![\"Amber](\"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AmberHanson.jpg\")
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By Jeff Wilson, SIUSalukis.com<\/em><\/p>\n Amber Hanson has visited all seven continents, but her favorite destination remains SIU basketball and football games.<\/p>\n Establishing scholarships for student-athletes brings her a unique sense of joy.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had a penguin run across my feet in Antarctica,\u201d Hanson said over coffee at Common Grounds Coffee House in Carbondale. \u201cBut there\u2019s something about being at a game and knowing you helped one of those players.\u201d<\/p>\n Her generosity has earned her membership in the Big Dawg Leadership Society, which recognizes donors who contribute $25,000 or more over a five-year period to Saluki Athletics.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a diehard fan. I want both basketball and football to be successful. I\u2019ve never bought into the idea of \u2018it\u2019s how you play the game\u2019\u2014I want to win with a capital W,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Saluki Family<\/strong><\/p>\n Hanson earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from SIU and credits the university for laying the foundation for her success.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe those to whom much is given should help students who may need a financial boost,\u201d she said. \u201cMy husband was the son of a coal miner, and my parents were teachers, so we both came from humble beginnings. Now, I feel my family and I should repay our SIU debt, and we\u2019ve contributed for many years.\u201d<\/p>\n Amber and her late husband, Homer, are well known in Saluki circles. She served as the nurse at Carbondale Community High School for 30 years, while he worked as a pediatrician at the Carbondale Clinic.<\/p>\n \u201cAt one point, we knew just about every young person in Carbondale,\u201d she said. \u201cSome great Terriers went on to play for SIU, which is always special.\u201d<\/p>\n The couple helped launch the tailgating tradition for Saluki Football.<\/p>\n \u201cWe brought our own tables and set everything up,\u201d she said. \u201cIf it rained, we moved under the bleachers at McAndrew Stadium. If the weather was too bad, we hosted at our house.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hansons traveled the world but rarely missed a basketball or football game.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were season ticket holders for 50 years, and I still am,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve always loved sports. It was our social life.\u201d<\/p>\n Salukis Unleashed<\/strong><\/p>\n Hanson\u2019s support is part of the\u00a0Salukis Unleashed<\/strong>\u00a0initiative, which aims to increase revenue for Saluki Athletics by $100 million. The campaign will expand scholarship opportunities and improve facilities, creating a premier experience for student-athletes, coaches, and fans.<\/p>\n Salukis Unleashed is a key component of the university\u2019s\u00a0Imagine SIU 2030<\/strong>\u00a0fundraising campaign, which has raised more than $422 million toward its $500 million goal.<\/p>\n To make a gift, visit give.siu.edu\/athletics. For information about estate gifts, contact Kat Martin at\u00a0katm@foundation.siu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Jeff Wilson, SIUSalukis.com Amber Hanson has visited all seven continents, but her favorite destination remains SIU basketball and football games. Establishing scholarships for student-athletes brings her a unique sense of joy. \u201cI\u2019ve had a penguin run across my feet in Antarctica,\u201d Hanson said over coffee at Common Grounds Coffee House in Carbondale. \u201cBut there\u2019s … Continue reading Hanson Continues Lifetime of Support for Salukis<\/span>