{"id":4677,"date":"2025-08-27T22:16:29","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T22:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=4677"},"modified":"2025-08-27T22:16:29","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T22:16:29","slug":"midland-states-bank-foundation-presents-7500-check-to-support-saluki-womens-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=4677","title":{"rendered":"Midland States Bank Foundation Presents $7,500 Check to Support Saluki Women\u2019s Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pictured left to right: SIU Foundation CEO Matt Kupec, Midland States Bank Regional President Dan Rice, Midland States Bank Regional Community Development Relationship Manager Maurice Allen, Women’s Leadership Council Co-Chair Gloria Tison, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Affinity Philanthropy and Strategic Initiatives Sherrica Hunt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Ava Steffens\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

CARBONDALE, Ill. \u2014 On Tuesday, July 29, <\/span>the Midland States Bank Foundation awarded a $7,500 grant to the SIU Foundation Women\u2019s Leadership Council to expand its vital work in mentorship and economic empowerment opportunities for SIU students and the broader university community. This partnership also proudly names Midland States Bank as our official Empowerment Conference Sponsor <\/span>of the 4th Annual Saluki Women\u2019s Weekend, which will take place Friday, Oct. 3.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Midland States Bank\u2019s support is critical as we champion the incredible potential within SIU’s female student population, which makes up over 50 percent of our students. Alongside our vast network of more than 108,000 female alumni, the WLC is committed to providing the mentorship and professional development opportunities needed to empower not only women, but all students at SIU, to drive economic growth and create meaningful impact,” said Sherrica Hunt, assistant vice chancellor for\u00a0affinity philanthropy and strategic initiatives.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gloria Tison, co-chair of the Women\u2019s Leadership Council, said the funds will support the council\u2019s mentorship program in addition to the Saluki Women\u2019s Weekend conference, which promotes equity across a variety of professional fields.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReceiving the grant was a wonderful surprise to all of us. We were so delighted to accept it and use it to help further our purpose,\u201d said Tison.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The council primarily relies on the generosity of its supporters who graciously contribute their time, energy, resources and knowledge to its causes. Its goal is to provide a network for graduates, students, and friends of the university who are committed to women-driven philanthropy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s powerful to be around successful women,\u201d Tison said. \u201cTo see that our community supports us and values the women of SIU goes a long way.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Midland States Bank, headquartered in Effingham, Illinois, provided funding through its charitable arm, the Midland States Bank Foundation. Since its founding in 2011, the Foundation has awarded nearly $2 million to nonprofit organizations across Illinois and Missouri with a focus on education, work force development, financial empowerment, housing, small business development, and health and wellness. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Midland States Bank Foundation is a powerful way for us to give back to our communities,\u201d said Jeffrey G. Ludwig, CEO of Midland States Bank. \u201cThe funds we set aside from the bank\u2019s profits help us put our company\u2019s culture in action to benefit the communities we serve.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The grant to SIU\u2019s Women\u2019s Leadership Council reflects a strong alignment with the Foundation\u2019s mission to empower individuals and support economic growth. The council\u2019s focus on mentorship, leadership, and career readiness resonated with the Foundation\u2019s core pillars \u2013 particularly in education, workforce development and financial empowerment. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Martesha Brown, Midland States Bank Market President for Rockford and Belvidere, and Dan Rice, Regional President for Midland States Bank, are both SIU alumni and proud to see the university\u2019s programs advancing opportunities for the next generation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs an alum, I was thrilled to see SIU\u2019s proposal come through during this grant cycle,\u201d said Brown. \u201cBut what stood out most was how clearly the Women\u2019s Leadership Council\u2019s work aligns with our Foundation\u2019s goals. It\u2019s exactly the kind of initiative we\u2019re here to support.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re committed to investing in organizations that make a measurable impact,\u201d said Rice. \u201cAs someone whose career was shaped at SIU, it\u2019s especially meaningful to support programs that create professional pathways for student success \u2014 particularly those that uplift women. I\u2019ve had several inspiring female mentors in my life who benefited from initiatives like this, and I\u2019m proud we can help continue that legacy.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Saluki Women\u2019s Weekend, themed \u201cLeading Through Innovation,\u201d will spotlight leadership in STEM, mentorship, and professional growth. The event will include keynote speakers, interactive discussions, and breakout sessions aimed at connecting and empowering women across a range of industries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To learn more about Midland States Bank\u2019s community impact, visit <\/span>midlandsb.com\/about-us<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To attend the 4th Annual Saluki Women\u2019s Weekend conference on Friday, Oct. 3, visit <\/span>siuf.org\/salukiwomen<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Ava Steffens\u00a0 CARBONDALE, Ill. \u2014 On Tuesday, July 29, the Midland States Bank Foundation awarded a $7,500 grant to the SIU Foundation Women\u2019s Leadership Council to expand its vital work in mentorship and economic empowerment opportunities for SIU students and the broader university community. This partnership also proudly names Midland States Bank as our … Continue reading Midland States Bank Foundation Presents $7,500 Check to Support Saluki Women\u2019s Weekend<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,3,4,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-donor-stories","category-higher-education","category-illinois-higher-education","category-siu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4677"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4679,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4677\/revisions\/4679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}