Saluki spirit took over Champaign on Thursday, Sept. 17, as more than 175 alumni, prospective students, families and friends of Southern Illinois University Carbondale packed the Chancellor’s Reception during SIU’s first Saluki Takeover Tour stop in the community.
The energy was high as Salukis gathered ahead of SIU Football’s Saturday matchup against the University of Illinois at Memorial Stadium, bringing together a weekend of alumni engagement, student recruitment and Saluki pride.
“We weren’t really sure about what we would get in Champaign,” SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane told the crowd. “Now we know. … You guys showed up.”
The Sept. 17-19 visit marks the second stop of the 6th Annual Saluki Takeover Tour and the tour’s first visit to Champaign. The 2026-27 tour kicked off earlier this month in Atlanta and continues SIU’s efforts to connect with alumni and donors, recruit prospective students and build partnerships in communities across the country.
The Champaign stop comes as SIU celebrates growing enrollment. Fall 2026 enrollment reached 12,066 students, an increase of 281 students, or 2.4%, from fall 2025 and the university’s highest overall enrollment in eight years. The new undergraduate incoming class grew 16% to 1,779 students, while transfer enrollment increased 7% and online enrollment grew 14%.
SIU System President Dan Mahony credited consistent university leadership and the support of alumni and advocates for helping fuel that progress.
“Part of the reason our momentum is going up is because of all of you,” Mahony said. “It’s our alumni and our persistent support and all the things you say about how great SIU is.”
Taking SIU directly to students
While the Chancellor’s Reception brought Salukis together Thursday evening, the Saluki Takeover Tour extended throughout the region with SIU admissions representatives meeting prospective students, families, counselors and education leaders.
“The takeovers allow us to engage our alumni and our donors and the communities we’re in,” Lane said. “But most importantly, it allows us to get into the high schools and talk with our superintendents and our principals and our counselors and, most importantly, our potential students.”
During the trip, SIU representatives visited high schools and colleges across Central Illinois, including Urbana, St. Joseph-Ogden, Centennial and Central high schools and Parkland College, with additional visits planned in Danville. The admissions team also connected with prospective students from communities including Mattoon and Mahomet-Seymour.
Several prospective students and their families attended the Chancellor’s Reception, where university leaders introduced them to the crowd and invited alumni to help welcome the next generation of Salukis.
Lane encouraged alumni to serve as ambassadors for SIU by sharing their experiences and connecting prospective students with the university.
“Everywhere you go, you’re going to be the chancellor, the admissions director,” Lane said. “Help us out so we can continue to move those numbers up.”
Strengthening partnerships in Central Illinois
The Champaign stop also highlighted SIU’s growing partnership with Parkland College. Through Saluki Step Ahead, students can begin their education at Parkland and transfer seamlessly to SIU Carbondale after earning their associate degree.
Parkland College President Pam Lau highlighted aviation as an example of how the institutions are working together. Parkland students can complete their flight training in Champaign while earning a Bachelor of Science in aviation management from SIU.
“We are very, very privileged to be able to partner with SIU Carbondale,” Lau said. “I’ve been talking to some of your staff to say, ‘Can we do it for more programs?’ Because we would truly love to have that opportunity for our students.”
The partnership allows students to continue their education while remaining in Central Illinois, an option Lau said is particularly important for students in applied science programs who may prefer to stay in the region.
More than 1,000 Salukis ready for Saturday
The excitement surrounding SIU’s first Champaign takeover stop will continue Saturday when the Salukis face the Fighting Illini at 1 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. The matchup will be the first between the programs since 2013.
More than 1,000 Salukis are expected to gather before kickoff for a sold-out Saluki tailgate, extending the Takeover Tour celebration into game day.
SIU Director of Athletics Tim Leonard added to the excitement at Thursday’s reception as he spoke about the momentum surrounding Saluki Athletics and the football program.
The Salukis enter Saturday’s game 2-1 after rallying from a seven-point deficit to defeat Southeast Missouri State 34-20 at Saluki Stadium. SIU scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to retain the War for the Wheel.
For Lane, the turnout Thursday demonstrated the reach of the Saluki community and the value of bringing SIU directly to alumni, prospective students and partners throughout Illinois.
“There’s a lot of energy in Saluki Nation,” Lane said.
About the Saluki Takeover Tour
The 2026-27 Saluki Takeover Tour kicked off Sept. 2 in Atlanta, with Champaign marking the tour’s second stop and first visit to the community. 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:
- October 27-30, 2026 — Chicago
- November 16-20, 2026 — Dallas and Houston
- February 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