November 2005
- J. Brown dies; was SIUE Food Service supervisor
- Gov. Blagojevich Announces $3 Millions For Science Lab Building Planning
- Retirement Announcements
- SIUE Advisory Committee To Offer Children's Event
- Shimkus At SIUE For SIAM Funding Announcement
- Lovejoy Library To Conduct 12th Annual Writers Contest
- SIUE Senior Assignment Program Nationally Recognized
- Volunteers Help With Planting And Weeding In The Gardens At SIUE
- SIU Board Chooses Poshard As SIU President
- Instructional Services Wins Award
- SIUE Professor Co-authors Study Focusing On Self-Esteem
- REVIEW SIUE 2005
- 34th Annual SIUE Holiday Crafts Fair Set For Dec. 7-8
- Computerized robots Take Center Stage At SIUE
- SBDC To Conduct Child Care Expo
- Springfield Artist's Piece Adorns Lobby Of Newest SIUE Building
- SIUE Pharmacy Board Member Wins IPA Statewide Award
- SIUE Small Business Development Center To Conduct Seminar
- Dedication Of The New Technology And Management Center
- New Program At SIUE Focuses On Helping Students SOAR
- Colorful Quilt Is Labor Of Love For Professor And Students
- Graduate Teaching Award
- Dance In Concert To Present A Unique Look At The Art form
- SIUE's Dean Hansen Receives National Award From NCURA
- Symposium At SIUE Brings Together Business Professionals, Faculty, Students
11/30/05
J. Brown dies; was SIUE Food Service supervisor
Jessie Brown, who for many years operated a diner in downtown Edwardsville and then joined the staff of SIUE in what was then known as University Food Services, died Sunday, Nov. 27, at Anderson Hospital in Maryville. She was 74.
A native of Edwardsville, Ms. Brown attended Lincoln School in Edwardsville. She was the owner of Jessie's Cafe, closing it and joining the SIUE staff in 1984 as an area supervisor. She retired from the University in 1993.
A lifelong member of Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church, for which she served as Sunday school superintendent and chairman of the missionary board, Ms. Brown also was a Lincoln School Alumni member. She was the chairperson for the Wesley Chapel Brotherhood Banquet.
Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church in Edwardsville, where services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. Minister Virginia Howlett will officiate. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church Building Fund.
11/29/05
GOV. BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES NEARLY $3 MILLION FOR SIUE'S SCIENCE LABORATORY FACILITIES
Critical Projects Will Ease Severe Overcrowding and Create Additional State-of-the-Art Classrooms and Laboratories
In a move that will further enhance Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's stature as a premier institution of higher learning, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich announced today nearly $3 million in funding for the planning and design of a renovation of the current Science Building and construction of a new Science Laboratory Building, which will help ease severe student overcrowding and act as important tools to attract and retain students and faculty.
The current facility, which was built in 1966, houses classrooms, instructional laboratories and research laboratories for the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematics and Statistics, Physics, the Environmental Sciences program and the Office of Science and Mathematics Education. Growing interest in the sciences, nursing, pharmacy, engineering, and dental medicine-along with the recognition of the importance of laboratory experiences for all students-has placed increasing demands on an aging facility and has limited the work and research that can be accomplished in the building.
"The new Science Laboratory Building will have interactive learning opportunities, more instructional technology and computer access, greater lab experiences and more student involvement in research. This project means new, state-of-the-art facilities for SIUE, and it means our students will be able to develop the skills they need to get good paying jobs," Gov. Blagojevich said.
Due to growing enrollment and program demand, laboratories were being used to teach students seven days a week in the existing building. This project will construct a new Laboratory Building next to the existing building, as well as a renovation of the current facility that will include a complete overhaul of the utility systems, and bring the building into compliance with today's Americans with Disabilities Act and safety standards.
The new, 80,000-square-foot lab building will accommodate offices, classrooms and instructional and research laboratories. The core labs will be supported by a nearby cold room, warm room, and environmental growth chambers. All labs will be fitted with state-of-the-art equipment.
"Gov. Blagojevich will continue making the kinds of investments that will create an educational environment where students, faculty and researchers can achieve things they didn't think were possible. The new Science Laboratory Building will become another jewel on this campus," State Sen. William Haine (D-Alton) said.
"Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is one of our region's greatest assets. This important investment by the Governor will not only significantly upgrade and enhance SIUE's science, research, and teaching facilities, but it will make this noted institution even more attractive to both our students and faculty," said Illinois Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville).
"This is yet another tremendous example of Gov. Blagojevich making important investments at SIUE that will help our campus continue to grow and prosper," said SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift. "This critical project will provide our faculty and students in the physical and life sciences with modern research facilities that will greatly enhance the quality of instruction and allow SIUE to be even more competitive in attracting first-class faculty."
"Gov. Blagojevich is keenly aware that a critical component to growing our economy is to graduate students who can compete with the best and the brightest. The Science Laboratory Building will be a facility for the 21st Century and beyond, and it will further solidify Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's sterling reputation," said Jan Grimes, acting executive director of the state's Capital Development Board.
Gov. Blagojevich's Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois' history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn't work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions-each with a regional team empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial, and more attractive to businesses.
It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about creating successful partnerships with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.
Changes-Retirements
Willie Jones-Glass, a project specialist teacher for University Services to East St. Louis, effective July 1, 2005, after 15 years.
• Judith Miller, a clerk for the SIU School of Dental Medicine, effective Oct. 1, after nearly six years of service and five years on disability.
• Edmond Schmulbach, a counselor for University Services to East St. Louis, effective Nov. 1, after more than nine years of service.
• Carolyn Tucker, a clerk in the Department of Mass Communications, effective Aug. 1, after nine years of service and seven years on disability.
11/28/05
SIUE Advisory Committee To Offer Children's Event
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Intercollegiate Athletics Program, will offer a "Kids Night Out" from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, in the Vadalabene Center gymnasium. The cost is $10 for the first child and $5 for each additional child in the same family.
Children ages four and older are welcome to attend the event which features board games, basketball, volleyball, a foam pit, snacks, tag, kickball, and more. The event is open to the general public.
To register, contact Jaci DeClue by telephone, (618) 650-3722, or by e-mail: jadurbi@siue.edu.
11/23/05
MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Congressman John Shimkus To Announce SIAM Funding
In addition, Glenn Poshard Will Be On The SIUE Campus Immediately After SIAM Announcement
• Who: Congressman John Shimkus AND newly named SIU President Glenn Poshard
• What: Announcement of SIAM funding AND availability of Glenn Poshard for questions from the media
• When: Beginning 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 28, 2005
• Where: Lobby of the SIUE Engineering Building
U.S. Congressman John Shimkus will be on hand to announce $160,000 in additional Economic Development Agency (EDA) funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce that will be used to bolster the Southwestern Illinois Advanced Manufacturing Center (SIAM) in the SIUE School of Engineering.
The Center, which opened in 2001 as part of the SIUE School of Engineering, has become an important resource for the recruitment, retention, and revitalization of the manufacturing base in the region. With Lewis and Clark Community College (L&C), the Center provides faculty and student expertise to aid businesses as they increase their productivity and, therefore, improve the economic base of the region.
In an effort to make the newly appointed SIU President Glenn Poshard available to the media, he will be available to answer questions after the media has had a chance to talk with those involved with the SIAM announcement. Because of personal health issues, Poshard was not able to include a visit to the Edwardsville campus last week for the announcement of his selection to head the University system beginning Jan. 1.
11/23/05
SIUE's Lovejoy Friends To Sponsor Twelfth Annual Writing Contest
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Friends of Lovejoy Library of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is sponsoring the 12th Annual High School Writers' Contest for juniors and seniors enrolled in Southwestern Illinois high schools. Information packets are being sent to English faculty of high schools in 11 counties: Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Green, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, St. Clair, and Washington.
Categories are: fiction, up to 3,000 words, such as short stories, character sketches, or one-act dramas; nonfiction, up to 2,000 words; and poetry, up to 40 lines, any style, rhymed or unrhymed. First prize in each category is $500; second prize is $300; and third prize is $100. A contestant may win in only one category.
Co-sponsors of the competition include the Pulitzer Foundation/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, as well as the Belleville News-Democrat. Friends of Lovejoy Library is a support organization for the SIUE library.
Winners will be notified before April 1, and prizes will be awarded April 26 at a University banquet. All contestants will receive certificates of recognition.
For complete contest rules and entry forms, students should contact their English teachers or principals, or call the Friends of Lovejoy Library, (618) 650-2730.
11/22/05
SIUE Senior Assignment Program Nationally Recognized
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) What does Southern Illinois University Edwardsville have in common with Harvard, MIT, Duke, Princeton, and the University of Chicago? All were recently recognized for their comprehensive, integrative learning experience programs for graduating seniors.
Known as senior assignment at SIUE, each department is required to develop an interactive tool to gauge what students have learned during their studies. The senior assignment program has been recognized twice recently as a model for other institutions across the nation.
In a report from The Association of American Colleges and Universities, SIUE's senior assignment program was heralded as an indicator of the effectiveness of the academic programs offered. The 2006 issue of U.S. News and World Report named the University among America's Best Colleges because of the program, which engages students and enriches their lives.
"It makes what the students learn visible," said SIUE Associate Provost David Sill. "It becomes visible and it becomes measurable. One of the things that makes this program unique to other programs is that it relates the major and the general education objectives. As a graduation requirement, all students must experience senior assignment."
SIUE was one of the first institutions of higher learning in the nation to introduce a senior assignment program. The idea for the campus-wide initiative was born in 1988. By 1993, all departments had identified objectives, and designed and incorporated the senior assignment into the curricula.
The programs require students to incorporate the knowledge they learned during their courses of study. "It's growing and maturing and developing in terms of ethics, in terms of human interaction, in terms of civic responsibility," Sill said of the senior assignment.
"All of these are things the senior assignment can and frequently does make visible. The direction we're going is to have every student actually do what it is that professionals in that discipline do. The senior assignment changes with time." Sill added that patterns indicating strengths and weaknesses can be derived from the information gathered by faculty based on the programs.
Examples given of senior assignments include the department of psychology's requirement that graduating seniors conduct original research. They must then present their findings to psychology faculty and the University community, Sill said.
"They must defend their work. What's important about this is that students are not just studying about psychology. They're actually doing what researchers in psychology do, and they're held to the highest standards." Some students also present their findings at an annual Midwest Psychological Association meeting, he said.
In another example, Department of Art and Design students visit a remote part of Mexico for three weeks and study with regional artisans. These artisans do not speak English, and the majority of students do not speak Spanish, Sill said, but the students learn despite the language barrier. Back in Illinois, the students draw upon their experiences to create art, which is featured each fall in an exhibit on campus.
The SIUE assessment program is not to be confused with traditional capstone programs, Sill said, noting "The regular capstone is about assessing individual learning, while the senior assignment is assessing the effectiveness of the program as a whole."
11/19/05
Click here for photo and then scroll down page
Volunteers Help With Planting And Weeding In The Gardens At SIUE
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Dirty work was no problem for students, faculty, staff, and community members who gathered recently to improve the aesthetic appeal of The Gardens at SIUE on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
More than 20 volunteers rolled up their sleeves and dug into a cleanup project, led by Doug Conley, director of The Gardens. The morning cleanup effort marked the first of its kind on campus, and more will follow this spring, he said.
"We had great people, great weather, great people, and we accomplished everything-and more than I'd planned," Conley said. "We had an excited group. We'll be looking at another cleanup this spring, and the enthusiasm and the number of people (who helped) indicate we should continue this project and offer more volunteer days."
More than 700 spring flowering bulbs and perennials were planted, and beds were weeded, edged and mulched throughout The Gardens, which include landscaping at B. Barnard Birger Hall, the Donal E. Myer Arboretum, and the surrounding campus area.
Named director of The Gardens in July, the Michigan native spent the last two years at the University of Delaware as a fellow in the Longwood Graduate Program studying public horticulture, while working on a master's. The Gardens at SIUE are the result of "an expanded mission, community interest, and a relationship with the Shaw's Garden East initiative," Conley said.
According to Conley, the mission is to "foster the educational and research components of SIUE, while enhancing the beauty stature of the campus."
An arboretum is a place where trees, shrubs, and woodland plants are grown and displayed. The greenery also is often used for research and educational purposes. The partnership between the campus, the neighboring community and the SIUE Foundation send a message of commitment, Conley said, noting, "We've got a unique opportunity here to build a really great garden."
As part of a community outreach initiative, Conley said he hopes to talk to civic groups, such as area Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, and classes at area schools about The Gardens and horticultural topics.
11/18/05
SIU Board Chooses Poshard As SIU President
(CARBONDALE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today announced former U.S. Congressman Glenn Poshard has been unanimously chosen to serve as the next president of SIU. Board Chair Roger Tedrick called Poshard's selection a "watershed decision" in the University's proud history.
" Today I am pleased to bring the news that Southern Illinois University's future will be led by an individual (who) has meant so much to its past," Tedrick commented. "Glenn Poshard's honorable public service career and his 40-year relationship with this institution presented the Board with the rare opportunity to select a uniquely qualified individual who not only knows where SIU has been, but where it would like to go."
Poshard's selection culminated a five-month national search conducted by Atlanta based Baker-Parker and Associates, a nationally recognized executive search firm. Poshard's name was one of four finalists forwarded to the Board by the 22-member SIU Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC).
The PSAC, whose membership was drawn from the various university interest and constituency groups of each campus in the SIU system, was established earlier this year to assist the Board in screening and recommending qualified applicants for the position. SIU professor Harold Bardo served as chair of the PSAC. Bardo is director of SIU School of Medicine's MED-PREP program, a nationally recognized pre-medicine/pre-dental program for disadvantaged students.
"The search process was deliberate and thoughtful," Bardo said. "The search firm solicited more than 400 names for the position, the PSAC reviewed more than 40 individual candidate profiles, held in- person interviews with eight finalists and recommended four highly qualified finalists to the Board. In my personal view, the internal candidate had the strongest combined set of credentials, experience, and leadership skills that the SIU community was looking for in its next President," Bardo continued
Poshard, 60, resigned as SIU Board chair earlier this year to become a candidate for the position when current SIU President James Walker announced his intentions to retire. Walker, currently on sick leave battling prostate cancer, praised the decision. "Glenn has a devotion to Southern Illinois University that is unsurpassed," Walker commented. "Having worked with him for the past several years, I am absolutely convinced that he has the knowledge and leadership skills, combined with a desire to serve, that will make him an outstanding university president. SIU has a bright future that will only intensify with Glenn at the helm," Walker concluded.
Poshard, a former Congressman and state legislator from Southern Illinois, has a 40-year relationship with SIU as a student, adjunct professor, administrator, and Board of Trustee member. He holds three degrees from the University.
" I have often said that whatever I've been able to do with my life, I owe to this university," Poshard stated. " The opportunity to advocate for, and advance the interests of, my alma mater is deeply appreciated. I am humbled by the confidence that the Board and the search committee have placed in me, " Poshard continued.
Poshard brings to the post a passion for education and a strongly held belief that a quality education is the key to an individual's success in life. As an elected official, Poshard long advocated for a more equitable funding system for K-12 education in Illinois. He began his professional life as a high school teacher and coach in Southern Illinois. He later served for a decade as assistant director of the Southern Illinois Educational Service Center and as director of the Area Service Center for Educators of the Gifted in Benton.
Poshard, and his wife, Jo, reside in rural Carbondale and together co-founded the Poshard Foundation, a not-for profit organization that shelters and provides assistance to abused women and children in the lower third of Illinois. Poshard has been a respected public official in Illinois politics and government for two decades. He began his political career in 1984 when he was appointed, then elected to the Illinois State Senate. In 1988 Poshard was elected to Congress and served there until 1998. In 1998 he ran unsuccessfully for Governor.
Poshard will assume the duties of president on Jan. 1. He will be paid a base salary of $292,000, identical to the current base salary of SIU President James Walker. Effective Jan. 1, Interim President Duane Stucky will return to his position as vice president of Financial and Administrative Affairs for SIU.
SIUE Instructional Services Wins Regional Award
The SIUE Office of Instructional Services (IS) recently won the Outstanding Developmental Education Program Award from the Midwest Regional Association for Developmental Education. In additional, IS also was nominated for an achievement award by the national association to be given in 2007
The award was presented to IS Director Karen Patty-Graham, as well as Supplemental Instruction Coordinator Martha Leese and Reading Area Head Jane Yontz, on behalf of the IS staff, at the association's annual conference last month in Springfield, Mo.
IS was cited for "responding to the developmental needs of students across the spectrum," while providing "comprehensive services including Developmental Enhancement courses, Supplemental Instruction, Writing and Math Tutoring, a Summer Bridge Program, and collaboration opportunities for faculty, staff, and administration."
Association officials described SIUE's program as "well-planned and well-coordinated, offering invaluable academic support for the under prepared .. having a strong sense of purpose and commitment, being student centered ... and serving as a bridge for those whose educational aspirations demand that their skills be further cultivated."
Patty-Graham said she is proud of the work done by IS. "I am proud of the variety of academic services we provide to enrich students' lives," she said. "I am also proud of a staff that truly cares about students and is committed to enhancing their opportunities for success in higher education."
11/17/05
SIUE Professor Co-authors Study Focusing On Self-Esteem
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) When the going gets tough in other areas, low self-esteem makes people-especially women-more likely to question their value in a relationship, a new study shows.
Professor Paul Rose, a psychology professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, helped conduct the study which involved 154 married couples in the Buffalo, N.Y., area. Couples kept a diary for 21 days as the initial part of the three-year study to determine their degree of self-esteem as it relates to work experience, and marital love and acceptance.
Information gathered was used to gauge how the level of self-esteem shaped people's feelings within their romantic relationships. Also studied were what effects successes and failures had on their feelings of acceptance and rejection in a relationship.
"The problem that people with low self-esteem have is that they are less confident in their partner's love and acceptance," Rose said. "So, when they have a rough day at work, they tend to see that as a reason for their partners to love them less."
Rose, who attended graduate school at State University of New York at Buffalo, collaborated on the project with Sandra Murray, a Psychology professor at SUNY-Buffalo, and Dale Griffin, a marketing professor at the University of British Columbia, and Gina Bellavia, interim dean of the Center for Research on Urban Social Work at SUNY-Buffalo.
Rose said findings from the study indicated the following:
Men and women with low self-esteem expressed they felt more loved and accepted by their partners when their daily professional lives were marked by success.
Women with low self-esteem felt less accepted and loved on days when their professional lives were marked by failure.
Men and women with high self-esteem did not experience a "spill-over" when it came to their professional lives and relationships.
Those who expressed feeling less accepted during the first phase of the study reported they were less satisfied with their marriages one year later.
The tendency to feel less accepted on days marked by professional failures was strongest among women in the study, Rose said, noting "we didn't see that as much in men." The information recently presented reflects the first findings from the study, Rose said, adding there is more to come.
"The next step will be to identify how people can prevent themselves from letting those rough days at work-particularly women-impact their relationships," Rose noted. "What our study suggests is that when people feel like their partners' love and acceptance is certain, they are less likely to let stresses at work affect the functioning of their relationships.
"We certainly hope that marital therapists will pay attention to this research in order to help people with low self-esteem improve their marriages."
Researchers followed up with the couples each year for three years to determine their level of happiness in their marriages. Several articles have been published on the study, two of which appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Rose said the group expects to find more useful information in understanding how self-esteem shapes marriages.
11/16/05
PREVIEW SIUE 2005 Drew More Than 3,200 On Two Days
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) PREVIEW SIUE, the annual open house at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville that was offered on two days this year because of growing numbers of participants, attracted more than 3,200 parents and students, said Karen Bollinger, assistant director of Admissions and Academic Marketing for the university and coordinator of the event.
"This is our event for high school students and their families, as well as community college students, to see what we're about," Bollinger said. "They are in the midst of deciding an important step in the educational process and we do everything possible at PREVIEW SIUE to put our best foot forward.
"We believe we can do a much better job in personalizing PREVIEW by offering the event on two separate days," she said. "We like to get to know the students and their parents, while at the same time offering them the information they'll need to make sound decisions about a college choice."
Bollinger said university departments and units, including faculty and staff, were on hand Oct. 10 and Nov. 11 to answer questions about academic programs and services available to students. "We welcomed 3,233 total guests, including 1,120 prospective high school and transfer students," she said. "These numbers tell us that offering a second day was a decision that will continue to accommodate potential SIUE students and their parents as they make these important decisions about higher education."
Feedback and responses from the PREVIEW evaluations completed by the students at the two events were very favorable, Bollinger said. "Tours, academic information sessions, and departmental exhibits were cited as the most useful aspects of PREVIEW. Nearly three-fourths of our student visitors indicated this was their first visit to campus. Also, 97 percent of survey respondents indicated that we met their needs at PREVIEW.
"At PREVIEW SIUE, our faculty and staff take an active role in talking with prospective students and introducing them to the academic opportunities available at SIUE."
34th Annual SIUE Holiday Crafts Fair Set For Dec. 7-8
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The 34th Annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is set for Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 7-8, in SIUE's Morris University Center.
Vendors may rent booth space, based on a juried evaluation of arts and crafts to be exhibited and space available. Those interested in becoming a vendor should do so soon because spaces tend to be rented quickly.
Sponsored by the SIUE Morris University Center Print and Design Shop, the fair will be open from 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. both days. There is no admission charge to attend the fair and the public is invited.
Items at the fair will include original works produced by local and regional artists and crafts persons. Many types of handmade goods will be available for purchase, including pieces made from clay, weaving, fiber, fabric, wood, paper, metal, glass, leather, graphics, painting, photography, and other materials. Selections for purchase will include many articles suitable for holiday gifts.
For more information about obtaining booth space or about the fair itself, call Tom Ostresh in the Print and Design Shop, (618) 650-2178.
11/14/05
MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Computerized robots take center stage at SIUE
Who: SIUE School of Engineering
What: Fire Bot: The Fifth Annual SIUE High School Robotics Competition with teams from five area high schools
When: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov. 19
Where: The lobby of the SIUE Engineering Building
Early one morning there is an explosion at Gateway Chemco! Workers are trapped in the blazing building! Chemical spills inside make it too dangerous for firefighters to enter! Who ya' gonna' call? FIREBOTS!!
They may seem like just another tiny toy made up of plastic, multi-colored building blocks, but inside these little robots beats the mind of a programmed computer. The robots created at the SIUE Robotics Competition are mimicking human movement. And, to design that kind of artificial intelligence takes a blend of knowledge from computer programming to mechanical engineering to physics.
Not bad for a high school student.
The High School Robotics Competition will take place in the lobby of the SIUE Engineering Building on Nov. 19 when some 110 students from East St. Louis Charter School, Triad High School, Columbia High, Highland Community, and Edwardsville High School will compete. Scholarships will be awarded to the three top teams.
Each of the high school teams have attended a seminar in robotics at SIUE and also have been tutored in robotics by SIUE graduate engineering students. Each team has created a plastic robot that will be required to find "the fire," find a water source (ping-pong balls), carry them to "the fire," ID a "victim" (a doll), and carry the victim to safety. The top 10 scoring teams will return and compete against SIUE freshman engineering students at a second contest on campus Thursday, Dec. 8. Call Jerry Weinberg for more information, (618) 650-2368.
11/11/05
SBDC To Conduct "Kids Are Our Business" Child Care Expo
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in collaboration with the "Kids Are Our Business" committee, will sponsor the second annual "Kids Are Our Business" Child Care Expo from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Vivian D. Adams Childhood Center, ?.
Pre-registration is required by Nov. 22; cost is $20. The theme for this year's conference is Standards for Three-and Four-Year Olds? You've Got to be Kidding! Last year, nearly 183 participated in the event.
The conference is aimed at childcare professionals, including center owners and administrators, teachers, and parents. A certificate of attendance will be provided with 4.5 contact hours. Professional development hours may be applied toward CPDUs, for Teacher Certification, Social Workers, Speech and Language Pathologists, Physical and Occupational Therapists, Early Intervention Providers (EI), and CDA/DCFS training hours.
Topics to be addressed at the conference include Phonemic Awareness, Adapting Toys Birth to 5, Inclusive Settings, Classrooms Where Children Can Heal, Autism Update, The Child Who Doesn't Talk, Emotional Development of the Young Child in the Child Welfare System, Reading to your Child, Make It and Take It, and Funding Opportunities. An exhibit area will showcase local businesses and childcare organizations.
For more information, contact Jane Bagent at the SBDC by telephone, (618) 650-2929, or by e-mail: jbagent@siue.edu.
11/11/05
Springfield Artist's Piece Adorns Lobby Of Newest SIUE Building
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) As part of the Illinois Art-In-Architecture program, a glass sculpture created by Springfield artist Ed Martin is displayed in the lobby of the new Technology and Management Center (TMC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Since its inception in 1977, the Art-in-Architecture Program has purchased or commissioned more than 600 works of art by Illinois artists for display at more than 100 locations in Illinois. Collections have been assembled throughout the state, providing an overview of current activity in ceramics/glass, printmaking, fibers, drawing, photography, computer art, painting, and sculpture.
Martin's piece, "Aspiring to Greater Heights," consists of multiple glass spires that reflect sunlight, casting a spectacular colorful glow in the TMC lobby. The artist said that the piece is an example of fused-glass technique, a process he created. Martin said the piece consists primarily of six colors, which reflect a collage of some 100 colors.
"In this piece I want to incorporate my personal feelings and beliefs," Martin writes in his artist statement about the artwork. "Through color and design I hope to inspire the individuals who view it into understanding that their greatest achievements are yet to come, and to convey an optimistic view toward a future without limitations."
The Springfield artist has exhibited works in several cities, including Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Chicago, as well as in the Springfield area. He also makes jewelry, which is sold at J. Parkes Originals Ltd. in Springfield.
The Capital Development Board spends one-half of one percent of the construction appropriation to acquire artwork for new and renovated buildings that are open to the general public. A committee of artists, community representatives, and state officials oversee each project and select the artwork.
The entire focus of the Art-in-Architecture Program has been on the acquisition of artwork by Illinois artists. As a result, the program has become an important documentation of contemporary art in Illinois. Through its direct support and coupled with other public and private efforts, the program has helped foster the growth of the art community in the state.
11/11/05
Editors: Click here for photo that is suitable for print. In the photo, Jim Rankin is at left and the award is being presented by David Moody, director of State Government Affairs for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
SIUE Pharmacy Board Member Wins IPA Statewide Award
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Jim Rankin has the prescription for success. The Highland pharmacist is a member of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Foundation Board of Directors and the SIUE School of Pharmacy advisory board.
Rankin recently won the prestigious "Bowl of Hygeia" Award for Outstanding Community Service in Pharmacy. The award, sponsored by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, was presented recently to Rankin in Springfield by the Illinois Pharmacists Association. This year marks the state association's 125th anniversary.
Rankin, owner and operator of Family Care Pharmacy Inc. in Highland for 40 years, was recognized for his commitment to community health and service.
Earning a bachelor's in Pharmacy from the University of Arkansas in 1962, Rankin has been a member of the Illinois Pharmacists Association for more than 20 years. He currently is president of the National Community Pharmacists Association, and has served as a member of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association and the Metro East Pharmacists Association. He is the Gateway East Pharmacy Association's past president.
Rankin has been a member of the Highland Chamber of Commerce since 1965, serving as president for two terms, and was named Highland Business Person of the year in 2003. He is a past president and life member of the Highland Optimist Club, and has served as chairman of the Economic Development Commission and the Highland Airport Commission study. Rankin also has served on the consistory of the Evangelical United Church of Christ and the board of directors of the Faith Countryside Homes.
Rankin also has been a member of the Greater Highland Area Chapter of the American Cancer Association and an advisory board member at St. Joseph's Hospital in Highland. His civic experience also includes: past board member of the National Home Infusion Association, American College of Apothecaries, past president of the Illinois Association for Medical Equipment Services and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. He has served three terms on the Pharmacists Mutual Insurance board-two years as its chairman-and currently is serving on the advisory board.
Rankin also has served as preceptor (instructor) and adjunct professor to the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. His pharmacy continues as a preceptor site for the college. Rankin served three years in the U.S. Army in Germany and Colorado Springs, Colo., before earning his degree. He and his wife Darrell have two children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
11/11/05
SIUE Small Business Development Center To Conduct Seminar
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) ), The SIUE Small Business Development Center, in collaboration with the Southwestern Illinois Entrepreneur Center, will conduct a 10-week training seminar for local entrepreneurs from 5:30-9 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Jan. 11 at the Family Support Center, Scott Air Force Base.
The Next Level course is a 10-session, 35-hour training program designed to encourage and foster high growth potential businesses in Southwestern Illinois. The seminar focuses on teaching professional business practices, while producing a comprehensive working business plan for future development of business.
"The program targets individuals who are motivated, creative, and inquisitive," says Theresa Ebeler, director of the SIUE Center. "This includes future entrepreneurs and existing business owners who see problems as opportunities and are entrepreneurial by nature.
"A business plan contest will commence the end of the program with awards given to the top business plans."
Entrepreneurs will learn how and when to start business planning, how to better organize and manage a business, learn the impact of financially managing a business, how and where to obtain funding, and networking fundamentals with other entrepreneurs. In addition to the instructor, various business professionals, such as small business accounting firms, insurance agents, legal counsel, and lending professionals, will provide information and insight to business development.
Registration is $250. Veteran G.I Bill benefits are accepted for this course. For more information about the seminar, contact Jane Bagent by telephone: (618) 650-2929 or e-mail: jbagent@siue.edu.
11/8/05
MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Dedication Of The New Technology And Management Center/
Glass Artwork In Lobby Part Of Illinois Art-In-Architecture Program
Who: Edie Koch of the Department of Commerce and Economic Development; CDB staff; state legislators; SIUE leadership
What: Dedication of SIUE's Technology and Management Center
When: Noon Thursday, Nov. 10, 2005
Where: 245 S. Research Drive, University Park
The new Technology and Management Center (TMC) in SIUE's University Park is made possible through Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Opportunity Returns Program and funded through the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB). The new Center is a state-of-the-art computer and technical facility with more than 5,600 square feet of educational and instructor support space.
The Center will be available for executive and educational programs operated by the SIUE Schools of Business and Engineering, as well as other University programs.
A glass art piece by Springfield artist Ed Martin is on display in the lobby of the TMC, funded through the Illinois Art-In-Architecture Program. The piece, "Aspiring to Greater Heights," consists of multiple glass spires that reflect sunlight, casting a spectacular glow in the lobby of the new center.
To fund the Art-In-Architecture Program, the CDB spends one-half of one percent of the construction appropriation to acquire artwork for new and renovated buildings that are open to the general public. A committee of artists, community representatives, and state officials oversee each project and select the artwork.
11/7/05
New Program At SIUE Focuses On Helping Students SOAR
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) A new program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will help students "soar" to greater heights of academic success. Student Opportunities for Academic Results (SOAR) will guide about 150 incoming freshmen toward academic excellence, and a successful result-graduation.
The program was introduced by SIUE's Office of Academic Counseling and Advising, and replaces the Special Services program-a federal grant program through the U.S. Department of Education that was in place on campus for 30 years. The grant program had served about 390 students annually. It ended Aug. 31 and SOAR was launched Sept. 1. It reaches much of the same audience as the former program, said William Hendey, director of Academic Counseling and Advising.
SOAR is a broader program, Hendey said, noting, "everything about the Special Services program was very specific. It had to conform to the federal guidelines of the grant." The Special Services program was offered only to low-income, first-generation college students, he said.
"Like the special services program, there's a peer mentoring component," Hendey said. "Successful students-students who have gone through the program in the past and have become successful students-are used to mentor current students. They provide advice and guidance. That approach has proven to be successful." The aim, he explained, is student retention and improved graduation rates.
Students in the SOAR program also will have the benefit of being able to attend free culturally enriching events, on and off campus, with free transportation provided.
"There is monitoring of the students academic performance periodically," Hendey said. "The professors of the students in the classes they are taking are sent inquiries from the SOAR program. The instructors indicate how the student is doing at that particular time during the semester, so that the student's performance can be monitored along the way."
Students begin the program the first semester of their freshman year and participation ends at the completion of that year. There are now four risk factors considered to determine students' eligibility for the program: below average ACT scores or high school records, whether they are first-generation college students, and whether family income is below average.
"They especially focus on those students who present academic difficulty," Hendey said. "We can't afford to do everything that Special Services did, but we're trying to at least adopt the most successful components of that program and apply those in the SOAR program. We expect the same kind of success-that these practices will work with the students."
11/05/05
Editors: Click here for a photo suitable for print
Colorful Quilt Is Labor Of Love For Professor And Students
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Teaching is not Venessa Brown's only labor of love. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Social Work professor, and some of her students, has pieced together a colorful quilt, depicting the theme, "A Labor of Love for Children."
The concept was born in one of Brown's classes in 1998. Thirty-eight students each created one panel, illustrating their personal views on the issue of child welfare. "It came out of the heart of each student," said Brown, director of the graduate school program in the Department of Social Work. "It was to show your reflection of what the rights of a child mean to you.
"I asked them, 'What is the value of children to you?'" Brown noted. Each square was created based on students' interpretations. A gavel appears on one panel, indicating the law should protect children, Brown said, noting the panel "represents hope for kids."
Another panel focuses on homelessness, she said, while one shows a hillside, a bright sun, and a blue sky. The class of 38 people moved on, and the project was shelved for a few years. "Over the years, I kept saying I was going to put it together," Brown said, noting she finally pieced it together during summer 2002.
This past spring, with the help of a handful of graduate students, Brown said pieces were pulled together with trim and the quilt was complete. It is now on display in the department's offices in SIUE's Peck Hall. "It's a way to remind us the value of children and a way for everybody to have some type of contribution," she said. "It is a project that brought the class closer together."
Brown noted she wants former students from her 1998 class to know the project was not lost, and that it was completed. She said while the quilt is on display in the department, she is hoping it can be placed in a more prominent place on campus.
Brown said a driving force that kept the team of graduate students focused was Suzanne Kutterer-Siburt, assistant director of SIUE's Kimmel Leadership Center. Kutterer-Siburt was a graduate student in child welfare class this past spring. "She kept all the students involved," Brown said.
Kutterer-Siburt, who will earn a master of social work in December, noted the group worked on the quilt two hours each night, three nights a week for about two months. "I thought it was very creative," she said of the concept. The project was part of what is being called a service learning program through the Kimmel Leadership Center, Kutterer-Siburt said, noting: "Service learning involves volunteer services related to academics being taught in the classroom."
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11/5/05
Click here for a photo of a St. Louis graduate student who won the SIUE Graduate Teaching Award
11/5/05
Editors: Click here for photos suitable for print
Dance In Concert To Present A Unique Look At The Art form
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Webster's defines "deconstruction" in literature as the focus on the words themselves rather than the author's intent. Dance In Concert, which opens at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in Katherine Dunham Hall theater at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, will explore deconstruction as a device in dance.
As it might apply to dance, deconstruction would look at the act of dancing rather than interpreting what a dance "means" or what it "symbolizes." This would lay bare the mechanics of dance and would allow audiences to see contrasts-sometimes humorous, sometimes philosophical-that would present a whole new face to the art form but at the same time be recognizable as dance.
At least, that's the intent for Dance In Concert 2005, according to co-artistic directors J. Calvin Jarrell, professor of theater and dance and head of dance curriculum at SIUE, and Mikey Thomas, an instructor of dance. DIC 2005 continues at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 10-12, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13.
Audiences may recall Thomas as the choreographer of Derrida for DIC 2004. It was a humorous piece that included dancers performing alongside "people" made out of wooden crutches. "This year's concert will be much different than a collection of dances, each with a theme," Thomas said. "We're basing the entire concert on one theme-deconstruction."
In addition, Jarrell said, the pieces will utilize what's essential to maintain the integral structure of dance, but explore inner workings to present another reality. "In dance you want to expose the human psyche," Jarrell said. "But here we'll be exposing what it takes to put a dance piece together. "For example, the costumes will be sparse to show the natural movement of parts of the body. In addition, you might see a stagehand in plain view, with backstage duties but as part of the performance."
Thomas said the soundtrack also may contain moments of verbal description of what's happening on stage. "Some of this will be satirical and humorous, poking fun at the art form," Thomas said.
Guest artists for this year's Dance In Concert include Holly Seitz, a choreographer from St. Louis who has worked with other colleges and universities in the region. She is presenting a piece that "deconstructs" the art of ballet. Chuck Harper, an assistant professor of theater and dance at SIUE, also will choreograph two pieces.
Audiences may recall Harper as director of Blur, the comedy that kicked off the University's 2005-06 season. He usually directs plays but has chosen to choreograph his pieces as an exploration of deconstruction using Suzuki Movement Technique.
Thomas is choreographing a dance to Baroque music. "Historically, Baroque music is considered the music that set the stage in the 17th Century for classic dance," he said. "This piece is about the liberation of women from societal restraints, juxtaposing that theme with the limiting Baroque style."
Jarrell has created a piece titled "Fractured (Through the Crack of Madness)" that deals with "space harmony" and Evolution. "We'll be using a quintet of dancers who will be creating geometric forms to the music of Bartok," Jarrell said. "It will explore the breakdown of the bi-cameral (left brain-right brain) mind."
Another guest artist, David Sill, is SIUE's associate provost who also is a professor of technical theater in the Department of Theater and Dance. He'll be creating the lighting design for the concert.
11/5/2005
SIUE's Dean Hansen Receives National Award From NCURA
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) A national organization "treated" Steve Hansen on Halloween, naming him among an elite group of a dozen in its history to receive a top award.
Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Hansen received the 2005 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Administration from the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA). The award was presented Oct. 31 at the organization's annual meeting in Washington D.C.
Officials at NCURA, of which Hansen has been a member for 20 years, stated "Steve's quick wit and easy nature make him approachable to his staff, students, faculty, researchers, and peers."
Hansen received the award because of his "commitment to the people in his professional life" and his work to promote the needs of institutions of higher learning, and research initiatives, the officials said.
SIUE Provost Sharon Hahs praised Hansen for his work. "Steve has managed limited university funds in creative ways, matching his approaches to the university's long term goals." Hansen joined SIUE as a member of the Historical Studies faculty in 1984.
11/2/05
Symposium at SIUE brings together business professionals, faculty, and students
(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) It was a rare opportunity for students, faculty, and professionals from the business community to meet during the recent seminar-Sarbanes-Oxley: A Focus on IT Controls-that was held recently at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's new Technology and Management Center.
More than 46 students, faculty, and business professionals were in attendance at the seminar that was aimed at preparing members of the information-technology (IT) sector and accounting professionals for responsibilities associated with safeguarding internal control and quality of information generated by IT systems.
"The program was one of the first of its kind in the region that discussed the implications of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on accounting firms as well as on the IT industry," said Gary Giamartino, dean of the SIUE School of Business, host of the seminar. The act went into effect July 30, 2002, to increase the public's confidence in big business in an era of corporate scandals. "It established new and enhanced standards for corporate responsibility and accountability," Giamartino said.
"Pertaining to all public companies in the United States, compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley is a lengthy process that involves many aspects of an organization. However, accounting and IT are two areas that figure heavily in the compliance process," he said. "For these reasons, the symposium at SIUE was both groundbreaking and important for both professionals and future professionals."
The day-long event included presentations regarding Sarbanes-Oxley and its impact on IT. In addition, participants took part in a question-and-answer panel along with other sessions.
Presenters included Ann Ficken, general partner at Edward Jones and an SIUE School of Business alumna; Steven Newstead, a partner at RubinBrown; Greg Smith, a manager at RubinBrown; Bev Palmer, a principle of internal audit at Edward Jones; David West, an internal consultant at Monsanto and an SIUE School of Business alumnus; and Sheila Burkett of Edward Jones.
Participants in the panel and facilitators included Dave Mayo, director of information systems at Edward Jones; Kirk Skiles, IT compliance consultant at Ameren; Rebecca Jordan, an analyst at Royster-Clark; Vince Kutzera, an information security manager at Smurfit-Stone; Brian Ashworth, HR director-IT division at Edward Jones; Mark Ward, assistant professor of CMIS at SIUE; and Rich Barron, director of IT at IBM Global Services.
The planning committee included representatives from Edward Jones, RubinBrown, Royster-Clark, Monsanto, and SIUE. "In addition, IT and accounting students played a large role in the symposium," Giamartino said. "Students introduced the speakers and served as recorders and reporters in the sessions. The program gave SIUE students a valuable opportunity to learn about the industry and interact with business leaders in their field."
Giamartino said the symposium was co-sponsored by Monsanto, Edward Jones, RubinBrown, and SIU Edwardsville.