Amanda Neuhouser received the Foote Scholarship in the College of Mass Communication & Media Arts. Neuhouser is a senior from Bloomington, Illinois, specializing in cinema production.
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU for their known cinema program and their in-state tuition.
How did you feel when you received notification that you received the scholarship? I was shocked and overjoyed when I received notification about the scholarship. It was such a blessing for my family.
What does the scholarship mean to you and how has it enabled you to pursue your goals? My scholarship has lessened the financial burden on my family. It has also allowed for me to spend more towards purchasing equipment that I can use for my freelance work. By investing in myself and my tools, I have gained skills and connections before graduating.
What inspired you to choose your area of study? My childhood dream was my inspiration for my career choice, I never gave it up.
What achievement in your life are you most proud of? I am most proud of receiving two awards from Girls Impact The World Film Festival at Harvard University two years in a row before the age of 21.
Do you have a message you would like shared with your donor? I am truly grateful that you have invested in me and my ambitions as I push myself to grow more as a filmmaker. I have found myself growing more attached to documentarian activist works and blessing me with finances towards school allows me to use the finances I win from filmmaking awards to invest back into my work.
Hear more from scholarship donors and recipients from our SIU Academic Scholarship Brunch in this video.
The first thing you notice about Roy and Marianne Abrahamson is the distinct twinkle in their eyes. Married 56 years, they share a life rich in art, laughter and the art of giving.
“Art is transformational,” says Roy Abrahamson, an SIU art education professor for 31 years until his retirement in 1996. “Art is the ability to transform what one sees into an artistic formation according to one’s inner holistic view.”
The transformational power of art led the couple to establish the Dr. Roy E. Abrahamson Art Education Endowed Scholarship to help students afford an education – so the students, in turn, can contribute to the artistic transformation of others.
“Roy is the type of artist that doesn’t sit and sketch what he sees,” Marianne Abrahamson says. “Instead, he takes in the scene and records it with an inner eye.”
The gift of expression is evident throughout the Abrahamsons’ home in Carbondale. The artwork that adorns their walls and coffee tables reflects Roy Abrahamson’s fascination with multiple types of art – from temperas, to oils, to caseins, to acrylics, to watercolors and wood sculptures.
Roy Abrahamson’s love of art has taken him from one coast to the other. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in art education from the University of Minnesota, he studied with Henry Schaefer-Simmern at the Institute of Art Education in Berkley, California. After obtaining a master’s degree in elementary and secondary education from San Francisco State University, he served three years in the Army during the Korean War.
Following his military service, he taught public school in San Francisco. In 1960, Roy and Marianne married, and in 1963 they moved to New York, where Roy Abrahamson earned a doctoral degree in art education at Columbia University. In 1965, he joined the School of Art and Design faculty at SIU, teaching art education to hundreds of students during his tenure.
While at SIU he also served as president of the Illinois Art Education Association, and was a member of the National Art Education Association and the International Society for Education through Art. In addition, he wrote and published many research articles in professional journals. He also took part in a research grant program involving student teachers and mentally handicapped children and organized annual hands-on art sessions for children from southern Illinois schools.
Perhaps one of Roy Abrahamson’s greatest achievements came after his retirement from SIU. He was asked by the widow of his late mentor Schaefer-Simmern to co-edit a book titled “Consciousness of Artistic Form.” A copy of the book sits prominently in the couple’s living room.
Marianne Abrahamson says they recently saw an opportunity to give back to the university that was such a significant part of their lives.
“Being a native of Germany myself, and both of us growing up during WWII, the experiences of that time formed our outlook,” she says. “While we never had much money back in the early years, we knew how to make the most of what we had. And now that we have the funds, we want to help deserving students in art education get their education.”
“Throughout my career and throughout our lives, it’s always been about helping students demonstrate art that is true to their inner being,” Roy Abrahamson says. “Marianne and I established the scholarship to help students who could not otherwise afford an education. It is a good feeling to have.”
An artist’s rendering of the renovated and expanded boat house and pavilion planned for Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s campus lake.
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Ralph E. Becker wants to make sure that Southern Illinois University Carbondale continues to go “onward and upward.”
A $1 million gift by the SIU Carbondale alumnus will be used to renovate and expand the boat house and pavilion on campus lake.
The SIU Board of Trustees today (Dec. 8) approved the project, which includes a classroom, new and additional site lighting, and creating a patio space for outdoor performances, lectures, dinners and community events. The Ralph E. Becker Pavilion will include an 850-square-foot classroom named in honor of Becker’s mentor and friend, the late Frank Stanton, who was president of CBS from 1946 to 1971, and the network’s vice chairman from 1971 until his retirement in 1973.
The boat house and boat dock buildings were built in 1958-59, and many of the existing materials, including structure and plumbing systems, are 54 to 55 years old. The renovation and addition will bring the facilities up to date with building codes and standards. The work is expected to be completed by spring 2018.
“Campus lake and its surroundings are a point of pride for generations of SIU students, faculty, staff and community members, and Mr. Becker’s support of this project will revitalize this beloved and significant landmark,” SIU Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell said. “We are deeply grateful for Mr. Becker’s extension of his long-time support of his alma mater.”
Becker, a 1955 graduate in speech communications, is considered by many to be among the pioneers of the university’s radio-television program. In a broadcasting career that spanned more than six decades, Becker relied on hard work and his business acumen to own numerous television stations and be a media investor.
The Carbondale native maintains a strong affinity for SIU, the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, and the community.
“I would not have been successful had I not attended SIU and it is a place where I call home. It served as the foundation for what I was able to accomplish in life,” said Becker, whose broadcasting career started as an intern with KMOX radio in St. Louis in 1949 while he was still in high school.
He continued with numerous broadcasting jobs while at SIU from 1951 to 1955, including writing a radio-television column for the Daily Egyptian. After graduating, Becker taught as a lecturer for a year before going into the U.S. Air Force to fulfill his ROTC commitment.
Becker returned to SIU in 1959 to continue his graduate studies and manage then WSRV-FM, now WSIU-FM radio. After college, Becker later expanded his expertise into producing and directing radio and television programs in markets including Peoria and Washington, D.C., working on numerous advertising and marketing campaigns, and serving as president and CEO for a group of television stations. He was later involved with media investing, where his group found poor-performing TV stations and implemented changes to improve their operations.
Becker lives in Winston-Salem, N.C., and he has been a generous supporter of SIU Carbondale. Becker’s philosophy is once a goal is set, to work hard and set additional goals. He views the donation as a “form of a challenge” to others, and a desire to “leave a legacy of hard work and opportunity.”
“I want to challenge everyone to give back to others and to what is important to them,” Becker said. “It is extremely important to challenge others to do bigger and better than what I am able to accomplish. That is the only way progress will be made. Throughout my life, I challenged my employees and I challenged my children to do better.”
Becker received the SIU Alumni Association’s Alumni Achievement Award for the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts and was the radio and television department’s “alumnus of the year” in 1985. He endowed one of the college’s largest scholarships, the Ralph E. Becker Scholarship, given annually to a radio-television student whose primary focus is in management and marketing research. Becker was the then-College of Communications and Fine Arts commencement speaker in 1987, and in 1995, received a medallion and clock from the college. In 1997, Becker donated the Obelisk sculpture, which is the centerpiece of the college’s courtyard.
“If we aren’t generous, a lot of good things would never occur and a lot of creativity would not happen,” he said. “There are things that can still be invented and risks that can still be taken. I just want to make sure SIU goes onward and upward.”
Stanton, Becker’s mentor and friend, worked with CBS founder William S. Paley. He was significantly involved in freedom of the press issues — ranging from the 1954 McCarthy hearings to the network’s coverage of the Vietnam War and a 1971 investigative report on the Pentagon. Stanton’s other activities included serving as chair of the American Red Cross for six years. Stanton earned five Peabody Awards and was elected to the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1986. Stanton died in 2006.
If you have the good fortune of visiting the home of Juh Wah Chen and Han Lin Chen in rural Carbondale, the phrase “bloom where you are planted” might spring to mind. Up and down the front sidewalk and spilling into the surrounding yard are breathtaking flowers and greenery – some cultivated, some exotic, and all astonishingly beautiful.
Han Lin Chen, a former professor at the SIU School of Engineering, began her gardening efforts upon her retirement in 1990.
“The soil was mostly hard clay, but I found I could dig one plant up where it wasn’t thriving and move it to another place that allowed it to grow,” she says.
The results are impressive.
The milestones in the Chens’ professional careers are impressive, too. Upon joining the SIU faculty in 1965, Juh Wah Chen and his wife, Han Lin Chen, began laying down stakes in Carbondale, raising their three children and helping grow the College of Engineering into the expansive success it is today.
Juh Wah Chen also retired from the college after serving as its dean for 10 years.
“I remember riding on the train from Chicago to Carbondale with Dean Julian Lauchner, who was a bit of an exaggerator at times,” he recalls. “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.”
Adds Han Lin Chen: “We thought it was great because our children could walk to and from Winkler School, which was just down the block. Life was good in those days. It still is.”
Their affinity for growing and nurturing became evident throughout the next 33 years. Their biographies both contain a long list of “firsts” and are filled with major accomplishments, such as:
Juh Wah Chen developed the doctoral program in engineering science, was granted a half-million dollars from the Federal Department of Energy for a coal science project and in 1989 became dean of the college.
Han Lin Chen was one of the first few female faculty in the college. She helped the female students initiate the “Women in Engineering” program and served as an advisor for many years. She was also the first female faculty member to receive tenure from the college.
Even though both are now retired from SIU, the Chens retain a strong commitment to the university.
“Back when we were both active at the college, we would always have students over at our house, Han Lin Chen says. “We just opened the door to them and made sure we had food on hand. I remember one time we had over 100 students at our house. They were like family.”
Because of their love for the university and the community, the Chens recently established a School of Engineering Excellence Fund to provide undergraduate scholarships, assistance to young faculty members, and funds for external activities such as sponsoring guest speakers. The Excellence Fund will complement the couple’s two existing scholarship endowment funds to the college.
“SIU is our entire life,” Juh Wah Chen says. “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.”
Han Lin Chen adds that the fellowship SIU offered her as a student was instrumental to her success.
“Without it, I know I would not have been able to come to the United States,” she says. “I am very grateful to SIU and all it has done for our family.”
“Live long and prosper.” Most people are familiar with the Vulcan greeting of Mr. Spock in the television series “Star Trek,” which debuted in 1966 and went off the air just one month before Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. Growing up in Decatur, Illinois, Robert Dennis was fascinated by “Star Trek” and its vision of outer space and space travel.
Both the reality of the moonwalk and the fantasy of “Star Trek” fueled Dennis’ desire to be an astronaut. Unfortunately, poor eyesight and a growth spurt dashed his hopes of physically traveling in outer space.
But he could still dream about it.
“I realized right then that if I couldn’t get into space as an astronaut, then maybe I could go to California and make a movie about space,” he says.
To do that, he would have to do more than dream. He would have to learn the art and science of cinematography.
So Dennis set his sights on SIU.
During his first few days on campus, two things surprised him. The first was a professor who announced to a room full of new students that “if you are in this class to get a job in Hollywood, you may as well walk right out the door.” At that defining moment, Dennis decided that not only would he go to Hollywood, but that he would become a success as well.
The other surprising revelation was that filmmaking had little resemblance to the shows he had watched growing up.
“Looking back with 20/20 hindsight, I now know that SIU gave me a deeper appreciation for film – especially experimental, documentary and independent filmmaking,” he says. “SIU opened my mind to a whole world of filmmaking that had nothing to do with my childhood dreams of ‘Star Trek.’ ”
Upon graduating from SIU, Dennis got his master’s degree from the University of Southern California, a widely respected film school that also claims George Lucas as one of its most accomplished alums. Dennis soon met his wife, Patricia, also a USC alum who now serves as senior vice president for The CW television network.
Dennis’ career included working at Lucasfilm, becoming elected as president of the Large Format Cinema Association and serving as a director of post production for HBO Pictures. Dennis also served on a post supervision team for film restoration and preservation at Walt Disney Studios as well as overseeing the 70mm “IMAX” laboratory services at Technicolor. While he and his wife forged successful careers in the challenging world of filmmaking, the couple also shares a strong commitment to the power of education.
That brings us back to Mr. Spock’s desire that others “live long and prosper.”
While Robert and Patricia Dennis have certainly fulfilled that goal, they understand that others may need a hand to do the same. Several years ago, the couple established the Robert Dennis Filmmaking Award, which is given to an outstanding SIU student filmmaker for his or her accomplishments in cinematography.
This past spring they began revamping their wills and recognized it made the best financial sense to establish a revocable family trust. With no children of their own and no extended family members to provide for, the couple determined that they wanted to see most of their estate gift go to youths who really need the help.
They both immediately thought of SIU.
“Patricia and I understand how tough this business can be for young people,” Dennis says. “Patricia listened to my stories about SIU, and the important part it played in my life. We both decided to give back to SIU and encourage students with financial help who need it to continue their filmmaking education.”
The Dennis’ estimated $1.3 million gift is the largest estate gift in the history of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts.
“When we finalized the trust, we sent off a note to the SIU Foundation announcing our decision – and the reaction was amazing,” Dennis says. “We often ask ourselves, ‘How is it that we turned out to be the people who have pledged this amount to the school? Why haven’t others done the same?’ We’ve already set aside resources for others. It is just the right thing to do to help kids out who can use it more than us.”
WICHITA, Kan. (Nov. 17, 2016) – Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced it has selected the following university partners for the 2017 Top Hawk program: Eastern Kentucky University, The Ohio State University, Auburn University, Southern Illinois University and Louisiana Tech University. Each university will take delivery of a new, custom branded Cessna Skyhawk 172 aircraft in early 2017 to support flight training, recruiting efforts and promotional activities at their respective universities throughout the year.
“Each year, the Top Hawk program continues to expand its reach and we are excited to grow the program with five university partners this year,” said Doug May, vice president, Piston Aircraft. “These universities are renowned for their innovative aviation programs and we are confident they will represent the Top Hawk program and Cessna brand very well as we work together to provide students state-of-the art resources and empower them to choose a rewarding career in aviation.”
Textron Aviation continues to seek top aviation programs to collaborate with and support the advancement of general aviation and the modernization of aircraft training fleets. The company currently works with several universities, training organizations and flight schools throughout the world to support the next generation of aviators and the Top Hawk program plays a vital role in this strategy.
In addition to the aircraft, the top students from each of the five universities will be chosen for a Textron Aviation summer internship. These students will receive valuable exposure beyond flight training to include real world experience from various corporate departments such as sales, marketing, flight operations, integrated supply chain and engineering to promote a career in aviation.
About the Cessna Skyhawk 172
The Skyhawk is the world standard for pilot training and is renowned for offering the best combination of modern features, including the Garmin G1000 avionics system and proven dependability. The aircraft’s high-wing design enables superior flying characteristics ideally suited for pilot training. More Skyhawks have been delivered to customers around the world than any other type of aircraft, with more than 43,000 in service since 1955.
The SIU Foundation has a team of dedicated students who call alumni in hopes of raising support for a variety of college funds. Although this challenging job is a group effort, there are opportunities for students to achieve individual milestones during their employment. Melissa Hull is one of those students.
After two years with the SIU Foundation, Hull has successfully raised $25,000. She began as a student caller in 2014 and worked her way to a student supervisor role last year. Her supervisory position keeps her busy as she is responsible for a lot of different tasks.
“As a student caller, I am responsible for making calls to different groups of alumni in hopes of raising money for different college funds,” Hull said. “However, when I am working as a supervisor my job gets a bit busier. I send out the pledges that are collected the night before during calling, I update alumni information in our systems, and also speak with certain alumni that are unreachable during the day. During calling shifts, I will help supervise the callers by answering questions and looking up any information they may need during their calling.”
The student callers have a different perspective of the university since they are connecting with alumni on a regular basis and Hull has been a part of many positive conversations with alumni who loved their time at SIU.
“The best part is reaching out to alumni that loved it here, who can’t wait for your call, and love to hear about upcoming and new developments on campus,” Hull shared. “It really makes you realize how great being in college is and the memories and relationships you obtain here.”
Hull remembers her first $1,000 pledge from an alumnus. They talked on the phone for over forty minutes. During this time, he shared stories from his time as a student, his current employment as well as other interests they found to have in common.
“I had a great time talking to him and he really made me love my job. On top of that I got a great donation for the university that I knew would help out students that needed it.”
Hull was very excited once she hit her $25,000 milestone. The pledge was from a generous alumnus who loved SIU and wanted to give even after his retirement. He was so happy to contribute support to students especially with the current state budget crisis.
“Every call I have like that impacts my view on the university and always makes me very proud to be a Saluki. Hitting $25,000 made me feel like I really helped to make a difference at SIU and help those who needed it most.”
Melissa Hull is a senior majoring in Zoology with a specialization in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and a minor in Chemistry. She has plans to attend veterinary school to receive her DVM. Her focus is on small companion animals and dreams of working in a no-kill animal shelter after completing her education. It was a scholarship opportunity that brought her to SIU. With access to a more affordable education, Melissa understands the value each gift makes in the life of a student.
SIU is working to change statistics where 31% of students on campus need food assistance. The Saluki Food Pantry is located on the lower level of the Student Center. The mission is to serve food students who lack resources to purchase nutritious food. This provides an opportunity for SIU students to serve other students and engage in a conversations and solutions around food insecurity. SIU believes no student should have to choose between essentials such as food and the costs of college while trying to obtain a university degree.
Strong Survivors is currently seeking donations through SIU Foundation’s crowdfunding platform. A donation to Strong Survivors SalukiFunder will help this program raise funds for new treadmills. This will benefit participants as well as the SIU student staff members using the SIUC Cancer Rehab Lab. The cancer survivors and caregivers will have the opportunity to exercise on a safe, comfortable and state of the art treadmill. The student staff members will be able to better assess and evaluate the exercise programs and the participants’ cardiovascular capacity.
Strong Survivors Exercise and Nutrition Program for Cancer Survivors and Caregivers utilizes exercise as a therapeutic tool to help cancer survivors and caregivers get through the treatment and recovery process. Co-sponsored by the SIU Department of Kinesiology and the Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute, this free program is created and administered by SIU student staff members who have completed the Strong Survivors Staff Training Class.
“In the early 70’s, I graduated from SIU with an Associates Degree in Electronics Technology. The college was called VTI at that time – which I think later merged with the engineering and schools. In those days we were on the quarter system so we had opportunities for a wide exposure to the field from vacuum tubes to integrated circuits to binary fundamentals. I even earned a commercial FCC radio telephony license as a result of an RF and Radio class.
It wouldn’t have been possible without that great foundation I received at SIU.
I felt I had an excellent understanding of the fundamentals of electronics even though it was packed into 2 years. My thinking was verified when I was hired by GE to work in their Advance Development Lab to assist in the development of quadraphonic FM. I was fortunate to have worked with the inventor of stereo FM for a couple years. After GE, I moved to Caterpillar Tractor Co. where I worked at their technical center. I was assigned a job to apply Radio Frequency FM transmitters on moving engine parts to transmitted sensor information such as temperatures to external recording devices. Later, computers were moving from the DP (data processing) mainframes to more powerful and smaller units. I moved to an area to work with a team to design and build an integrated measurement and control system to automatically hot test diesel engines. The test would run the engine through a number of performance cycles and measure the various temps, pressures, torques, fuel rates, etc. Later, as the Internet developed, I was blessed to move to a team in the early stages of network security (firewalls).
I finished my 40+ year career and I’m now retired. Over all I had a long and blessed career in the industry with fascinating jobs. It wouldn’t have been possible without that great foundation I received at SIU. I write this not to brag about my background, but to encourage future students to pursue technical degrees; you never know where they will lead. Some days I couldn’t believe they paid me to work there!”
– Rick, ’73
Amanda Neuhouser received the Foote Scholarship in the College of Mass Communication & Media Arts. Neuhouser is a senior from Bloomington, Illinois, specializing in cinema production.
The gift of expression is evident throughout the Abrahamsons’ home in Carbondale. The artwork that adorns their walls and coffee tables reflects Roy Abrahamson’s fascination with multiple types of art – from temperas, to oils, to caseins, to acrylics, to watercolors and wood sculptures.
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Ralph E. Becker wants to make sure that Southern Illinois University Carbondale continues to go “onward and upward.”
