Event is free and open to the public

By Jeff Wilson

CARBONDALE – After traveling to each of Illinois’ 17 southernmost counties, including more than 20 school visits, the Saluki Takeover Tour of Southern Illinois will close with the Southern Illinois Celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort.

Hosted by Chancellor Austin Lane, the event will recognize incoming SIU students. There will also be SIU Day of Giving trophy presentations, a celebration of the university’s recent successes, and a chance to thank our local partners. Many representatives from SIU will be in attendance, including new Saluki Men’s Basketball coach Scott Nagy.

To register, visit https://siuf.org/southern-illinois/walkers-bluff.php. Attendees will receive two complimentary drink tickets, and hors d’oeuvres will be served. This is your chance to join with SIU’s leaders, Saluki alumni and friends, current and future students, and many others for an evening of Saluki pride.

“Saluki spirit is evident everywhere we go, but it has its roots right here in Southern Illinois,” said Chancellor Austin Lane. “These takeover tour events are a terrific opportunity for our local alumni and friends to engage with our leadership and share their Saluki experience with others.”

Lane and many others traveled to local high schools in Anna Jonesboro, Benton, Cairo, Carbondale, Carterville, Carmi-White County, Chester, Cobden, Du Quion, Gallatin County, Hardin County, Harrisburg, Johnston City, Joppa, Marion, Massac County, Meridian, Mount Vernon, Murphysboro and Vienna, meeting with administrators and visiting with students who have committed to attending SIU in the fall. There have been visits to John A. Logan Community College and Southeastern Illinois College.

Alumni and friends have gathered for five Chancellor’s Receptions at The Granada Theatre in Mount Vernon, Morello’s in Harrisburg, St. Nicholas Brewing Co. in Du Quoin, Alto Vineyards in Alto Pass and Fat Edd’s Roadhouse in Metropolis. Dozens of Salukis have come to each event to meet Chancellor Lane and other SIU leaders.

“We want students to know they can come from Mount Vernon, Benton, Carmi-White County, or anywhere else and launch to the world,” said Lane at The Granada Theatre in Mount Vernon. “You don’t have to leave and go anywhere. We have an advantage right here in our backyard.”

“I don’t know the last time we’ve had an event like this with boots on the ground, going and seeing high school students, giving out scholarships. That’s what it’s going to take,” said Saluki Football coach Nick Hill on Friday, April 26, at St. Nicholas Brewing Co. in Du Quoin.

The Office of Innovation and Economic Development at SIU and the Small Business Navigator Program partnered with local organizations to offer Business Resource Meet Ups. These events provided valuable insights into the Advantage Illinois Loan Program, along with detailed information on the services of the Illinois SBDC and the Illinois APEX Accelerator program at SIU. Events have already taken place at Innovation Hub in Mount Vernon, MAN-TRA-CON in Marion, Morello’s in Harrisburg, Alongi’s Italian Restaurant in Du Quoin, First Missionary Baptist Church in Cairo, Vienna High School, and Carbondale Civic Center.

“We’re preaching pride in the region. We’re preaching legacy. We’re preaching accessibility,” said Chancellor Lane on Monday, April 29, at Alto Vineyards. “All of those things are keeping our students here at home. We have some wonderful Salukis coming in.”

For more information, call 618-453-4900 or email siuf@foundation.siu.edu.

By Jeff Wilson

Sydney Mott’s experience with Southern Illinois University and its College of Business and Analytics started with a great first impression.

When transferring from Southeastern Illinois College, she was considering Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and the University of Southern Indiana.

“I knew I wanted to stay close to home,” she said. “I met Rachel Richey (coordinator of recruitment and retention for COBA) and Benna Williams (assistant lecturer in COBA), and I knew I was going to come to Carbondale. I didn’t even visit USI.”

The Harrisburg High School graduate and Eldorado native knew early on that she wanted to become a certified public accountant and pursue a career with the federal or state government.

“My parents both worked as correctional officers, and I knew I wanted retirement security,” Mott said. “I always loved math, and I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I took an accounting class at SIC and got a job at Kemper CPA Group in Harrisburg, and it all just clicked.”

During her time at SIU, Mott has received multiple scholarships, including the Bill and Barbara Beck Accounting Scholarship, Kenneth J. and Jacqueline M. Hull/Illinois CPA Society Accounting Scholarship, and the Robert and Patricia Sforza Memorial Scholarship.

“When you add them up, these scholarships take the load off,” she said. “Even though donors may not always see the people they support, it’s important to know that student success may not be possible without those donations. It’s helping students not just in school, but it’s helping them find a job and further their lives.”

The adjustment from community college to SIU has been smoother because of the people Mott has met along the way.

“Coming in as a transfer student, you’re being placed in a completely different world,” she said. “SIU has been great. I’ve made great friends. The people in the College of Business and Analytics want to see you succeed.”

By Jeff Wilson

Attending SIU wasn’t originally the plan for Simeon Hardley when he graduated from Carbondale Community High School in 2017.

He went to John A. Logan Community College and earned his associate degree, but he decided to take some time off while he figured out what he wanted to do.

“Naturally, I think kids want to get away from home,” Hardley said. “When I decided to pursue my bachelor’s degree, my support system was here. I grew up a big Salukis fan, and SIU felt like home. It’s a great place to grow and develop as a person.”

Hardley was worked with video, but it was taking a class with Julia Rendleman, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Advertising, that led him to choose a path in photojournalism.

“I just fell in love with it,” he said. “That class propelled me in this direction. I’m going to specialize in sports media.”

His journey has led him to a fellowship with the Pulitzer Center in Washington, D.C. After making the trip to the nation’s capital, Hardley stayed in Illinois and focused his work for the Pulitzer Center on the city of Cairo, Illinois.

Recently, he received the Linda K. Henson Photojournalism Scholarship, and he expressed his thankfulness for the financial relief scholarships provide.

“It plays a huge role,” he said. “It puts the idea in the back of your mind that someone trusts you and believes in you. It is so appreciated. It helped motivate me to finish school.”

Hardley said being from Carbondale and going to SIU has opened his eyes to the importance of alumni support.

“SIU has so many accomplished alumni, from athletes to producers, etc.,” he said. “Scholarships like mine show how connected our alumni are to students and the community.”

By Jeff Wilson

Malia Lester wants to help people the way scholarships donors have helped her.

While attending high school in Cairo, Illinois, Malia’s life was changed forever by tragedy. After getting her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Eastern Illinois University, she’s now pursuing master’s degree in social work from SIU.

“My high school boyfriend committed suicide, and that led to questions about why it happened,” she said. “He needed someone to talk to, and I knew I wanted to make sure others had someone they can trust.”

Lester received the C.L. Pete & Margaret Odum Memorial Scholarship, and the timing was particularly meaningful.

“I’m living at home right now to save money. My dad passed away in 2021, and he had been contributing to my education,” she said. “The scholarship took a lot of financial stress off me. It felt like a sign. It felt like someone was looking out for me.”

Lester is an intern at Johnson, Alexander, Massac, Pulaski (JAMP) Special Education Services, which also has a bit of special meaning to her.

“When I was in high school, there was a junior high student who wouldn’t calm down until she talked to me,” she said. “She was a JAMP student. I’m going to miss my first set of kids when my internship ends.”

She and her fiancé plan to move to Charleston after graduation, and that’s where she hopes to begin a long career helping people in need.

“Honestly, I don’t care where I end up as long as I’m doing something I love,” she said.

The support she received from SIU and its donors is something that will stick with her well beyond her time as a student.

“It’s awesome that alumni donate,” she said. “It took so much financial stress off my shoulders. As a first-generation student, I was figuring it out on my own.”

By Jeff Wilson

Kylee Vaughan is living her dream – playing college golf close to home.

The McLeansboro native and Hamilton County High School graduate is a junior at SIU and has received multiple athletic scholarships, including the Diane Daugherty Women’s Golf Team Scholarship, Jane Tally Phelps Athletic Scholarship, and Banterra Bank Scholarship.

“I started playing golf when I was 6 years old, usually at the golf course in McLeansboro or at Green Hills in Mount Vernon,” she said. “My mom and dad are high school golf coaches at Hamilton County, and my brother played at John A. Logan and Rend Lake College.”

Vaughan, now a junior, chose SIU over Murray State, citing the coaching staff and the university’s small-town feel as the deciding factors.

“My time at SIU has been great,” she said. “It’s like one big family. Everything from coaches to the support staff … it’s been a great experience.”

An exercise science major, Vaughan’s academic goals have evolved, and she’s now planning a future as a pharmacist.

“Scholarships have helped me focus on my schoolwork and getting my practices in,” she said. “Being a student-athlete is a major commitment, and time management is important if you’re going to fit everything in.”

Beyond scholarships, donors are vital to every Saluki athletic program. Funds are used to support equipment and facility upgrades, travel costs, uniforms, and more.

The impact donors have on individual students, the university, and thus, the entire region is obvious to Vaughan.

“It’s really important to give back,” she said. “You’re helping someone who’s in the same position you were in as a student. Donors make such a big difference.”

By Jeff Wilson

Kaylee Rose graduated from SIU in December and is now teaching second grade at Lick Creek Elementary School.

“My mom and dad went to SIU, and my mom told me how great her SIU experience was,” she said.

The Olmsted native attended Pulaski County High School and then Shawnee Community College before transferring to SIU. She enrolled in the School of Education, following in her mother’s footsteps as a teacher and administrator. It was then that she received financial assistance, including the Donald E. Starzyk Family Scholarship.

“That scholarship helped me a lot,” Rose said. “I didn’t have to come up with the money myself or find student loans. I think it’s amazing that alumni decide to give back. They can choose to spend that money on anything they desire, but they’ve decided to help someone get through college.”

Teaching in a small school district has also further emphasized the need for funding and community support.

“Funding is the No. 1 issue at every school, especially in small districts like Lick Creek,” she said. “Starting out, teachers are severely underpaid, so not having student loan debt is important. The schools themselves require more funding, more community involvement. I’m grateful for my strong community. There are always people willing to help.”

While her time at SIU is over, Rose said she will look back on her time with great fondness because of the support she received and the experience she had.

“I loved my time at SIU. I gained friends that I have to this day,” she said. “I already miss being on campus.”

By Jeff Wilson

The scholarships that Ink Winter has received have strengthened their bond to SIU since transferring from Rend Lake College.

Studying Japanese and German in SIU’s College of Liberal Arts, Winter has been awarded the Collins Family Saluki Scholarship and Helmut and Marry Liedloff in German Scholarship.

“It kind of warms my heart,” Winter said. “I’ll look more fondly on my time at SIU because of these scholarships. Someday I want to give back to people in a similar way.”

Despite commuting from Du Quoin, the Pinckneyville Community High School graduate is heavily involved both on and off campus. They are the secretary of two organizations, the Saluki Rainbow Network and Alternative Lifestyles, Identities, and Sexualities (ALIAS), and are also a COLA senator in the Undergraduate Student Governement and member of the Saluki Tabletop Gaming RSO.

“My scholarships prevent me from needing to take out student loans. If I didn’t have them, I would need a full-time job, which wouldn’t allow me to be so involved,” Winter said. “I work part-time now, so I’m thankful for the freedom scholarships offer.”

Winter plans to attend graduate school at SIU and study linguistics with a focus on Japanese.

“After graduation, I hope to travel and study the impact of bilingualism in certain areas,” they said.

By Jeff Wilson

Saluki spirit runs deeply in Dorian Sparks’ family. Her grandmother attended SIU, and her parents met while SIU students.

“A lot of people from Metropolis go to Murray State,” said Sparks, a Massac County High School graduate. “I figured out my junior year of high school that SIU made the most sense for me.”

During her journey, she received two scholarships, one from the Friends of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and the other from the Society for Civil Discourse.

“The Paul Simon Institute scholarships provided me with a cushion going into college,” Sparks said. “The Society for Civil Discourse scholarship came as I was going into the end of the semester and had $1,500 on my bursar bill to pay off. It helped me avoid taking out student loans.”

Sparks originally came to SIU for the health care management program, but she recently changed majors and is now pursuing her degree in nursing.

“I still love health care management, but I’m really excited,” she said. “I’m a certified nursing assistant now, but I want to become a registered nurse.”

The scholarships have created a connection with her school and its alumni. Being from Southern Illinois has just made it all that much more special.

“So often it seems like people want you to go to college, but that’s all they want to do,” she said. “Our alumni pride themselves on the fact they went to SIU. It makes me feel really supported here. Thank you to everyone who helps. It’s going to push me to keep going.”

By Jeff Wilson

Saluki spirit has been part of Chloe Dennison’s life from an early age.

“I’m a third-generation Saluki,” she said. “My grandma and both parents went to SIU. For my second Halloween, I was an SIU football player. It was ingrained from early on that SIU was the place for me.”

Although she’s originally from Raleigh, Illinois, she attended Gallatin County High School, where her mother was a teacher. When SIU introduced its nursing program a few years ago, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

“I wanted to be one of the early classes in the nursing program,” Dennison said. “I received lots of scholarships, including the SIU Nursing Start-up Scholarship, which made it a no-brainer.”

The financial support she received allowed her to avoid student loans and gave her extra appreciation for her time as an SIU student.

“I am extremely grateful. Alumni and donors have changed my life,” she said. “I have always been afraid of student loans, and these scholarships have allowed me to dedicate myself to being the best student and the best nurse I can be.”

She will graduate with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and work as a registered nurse. She hopes to work locally in a neonatal intensive care unit or pediatric intensive care unit. She also plans to pursue her master’s and become an acute care pediatric nurse practitioner.

“I’m not ready to leave Southern Illinois quite yet,” Dennison said. “The SIU community is so tightly knit. Everyone on campus wants to build you up. When I go places and see people with SIU shirts on, I make a point to go up and talk to them. It’s extremely rewarding to see how far SIU can send you.

“For the past three years, I’ve lived in Abbot Hall and met three of the most incredible people who have become my best friends. I know there are people out there that give SIU a bad rep, and I want them to know they are completely wrong. It’s a family. It’s really special. It’s home.”