{"id":4986,"date":"2026-02-06T15:43:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=4986"},"modified":"2026-02-06T15:43:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:43:18","slug":"iota-phi-theta-fraternity-at-siu-supports-students-futures-through-scholarship-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=4986","title":{"rendered":"Iota Phi Theta Fraternity at SIU supports students\u2019 futures through scholarship fund"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo
Edward Lance and Francesca Stewart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Ava Steffens<\/p>\n

The Iota Phi Theta Fraternity at Southern Illinois University is investing in students\u2019 futures through the Iota 5-Star Scholarship, a fund created to support students facing financial barriers as they pursue their degrees.<\/p>\n

The scholarship, established through the fraternity\u2019s 50-For-50 Campaign, recently awarded its first recipient, SIU junior Francesca \u201cFrankie\u201d Stewart. The campaign marks 50 years of the fraternity\u2019s impact with a goal of raising $50,000 to support students in their academic journeys.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose is to support students, usually those from underrepresented communities, in some of the financial gaps they may have,\u201d said Edward \u201cEd\u201d Lance, a 1987 SIU graduate, corporate attorney and longtime fraternity member. \u201cThe goal is to find students who are excelling but who also have that need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lance\u2019s commitment to the scholarship is shaped by his own Saluki journey, which began unexpectedly in fall 1981. As part of a group of Chicago public high school football players invited to take an ACT exam at SIU, Lance earned one of the highest scores among his teammates. Program coordinators invited him to enroll that same semester.<\/p>\n

With only two days between the exam and the start of the semester, Lance arrived in Carbondale with a small duffel bag. The last-minute change left him spending his first night at the Carbondale train station.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to tell that story, that I was unhoused that first night here,\u201d he said. \u201cBut my cousin, who went to SIU, called a friend of his, and she let me sleep on her couch. That same Monday, I was enrolled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once enrolled, Lance moved into Neely Hall with his cousin, easing his sudden transition. Through ROTC participation and scholarship support, he was able to afford his education.<\/p>\n

During his second year at SIU, Lance pledged Iota Phi Theta, then a newly established organization on campus. He credits the fraternity as a defining part of his experience, noting that members were encouraged to engage in campus life and leadership while expanding the chapter\u2019s presence through grants and outreach.<\/p>\n

Lance went on to serve in leadership roles with the Inter-Fraternity Council and the Black Affairs Council. He later represented students on the Undergraduate Student Government as a student senator and president pro tempore of the senate, becoming the first Black male student trustee on the SIU Board of Trustees during his final year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have friendships and fraternal bonds that go back 43 years,\u201d he said. \u201cI do my best to uphold the reputation and integrity of all the brothers before me in Carbondale, even all these years later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Decades after Lance\u2019s time at SIU, that dedication continues through the Iota 5-Star Scholarship. In addition to providing financial support, the program emphasizes financial literacy and preparation for life after college. A long-term goal includes providing scholarship funds that can be deposited into a savings account while recipients are still enrolled.<\/p>\n

Part of Lance\u2019s motivation comes from personal experience. During his time at SIU, a $400 bursar gap forced him to pause his education for a semester.<\/p>\n

\u201cOftentimes, if you sit out for a semester and go home, you don\u2019t come back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Encouraged by roommates, including a fraternity brother, Lance stayed in Carbondale, worked to save money and returned to complete his degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cGratitude inspires me to give back,\u201d he said. \u201cI live by a code that you must give more than you receive to live a full life.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scholarship\u2019s impact was on full display during the second annual fundraiser, held on New Year\u2019s Eve in downtown Chicago at the Residence Inn by Marriott. More than 150 people attended the event, which featured dinner and a live performance, with all proceeds supporting the Iota 5-Star Scholarship.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s recipient, Stewart, is an SIU junior from Chicago majoring in social work.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrankie represents the passion and soul of the mission,\u201d Lance said. \u201cWhen she spoke at the 50-For-50 Banquet, she captivated the audience. Like many of us from the south and west sides, she came to Carbondale for a purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stewart said she initially hesitated to pursue a four-year degree due to finances and family beliefs. She began her education at Malcolm X College before realizing her goals aligned more closely with attending a university.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m the third person in my entire family attending college, and I did it on my own,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cIt was difficult, but I persevered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now vice president of the Dynasty Dance Company, Stewart balances campus involvement with a strong academic focus. She plans to work as a case manager and field worker for the Department of Children and Family Services while pursuing master\u2019s and doctoral degrees in social work.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone was there to help me, so I want to be that person who helps someone else,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Stewart said she did not directly apply for the Iota 5-Star Scholarship but was selected after professors and mentors recommended her. When she received the award notification while at her student job, she was ecstatic.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s motivating when you know someone believes in you,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of people don\u2019t get this opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scholarship allows Stewart to limit student loan borrowing and focus on her future.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not about what you go through. It is about how you get through it and how you recover,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Through fraternity leadership, donor support and lived experience, Iota Phi Theta continues to open doors for students like Stewart and strengthen access and opportunity at SIU.<\/p>\n

To support the Iota 5-Star Scholarship, visit siuf.org\/iota<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Ava Steffens The Iota Phi Theta Fraternity at Southern Illinois University is investing in students\u2019 futures through the Iota 5-Star Scholarship, a fund created to support students facing financial barriers as they pursue their degrees. The scholarship, established through the fraternity\u2019s 50-For-50 Campaign, recently awarded its first recipient, SIU junior Francesca \u201cFrankie\u201d Stewart. The … Continue reading Iota Phi Theta Fraternity at SIU supports students\u2019 futures through scholarship fund<\/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":[7,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-donor-stories","category-events-engagement"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4986","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=4986"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4988,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4986\/revisions\/4988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}