by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — For Southern Illinois University Carbondale photojournalism student Emily Sunblade, the news that she is the first scholarship recipient of an award in memory of a friend is bittersweet.

Sunblade is the inaugural recipient of the Ryan Rendleman Photojournalism Scholarship. The 22-year-old senior from Bolingbrook, who has a double major in photojournalism and history, will be awarded the $1,000 scholarship during the School of Journalism’s annual awards banquet Thursday, April 23, at 6 p.m., at Blue Sky Vineyards in Makanda.

More than 30 scholarships worth more $23,000, along with several recognition awards, will be presented. Members of Rendleman’s family will be present at the awards banquet.

“For me it’s very personal. I was friends with Ryan,” Sunblade said. “It’s bittersweet. It’s great to get the award but in hindsight, I wish the award didn’t exist.”

The endowed scholarship honors Rendleman, a 22-year-old senior from Batavia, who died a year ago in a traffic accident while en route to an assignment for The Daily Egyptian student newspaper. Family, friends and faculty members within the journalism school then set up the endowed scholarship through donations and fundraising efforts.

“We are honored by the scholarship endowed in Ryan’s name, and it’s things like these that have comforted us,” said Nick Rendleman, Ryan’s older brother. “We are looking forward to a new student every year being introduced to his legacy.”

The scholarship “will be a reminder every spring of Ryan and how much he meant to all of us,” said William H. Freivogel, director of the School of Journalism.

Sunblade is one of the most promising among a group of promising photojournalists within the school, Freivogel said.

“In a lot of ways she embodies what a lot of us saw in Ryan. She is active in multi-media and new media styles of reporting,” he said.

“Ryan touched the lives of many during his life, I am delighted that his influence on photojournalism students will continue through this scholarship,” said William Recktenwald, a senior lecturer and journalist-in-residence, and one of Rendleman’s instructors.

“Emily Sunblade is a talented photographer and excellent student, she was also a close friend of Ryan,” Recktenwald said. “I know that she will find a special significance in being the first recipient of this award.”

Sunblade, the daughter of Richard and Dianna Sunblade, graduates in December. With her background in history and photography, Sunblade has done some past work with the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service. She will intern this summer with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, working in the visitor’s center, where she will create programs and brochures. The 1.92-million acre refuge is on the southwestern side of Alaska, about one hour south of Anchorage.

Sunblade has worked at The Daily Egyptian since the spring 2008 semester, where she and Rendleman became friends. She gives him credit for helping her think of a photo as more than just a picture, and recalls his ever-present optimism prior to going out on assignment.

She said she often asks herself how Rendleman would have likely approached an assignment before she leaves on a photo shoot.

“Ryan was very much about making the photo a story and not just something to fill space,” she said.

The crash occurred less than two weeks before Rendleman was to earn his bachelor’s degree. Family members accepted Rendleman’s diploma posthumously during commencement ceremonies. The family has set up a Web site in Rendleman’s memory at ryanrendleman.org/ that will be active May 24.

Last month, Rendleman was enshrined in the Newseum’s Freedom Forum Journalists Memorial in the Newseum in Washington, D.C. He is among 1,913 reporters, photographers and broadcasters who have died while reporting the news dating back to 1837, and is the first collegiate journalist from the United States on the memorial.

by Pete Rosenbery

Another significant donation — Christopher Reynolds, left, an assistant instructor with Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s nationally recognized automotive technology program, checks out one of the latest donations to the program, a 2006 Nissan 350Z with students Kelsey Pugh, center, and Vincent Tiberio, right. The car is one of six vehicles and equipment totaling more than $151,000 the program received from Nissan North America, Inc. Pugh and Tiberio are juniors in the automotive technology program; Pugh is from Cleveland, Ohio; Tiberio from Yorkville. (Photo by Pete Rosenbery)

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Nissan North America Inc. is assisting students in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Department of Automotive Technology with a sizeable gift of automobiles and equipment. The company recently donated six vehicles, several engines, transmissions, transaxles and other equipment to the nationally recognized program. The donations, which total $151,610, will help prepare students for careers with major automotive manufacturers, said Jack S. Greer, who chairs the automotive technology department. “This is vitally important,” Greer said, noting the gift is Nissan’s largest to the program. “It’s important to the program to keep it up-to-date as far as technology opportunities for the students. This also demonstrates the dedication the manufacturers have for this program.” Geoff Lonberger, fixed operations manager for Nissan North America, Inc., and a 2005 SIUC automotive technology program graduate, coordinated the sizeable donation.

“It is important for manufacturers to support educational programs, particularly ones with an automotive-specific curriculum because a lot of the upcoming graduates from these programs could be the future of the industry,” he said. “Without vehicle and parts donations the students would not have current technology to learn from.” The donation is another validation of the automotive technology program’s standing within the industry, Greer said. “Nissan doesn’t give $150,000 to a school they do not think a lot of,” he said. “They appreciate our graduates and the way they are prepared for the industry. Our students hit the ground running.” Kelsey Pugh, a junior in automotive technology from Cleveland, Ohio, said adapting to the ever-changing automotive industry is important. “It’s always constantly changing,” Pugh said. “With what we have to work on right now, just getting these new technologies in and seeing different manufacturers and how they do different things is vital.” Vincent Tiberio, a junior in automotive technology from Yorkville, agreed. “This is the newest and greatest technology on the market. It keeps us up-to-date,” he said. “We are able to see what is out there.” As with other donations, students use the vehicles to hone their diagnostic sills. This enables students to train on some of the latest technology, vehicles, and equipment, in the automotive industry, Greer said. “This institution embraces any opportunity to enhance the educational experience for our students,” said Rickey N. McCurry, vice chancellor for institutional advancement and chief executive officer of the SIU Foundation. “SIU Carbondale’s automotive technology program takes great pride in preparing students for jobs in the industry. Nissan’s gift clearly demonstrates a similar commitment to higher education. The University is grateful for Nissan’s generosity.” It is Nissan’s pleasure to donate the vehicles and equipment, said Lonberger. Four of the six vehicles — a 2004 Nissan Titan, a 2006 Nissan 350Z, a 2007 Nissan Maxima, and 2007 Nissan Sentra — will be at the automotive technology campus in Carterville, which has 200 students. A 2000 Nissan Maxima and 2002 Nissan Altima are in use in the off-campus program at Harry S. Truman College in Chicago.

That program began in fall 2007, enabling Chicago-area students the opportunity to obtain a bachelor’s degree in automotive technology. Students complete an associate of applied science degree from Kennedy-King or Truman College, and then transfer into the automotive technology program, where SIUC faculty teaches upper-level automotive technical and automotive management courses at Truman College. Lonberger started his career with Nissan as a dealer parts and service specialist in 2006. Two years later he transitioned to the sales side of the business as a regional market representative specialist — involved with the franchise agreement as well as market development. His current position, which began April 1, also has an emphasis on customer retention, he said. The University’s automotive technology program “is like no other,” Lonberger emphasized. “The balance between the technical and business sides of the automotive industry makes the education relevant and desirable to manufacturers in any automotive-related field,” he said. “I would highly recommend the program to anybody who wishes to pursue a career in the automotive field. Not only will you receive a great education but after graduation you will have a rich fraternity of Salukis to help you get your foot in the door at some of the top companies in the industry.” Christopher Reynolds, an assistant instructor in the automotive technology program, said it is important for students to be able to see and work on what they will see at dealerships and independent shops. The donations enhance the available base curriculum so that students are more prepared to serve a diverse market of vehicles, Reynolds said. In 2005, the automotive technology program earned the Automotive Industry Planning Council’s Award of Excellence — its third time as the nation’s top program. The program also earned top honors in 1991 and 1999; national winners cannot compete again for the award for five years.