ATLANTA — Southern Illinois University Carbondale made its first Saluki Takeover Tour stop in Atlanta Sept. 1-4, kicking off the sixth annual tour with four days of student recruitment, educational outreach and alumni engagement across the metropolitan area.
The inaugural Atlanta stop drew an enthusiastic response from the Saluki community, with more than 200 alumni, donors, university leaders and friends of SIU packing SweetWater Brewing Company for the Chancellor’s Reception on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
The reception brought Salukis together to reconnect, hear the latest from Carbondale and celebrate SIU’s growing presence in Georgia. The strong turnout underscored the alumni network already established in the region and the opportunity university leaders see to expand SIU’s reach in the state.
“We have been targeting Georgia for quite some time, just like we did Texas a few years ago,” SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane said. “We knew that we could come down to Georgia and compete.”
Lane encouraged Atlanta-area alumni to play an active role in that effort by connecting SIU with local schools, sharing their Saluki stories and helping prospective students discover opportunities in Carbondale.
“When our alumni reach out to us and say, ‘You need to get to Georgia,’ our alumni are going to get us in the door,” Lane said.
SIU System President Dan Mahony thanked Atlanta-area alumni for supporting the university and emphasized the importance of alumni engagement as SIU continues building momentum.
“Clearly, there are a lot of people here in Atlanta who are behind us,” Mahony said. “We appreciate all your support. That makes a difference.”
During the reception, university leaders shared updates about SIU and highlighted advantages available to prospective students, including SIU’s elimination of the out-of-state tuition differential and scholarship opportunities.
They also highlighted SIU’s recognition by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as both a Research 1 university and an Opportunity University. SIU is one of only 21 universities out of 4,000 nationwide to hold both designations.
Building a Saluki pipeline in Georgia
The energy of the Chancellor’s Reception complemented an extensive recruitment effort throughout the Atlanta area. University leaders, admissions staff, SIU Foundation representatives and other campus partners spent four days meeting directly with students, educators and community leaders.
The visit included recruitment stops at Carver Early College, Booker T. Washington High School, South Atlanta High School, Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School, Westlake High School, Kell High School, Phoenix Academy and North Springs Charter High School, among others.
SIU leaders also met with representatives from Atlanta Metropolitan State College, the National Institute for Student Success, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Goodwill of North Georgia and school districts throughout the region. The meetings focused on developing relationships and pathways that can connect more Georgia students with opportunities at SIU.
Lane pointed to the success of the Saluki Takeover Tour in Texas as an example of what sustained outreach in a new market can accomplish. After SIU added Dallas, Austin and Houston to the tour, Texas grew to become one of the university’s leading states for applications.
“We think Atlanta and Georgia are going to fit in that same space, and that’s why we’re here,” Lane said.
Lane said the Saluki Takeover Tour grew from a desire to take SIU directly into communities and proudly share the university’s story.
“We started the Saluki Takeover Tour about five years ago, and the plan was to put the Saluki flag in the ground in an unapologetic way,” Lane said. “We thought we needed to brag about this institution. We needed to brag about you and what you have done to make this institution what it is today.”
The first Atlanta stop marked the beginning of SIU’s efforts to establish a stronger presence in Georgia. University leaders plan to return as they continue developing relationships with schools, prospective students, alumni and community partners throughout the region.
“We will be back,” Lane said. “We need your help when we send those students off to Carbondale.”
About the Saluki Takeover Tour
The Atlanta event marked the first stop of the 2026-27 Saluki Takeover Tour. Hosted by the SIU Foundation, the tour began in 2021 and has expanded its reach each year, with previous stops in Chicago, Springfield, Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville, Florida, Texas, St. Louis, Southern Illinois, Hollywood and Washington, D.C.
The Saluki Takeover Tour strengthens alumni engagement, supports student recruitment and builds momentum for the Imagine SIU 2030 fundraising campaign. The campaign has raised more than $490 million toward its $500 million goal, making it the fifth-largest fundraising campaign in Illinois higher education. Approximately two years remain in the campaign.
In fiscal year 2026, the SIU Foundation awarded $6.9 million in scholarships to more than 2,200 students, representing nearly 19% of the student body.
Through stops across the country, the tour brings SIU leaders together with alumni, prospective students, donors and community partners while sharing the university’s momentum and expanding the Saluki network nationwide.
The 2026-27 Saluki Takeover Tour continues with:
- 17-19, 2026 — Champaign, Illinois
- 27-30, 2026 — Chicago
- 16-20, 2026 — Dallas and Houston
- 10-12, 2027 — St. Petersburg and Naples, Florida
- March 23-24, 2027 — Central Illinois
- March 30, 2027 — Detroit
- April 1-16, 2027 — Southern Illinois
- June 1-4, 2027 — Los Angeles
- Denver — Date tentative
- Louis — Date to be announced