Southern Illinois University’s Achieve Program celebrated the naming of the Giesen Family Achieve Student Hub on Aug. 13, honoring a family whose experience with the program inspired a commitment to helping future Salukis succeed.
Dave and Lauri Giesen established an endowed scholarship to support students in Achieve, a comprehensive academic support program for SIU students with learning differences. Their children, Tracy and Alex, participated in Achieve and graduated from SIU.
Dave Giesen joined Achieve students, families, staff and university representatives for the celebration, which included a ribbon-cutting and the unveiling of the newly named student hub.
The Giesens’ support grew from their children’s experiences with the program.
“When we evaluated universities for our children, Achieve turned out to be the perfect fit for both of them,” Giesen said. “They both earned their degrees from SIU and were immensely proud of what they accomplished and the role the program played in their success.”
The Giesens first learned about Achieve while exploring colleges that could provide their daughter with academic support. After visiting SIU and meeting with Achieve staff, Tracy chose SIU over two other universities. Her experience later influenced Alex to follow her to Carbondale.
Giesen said SIU also offered his children the flexibility of a comprehensive university, allowing them to explore different academic paths while receiving individualized support through Achieve.
Part of SIU’s Office for Access and Accommodations, Achieve has supported students with learning differences for nearly 50 years, making it one of the country’s most established programs of its kind.
The comprehensive, fee-for-service program provides managerial, organizational, structural, tutorial and social support for neurodiverse students, including those with learning disabilities, attention disorders, autism spectrum disorders and other learning differences or academic challenges.
Achieve supplements accommodations available through the Office for Access and Accommodations with individualized services designed to help students navigate college and stay on track toward graduation. More than 95% of Achieve students remain in good academic standing each semester, and one-third earn a place on the dean’s list. Students in the program typically remain on track to graduate within four to five years.
“Achieve is the best program in the country for what it does that nobody has ever heard of,” Giesen said. “It gives people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend college the support to develop their skills and ultimately contribute to society.”
Roger Pugh, director of the Achieve Program, said the family has maintained its connection to Achieve since Tracy and Alex completed the program.
“We’ve known the Giesen family for a long time,” Pugh said. “Tracy and Alex both came through the program and have gone on to build successful lives. We’ve stayed in touch with them over the years, and it has been a blessing to see what they’ve accomplished.”
The Giesens began supporting Achieve years before establishing the endowed scholarship. When a student needed financial assistance to participate in the program, they joined other Achieve families in helping cover the cost. That experience inspired their continued giving.
Giesen credits his parents with instilling the philosophy that guides his family’s philanthropy.
“The lesson they taught us when we were young was to pay it forward,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate throughout our lives, and they taught us to make sure others could benefit from that good fortune.”
The endowed scholarship will help students and families manage the costs of participating in Achieve. The program awarded the scholarship to its first two recipients during the naming celebration.
“Every year, we have students and families considering our program and wondering how they’re going to manage all the costs associated with college,” Pugh said. “This scholarship will help make that decision easier for them.”
Pugh said generosity from former students and Achieve families has helped the program support students for years.
“Dave, Lauri, Alex and Tracy, your gift is going to help students for many years to come,” Pugh said.
The celebration coincided with Achieve’s orientation for new and returning students and their families. Students met staff members, explored the program’s space and connected with the case managers who will support them throughout the academic year.
The Giesen Family Achieve Student Hub will serve as a central gathering place for students and a lasting reminder of the family’s commitment to the program.
Giesen encouraged scholarship recipients to carry that spirit of generosity forward.
“Work hard and do the best you can,” he said. “If you have the ability in the years to come, look back at your experience here and help the people following behind you.”
The Giesen family’s gift adds to the momentum of the Imagine SIU 2030 fundraising campaign, which has reached $485 million in commitments toward its $500 million goal. With two years remaining, the campaign has achieved 97% of its goal and remains one of the largest fundraising efforts in Illinois public university history.
Scholarship support remains a key part of that philanthropic impact. During the most recent fiscal year, the SIU Foundation awarded a record $6.9 million in scholarships to more than 2,200 students, benefiting nearly 19% of the student body.