With a $1 million gift, Professor James Franklin Sharp has chiseled his name into SIU’s legacy. Now, the university will honor his generosity by renaming the University Museum as Sharp Museum.
At 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, the university will host a ceremony in front of the museum to unveil the name and honor Professor Sharp, who will be in attendance along with friends and family. Chancellor Austin Lane will give remarks at 4 p.m.
“Professor Sharp’s incredible giving spirit inspires us all,” said John Pollitz, dean of Library Affairs, which oversees the museum. “This gift will make a profound impact on both educational and cultural opportunities for our students, faculty, and the region.”
Professor Sharp attended SIU from 1954 to 1956, but the university didn’t offer a four-year degree in engineering at that time. Still, he said he always felt a strong connection to the university.
While an SIU student, he played seven intramural sports, including football, corkball, basketball, volleyball, softball, badminton, and horseshoes. He was a member of the Theta Xi fraternity.
“I lived in Doyle Dorm with three roommates, whom I have stayed in touch with over all these years,” Professor Sharp said. “Corkball was my favorite sport, and the Theta Xi Variety Show was a big deal in those days. At the time, I could have never imagined I’d even have $1 million, period.”
He transferred to the University of Illinois from SIU and completed his undergraduate degree in industrial engineering. He later earned a master’s and Ph.D. from Purdue University.
“I guess I would say I enjoyed my time at SIU more than the other colleges I attended,” Professor Sharp said. “At SIU, the classes were small and taught by senior professors. I enjoyed watching SIU football and basketball games. They were always very crowded.”
Professor Sharp taught at three universities: Rutgers University, New York University Stern Graduate School of Business, and Pace University Lubin Graduate School of Business. He also held management positions at AT&T and founded Sharp Seminars in New York, which became a leading provider of training for Wall Street investment analysts and investment portfolio managers.
He has also written 36 books and had many articles published. He has achieved the following professional designations: CFA, CIPM, CMA, CFM, and Mensa.
A Chester High School graduate, Professor Sharp has made supporting education a lifelong endeavor. He has made multiple donations to Chester schools, adding up to more than $600,000.
“After making gifts to other institutions, I realized the kind of impact I was able to make. During one of my trips back to SIU, I visited the museum and thought it could use some funding,” Professor Sharp said. “So, I thought why not go big and make it $1 million.”
“You need to hear directly from me how much I appreciate your support,” said Chancellor Austin Lane to a crowd of 250 Salukis on Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Chicago Firehouse Restaurant. “When you look at these enrollment numbers, we’re not shocked. When you have this many people that passionate about their alma mater, incredible things are possible.”
“The only way you get enrollment numbers like this is as a team,” Mahony said. “You’re talking about faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, donors, everybody playing their part. We could not be in a better place with the type of support we have had from everyone over the last few years.”
On the morning of Friday, Sept. 8, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sherrica Hunt and Senior Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations hosted a Corporate Networking Breakfast at the Residence Inn.
On Friday evening in Rockford, about 100 SIU alumni gathered at Stumpy’s Pub. Hosted by the SIU Alumni Association, alumni and friends enjoyed free pizza while sharing their favorite Saluki memories.
Diane Compardo, president of the SIU Foundation Board of Directors, plans to emphasize the value of consistent support during this year’s Saluki Women’s Weekend.
Dr. Poshard greeted about 20 guests with a brief history of how the TEC came to be.
“Many of the cars our students work on are donated,” Croxell said. “This gives them the hands-on experience that is unmatched. We have a 90 percent job placement rate in our program.”
“Let’s start over here at the trophy case,” Pedrick said. “We think this is really impressive. It displays trophies won within the program, particularly those brought home by the Flying Salukis.”
The members of the Paul & Virginia Society were able to view the flight simulators and aircraft that students have the opportunity to work with as part of the program.
By Jeff Wilson
The SIU Foundation and Saluki Athletics are looking toward a bright future with the hiring of Todd Reeser as assistant vice chancellor for athletic fundraising and executive deputy director of athletics.