Nearly 250 alumni, students and community members gathered Tuesday, April 21, at 62 Social House in Carterville for a Chancellor’s Reception, hosted by the SIU Foundation, as part of the Annual Saluki Takeover Tour Southern Illinois.
“We made a commitment five and a half years ago that students in Southern Illinois wouldn’t have to go anywhere else,” Chancellor Austin A. Lane said. “They can stay right here in their own backyard and get a first-class education.”
Lane said that commitment continues to drive the tour, which includes visits to 55 high schools across all 17 counties in the region.
“We’re up 27% in students from this region choosing to stay home,” he said. “It’s because we’re showing up. When we show up, it makes a difference.”
The event marked the first official gathering at 62 Social House, located in The Historic 131 Building owned by Jennifer Spence. 62 Social House is owned by SIU alumnus and local restaurateur Doug Deaton ’09. The space includes Velvet Moon Coffee Shop, owned by his wife, Chandler Deaton.
“I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to have all of you here,” Spence said. “This building represents a lot of hard work, and it means a lot to open it to the Saluki community.”
Deaton said the evening reflected both community pride and growing momentum.
“There’s a lot of excitement about Carterville and a lot of excitement around SIU,” Deaton said. “We’re proud to be part of something that brings people together.”
Lane also introduced Carterville High School senior Marlee Rosenbery, a Chancellor’s Scholar who plans to major in education at SIU this fall, drawing one of the evening’s strongest responses from the crowd.
“Our Chancellor’s Scholar is right here from Carterville,” Lane said. “She’s going to do great things.”
He later introduced Avery Chapman, an incoming SIU freshman who plans to major in nursing, as another example of a local student choosing Southern.
SIU men’s basketball head coach Scott Nagy also addressed attendees, sharing optimism about the program’s direction.
“We expect to win the league this next year,” Nagy said. “The culture is there, our staff is there, and we’re building something special.”
Lane closed by reinforcing the role alumni and community members play in the university’s growth.
“When you’re out in your communities wearing maroon, you become the chancellor,” he said. “You’re the one telling the story of SIU.”
For the SIU Foundation, the takeover tours provide an opportunity to connect with donors as the record-breaking Imagine SIU 2030 campaign continues. The campaign aims to raise $500 million by June 2028 and has already surpassed $464 million.
The Saluki Takeover Tour Southern Illinois continues through April, bringing together alumni, donors, prospective students and community members across the region. The tour launched March 31 at Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center, where nearly 300 attended. Nearly 150 attended the Chancellor’s Reception at Pyramid Acres Marina at Lake of Egypt, and more than 50 attended the Mount Vernon stop at DoubleTree by Hilton Mt. Vernon.
The remaining stop is:
Red Bud: Thursday, April 23, 6 to 8 p.m., 1860 Public House, 102 S. Main St.
Learn more at siuf.org/southern-illinois.