had received some of that money that bridged the gap. I just cried like a baby,” Burris said. “That’s what the fund was set up for. He was able to pay his bill and go on with his career. It hit me right in the gut.”
SIU & Carbondale
Burris came to SIU from Centralia in 1955 with four others, Bill Norwood, Leonard Taylor, Vernon Rush, and Charles Steptoe, with a plan to play football.
“We caught the train down to Carbondale, met with the coach (Albert Kawal), and then planned to get lunch,” he said. “There were limited places in Carbondale that would serve Blacks. We thought ‘Let’s go back to Centralia.’ Coach said he would feed us on campus, so we stayed.”
Carbondale was largely segregated in the late-1950s. Working with President Delyte Morris and others, that was something Burris set out to change.
“This was when race was really prevalent in that part of the state and across the country,” Burris said. “In terms of the university, there were no Blacks on the faculty, but I had no problems with instructors or deans. Blacks could not stay in the dorms until 1955 when Dr. Morris integrated the newly constructed Woody Hall.”
With a group of white and Black friends, Burris set out to document the issues in Carbondale with the hopes of integrating the city. As a junior, he was president of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, which was planning its 25th anniversary celebration.
“Blacks couldn’t sleep in hotels and motels in Carbondale. We wanted to invite our older brothers, but they had no place to stay,” Burris said. “We decided to document segregation all across the city.”
Burris and a group of Black students would try and fail to book a room, get seated at restaurants, or try on clothes in stores. They would then send in a group of white students to do the same and record their success in doing so.
“We then met with Dr. Morris and the university’s lawyer, John Rendleman, and they could not believe it. They called a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “You could see the blood drain from the faces of these white men as they heard the stories. It was quite an experience. Dr. Morris made it clear that this could not be tolerated, and they took it under advisement.”
It wasn’t until after Burris had left Carbondale that he received word of integration across the city.
“Willie Brown, a football player, sent me a letter saying that every entity in Carbondale was open to serve Blacks, students and otherwise,” Burris said. “That effort of documenting it and presenting it had worked. It was a growing experience for me. We learned how we could negotiate our futures.”
A launching pad
Burris made his mark as an outstanding student. During his junior year, he took a German class, and his professor approached him about an exchange program that SIU had with the University of Hamburg in Germany.
“It was a competition between 200 students, and they selected two, and I was one of them. It was the first time a Black student had been chosen,” Burris said. “So, I spent a year there working on my master’s degree, if you can imagine that.”
While there, Burris began studying international law and decided to pursue his law degree. Although he never finished his master’s, he earned his juris doctor from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., in 1963.
“When my wife, Berlean, and I left Howard and headed back to Chicago, I said the only way I would return to D.C. was as vice president or a U.S. senator. Well, on January 16, 2009, I was sworn in as a U.S. senator,” he said.
When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, it opened a U.S. Senate seat from Illinois. Burris was chosen by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich to fill that spot.
“I was the first Black person in America to be appointed to a Senate seat,” Burris said. “I wasn’t a politician. I was a public servant – for my people and all people.”
Between law school and the Senate, Burris was the first Black person elected to statewide office in Illinois, winning the comptroller race in 1978. He was later elected as Illinois attorney general in 1990.
“At 15 years old, I set two goals – become a lawyer and a statewide elected official – and I did both. Everything I prayed to the Lord for, I have achieved it,” Burris said. “SIU was a major player in my career. I am a fan of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. It did so much for me and the people I know. I believe it gave me the greatest college experience anyone could have.”
SIU’s vice chancellor for enrollment management witnesses impact firsthand
By Jeff Wilson
Growing up in rural Arkansas, Wendell and Gloria Williams have never forgotten their roots.
“We come from families that had zero,” said Wendell Williams, vice chancellor for enrollment management at Southern Illinois University. “One thing we always asked for was the ability to give. Every place we have gone, we have made a commitment to endow a scholarship.”
The Wendell and Gloria Williams Family Scholarship lends support to Black SIU students as they pursue their education goals.
Wendell Williams is pictured with his wife, Gloria, and daughters, Britni and Cortni.
“When we receive a letter back from a student, you have no idea how much that means,” he said. “We don’t know if that person will eventually be the cure for cancer or if that person is going to solve some of these racial issues we’re facing or be the president of the United States. Our gift is invisible, but the results, one day, are going to always be visible.”
Despite humble beginnings, Williams was rich in community and family life. He was the first in his family to graduate from college.
“My parents constantly gave to the community. We had a piece of land in front of our house, and they sowed vegetables. Anyone who wanted could come pick from that garden,” he said. “Our community church was so proud of anyone attending college. If you came home on the weekend, the church – which also didn’t have any money – would take up a collection and invest in you. We were representing them and doing something that they were not able to do.”
After graduating from Arkansas State University, Williams was planning to take courses at Southern in a doctoral program, but he was offered a job to become a vice president at a community college instead. He started working at SIU in 2021.
“SIU is a wonderful place,” he said. “It’s so great when we tell our incoming students about our hundreds of thousands of living alumni, and they can see them giving back. It shows that they were able to do well after coming to SIU, and they never forget those connections and want to give back.”
As vice chancellor, Williams works with students every day and see the impact of donor scholarships.
“For the average student, there’s a gap of about $3,500, and that doesn’t count living expenses or books. That gap is what really needs to be covered, and SIU Foundation scholarships do a great job of that,” he said.
Williams urges people interested in giving to think small and not be intimidated by large dollar amounts.
“We started by sitting down and saying, ‘What can we sacrifice without making it hurt on us?’ We settled on $100 a month, so we just started there,” Williams said. “It was stuff we didn’t miss, such as dessert after a meal or one less soda, one less drink. Don’t try to start big. Start and be consistent, and then you see the results of that, and it motivates you to do a little bit more. I wish we could give out more scholarships than we do. Think of the impact that would have. Imagine that.”
Raised by her grandparents in Chicago, Makela Clay was taught the value of giving at an early age.
“They instilled the idea in me that I am my brother’s keeper and that I should treat people the way I want to be treated,” she said. “I love supporting and helping others be their best selves.”
Most recently, she pledged $25,000 to endow the Concrete Rose Scholarship.
“It is dedicated to current Salukis who look like me – women of color who come from Chicago,” she said. “Philanthropy is just an extension of who I am and how I move throughout my life. As Black alumni, it is important for us to sit at the table of support. It’s important for us to show current students that we’re here to support them, and they too can give back when they’re further along in their career.”
Clay, a 1999 graduate of the College of Liberal Arts, is now an executive assistant at TPG in San Francisco.
“I think back fondly on my time in Carbondale and go back often,” she said. “There were so many things that I was able to do at SIU that gave me the confidence to move forward. I can’t imagine my life today without those formative years that I spent gaining my degree.”
Much of her donation history before the scholarship came during the SIU Day of Giving, supporting causes that were important to her, including the Balancing Education, Experience, and Reality (B.E.E.R.) Scholarship.
“Being a donor back to SIU means a lot to me. SIU took a chance on a really shy kid from inner city Chicago and gave me an opportunity to better myself, gain an education and to go forth in the world,” Clay said. “I felt so supported by all the Salukis who came before me, everyone within the Saluki community who saw me as an individual and wanted to see me succeed, and I want to be able to pay that forward.”
“Through the board, I am continuing to spread the gospel of SIU and the good news, making sure other alumni are up to date and connected to the university.”
She hopes that gifts such as the Concrete Rose Scholarship can inspire others to give back to Southern and support the students who need it most.
“I hope that my legacy will encourage future generations of Salukis to do exactly what I did. Take it one step further and continue to carry the torch of supporting even more Salukis further down the road.”
Incredible corporate partnerships play a vital role in the success of Southern Illinois University students, particularly in the School of Automotive.
“You have a program that students don’t just graduate from, they actually come back and give to the program,” Chancellor Austin Lane said. “Our alumni are out across the country. It really helps when those alumni stay connected because our students can connect and network and get jobs.”
This fall, the school received a donation of nine electric vehicles from Nissan, a gift facilitated by SIU alumnus and Nissan executive Lee Raines.
“Nissan is one of the early adopters for electric vehicles, and our partnership with them has been very strong for decades,” said Andrew Croxell, director of the School of Automotive. “They’ve been extremely generous to us.”
The donation consists of nine new Nissan Leafs for students to work on in the Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center.
“From a pure training standpoint, to have nine examples of anything is really valuable to us,” Croxell said. “Lee Raines at Nissan has been a huge supporter for a number of years. He was instrumental in sourcing these donation vehicles as well as several other components and vehicles over the years.”
Raines, a 1986 alumnus of the school, is the senior manager of aftersales operations for Nissan North America, Inc.
“One of the exciting things that happens from time to time … is the opportunity to provide vehicles to the school so the technicians can learn the latest technology,” he said. “It will allow the technicians to learn about electric motors, transducers, final drive units, along with batteries and battery management systems.”
Beyond his work through Nissan, Raines and his wife, Renee, have established the Lee and Renee Raines Automotive Scholarship.
“Giving back to the university … helps those who really want to succeed,” he said.
To learn more about how you can support SIU programs and students, visit siuf.org.
When Reggie Townsend and his brothers in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. – Gamma Upsilon Chapter wanted to establish a scholarship, they found exactly what they were looking for at the SIU Foundation.
“We felt that it was important to give back to an institution that had given to us,” Townsend, a 1992 graduate of the College of Technical Careers, said. “The Foundation made it simple. I thought ‘This is awesome, and oh by the way, it happens to be at the institution where the people are that we want to help.’ All the planets aligned.”
Through that process, the fraternity established the Dream Achievers Scholarship, which supports Black men pursuing their bachelor’s degree at Southern.
“We wanted create avenues for young men who come from situations and conditions that we did,” Townsend said. “We wanted to give them opportunities that we had envisioned for ourselves and allow them to do something bigger and better than we did.”
Townsend is the vice president of data ethics for the SAS Institute, which develops analytics and artificial intelligence software. He leads responsible innovation efforts globally, ensuring that technologies like AI and quantum computing are safe and trustworthy. He is a true leader in the field.
“Leading a team around the globe, we make sure the software we create and products we develop don’t hurt people,” he said. “I am also on the National AI Advisory Committee and have advised the president and White House on matters of AI.”
The son of an SIU alumnus, Townsend first visited the university during a Black Alumni Reunion in the 1980s. He was later admitted to SIU during his junior year of high school.
“SIU was close enough to home to feel safe, but far enough away to feel independent,” he said. “It was at SIU that I learned I could lead. People saw in me things that I didn’t see myself. They pushed me toward opportunities that I didn’t see for myself, and I’m extremely appreciative of that.”
Through the Dream Achievers Scholarship, Townsend and the Kappas aim to help students in financial need who maybe aren’t at the very top of their class academically.
“Latent talent shouldn’t go untapped because students lack financial wherewithal,” he said. “Those students in the top 1 or 2 percent, they usually have access to scholarships. What about those students who are every bit as talented but just need an opportunity? Why shouldn’t we figure out ways to help those kinds of students?
“I have a measure of empathy, especially for those who might be deemed vulnerable in our society. To the degree that I can assist, I’m here to listen and do if there are those who have the courage enough to ask for help. I don’t see a better model for society than each of us helping one another.”
While acknowledging that not everyone has equal capacity to give financially, Townsend encourages others to consider the difference they can make in the lives of SIU students.
“Oftentimes, all of us, feel like we need more than we already have. The act of giving to someone else brings a measure of fulfillment that the next dollar can’t. I’m extremely fortunate to be in a position where the next couple of dollars are not going to materially change my life. I realize not everyone is in that position,” he said. “I am an extreme believer that those of us who have benefited from the opportunity afforded to us by education – particularly those of us from historically marginalized communities – have an obligation to extend that opportunity to others.”
To learn more about making a similar gift, visit siuf.org.
For Gloria Tison, general counsel for Legence Bank and a member of the SIU Foundation Board of Directors, Women’s History Month is more than a celebration—it’s a call to action.
CARBONDALE — When Ashley B. Gibson, a 2009 graduate of Southern Illinois University’s College of Business and Analytics, first stepped onto campus, she had no idea how the experience would shape her career and inspire her to give back.
As part of Women’s History Month, the SIU Foundation is proud to spotlight alumna Jennifer Franklin, a dedicated advocate for education and a champion for transfer students. From her beginnings in East St. Louis to her current home in Chicago, Franklin’s journey reflects the transformative power of higher education and the impact of giving back.
