By Jeff Wilson
For the second time in its three-year history, Dr. Glenn and Jo Poshard are the presenting sponsor of the Saluki Ball.
After two years in Chicago, this year’s Saluki Ball will be Saturday, April 26, in the SIU Student Center Ballrooms in Carbondale. The ball is a major fundraiser for funds that bridge the gap for students who are pursuing their degree at Southern. The funds are given to deserving students who need assistance with their bursar bill to stay enrolled and graduate on time.
“The research shows that if a student has to take a break because of financial issues, they have less of a chance of graduating,” Dr. Poshard said. “When we support young students with scholarships, we make it more possible for them, not just to graduate and get a job, but to be good citizens of a democracy.”
Since 2023, more than $100,000 has been raised during the Saluki Ball for the bridge the gap fund, which is managed by the Office of Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The amount each student receives is dependent on what they need to bring their bursar bill into good standing so they can stay enrolled.
This fiscal year, which continues until June 30, 2025, 30 students have received support from the bridge the gap fund. More than $32,000 has been awarded since July 1, 2024. The flexibility of this fund makes it one of the university’s most active scholarship funds.
The Poshards encourage other SIU alumni and donors to follow their lead, purchase tickets to the ball or become a sponsor at salukiball.siu.edu.
“I can guarantee you there is someone out there right now hoping and praying that somebody will give them a scholarship, that there’s some way for them to go forward,” Jo Poshard said. “It’s not a question of ‘Is there a need?’ The need is huge! If anybody is thinking about it, don’t hold back. There is a student out there whose life is going to be changed by you stepping up.”
Lifetimes of service
Dr. Poshard is a three-degree graduate of SIU, receiving a bachelor’s in secondary education in 1970, a master’s in educational administration in 1974, and a Ph.D. in administration of higher education in 1984.
“I credit SIU with whatever success I’ve been able to have in my life,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been able to do any of the things I’ve been blessed to do without my roots being right here at this university.”
He taught high school and served as the director of the Southern Illinois Educational Service Center in Benton until 1984 after being elected to the Illinois State Senate. In 1989, he earned a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He ran for governor in 1998 and left Congress the following year.
Dr. Poshard returned to SIU in 1999 as the vice chancellor of administration, where he served until his appointment to the SIU Board of Trustees in 2004. At the start of 2006, he was hired as the SIU system president, serving in that role until 2014.
“I was always proud of the academic prowess of this university, in fact the whole system,” Dr. Poshard said. “The SIU campus always had a place in my heart. I would get out and walk campus myself from time to time to remember what it’s about and who it’s for.”
Jo Poshard is a 1971 alumna of SIU’s College of Education. She is a retired schoolteacher, who has served on numerous university and community boards.
“SIU is very important to me. It means a lot to our family. We have quite a history here, and we’re very proud of SIU,” she said.
Together, they started the Poshard Foundation for Abused Children, which raises funds to care for abused children and victims of domestic abuse throughout Southern Illinois. The Poshards are longtime benefactors of SIU and many local charities.
The Saluki Ball
This black-tie optional event raises funds that bridge the financial gap for students who need assistance staying enrolled at SIU. When a student needs help with their bursar bill, these funds help keep them in school and on track for graduation. This support is invaluable in Southern’s mission to increase enrollment, enhance retention efforts, and support its students from start to finish.
Each of the past two years, hundreds of Salukis and SIU supporters have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through the ball.
“Our focus is on our students, especially those who need your help the most,” said Chancellor Lane. “We must ensure the students that we bring to Carbondale or who enroll in online courses are able to stay enrolled and finish with their degree.”
Students who have received funds that help them stay in school have shared the impact it has made on them.
“People who didn’t even know me believe in me and took the time to invest in my future,” said SIU student Francesca Stewart. “It prevented me from having to go back home.”
The funds that bridge the gap between semesters are core to the university’s mission of accessibility. Keeping students enrolled is integral to continuing the momentum at SIU.
“Receiving bridge-the-gap funds was major for me because I was on that line of whether I was going to finish my semester,” said student George Douglas IV. “That call saying I was getting alumni support, it changed everything. It changed my future.”
The evening will begin with a cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and program at 6:30 p.m. There will be a live musical performance from multi-platinum recording artists Exposé at 8:30 p.m., and the evening will wrap up with a DJ and dancing at 9:30 p.m.
The Saluki Ball features numerous sponsorship opportunities, ranging from $50,000 to $5,000. Each sponsorship includes varying levels of benefits and recognition before and during the event. Tables of 8 are $1,600, and individual tickets are $200.
Get your tickets or become a sponsor at salukiball.siu.edu.