By Rebecca Budde

Dr. Margaret Wilson, a retired pediatrician, knows firsthand of the financial struggles of medical students.

“I remember what it was like to struggle with money while trying to complete medical school,” she said. “Scholarships for medical school are sorely lacking, even now.”

While cost of tuition at SIU School of Medicine remains one of the most affordable among public universities, medical students graduate with some of the highest debt – more than $210,000 on average – according to Erik Constance, MD, associate dean of medical student affairs.

“Scholarships are imperative for fulfilling our mission of sending well-trained providers in our central and southern Illinois communities,” Dr. Constance said.

To help future generations of female physicians, Margaret established a scholarship for female medical students at SIU. Her hope is that this scholarship will help make life a little less worrisome for the student and her family.

“These students have families, and they’re graduating from medical school with these huge debts,” she said.

While his wife’s generosity was bestowed on the medical students, Dr. Charles Wilson, a retired professor in SIU’s Division of Urology, wanted his gift to impact the work of his chosen specialty.

The SIU School of Medicine’s Founders Urology Care Scholars Program will support new investigators’ research and educational projects that benefit patients with urologic diseases. The funding will be used for basic, translational or clinical research in urologic diseases. The endowment is open to any donors who wish to support urologic research.

As Drs. Margaret and Charles Wilson enjoy their retirement, their son, Morgan Wilson, MD, ’05, is enjoying his career at SIU Medicine’s Division of Dermatology. Not only has Morgan generously supported the scholarship his mother began, but he also supports the Student Resource Fund and the SIU Dermatology Alumni Fund.

“I have enjoyed seeing the educational yield of the SIU Dermatology Alumni Fund, which helps to offset the costs of books, meetings, courses and equipment for our dermatology residency program,” Morgan said. “It is fun to witness the consequent learning.”

Though the Jacksonville-based couple and their son chose different medical specialties and different areas to give, all agree that they’d like to help support the mission of the medical school and keep quality physicians in Illinois.

“I’ve always appreciated and benefited from the SIU School of Medicine’s commitment to educational quality, and I’d like to support the continuation of this emphasis,” Morgan said. “As a native of the area, I also believe in the mission of educating physicians who will consider coming back to downstate Illinois.”

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By Rebecca Renshaw

Bob Gower’s personal narrative over the past seven decades offers a touching portrait of the American dream. SIU played a part in his story of accomplishment, generosity and determination. Born in West Frankfort to parents with an eighth-grade education, Gower knew that hard work was going to be his personal key to achieving success.

“I worked and paid my own way through college, which wasn’t easy to do when majoring in chemistry,” Gower said. “Balancing classes and working on weekends was difficult, but through hard work I grew up fast. I learned that success doesn’t come automatically and that I just had to persevere through the hard times.”

Gower said that his experiences at SIU taught him so much about other people. He said those experiences taught him about character, taught him about honesty, and gave him an appreciation of diversity.

“In West Frankfort, Illinois, there were no African-Americans in the 1950s. When I arrived at SIU, I met all types of people from other cultures and countries, and it was a new and stimulating experience. I learned about people, what drove them and how to work with others who did not come from my background,” he said.

While he was a senior getting his undergraduate degree, Gower was encouraged by friends to go on a blind date with freshman Mary Beth Miller.

“I remember sitting across from this beautiful young girl, sharing a soda with her when she told me she was taking a freshman chemistry course and could really use some help with it. I thought, God must be smiling on me right now. I knew I was good at chemistry and that I could help her,” he said.

Fifty-eight years later, Gower credited his wife for helping him far more than when he helped her with her chemistry class.

Gower went on to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SIU in 1958 and 1960, respectively, and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1963.

Upon graduation from SIU, Gower began an industrial career starting at Sinclair Oil Corporation as a research scientist.

“I quickly realized that I was just as able as some of the people running the companies that I worked for, so I asked to be moved into sales and experienced a range of business development and planning positions to broaden my background,” he said.

Gower soon rose to prominent positions in Atlantic Richfield and its divisions of the company. He became vice president of ARCO Chemical Co. in 1977 and senior vice president in 1979. In June 1984, he became senior vice president of Atlantic Richfield Co. Gower became president of Lyondell Petrochemical Co. when it was formed in April 1985 and was elected chief executive officer in October 1988. That same year, Gower led Lyondell through the largest initial public stock offering up to that time.

While Gower has had an illustrious career, he and his wife have always maintained a steadfast loyalty to SIU Carbondale’s chemistry department. Recently, Gower gave $800,000 to the department.

“SIU is moving toward being a well-recognized research institution with excellent faculty,” he said. “Beth and I would like to help it become a great research institution.”

One might think that with all of the success he achieved in his life, Gower would sit back and take it easy. Not so.

One of his current passions is the field of nanotechnology, which he has used to help develop a therapeutic, abuse-resistant opioid pain drug.

“It is currently in clinical trials, and the FDA recently gave Ensysce Biosciences a fast-track designation, which means we won’t have such a lengthy process to approval,” he said.

Gower said that opioid drugs are the only way to handle certain types of severe pain, so simply banning them from use is not the answer.

“The problem is that people quickly become addicted to opioid drugs,” he said. “We need to prevent abuse. What we have done with our drug is to modify it so that the drug is not active when taken. Only when it is in the digestive system and it meets an enzyme known as trypsin does it become activated via a two-step reaction. If a person snorts it or dissolves it and injects the drug, it will not be activated. If chewed, the reaction still will not take place until it gets to the digestive system.

Gower is also passionate about providing opportunities for underprivileged children. For the past 30 years, he has worked with Communities in School, and he headed its operation in Houston for much of that time. CIS is a campus-based, nonprofit organization providing direct services and resources to under-served children with unmet needs, many with mental health issues. By surrounding them with a community of support, CIS empowers students to stay in school and achieve in life.

“Anyone can do what I have done, or something better, or something comparable. Each of us brings our own unique set of contributions to society. Everyone is important on this stage,” he said.

To find out how you can contribute to the SIU College of Science and the chemistry department, visit foreversiu.org/colleges-units/science.

By Jeff Wilson

Since opening in August 2016, the Saluki Food Pantry has served more than 2,400 SIU students and their families. That kind of community service requires support and a lot of hard work.

Recently, the food pantry assisted students after a fire at Evergreen Terrace by supplying food and toiletries to affected individuals.

Much of the work at the food pantry is done by graduate assistant Shannon Denman, said Student Center Associate Director Kent Epplin.

“Without Shannon, we would not be able to operate because there is no dedicated staff member for the location,” Epplin said. “As a result of her ongoing efforts to schedule food drives, we have been successful at supplying our students with the necessary food items.”

During the first two SIU Days of Giving, the Saluki Food Pantry has received $1,800 in donations. Most of those funds are used to pay overhead costs and fund the graduate assistant position.

“Initially, the chancellor funded the pantry, but for the current fiscal year, we are operating off of the SIU Foundation funding,” Epplin said. “The pantry runs on a very simple budget.”

The food pantry works with students both on and off campus, and networks with Saluki Cares and other campus organizations to ensure students are aware of the available resources.

The Saluki Food Pantry is located on the Lower Level of the Student Center and is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays and 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursdays. Any student with a valid student ID can access the pantry’s resources. To learn more, visit www.studentcenter.siu.edu/services/saluki-food-pantry.php.

By Rebecca Renshaw

The College of Engineering received two checks for $10,000 each from a longtime supporter of the university.

Dr. Mike Murray, trustee of the George A. Bates Memorial Foundation, presented Dean John Warwick with a $10,000 check to go toward the George A. Bates Memorial scholarship.

“We greatly appreciate the ongoing support by the Bates Foundation for these undergraduate scholarships,” Warwick said. “These scholarships are important to our college, and we are deeply grateful to the Bates Foundation for their history of partnering with SIU.”

Murray also presented Dr. Bruce DeRuntz with a $10,000 check to support the College of Engineering’s Leadership Development Program. Based in the College of Engineering, the LDP is designed to mold students into future executive leaders in a STEM field (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) by providing leadership training, mentoring and community service opportunities.

The LDP began with a donation from Dick Blaudow, an SIU engineering alumnus. Blaudow, along with his wife, Brigitte, established the program as a way to help develop the next generation of America’s technical leaders. DeRuntz, professor of technology who leads the LDP, said the program truly transforms these students into leaders.

“To achieve success, these students must prepare for success,” DeRuntz said. “This program gives them the tools to do so.”

DeRuntz said the foundation’s donation will go toward bringing in guest speakers to the program. The funds will also help fund the annual team-building week at SIU’s Touch of Nature, during which new students meet their more experienced teammates to learn about the program’s culture and history.

Bates was a successful stock market investor and avid big game hunter. He was born in 1903 in the Chicago area, and resided in Cary until his death. The Bates Foundation was formed when he passed away in 1989. The foundation provides funding to numerous charitable organizations, as determined by its board of trustees. Along with SIU, the foundation supports The Hope Light Project, a cancer awareness organization, also located in southern Illinois.

“Mr. Bates believed in supporting education,” Murray said. “It has been an honor to be a trustee for the George A. Bates Memorial Foundation, and it was a privilege to deliver these checks.” Other local organizations the foundation has supported include Brehm School, SIH Cancer Institute, the Poshard Foundation, Saluki Kids Academy, and Lead SI. The foundation supports eight different charities and has donated $3 million dollars in the last 10 years. A total of $6 million has been donated since its inception.

Murray was instrumental in securing funding from the Bates Foundation. As a former close friend and confidant of Bates, Murray was aware of Bates’ philanthropic tendencies. He submitted a proposal for support in 1997 while working as a central development officer for the SIU Foundation. Now, as a Bates Foundation trustee, he is able to continue to provide funding to scholarships at the College of Engineering. To date, the foundation has provided about $400,000 to SIU for scholarship funding.

The foundation looks for two things when deciding to support an organization: Dedication by the organization to the mission and passion for the cause of those representing the organization.  “I know the dean, and I know professor DeRuntz very well,” Murray said. “I have no doubt this money will be put to good use.”

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By Drew Novara

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Monday marked the inaugural celebration of the Charles Helleny Tip-Off Classic as the Salukis took on Buffalo at SIU Arena. In honor of the event, a special pre-game ceremony took place to rename the East Lobby of the arena as the “Charles Helleny Pavilion.” In September, Helleny donated the fourth-largest gift in Saluki Athletics history.

In honor of Helleny’s gift, the first Division I men’s basketball home game each year will be known as the Charles Helleny Tip-Off Classic game.

“I don’t want to take anything away from the game itself,” Helleny said. “I am embarrassed, but honestly this is a great honor, as I love SIU. We have had our ups and downs and we have always remained competitive.”
Helleny said his history with Saluki Basketball goes back to the Walt Frazier era, and he gets excited recalling the many signature home wins, such as the 2001 victory over eventual national runner-up Indiana and the thrilling battles with arch-rival Creighton. Those memories help fuel his desire to give back to SIU.

“Giving to the SASF is a commitment – not just a one-time donation — but a lifetime commitment,” he explained. “Donors help offset the budget for the department and help secure funding for scholarships, trips and recruiting.”

The Charles Helleny gift will continue to help support the SASF and the scholarship costs for 350 student-athletes in 17 intercollegiate sports, and will also help toward the Forever SIU campaign.

“The Charles Helleny Tip-Off Classic is a great way to honor Charles – a special and unique partnership created by Saluki Athletics and the Helleny family,” SIU Associate Athletic Director Jason Fairfield said. “Charles has a long history with SIU and we wanted to be able to honor his legacy with something that will live on forever.”

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by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale served as the launch pad for Clara Kridle’s successful accounting career, so when her colleagues created a memorial scholarship in her honor, they and her family chose to help propel future Salukis toward successful careers in the world of business by establishing the Clara J. Kridle Memorial Scholarship Endowment.

“We are triply blessed to honor Clara Kridle through this memorial scholarship,” Terry Clark, dean of the College of Business, said. “We are honored because she was one of our own, who came to us and blossomed into a young professional, ready to take on the world.

“Then, after entering into that professional world, we observed her rise among the best professionals on earth at Pricewaterhouse Coopers,” Clark added. “But most of all, we are deeply touched and blessed to see the kind and generous affection with which her colleagues at PwC held her in that they chose to honor our Clara Kridle with a scholarship in her name and memory here at SIU’s College of Business. This scholarship will make it possible for other young people to be trained up and prepared for success, just as Clara was. Thank you, Clara. Thank you, PwC.”

Kridle joined the accounting firm after SIU graduation

Clara J. Rigoni Kridle, originally from Lombard, completed her bachelor’s in accounting degree at SIU in 1980 and initially worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield in Chicago before joining what was then known as Coopers and Lybrand in 1984. Through subsequent mergers, the firm went on to become Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC).

A CPA, she became a principal of the firm in 1997.

PwC Charitable Foundation Inc. created endowment

Kridle, of Naperville, passed away on May 9, 2017. The PwC Charitable Foundation Inc. has now established the scholarship at SIU’s College of Business in her honor and in recognition of her 33 years of service to their firm.

In presenting the $150,000 memorial scholarship endowment, the PwC board of directors and principals recognized Kridle not only for her “considerable contributions to the success of the firm,” but also noted that she was held in high regard by her clients, partners and staff, was a leader in mentoring and coaching, exemplified partnership and teamwork and was patient and sought after for advice and help.

“Clara was a credit to her profession and to this firm,” the resolution notes. “She will not be forgotten.”

Kridle connection to SIU is extensive

The Kridle family’s affiliation with SIU has several layers. Clara and husband Kevin, also a 1980 graduate in journalism, first met at the university. They were friends on campus, living in the same apartment building and enjoying long talks when they ran into one another in the hallway.

But, they didn’t date. At commencement, she wrote her phone number on the back of the program, but Kevin said he didn’t call. All these years later though, he still treasures that book and insists that “Fate played a big part in things.”

A few months after graduation, the two happened to meet on the street again in downtown Chicago; Kevin was working as an executive for a publishing company located near her employer. He was actually dating someone else and didn’t score points with his girlfriend by promptly comparing Clara to singer/songwriter Carly Simon, a likeness Clara heard about throughout her life. Soon they were dating, then married and the parents of two children – Kristen and Nickolas.

“It was definitely an SIU love story,” Kevin said. “If not for SIU, we never would have met. It was meant to be. It was a great marriage.”

Kristen is also a graduate of SIU, completing her marketing degree at SIU. She is now an assurance associate for PwC in Oregon. Nickolas is a recent graduate of Indiana University and works in the corporate office of Ford Motor Company in Texas.

Clara Kridle was generous in and out of the office

The Kridles have lived in Naperville for 31 years, raising their children there and being active in the community. Clara Kridle freely gave her time and assistance both at her workplace and in her private life, Kevin said.

She served on the board of directors of CARA, an organization that helps people affected by poverty develop the necessary skills and confidence to obtain jobs; was on the community advisory board for Loaves & Fishes Community Services, an anti-poverty, hunger-relief agency; and was active in her church and supportive of Sharing Connections, an organization that connects families in need with gently used furniture and household items and at which her children volunteered.

At work, too, she cared deeply for her associates, focusing not just on her own success, but mentoring colleagues and doing everything she could to help them succeed, Kevin said. In fact, he said he truly came to realize the profound affect she had had on those around her during the six months she was ill and after her passing, as there was barely a day that went by during which someone didn’t reach out and tell via notes, calls, emails, texts, letters, flowers or other means how much Clara meant to them.

He said he and her children are touched and appreciative to PwC for honoring Clara with a scholarship, which he’s sure she would be surprised and humbled by.

Will be awarded to a business student annually

It’s “only natural” that the Clara J. Kridle Memorial Scholarship be awarded at SIU, Kevin said. “SIU is a special place for us,” he said. “Through time, it has grown in a lot of ways we can be proud of.”

The endowment from PwC calls for award of a scholarship each year to a junior or senior Illinois business student with a GPA of 3.5 or above and who has demonstrated financial need. The recipient will also have a history of community service or involvement in an initiative illustrating their social responsibility. Juniors who receive the scholarship can reapply for their senior year if they continue to meet the requirements.

Plans call for the first scholarship award from the SIU Foundation in spring 2019.

The College of Business also plans to posthumously present a Gary N. Parish Business Excellence Award to Clara Kridle in spring 2019.