College of Arts and Sciences

Research Grants Presented to SIUE Doctoral Students

3 August 2022, 3:00 PM

The Southern Illinois University Graduate School has selected the recipients of the 2022 Research Grants for Research Doctoral Students (RGRDS) awards. The RGRDS program awards grants of up to $1,000 on a competitive basis to support research and projects initiated and conducted by students of SIUE’s EdD, DNP , and cooperative PhD programs to enhance their academic progress.  
 
Although faculty advisors oversee the research, the purpose of the program is to support the research of docto...

SIUE Odyssey Science Camp Builds Excitement for STEM in Area Youth

29 July 2022, 9:54 AM

Through a series of eventful experiences in building, exploring and investigating the dynamics of scientific inventions, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville STEM Center Odyssey Science Camp participants are experiencing the excitement of science first hand during a two-week July session. 

“The goal of Odyssey camp is to engage students in hands-on science learning that captures their imagination and makes them want to journey further into STEM,” said SIUE STEM Center Progra...

Students Become Scientists Through SIUE’s STEM Center Programs

28 July 2022, 2:15 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Center for STEM Research, Education, and Outreach is inspiring area middle and high school students to see themselves as scientists, to become critical thinkers, problem solvers and innovators, by presenting them with opportunities to engage in authentic scientific research.

The STEM Center, along with the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Environmental Sciences, the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s Depar...

SIUE’s Funk Wins Coveted 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship

27 July 2022, 3:05 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Allison Funk, professor emerita in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of English Language and Literature, has joined an illustrious list of 180 outstanding scientists, writers, scholars and artists who have been appointed out of nearly 2,500 applicants as 2022 Guggenheim Fellows. The recipients were selected by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation on the basis of prior achievement and exceptional promise to further de...

SIUE Students Chase Storms Across the U.S.

26 July 2022, 3:45 PM

As the rain pours and summer storms make their way through the St. Louis area, some Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students now have a greater appreciation for meteorology and climatology thanks to two storm chasing trips that took place at the beginning of summer.

“There are many courses where we talk about these storms and I can show hundreds of pictures in class, but nothing comes close to observing the storm in the field,” said Alan Black, PhD, assistant professor ...

SIUE Alumna Litteken Explores 1930’s Russia-Ukraine Conflict in Debut Novel

26 July 2022, 12:50 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumna Erin Litteken, who earned a bachelor’s in history from the College of Arts and Sciences in fall 2003, has published a heart-wrenching novel that uncovers the horrors of the Holodomor, a man-made terror famine instigated by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin which led to the death of nearly four million Ukrainians in 1932-1933. As fate would have it, the book’s publication coincides with the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, much to the...

SIUE Students Experience Active Learning in a Trip to El Salvador

25 July 2022, 3:05 PM

A group of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students and faculty are still reminiscing on their summer global experience after participating in a summer trip to the Universidad Gerardo Barrios (UGB) in El Salvador. 

The collaborative expedition was led by Sharon Locke, PhD, director of the SIUE STEM Center and professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), and Adriana Martinez, PhD, associate professor in the CAS Departments of Envir...

SIUE Summer Arts Camp Boosts Creative Confidence in Area Youth

15 July 2022, 1:15 PM

Towards highlighting its artistic prowess and availing youth the opportunity to showcase their inventiveness to a larger audience, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville played host to K-8 exhibitioners at its 2022 Summer Arts Camp held in June and July.

Summer Arts Camp is an all-day program serving students in grades K-8, where instructors lead exciting art lessons in innovative media including 2-D and 3-D designs, allowing participants to learn new techniques, collaborate with their p...

SIUE to Induct 10 into Alumni Hall of Fame During “A Night Among the Stars”

15 July 2022, 7:45 AM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will honor 10 remarkable graduates at the 2022 SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony, “A Night Among the Stars,” on Friday, Sept. 23, at 5:30 p.m. in the Morris University Center’s Meridian Ballroom. The impressive alumni have made exceptional contributions in their chosen fields, in their communities and at SIUE through their leadership, character and hard work.

“The SIUE Alumni Association is proud to recognize the achievements o...

SIUE Presents “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”

8 July 2022, 2:30 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Department of Theater and Dance will present “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in the Dunham Hall Theater at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, July 15-16 and 22-23, and 2 p.m. Sundays, July 17 and 24.

Told entirely through song with the help of a main character Narrator, the musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” follows preferred son Joseph in the reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his f...

Innovative SIUE Project Receives $100K NEH/SSRC Grant

29 June 2022, 9:20 AM

Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the study of humanities and social sciences is crucial now, more than ever, especially when facing challenges brought on by the pandemic. A new experiential learning and training program for 150 African American students at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Realizing Inclusive Student Engagement in the Digital Humanities (RISE-DH), is working to combat the challenges and provide a more equitable future.

Led by the SIUE College of Arts and...

Jazz St. Louis Honors SIUE’s Wells with Inaugural Jazz Ambassador Award

24 June 2022, 8:00 AM

Jazz St. Louis has presented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Prince Wells, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music, with the inaugural 2022 Clark Terry Jazz Ambassador Award. The award celebrates the legacy of St. Louis’ own, jazz legend Clark Terry.

The award underscores Wells’ distinction as a mainstay of the St. Louis jazz community through his life’s work as a musician, band leader, activist, community leader a...

SIUE UBMS Students Make Ancient Discoveries During Archeological Dig

22 June 2022, 12:28 PM

There is much more to Joey Rauk’s interest than he first thought – which was simply to grab a shovel and start digging. After a total of six hours of painstaking, deliberate digging with a trowel and sifting through dirt to unearth bits and pieces of historic ruin, Rauk became even more enamored with becoming a forensic scientist. 

Rauk is part of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Collinsville High School (CHS) program. Thirty UBMS...

“Clumsy” Pumpkin Toadlets Gain International Attention Thanks to SIUE Researcher

17 June 2022, 2:10 PM

A small frog is making big headlines thanks to the intriguing findings of researchers, led by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Richard Essner, PhD. 

Comparable in size to the end of a pencil, or approximately one centimeter in length, Pumpkin Toadlets’ tiny nature, notably their semicircular canals, is making them clumsy when they jump with the inability to land gracefully, according to the researchers. 

Essner, a professor in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences’...

A Message from the Dean: Juneteenth National Independence Day

17 June 2022, 10:00 AM [CAS News Story]

Sunday, June 19 is Juneteenth National Independence Day. As you probably know, this holiday marks the day—June 19, 1865—when people who had been enslaved in Texas learned that they were free. Celebrations of this day began in Texas in 1866 and became common in African American communities in the South in the twentieth century. Congress passed legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday in June 2021, and President Joe Biden signed the legislation on June 17, 2021. The feder...

SIUE’s Brooks Named Interim Associate Dean in College of Arts and Sciences

13 June 2022, 3:50 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Kevin Leonard, PhD, has selected Tisha Brooks, PhD, associate professor and chair of the Department of English Language and Literature, to serve as CAS interim associate dean. Brooks will assume the position on Friday, July 1.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the CAS interim associate dean and work alongside of the rest of the CAS leadership team in furthering the mission of the College,”...

SIUE UBMS Students Explore Possibilities During STEM Career Day

10 June 2022, 9:43 AM

Danajah Willis leans in, listens intently and takes notes, while blocking out the multiple conversations going on simultaneously around her in the crowded room. The high school junior hopes this 15-minute conversation with nursing professionals will help direct her future. 

Willis was one of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Collinsville High School (CHS) students who participated in the program’s 5^th Annual STEM Career Day on Wednesday,...

SIUE’s Florek Selected for Summer Gyo Obata Fellowship Program

7 June 2022, 4:45 PM

This summer, 10 area college students will embark on a unique journey through the Gyo Obata Fellowship Program, which provides the opportunity to learn about arts administration through a local arts nonprofit. One of those students is Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Virginia “Gigi” Florek, a double major in art education and studio art in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Ten local organizations will take part in the program this summer: Springboard, Central Pri...

SIUE Adds 100% Online General Education Coursework

2 June 2022, 3:50 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville now offers a fully online general education path of coursework that is taught by the same quality faculty who teach on-campus courses. These core required college courses provide students with a broad base of knowledge while enhancing communication and critical thinking skills.

Any current or visiting student could benefit, personally or professionally, from taking online courses at SIUE. This new online path to complete an undergraduate degree may b...

SIUE’s International Studies Days Featured Presentation on Ukraine, Highlighted Program Success

16 May 2022, 8:55 AM

The fifth edition of International Studies Days at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, held virtually May 3-6, was as successful as previous editions in helping address important global issues. The series of events included senior assignment presentations, panel discussions on organizations with an international focus regionally and international education opportunities available to students, as well as a lecture aimed at educating the public on current developments in Ukraine.

“...

SIUE’s URCA Program Recognizes Exceptional Faculty Mentors and Student Researchers

13 May 2022, 9:45 AM

Each semester, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program recognizes outstanding faculty mentors and student researchers through four awards.

The URCA program encourages, supports and enables undergraduate students of all disciplines to participate in research and creative activities under faculty mentorship. These experiences allow undergraduate students opportunities to engage in scholarship, interact with faculty, and fu...

SIUE Continues Commencement Ceremonies for Spring 2022 Graduates

7 May 2022, 4:35 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville continued its commencement exercises Saturday, May 7 with ceremonies honoring graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the School of Engineering (SOE). Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD, led the conferral of degrees.

At the 9 a.m. ceremony, CAS student speaker Josie Pauley, who earned a bachelor’s in applied communication studies, encouraged graduates to live in the now and make the most of every...

Outstanding Research and Creative Activities Displayed at Undergraduate Scholars Showcase

5 May 2022, 9:45 AM

In a quest to prepare students for excellent opportunities to thrive in their chosen career , Southern Illinois University Edwardsville avails its undergraduate learners a rigorous, mentored research and creative program to amplify their studies and foster a real-world research application. The result of such efforts is presented annually at the Undergraduate Scholars Showcase meant to spotlight the depth and variety of learning experiences offered through the University’s Senior Assig...

Biology, Geography Double Major Inspired to Become College Professor, Researcher

3 May 2022, 3:45 PM

When College of Arts and Sciences senior Samantha Gallatin, of Machesney Park, came to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, she wanted to become a secondary education biology teacher. After joining the GEOPATHS Scholars Program, however, her interests shifted toward geography, and she became inspired in pursuing a career as a researcher and professor at the collegiate level.   

“My career goal changed, because I want to teach and encourage motivated individuals about the elaborat...

SIUE's Robb Launches New Book, “Group Art Therapy: Practice and Research”

2 May 2022, 8:00 AM [CAS News Story]

Megan Robb is a professor in the Department of Art and Design and the program director of the art therapy counseling graduate program at SIUE. She received her master's degree in art therapy from The George Washington University as well as training in relational cultural theory, motivational interviewing, and is constantly working towards anti-oppression in the classroom, teaching, service and scholarship.

Robb is a board-certified art therapist, a nationally certified counselor, and is lice...

SIU System Presents 2022 Distinguished Student Service Awards

29 April 2022, 9:55 AM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students are among the recipients of the 2022 SIU System Distinguished Student Service Awards. Awardees were honored during the SIU System Board of Trustees meeting held Thursday, April 28.

During the meeting, Dianah McGreehan, chair of the award selection committee, announced the recipients and shared brief highlights of their outstanding acts of service. Each will receive $100 and an honorary plaque.

Winners included:

• Hailee O’Dell (SIUE un...

SIUE to Host Bi-State Honor Band Festival April 30-May 1

28 April 2022, 2:25 PM

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 2022 Bi-State Honor Band Festival will take place April 30-May 1 in Dunham Hall on the Edwardsville campus. The event is one of the most important outreach activities in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music and the most important for the band area.

Having been a part of the department for more than 25 years, the festival aims to offer a two-day honor band experience for high school students in the greater St. Louis area. Pa...

SIUE’s CAS Recognizes More Than 300 Students at Annual Honors Day Celebration

20 April 2022, 1:00 PM

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) hosted its 2022 Honors Day convocation on Sunday, April 10 in the Morris University Center Meridian Ballroom, honoring 303 students with 357 scholarships and awards, marking the first live, in-person celebration since 2019.

SIUE’s largest single gathering outside of commencement recognizing student achievement, Honors Day celebrates the scholarships and awards of outstanding students throughout nearly two ...

SIUE Adds Digital Media Literacy Post-Baccalaureate Certificate to Support Illinois’ New Media Literacy Bill

18 April 2022, 2:55 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s College of Arts and Sciences has announced a new Digital Media Literacy Post-Baccalaureate Certificate within the Department of Mass Communications, which can be completed online in one summer. 

The program is designed for educators, librarians and media professionals who want to address questions about the impact of media in their work or curriculum. Interested students should apply by May 17. Summer classes begin May 31.

“As people sp...

East St. Louis Residents Star in their Own Story, Courtesy of SIUE’s TRHT

13 April 2022, 11:42 AM

Negative narratives, bad perceptions and stereotypical typecasting about the Illinois town is why former and current East St. Louis residents wanted to tell their own stories about their city. 

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center hosted “Meet the Authors: A Look at East St. Louis Through Real Community Stories” on Monday, April 11 in the SIUE East St. Louis Learning Resource Center. 

 “Since fall 20...

SIU System Welcomes Holocaust Survivor and Former Peace Corps Director Walter Blass

8 April 2022, 10:22 AM

The 92-year-old Holocaust survivor, former Afghanistan Peace Corps director and strategic planning consultant has seen many parts of the world like France, China, Belgrade and Moscow. But for Walter Blass, one of the best places to be is in front of a class teaching – and he will travel the globe to do it. 

Blass arrived in Springfield on Sunday, April 3 for his Southern Illinois University (SIU) System campus visits. He toured and delivered presentations at SIU School of Medicine in S...

SIUE’s Criminal Justice Career Fair Slated for April 14

4 April 2022, 11:45 AM

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Criminal Justice Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences will host its 2022 Criminal Justice Career Fair from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, April 14 in the Morris University Center’s Goshen Lounge. The original scheduled date in February was postponed due to inclement weather.

“The Department of Criminal Justice Studies is excited to hold the career fair in person this year,” said Rachel Cousert, instructor in the D...

SIUE’s FOTAD Presents Annual Dinner Theater, “Rent” on April 19

4 April 2022, 11:30 AM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Friends of Theater and Dance (FOTAD) will present its annual Dinner Theater fundraiser on Tuesday, April 19.

Dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by an exclusive preview of “Rent” produced by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Departments of Theater and Dance and Music. This will be the final rehearsal and an opportunity to be the first to see the show.

"We are looking forward to the 2022 FOTAD Dinner Theater,” said Otis S...

St. Louis Public Radio Highlights NSF-Funded SIUE Research Initiative

31 March 2022, 12:50 PM

Through research focused on sustainable watersheds, SIUE researchers are building a novel model for graduate education that reduces barriers and increases diversity in STEM disciplines.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Eric Schmid highlighted the National Science Foundation-funded initiative in a story posted Wednesday, March 30. Read the article here.