![\"Dean](\"http:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/dean-achenbach1-web.jpg\")
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By Rebecca Renshaw<\/p>\n
Laurie Achenbach has dedicated her professional life to science and SIU. On March 1, she strengthened that commitment by donating $10,000 on SIU\u2019s inaugural Day of Giving.<\/p>\n
Her generous gift was the first individual donation on the Day of Giving and was directed toward the Campus Lake Beautification Project. She challenged others to join her in the effort to restore and enhance one of the preeminent landmarks on campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lake is what brings us all together each day,\u201d Achenbach, the dean of the College of Science, said. \u201cYou can step out of your office and walk a few feet to the edge of the lake and be transported by its beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her donation will be used for an illuminated boulder, which will sit prominently in the water and be known as Achenbach Rock. The name will have special meaning to Achenbach, who said her siblings joked about having a male child and naming him Rock Achenbach.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo this naming opportunity kind of made our collective family wish come true,\u201d she said with a smile.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the first time Achenbach has made a major donation to the university. In 2011, she created an endowed scholarship in her parents\u2019 name as a way to honor their devotion to the importance of education.<\/p>\n
\u201cI came from a family of six children, and my work ethic came directly from my parents,\u201d she said. \u201cThey instilled in each of us that getting an education is the fuel that will give you a better life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Achenbach came to SIU in 1990 as an assistant professor of microbiology. She steadily rose through the ranks, serving as associate dean before being named dean of the College of Science in 2014. Grateful for the opportunities the university has afforded her, she thought it was important to make a lasting impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough SIU, I was able to travel the world and do the research I loved most. Yet, it was always a joy to come home to Carbondale — to live, work and raise a family in a smaller community,\u201d she said. \u201cSIU gave me this life, and I feel strongly about giving back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelsea Coursey, director of development for the College of Science, said it sends a powerful message to members of the SIU community when they see such a positive example.<\/p>\n
\u201cDean Achenbach is a thought leader on campus, and she serves as a powerful influence,\u201d Coursey said.<\/p>\n
Achenbach urged others to join her in sharing their collective passion for SIU.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I reflect on my life here, I feel so lucky,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s time I show my gratitude and show my pride for SIU and what it represents.\u201d<\/p>\n
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By Rebecca Renshaw Laurie Achenbach has dedicated her professional life to science and SIU. On March 1, she strengthened that commitment by donating $10,000 on SIU\u2019s inaugural Day of Giving. Her generous gift was the first individual donation on the Day of Giving and was directed toward the Campus Lake Beautification Project. She challenged others … Continue reading Achenbach shares rock-solid support for Campus Lake<\/span>