By Jeff Wilson
Rob Beverly wants to provide SIU students with a role model that he didn’t have during his time at Southern.
“I think it’s important for Black alumni to give back to SIU, specifically,” he said. “I was the first person in my family to go to college. I don’t remember having very many images of Black individuals, let alone Black men, who had progressed through college and become what I would consider successful. We now become these images that we didn’t have.”
Beverly graduated from SIU in 2000 and is now the vice president of a medical device company, living outside of Chicago with his wife and four daughters.
“My connection to SIU goes way back to 1996 when I pursued and earned a bachelor’s in marketing,” he said. “I really, really enjoyed my time at SIU and the lifelong connections that were built. With that comes and obligation to come back and ensure that others have the same opportunity that I had.”
A couple years ago he and his wife, Onyhatte, established The Beverly Bridging the Gap Fund, which supports SIU students through the Office of Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, providing financial assistance to students in need.
“Inevitably, things happen, and you don’t have someone to bail you out,” Beverly said. “We want to help students through those unforeseen circumstances. Many people never make it back, for whatever reason. Had I gone home for any extended period, I may not have made it back. There is something about being in the academic environment consistently that starts to change you.”
Bridge the gap funds have been a priority for Chancellor Austin Lane and the SIU administration for years. One of the university’s largest fundraisers, the Saluki Ball, focuses on raising these types of funds to support students and increase retention.
“This is the stage of my life where my focus is on what I am able to give back. It’s fulfilling,” he said. “Something you’ve done or contributed to has had a meaningful impact on someone. That’s enough.”
While an SIU student, Beverly was involved with the Blacks Interested in Business group and was voted Homecoming king.
“SIU has definitely had an influence on my personal and professional journey. SIU for me was the first significant time I spent away from home,” he said. “It forces you to grow up quickly and be responsible and independent and teaches you how to make decisions that ultimately end up cementing your future.”
For Beverly, the “Once a Saluki, always a Saluki” mantra holds true.
“This is such a family. SIU is like nowhere else,” he said. “The bond, the relationship is still so strong. It’s like nothing I’ve seen. It’s different at SIU. Our bond is just different.”
To learn more or make a gift, visit siuf.org.