Category Archives: Illinois Higher Education

Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, SIU

Wagner joins University Museum as a consultant

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Gretchen Wagner

SIU FOUNDATION

CARBONDALE – After an extensive, nationwide search, Gretchen Wagner has been selected to serve as a consultant for SIU’s University Museum.

Wagner, an experienced museum professional and adjunct professor at Webster University in St. Louis, joined the museum on Feb. 1 and will serve in this position for 15 months. This hire represents a collaboration between the museum and the SIU Foundation, which played a vital role in filling the position.

“We are very excited to welcome Gretchen Wagner as a consultant to work with our staff to map the future of the University Museum,” said John Pollitz, dean of the University Museum. “This venture represents a commitment to the stability of the museum.”

Wagner will meet with staff, donors, and regional stakeholders. She will guide the museum as it expands its offerings, raising awareness of SIU’s status as an artistic and cultural leader in the region.

“The SIU Foundation is stepping up in its role as an accelerator,” said SIU Foundation Board President David Delaney. “By helping bring in Ms. Wagner, we expect to further raise the already stellar profile of the University Museum.”

Many highly qualified professionals were considered, but Wagner’s immense experience was overwhelming.

“Ms. Wagner comes to us with a deep knowledge of art history and a rich experience in a wide variety of public and university museums,” Pollitz said. “We are thrilled that someone of Ms. Wagner’s credentials will be working with us.”

She most recently worked as director and curator at The Horsemen Foundation in St. Louis. Before that, Wagner served as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow for Prints, Drawings and Photographs at the St. Louis Art Museum. She has also worked with the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis; the Museum of Modern Art in New York City; the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York; Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown, Massachusetts; and Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in Madison, Wisconsin.

In these roles, she has conducted research of hundreds of pieces, curated numerous exhibitions, and established relationships with artists, peer institutions, trustees, and donors.

“We have some major exhibits planned for the next few years and at least one major donation of artwork on the horizon,” Pollitz said. “Ms. Wagner will help us reach out to the community and regional school districts.”

Wagner and Pollitz will be featured during the SIU Day of Giving livestream at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday, March 3. The livestream will be available on the SIU Alumni Association Facebook page. To make a gift to the museum on the Day of Giving, visit www.siuday.siu.edu.

For more information about the University Museum, visit www.museum.siu.edu. The complete schedule of spring 2021 event can be found at the museum’s Facebook page.

Donor Stories, Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, Philanthropic Women, SIU

The last act of a giving heart: Hill, longtime SIU supporter, passes away at 104

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Anne Hill, 104, long-time donor, alumna, and former SIU staff member, passed away Monday, Feb. 15. One of her last acts was to endow a scholarship award through the School of Music honoring her uncle – the Carl Deis Music Composition Award Endowment.

She believed in the importance of the arts, and she had been involved in the local art scene since 1979.

Recently, she made her greatest impact with a $25,000 donation to the SIU College of Liberal Arts. The Carl Deis Music Composition Award Endowment, named after Hill’s uncle, who was a well-known composer, will benefit students in the School of Music.

“I have no idea what kind of music will develop in the next 25 years, so I leave that up to the students to set the pace,” Hill said in the weeks before her death.  “That makes an opportunity for them to advance the state of music in a way that will be directed by their prize-winning compositions.”

Hill came to SIU as an employee in 1979, retiring in 1981. It was then that she set out to obtain her master’s degree in English. She graduated in 1986.

During her time in Carbondale, she was active in many university and community organizations, including the American Association of University Women and the John Thomas Strings Program. She has also been a donor to the McLeod Summer Playhouse and WSIU. She also helped establish the Southern Illinois Chamber Music Society.

“My grandfather immigrated here – he played trombone in the New York Symphony – because America needed music and musicians. This is still the case. We need to build audiences, too,” she said in a 2015 SIU Alumni magazine article. “I continue to enrich my own life in this community because I have made wonderful friends through the programs we have been able to serve in and support.”

It isn’t the first time Hill has given to the university and its students, but by endowing a fund, those gifts are made sustainable and will be given each year.

To read her full obituary, click here.

Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, Scholarship Recipient, SIU

Learn About SIU College of Engineering’s Leaders of Tomorrow

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With a new year, it is a time of new beginnings, especially for the SIU College of Engineering. After a diligent search, Dean Xiaoqing “Frank” Liu was appointed as the new dean for the SIU College of Engineering in June 2020.

Liu was the professor and department head of the Computer Science and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Arkansas and held the college’s Rodger S. Kline Leadership Chair. The department is within the university’s College of Engineering.

Meera Komarraju, SIU’s provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said Liu brings several strengths to the position.

“Dr. Liu brings teaching, research, and administrative expertise spanning two universities that would benefit our students, staff, and faculty,” she said. “He has a strong track record in promoting student enrollment, engagement and success as well faculty development and research productivity.”

Extensive experience

Liu also served as chair of the University of Arkansas’ Computer Activities Council, playing a leadership role in the governance of information technologies for the university. Before joining Arkansas in 2015, Liu served as interim department chair and associate department chair in the computer science department at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Liu is an established scholar in service computing, software engineering, cyber argumentation, cyber manufacturing and applied artificial intelligence. He has participated in 29 sponsored research projects with $8.8 million in funding as principal or co-principal investigator or faculty participant.

He has published 156 referred journal and conference papers and book chapters. Liu received his Ph.D. in computer science from the Texas A&M University in 1995.

Excited for the opportunity

Liu said he is excited for the opportunity to serve as dean.

“The college is in a time of significant transformation. I appreciate the confidence given by the chancellor and provost and the trust given by the faculty, staff and students in my ability for leading this transformation,” he said. “I am looking forward to working with campus leadership, faculty, staff and students in the college and related disciplines to move this college to its next level of excellence.”

The SIU College of Engineering holds fast to a unique tradition of access and opportunity, inclusive excellence, and top-tier research. The faculty encourage creativity within a climate of outstanding student success-focused teaching. The college’s five departments offer a wide range of courses and promotes opportunities for students to participate in a wide range of activities outside the classroom including research, design competitions, service-oriented projects and leadership development activities.

Spotlight on School of Engineering Students

Below are highlights from interviews from a sampling of students who are pursuing a degree within the College of Engineering:

Scott Kasper, Senior, Riverton, Illinois

Kasper, a recipient of the University Excellence Scholarship and a scholarship from the SIU College of Engineering, says his interest in civil engineering began in high school where he took some low-level courses in engineering. But, his real interest began when he came to SIU and met the faculty within the college.

“The SIU College of Engineering really reached out to me and encouraged me. At larger universities, I know I would not be on a first-name basis with a chair of a department like I am here. The college just promotes a true community spirit where we are all in this together,” Kasper said.

He says that one of his biggest influences during his studies has been the chair of civil engineering, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar.

“Dr. Kumar, from day one, has made himself so approachable and helpful. He never made me feel like just a number. I really have appreciated his help,” Kasper said.

Kasper currently has an internship at Shawnee Professional Services in Benton, Illinois, and has plans on getting a master’s degree in civil engineering at SIU College of Engineering. His professional aspirations are to become a professional civil engineer in water resources.

Kasper recognizes that his focus on his studies would have been much more challenging had he not received his scholarships.

“To receive a helping hand from donors has lifted a huge weight from my shoulders. I encourage other donors to continue to give to students like me in the College of Engineering. In my opinion, it could not be a better use of their money because they can literally change the course of a young person’s life,” Kasper said.

To learn how you can donate to the SIU College of Engineering, visit siuday.siu.edu on March 3.

Jessica Kurpius, Senior, Genoa, Illinois

Kurpius, a SIU Chancellor Scholarship recipient, said that when she was taking a tour of the SIU campus during her senior year in high school, that something special clicked inside of her. Kurpius had applied and was accepted at several other universities besides SIU, including University of Illinois, Marquette and Purdue, but SIU was the only one that fit her personality and dreams perfectly.

“I just knew this was the place for me because it felt right in my heart,” she said.

Kurpius said her aptitude for math steered her toward the engineering field. She also said the influence of being around other students who were engineering majors helped her change her undecided status to pursue a degree in civil engineering.

“The College of Engineering just has so many activities and clubs where several dedicated students really fuel the interest level,” she said.

Kurpius serves as president of the Concrete Canoe Club and is proud of the club’s achievements.

“The ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition provides civil engineering students an opportunity to gain hands-on, practical experience and leadership skills by working with concrete mix designs and project management. It also increases awareness of the value and benefits of ASCE membership among civil engineering students and faculty in order to foster lifelong membership and participation in the Society,” Kurpius said.

SIU’s Concrete Canoe Club competed at the National ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition in 2015, 2016 and 2018. In 2018, SIU students won first place in the technical paper competition, while the concrete canoe and steel bridge teams both took second in their respective competitions.

Kurpius encourages donors to give to the student organizations such as the Concrete Canoe Club.

“Donations make a huge difference in our clubs’ activities and opportunities. We need help with paying for the necessary material and the travel expense. A donation of any size helps so much,” she said.

Kurpius is graduating from SIU in May of 2021 and will start a new job in Kansas City at Burns and McDonald, a full-service engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting solutions firm.

To learn how you can donate to the SIU College of Engineering, visit siuday.siu.edu on March 3.

Ally Bires, Senior, Gillespie, IL

Bires said her love of engineering came from when she was a small girl working alongside her father.

“We were always spending time building things together, so engineering, especially mechanical engineering, came as a natural extension from when I was young,” she said.

Bires is a walking ambassador for the College of Engineering and is very supportive of the college.

“This college has given me a future by providing me with scholarships, opportunities and so many contacts,” she said. “It has great programs and faculty members go out of their way to give students everything they need to know to go out and be successful in the workforce.”

Bires spent the last two years working as a calling supervisor for the SIU Foundation. She understands the importance of philanthropy and of lending a helping hand, especially to registered student organizations, such as the Rover Design Club.

“We learn so much by building a rover. The entire machine cannot be built using any pre-fabricated parts other than the shocks and pedal shafts,” she said. “Our team looks forward to the opportunity to participate in the annual NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Design teams from 70 high school, college and university teams from all of the world come to race their rovers and it is a really exciting competition.”

She encourages donors to give to such student groups as the SIU Rover Design Team.

“We need so much material, and we also need funds to travel. It is an opportunity for a donor to really change the course of young people’s lives by donating to the SIU College of Engineering,” Bires said.

To learn how you can donate to the SIU College of Engineering, visit siuday.siu.edu on March 3.

Brock Ward, Junior, Downs, IL

As a senior in high school, Brock Ward was accepted into several universities, such as University of Illinois, Saint Louis University and SIU Carbondale. Ward said that he chose the SIU College of Engineering because of several factors – distance from home, the beauty of the campus and the offer of the SIU University Excellence Scholarship.

“Everything just fell in place for me. The affordability, the beauty surrounding me and the personalized and friendly approach the faculty has shown me really made a positive impact,” Ward said.

Ward is a member of the college’s Leadership Development Program (LDP). The SIU College of Engineering is one of very few STEM colleges (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in the nation that offers a technical leadership program. The SIU Leadership Development Program provides a direct bridge from leadership training to a career as a technical leader. Founded in 2006 by Dick Blaudow, an engineering alumnus and chairman of the board of Advanced Technology Services in Peoria. Blaudow and his wife, Brigitte, established the program as a way to help develop the next generation of America’s technical leaders.

Bruce DeRuntz, professor of technology at SIU and director of the College of Engineering’s Leadership Development Program, says the program truly transforms these students into leaders.

“To be successful, these students know they have to prepare for success. It’s great to watch the transformation happen in these students as they go through the LDP program,” DeRuntz said.

Ward joined the group in December of 2018 and says the group gives him a place to practice leadership skills, project management and real-world experience.

“I am enjoying the connections I am making in both the group and in the community,” he said. “Recently we got to go take a tour of Southern Illinois Healthcare to try out their surgery automation machines. It was very cool. LDP also connects students to a wide variety of internship opportunities.”

Ward hope that donors will give back to his college during the upcoming SIU Day of Giving.

“I think if a donor has some money to give back to SIU, I can’t think of a better place to make an investment into young people that are motivated to make the world a better place,” Ward said.

To learn how you can donate to the SIU College of Engineering, visit siuday.siu.edu on March 3.

Audrey “Claire” Waldon, Junior, Olive Branch, MS

Waldon’s sister attended SIU in 2014 but Waldon insisted she was not going to follow in her sister’s footsteps and attend the same university. However, as Waldon saw the support her sister received during her time in Carbondale, it became a natural progression that Waldon would fall in love with SIU as well.

“Everyone here is like family. The professors are so supportive and the RSOs really connect students to one another and they help ignite their passions,” said Waldon.

Waldon is a recipient of the Chancellor Scholarship and she also serves as the ASCE Chapter President. She says she enjoys being involved, especially with the SIU College of Engineering’s Concrete Canoe team.

“One of my favorite memories is coming back to Campus Lake’s shore after doing a test run with our concrete canoe. In the sandy area by the boathouse, we got to see baby turtles hatching from their eggs. It was a fantastic experience that I will never forget,” said Waldon.

Waldon hopes that donors will give back on March 3 for the SIU Day of Giving, especially the College of Engineering.

“SIU serves as a door to opportunity for so many students. When donors give, they are truly investing in our future.”

To learn how you can donate to the SIU College of Engineering, visit siuday.siu.edu on March 3.

Nelson Fernandes, Junior, Chicago, IL

Nelson Fernandes, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering has big plans for his future. He minors is in continuous improvement sustainability and he is specializing in energy engineering.

“I am a senior mechanical engineering undergraduate at Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a focus in energy engineering, sustainability, and continuous improvement. At SIU Carbondale, I am the program manager for the SIU Green Roof Team, which is my project to transform the SIU Green Roof, originally an urban horticulture research facility, into a multidisciplinary innovation hub,” he said. “Here, students from all fields of study can bring their research projects to life. Presently, we are especially focused on Renewable Energy projects. We are improving the space through low-cost engineering projects to jumpstart and bring awareness of the research opportunities.

“Our team members from SIU Carbondale and other universities gain hands-on experience while modeling the way for other innovative students to work on multidisciplinary projects like renewable energy technologies which is a growing field of study in our university’s curriculum.”

Fernandes said he first learned about the SIU College of Engineering while he was working on a science project in high school.

“I became connected to Dr. Koc, who was the chair of the department, who connected me to other SIU professors to help me in my project to make material that turns greenhouse gases into oxygen and liquid hydrogen. He was very kind and welcoming,” Fernandes said.

Fernandes is the first recipient of the Applied Energy Boost Scholarship, and he gives Dr. Mondal credit for encouraging him to study at SIU College of Engineering.

“Dr. Mondal showed me he truly cares about me and students like me. He and the entire faculty are sincere in their desire to help students and they are willing to work with us,” Fernandes said.

Fernandes hopes donors give back to SIU College of Engineering during the SIU Day of Giving and beyond.

“Finances are critical to help projects we are working on continue to grow. We have the right people, but we could use the financial help,” he said.

To learn how you can donate to the SIU College of Engineering, visit siuday.siu.edu on March 3.

Grant Berger, Senior, Murphysboro, IL

Grant Berger is majoring in computer engineering and is a recipient of the SIU Dean’s Scholarship and serves as president of the SIU Carbondale Robotics Team.

“This club has about 40 active members and gives students a lot of hands-on experience. It gives students from the College of Engineering the opportunity to design, build and test real working robots built to specific specifications,” Berger said.

Having grown up in Southern Illinois, Berger says his exposure to SIU came at an early age. He spent summers attending camps at SIU and attended many basketball and football games throughout the years.

“You can definitely say maroon is in my veins. I love it here,” he said.

When asked what he likes the most about the SIU College of Engineering, Berger said that he appreciates the early hands-on experiences he has gained during his undergraduate years.

“There are many places that won’t allow students to get into labs and do hands-on experiments until they are a senior or else are in graduate school. I have really appreciated getting into the labs early on and also appreciated how helpful the professors are in this college,” he said.

Berger recognizes how his scholarship made a difference in his college career.

“College is expensive, and I am not sure how I would have paid for my education had I not received the dean’s scholarship. It allowed me to focus on my schoolwork. I am forever grateful,” he said.

Berger hopes donors will give to the college’s RSO during the upcoming SIU Day of Giving.

“It would be fantastic if we were able to purchase newer equipment. The equipment in our college is starting to show its age, and it can negatively affect your data. It is critical we have good equipment so we can compete with other universities,” he said.

To learn how you can donate to the SIU College of Engineering, visit siuday.siu.edu on March 3.

Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, SIU

Chen Endowed Scholarship Fund

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Juh Wah Chen, a principal architect of the modern SIU College of Engineering, passed away Saturday, Feb. 6, at 92 years old. In memory of Juh Wah Chen, the family asks for support of the scholarship in his family’s name. The scholarship is awarded to students in the School of Engineering each year and will allow his legacy to continue in perpetuity. Make a gift online at: https://salukifunder.siu.edu/project/24974

Chen joined the SIU College of Engineering faculty in 1965, beginning at 34-year career at the university. Starting as an assistant professor, he rose to the rank of full professor and eventually the chair of the Department of Thermal and Environmental Engineering. He later became associate dean of the college before being named dean in 1989. He retired 10 years later.

During his tenure as dean, he led the college through a major building expansion and engineering program accreditation. He founded an engineering conference with National Chen Kung University in Taiwan and the Technical University of Ostrava in Czech Republic, where he received an honorary doctorate in 1999.

“I remember riding on the train from Chicago to Carbondale with Dean Julian Lauchner, who was a bit of an exaggerator at times,” he said in a 2016 interview. “Trying to lure me from my position at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, he told me great stories of SIU’s College of Engineering, about its facilities and the campus. It was only when we arrived in Carbondale when the dean confessed that the buildings were still under construction.

“Nevertheless, because my wife had attended SIU earlier and received a master’s degree in chemistry, I already had a special place in my heart for both the community and the college. We moved our family to Carbondale, where we raised them in a little home on Skyline Drive. I saw the opportunity for growth Dean Lauchner laid before me, and I was up for the challenge.”

In retirement, Juh Wah Chen and his wife, Han Lin Chen, maintained a strong connection to the university. They established a Juh Wah and Han Lin Chen Endowed Scholarship Fund to provide undergraduate scholarships, assistance to young faculty members, and funds for external activities such as sponsoring guest speakers. The fund complemented the couple’s two existing scholarship endowment funds to the college.

“SIU is our entire life,” Juh Wah Chen said in 2016. “We have always done the best we can for SIU and the College of Engineering. For us, money is of secondary importance. We live a simple life, and we don’t like to see things go to waste. If we can help and contribute, then we will. We just want to see SIU become sustainable, and we want to help move it forward.”

Juh Wah Chen is survived by his wife, four children and three grandchildren. Services will be provided by Walker Funeral Home in Carbondale is in charge of services, and a full obituary can be found at www.walkerfuneralhomesandcrematory.com.

Donor Stories, Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, Scholarship Recipient, SIU

Aspiring physician a perfect fit for new scholarship

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Maryam Makhdoom receives first Thanu and Nongyao Kulachol Library Scholarship

Pictured left to right: Maryam Makhdoom, Jared and Maryann Dorn.

By Rebecca Renshaw

Maryam Makhdoom hadn’t heard of the Thanu and Nongyao Kulachol Library Scholarship. It’s a new scholarship with a specific focus, and that made Makhdoom its ideal first recipient.

Established in 2019, the scholarship supports students who want to work with populations in Southeast Asia doing public health projects, which aligns with her desire to go to Singapore for a semester to learn more about international public health.

Dean of Library Affairs John Pollitz contacted Makhdoom, a senior majoring in public health, to share the good news.

“I was thrilled to discover I was awarded this scholarship because it fits in so well with my desires to further my knowledge about public health in southeast Asia,” said Makhdoom, who is also the university’s 2020 Lincoln Academy of Illinois Student Laureate.

Makhdoom plans to devote her life to helping improve the health and lives of people however she can. She is particularly interested in the emerging interdisciplinary fields of global health diplomacy.

Her goal is to become a physician, focusing on health disparities and inequalities. She said she will likely specialize in the care of women and children.

She is also seeking a Fulbright scholarship for 2021-22 to expand her research into how cultural values affect health outcomes.

“Should I be awarded the Fulbright, I will use the Thanu and Nongyao Kulachol Library Scholarship I have received to travel to Singapore,” Makhdoom said. “I have been so blessed that this scholarship fits so well with my dreams.”

The creation of the scholarship was a collaborative effort between the SIU Foundation and Library Affairs, along with donors Jared and Maryann Dorn.

“Sometimes many students are not aware of scholarships that are available to them that align with their future plans,” Makhdoom said. “Donors really open up career paths for students and broaden their horizons. Such opportunities open their eyes and allows them to focus more clearly on their hopes and plans. I would encourage other donors to give so more students could benefit from opportunities such as the ones I have received here at SIU. I am so thankful for donors like Jared and Maryann Dorn, and I am excited about the future before me.”

Donor Stories, Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, SIU

Inspired, driven, thankful: Alumnus finds success, helps others achieve

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james and joan hood
James and Joan Hood

By Rebecca Renshaw

What can someone do with a degree in English literature? Plenty, and SIU alumnus Jim Hood is the perfect example.

Hood’s degree propelled him into a successful career in the news and information industry.

“When you study and research literature, you learn how to condense a whole lot of information down to the essence,” he said. “In my opinion, it’s impossible to go wrong studying English literature. If you get a real base studying and researching literature, you can go out and do anything.”

Hood ’69 and his wife recently established the James R. and Joan Lisante Hood Fund for New Media Technology with a $30,000 gift. In 2020, the James R. and Joan Lisante Hood Endowed Scholarship for Creative Nonfiction will be created with an additional $40,000 contribution.

SIU offers inspiration, experience

John Gardner was Hood’s favorite professor. Gardner had built a reputation as a rebel in the field of medieval studies, specifically in the study of Geoffrey Chaucer.

“I remember Gardner reading ‘Canterbury Tales’ to my class. He would read it line by line and explain it in middle English,” Hood said. “It was as much anthropology as English literature. Gardner transformed it from a study of old bones into a study of beautiful poetry and fiction.”

While a student at SIU, Hood gravitated toward local news and spent most of his time as a radio reporter and freelance correspondent covering the social upheavals of the 1960s. He served as the news director of WSIU radio, covering civil rights and anti-Vietnam War activities. Hood also worked at WINI in Murphysboro and WJPF in Herrin.

“I remember finishing up the 2 p.m. news at WJPF when the phone rang,” he said. “A guy asked if I was the one who just delivered the news, and when I said that I had, he offered me a job at a radio station in Phoenix. After graduation, I packed my bags and went to Phoenix.”

Hood also regularly sat in on classes taught by Buckminster Fuller. He credits Fuller, in part, for his entrepreneurial spirit.

“I never forgot what I learned at SIU,” he said. “Fuller taught me about design, how to look at problems, and then how to think outside the box to solve those problems.”

Bridging the gap

Hood worked for 14 years as an editor and executive for Associated Press outlets across the country. His knack for solving problems coupled with his technical skills pushed him to start several startup companies, such as Zap News and Consumer Affairs.

“I’m the guy you can blame for consumers who won’t buy anything until they read the reviews,” Hood said.

Hood, now semi-retired, lives in Fairfax, Virginia, and runs Fairfax News.

“Basically, it’s my personal hobby. We cover Washington, D.C., and do stories on cops and robbers – that kind of thing.”

By giving to SIU’s creative writing program, he hopes to help bridge the gap between creative writing and technology.

“Sometimes people with a technical bent don’t know how to express themselves, and literary types are hopeless when it comes to technical stuff,” Hood said. “It’s my hope that by implementing new media projects using technology, it will help one or two starving English majors.”

Hood credits SIU with introducing him to some of the brightest people he ever met.

“I’ve always felt obligated to give back to SIU. It helps diverse students and attracts students from other countries. It also helps to lift up students from inner cities like East St. Louis and Chicago,” he said. “I think big universities like SIU need the benefits of philanthropy much more than private institutions.”

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Donor Stories, Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, Philanthropic Women, SIU

Alumna Honors Parents Through Gift to the Saluki Alumni Plaza

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By Rebecca Renshaw

Whenever Karen Bedwell Herhahn receives marketing material for SIU Carbondale, the photo of the iconic Pulliam Hall is most often prominently featured. However, Bedwell Herhahn does not see just the clock tower of the building—instead she sees University School where she went to junior high and high school. Fond memories of her formative years spent in that building always spring to her mind.

So last year when reviewing the plans for the new Saluki Alumni Plaza statue featured prominently in front of Pulliam Hall, she felt moved to donate $2,000 to the Plaza.

“I spent a lot of time in U-School looking out over SIU campus and it carries a special significance to me. My Father, R. Ralph Bedwell, was recruited by President Delyte Morris to serve as the Director of the newly developed Small Business Institute. Knowing the importance of a good education, my parents sent all of their children to University School. We had opportunities that did not exist in typical small-town schools.”

The primary purpose of University School was a place to do special research and observation. In 1951, the school building was completed. Lower classes, nursery, pre-school, etc., featured two-way glass for student teachers training. Juniors and seniors were able to enroll in university classes. Many of the instructors had their Ph.D.’s. An Olympic size pool, a large art and industrial arts wing with classrooms, an exceptional music program along with top academic programs were available to students. The last high school class to graduate was 1968. Grades nursery through 6th grade were closed in 1971.

Bedwell Herhahn currently sits on the College of Business and Analytics Dean’s External Advisory Board. Members of the Board address and make recommendations on strategic planning, the curriculum, development, and other critical issues.

In the early 2000’s, Bedwell Herhahn made a deferred gift of nearly $150,000 in honor of her parents and established the R. Ralph and Elnora J. Bedwell Endowment for Small Business Development. The purpose of the endowment is to support seminars for the small business community in Southern Illinois.

“Even though I completed all three of my college degrees at other universities, no other university has ever held my loyalty and fond memories like SIU Carbondale,” said Bedwell Herhahn.

 

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Donor Stories, Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, SIU

Library Establishes New Endowment to Honor Carus Family

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By Rebecca Renshaw

Morris Library has worked with the SIU Foundation to transfer $1 million from the Carus Mineral Trust to create the new Alwin C. Carus Endowment.

John Pollitz, dean of library affairs says the relationship the library has with the benevolent Carus family has been long standing.

“The Carus family has been a valued supporter of the Morris Library and the Special Collections Research Center for over forty years. They have entrusted SIUC with the preservation and promotion of the complete papers of the Open Court Publishing Company. By creating this endowed chair, they have moved our relationship to the next level.”

To read the full press release and learn more about the Carus family and their commitment to science, religion and philosophy, click here. To support SIU’s Morris Library, click here.

Donor Stories, Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, Philanthropic Women, SIU

SIU School of Law Alumna Extends a Helping Hand Once Again

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Earlier this year, Beth Boggs, ’91 SIU School of Law alumna, and a partner of Boggs, Avellino, Lach & Boggs, donated 10,000 meals and face masks to students in the St. Louis public schools. A feature article on Boggs efforts can be read here.

Now Boggs is giving back again – this time to her alma mater, The SIU School of Law.

Recently, Cindy Walker, development officer for the law school, searched for a way to raise $27,600 to pay for AdaptiBar software to help with the third-year law students’ bar study.

“When I asked the Board of Visitors at the law school to help us fund this need, Beth stepped right up and donated $20,000 and helped raise another $1000.  Other board members then donated the rest,” said Walker.

“We have so many remarkable and loyal alumni,” said Camille Davidson, who took over as dean in July.

“Beth Boggs is a perfect example of the amazing SIU School of Law alumni who are willing to pay it forward and help us meet the needs of our students.”

Donor Stories, Higher Education, Illinois Higher Education, SIU

SIU’s Morris Library honors Carus family with new endowment

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Morris Library at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will honor a benevolent family by establishing the new Alwin C. Carus Endowment. The library’s leadership recently worked to the SIU Foundation to transfer $1 million from the Carus Mineral Trust to create the endowment. It will support archival work and a future endowed chair, the Alwin C. Carus Archivist and Professor of Philosophy, all fully funded by the revenue from the trust.

The Carus family’s relationship with the library is longstanding. Alwin Carus’ grandfather Edward Hegeler and his father, Paul Carus, founded the Open Court Publishing Company in La Salle, Illinois, in 1887. It was one of the first academic presses in the country without a university affiliation.

In the 1960s, Alwin and other surviving family members connected with SIU’s Morris Library, donating materials from the publishing company. The collection of manuscripts, books and other materials is one of the largest in the library’s Special Collections Research Center. It includes subjects focused on religion, science and philosophy, and it has an international reputation that draws people from around the world.

When Alwin Carus died in 2004, Morris Library also received $450,000 from a mineral trust in the family’s name. Every year since, the library has received an additional $150,000.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Carus family and the work of our Special Collections team, for many years we have developed our archival collections and assisted students and professionals locally and around the world,” said John Pollitz, dean of library affairs. “The establishment of the endowment is a win-win, in that it sets up the library into the future to continue its work while simultaneously honoring the original donor, Alwin C. Carus, and his final wishes.”

SIU Chancellor Austin Lane added that the future creation of an endowed chair is significant.

“Endowed chairs help us attract or retain outstanding faculty who are leaders in their fields,” Lane said. “We are deeply grateful to the Carus family, past and present, for helping us preserve and maintain our valuable, historical special collections.”

The youngest son of philosopher Paul Carus, Alwin C. Carus shared his father’s interests in history, archeology and astronomy. Alwin was born in 1901 in La Salle. He majored in chemistry and physics at the University of Chicago, worked in the research laboratory of the Carus Chemical Company and owned farms and ranches in the Badlands of North Dakota, western Minnesota, eastern Montana and the Peace River Valley of Alberta. He traveled to Iraq and Turkey in the 1950s to visit ancient archeological sites and joined several professional astronomical expeditions for observing solar eclipses.

“This particular endowment supports the Open Court collection, which, together with the John Dewey Papers, highlights our strengths in American philosophy,” Pollitz said. “SIU has, in past years, been celebrated as one of the top-tier leaders of this discipline, and the endowment helps to revitalize a commitment to this identifying feature of the university.”

The endowment will support an archivist for the Open Court Publishing Company records and its related collections, as well as other collections in philosophy. The position will also report on the activities and accomplishments with the Open Court Publishing Company records, the Alwin C. Carus Papers, Hegeler-Carus Family Papers and other relevant collections.