May 2013
- IERC Study Affirms Community College Pathway to Bachelor's Completion
- First SIUE Students Set to Visit Cuba's University of Havana
- SIUE Mourns Loss of William Dupree
- Alumna finds SIUE connection in Kazakhstan
- SIUE Team Places First at ACG Cup Regional Competition
- SIUE School of Education Program Leadership Team Visits China
- Illinois Commission on Access to Justice to Hold Listening Conference at SIUE
- Eddie the Cougar Visits Edward Jones' Save for Education Day
- SIUE University Museum Needs Your Knitting Projects
- Asian, European and Canadian University Reps Visit SIUE
- SIUE Healthcare Summer Camp to Begin June 16
- SIUE Alum Named Greenview School District Superintendent
- Time Management was Focus of SIUE Alumni Speaker Series
- SIUE's La'Derrick Ward Earns Spot at NCAA National Championship
- SIUE Faculty, Staff Presenting at Michigan STEM Conference in June
- Time Management was Focus of Recent Alumni Speaker Series
- The Beat, Writing and Dance Live on Through SIUE Co-Sponsored Event
- Official SIUE Seal
- SIUE STEM Center Forms Online Relationships to Advance Initiatives
- SIUE Emergency Management Reminder: Always be Prepared for Weather
- SIUE Alumni Assoc. Selects Skoblow for Great Teacher Award
- NCERC's Trupia to be a Featured Speaker at International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo
- Fullerton is James R. Anderson Scholarship Recipient
- Lovejoy Library's High School Writers Contest Featured in Intelligencer
- SIUE East St. Louis Charter High Graduates "Imagine" Their Future
- SIUE Alumni Hall of Famer to Speak at SIU Dental Commencement
- Construction Moving Forward on New Sim Lab for SIU Dental Students
- SIUE's Weinberg Elected President of IAGS
- Retired SIUE Music Professor Featured in The Telegraph
- SIUE Alum's Drive-Thru Legal Service Featured in News-Democrat
- SIUE Alum is President of Webster U. and Featured in Smart Business
- Col. Charles B. Schweizer, 1913-2013; Was Major SIUE Donor, Established SIUE Foundation
- Club Sport Programs Make Their Mark Nationally
- SIUE Alum Harrison Wins Arch Grant for Startups
- SIUE Engineering Students Win Third Place in National Design Contest
- SIUE Alum Takes Pontoon Beach Post
- SIUE Alum Hylla Elected 3rd Circuit Chief Judge
- SIUE Alum Edwardsville PD Officer Andy Feller Named Hero
- SIUE Alum Thomas Named Chairman of SIU Board of Trustees
- SIUE Fee Changes Approved By SIU Board of Trustees
- SIU Board of Trustees Approves SIUE AY 13-14 Tuition
- SIUE Staff Member's Daughter Vaults to National Junior Olympic Team
- SIU BOT Approves Cougar Athletics Apparel Deal with Adidas
- SIU BOT Approves Contracts for SIUE Lukas Athletics Annex Build Out, NW University Dr. Multipurpose Path and Art & Design Roofing
- Cougar Lake Pool Opens With New Renovation
- Fred McCall is SIUE CLI Alumni Leadership Award Winner
- SIUE Receives Grant from NSF's STEM Talent Expansion Program
- SIUE Celebrates 10th Anniversary of CLI Program
- FLIGHT Scheduled for Take-off May 29 on SIUE Stage
- SIUE to Recognize CLI Graduate Tyrone Thompson's Education Contributions
IERC Study Affirms Community College Pathway to Bachelor's Completion
The Illinois Education Research Council released a study today showing that there does not appear to be a disadvantage against community college students transferring to 4-year institutions with regards to bachelor's degree completion.
The study indicated 85 percent of community college transfers earned a bachelor's degree within five academic years of transitioning to a 4-year institution. Comparatively, rising four-year juniors completed at a rate of 86 percent during the same time period.
"Based on our findings, there is no evidence to support the notion that a significant community college penalty exists," said Eric Lichtenberger, associate director for research at the IERC and assistant research professor at SIUE. "Community college transfer students were just as likely to complete a bachelor's degree as 4-year college juniors when matching on key factors."
Lichtenberger said past studies have garnered mixed results; some indicating a clear community college penalty exists, while others showing no support for the claim.
"We analyzed bachelor's degree completion after transfer, while simultaneously controlling for student background characteristics, as well as high school and college contexts," he said. "In other words, community college transfer students were matched to similar rising four-year college juniors from the same high schools who attended similarly selective four-year colleges."
"After making sure the groups were similar on key characteristics, the difference in the rate of degree completion was non-significant."
From a policy perspective, the study indicated policy makers should:
- Continue developing baseline information about transfer performance as the state's longitudinal data system is fully implemented
- Set goals for institutional performance related to community college to 4-year transfer rates
- Help community college transfer students face their financial aid future by developing information and incentives that fully span their undergraduate enrollment from a community college to a 4-year institution.
The study starts with 23,676 Illinois high school graduates from the class of 2003 who went to college and nationally tracks bachelor's degree completion until the end of 2010.
For more information, contact Lichtenberger, the author of the report, (618) 650-2840 or (866) 799-4372. A complete copy of the report is available at siue.edu/ierc/publications/index.shtml
First SIUE Students Set to Visit Cuba's University of Havana
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville takes its first step in the educational agreement between SIU and the University of Havana (UH) in Cuba during June. SIUE College of Arts and Sciences Associate Deans Larry LaFond, faculty member with expertise in linguistics, and Wendy Shaw, faculty member who focuses on social geography, will lead a group of four students to Havana.
In addition to the students who are able to visit Cuba, 17 students will take a tandem course online. All 21 students will come together as part of the course to share what they have learned.
Along with two days of lectures at UH and a meeting with the University Students Federation, SIUE students will study interrelated aspects of Cuban culture and history. Various fieldwork sites will be visited including:
- Old Havana and the Morro Castle
- The Museum of the Revolution and the Community Project of the Office of the Historian in San Isidro
- The town of Regia, the Church of the Black Virgin, and the Morro Fortress
- The Cabilda Quisicuaba to learn about Cuba's Afro-syncretic religions
- The central city of Matanzas, the Pharmacy Museum, and hand-made book publishers
- Santa Clara, explore Revolutionary War memorabilia, and the Che Memorial
CAS Dean Aldemaro Romero's goal is to demonstrate that a Midwestern university with no apparent connection to Cuba can create a variety of diverse programs to develop academic diplomacy by establishing connections both academically and culturally. Romero has worked vigorously on the project since 2009 to define the cooperative relationship between the universities.
This interdisciplinary studies class allows students to visit Cuba for 10 days and then return to SIUE to complete the course. Romero believes the alliance between the universities will give students a broader world perspective in an ever-growing global economy, while providing faculty with opportunities for the development of new academic initiatives.
The initiative between the University of Havana and SIUE is only the second in the nation - the first being with Harvard University.
SIUE Mourns Loss of William Dupree
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville community is mourning the death of undergraduate student William Aaron Dupree, who lost his life in a domestic dispute on Sunday, May 26 in St. Louis.
The 32-year-old Dupree was a semester away from graduating from SIUE with a bachelor's in criminal justice from the College of Arts and Sciences. He was a U.S Army veteran and most recently worked for the St. Louis County Department of Corrections as a correctional officer.
Dupree is survived by his parents, Patricia and Billy Adams; fiancée Paulette McCoy; grandfather Robert Brown; and siblings Telly Dupree and Beatrice J. Adams. A complete obituary is available in The Alton Telegraph.
Visitation will be Friday, May 31 from 4-7 p.m. at Harrison Funeral Chapel in Alton. Visitation will continue Saturday, June 1 from 9 a.m. until the 10 a.m. service at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. Interment services will be at Upper Alton Cemetery.
Counseling services are available to students by calling 650-5666 or visiting the Counseling Health Services Office in the Student Success Center lower level adjacent to the Morris University Center.
Alumna finds SIUE connection in Kazakhstan
Making connections is a vital part of recruiting graduate and international students to SIUE, and sometimes these connections occur even before a student sets foot on campus. Zhanna Korneva, an incoming economics and finance graduate student and winner of an SIUE Competitive Graduate Award, has had the benefit of learning about SIUE from an international alumna, Olessya Voblikova, while in Kazakhstan. In their conversation about their educational experiences, choices and goals, Zhanna and Olessya found that they shared a common connection with Sandra Tamari, international admissions counselor and recruiter in SIUE's Office of International Student and Scholar Services.
Olessya attended SIUE during spring 2008, and she thoroughly enjoyed her experience at the University studying linguistics. She currently works at EducationUSA in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where she advises students who are planning to attend a U.S. college or university.
Zhanna received several admission offers from U.S. universities but was confused about which school to choose. She went to EducationUSA for advice in preparing for her U.S. education, and Olessya was her advisor. Going into the session, the two women did not know anything about one another's educational background. When Zhanna told of her admission to SIUE, Olessya was eager to share her positive experience at the University and her connection with Sandra.
Sandra recruited Olessya and assisted with her transition to SIUE by providing advice on housing, budgeting, what to pack and what to expect when she arrived in Edwardsville. Sandra visited Olessya on her first night at her apartment at Cougar Village and made sure she was feeling secure and welcome. That personal touch was the start of a great friendship. Sandra and Olessya have remained in contact over the years.
Likewise, Sandra has been available to Zhanna to answer her questions and ensure that her transition to SIUE is as seamless as possible. Both women found that their interaction with Sandra was extremely helpful and made it easy for Zhanna to choose SIUE.
Sandra makes hundreds of connections to help recruit new students. She advises students on selecting the right program, how to apply, provides updates on their applications, scholarship information and more. Sandra additionally welcomes all the new international students during orientation and provides them with assistance on housing, budgeting and transportation.
Zhanna begins her master's program at SIUE in fall 2013, and while she was already excited to attend an American university, she is even more enthusiastic to meet Sandra and experience SIUE firsthand.
Olessya's positive experiences and Zhanna's excitement about her education attest that SIUE has no ordinary international reputation. SIUE international students benefit from learning in an environment that encourages them to be confident, to be involved in the community and campus, and to gain a unique cultural experience that they can take with them in their future professional and academic endeavors.
Jyoti Dharna, a native of Nairobi, Kenya, who graduated from SIUE in 2004, gave credit to the University for helping her develop both professionally and individually.
"My education fully prepared me for a successful career," said Jyoti. "As a student, I was comfortable enough to have a voice."
Like Jyoti and Olessya, Zhanna has been accepted to SIUE to learn, grow, share her unique cultural perspective, and begin making the connections that foster academic and personal success.
If you are interested in making these connections and fostering your success, feel free to contact Sandra Tamari at satamar@siue.edu to start your journey at SIUE.
SIUE Team Places First at ACG Cup Regional Competition
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business graduate students won first place in the 2013 Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Mid-America Corporate Growth Conference. The competition was held May 14 at the Chase Park Plaza.
The SIUE team was comprised of School of Business graduate students Stan Blustein, Anne Peterson, Eric Robert and Kirin Satwani. The students won a St. Louis regional competition in April against teams from Washington University, St. Louis University, and the University of Missouri - St. Louis. That victory secured a $5,000 cash prize and ACG memberships. The team then advanced to the regional competition where they beat teams from the University of Missouri - Kansas City and the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
Organized as a case study competition, the ACG Cup provides business students with learning experience in mergers, acquisitions, investment banking, financial advisory and private equity. The case studies afford those in the competition a chance to interact and work with professionals from within the ACG community.
Robert, an MBA student from Red Bud, said he is proud of the team and believes the experience will benefit their careers. "The skills we refined in the ACG Cup will make us better in the workplace and as prospective employees," he said.
Serving as one of the faculty advisors was SIUE Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance Shrikant Jategaonkar. "This competition is an excellent setting for our students to apply the analytical and communication skills they acquire in school," he said. "Additionally, making a successful presentation in front of corporate executives is a great confidence booster and networking experience."
According to Robert, a major contributing factor to their success was the support they received from the School of Business faculty and staff. "The personal support of our faculty advisors, Dr. Rakesh Bharati and Dr. Jategaonkar, as well as SIUE School of Business Dean Gary Giamartino and Associate Dean Janice Joplin, was invaluable.
"We were very proud to represent SIUE at the regional level after beating the other top-tier business schools in the St. Louis-based competition. There's a deep satisfaction in knowing that SIUE's Business School can prevail over programs throughout the country."
About Association for Corporate Growth
ACG's 14,500 members include professionals from private equity firms, corporations and lenders that invest in middle-market companies, as well as from law, accounting, investment banking and other firms that provide advisory services. Founded in 1954, ACG is a global organization with 58 chapters. Learn more at www.acg.org. ACG drives middle market growth. Learn how at www.middlemarketgrowth.org.
About the SIUE School of Business
The SIUE School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, representing the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. The Princeton Review lists SIUE as one of the top 296 business schools in the U.S. and abroad for the seventh consecutive year. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in accounting, computer management and information systems, economics, finance, management and marketing. More than 23,000 alumni have earned degrees from the SIUE School of Business. For more information, visit the SIUE School of Business.
Photo Cutline: SIUE School of Business graduate captured the first place award at the ACG Cup Regional Competition. Pictured (left to right): Eric Robert, Anne Peterson, Kirin Satwani and Stan Blustein.
SIUE School of Education Program Leadership Team Visits China
Representatives from the SIUE School of Education traveled to Lanzhou, China on the invitation of the Director-General of the Education Department of Gansu Provincial Government and the President of Northwest Normal University (NWNU) in Lanzhou, China. The purpose of the trip was to explore areas of partnership between the School of Education and institutions in China.
In March of 2012, the School of Education signed a letter of engagement with NWNU. With Dean Bette Bergeron's approval and under the leadership of Associate Dean Mary Weishaar, faculty members Yuliang Liu and Huaibo Xin, and Student Services Director Gretchen Fricke, a pilot project for the International Training Program in Pedagogy was implemented. This program brought four faculty members from NWNU to the SIUE School of Education during the fall 2012 semester to focus on enhancing their pedagogical practices and learning more about the American system of higher education. Evaluation data indicated that the program was very successful.
As a result of this success, the Program Leadership Team Members and Dean Bergeron, with support from SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe, visited NWNU from May 5-14, 2013. Discussions were held with hosts from Northwest Normal University and administrators from Gansu Province. The travel included official meetings with university and provincial ministers, meetings with groups of students, a discussion on American education with selected middle and secondary teachers, and several cultural events.
The overall goals included:
- Provide a knowledge base of SIUE and School of Education programs for NWNU students
- Discuss and determine mutual academic needs and interests for NWNU, Gansu Province and SIUE
- Define general parameters of a potential Memorandum of Understanding between NWNU and SIUE
- Orient new visiting faculty from NWNU for their upcoming participation in the SIUE International Training Program in Pedagogy for fall 2013 semester
- Develop first-hand understanding of the culture of northwest China and potential living conditions for prospective SIUE students and faculty
Eight faculty members from NWNU will be joining the School of Education for the fall 2013 semester to participate in the International Training Program in Pedagogy. Find out more about the School of Education's international activities.
Photo(L to R): Xiaodong Zhang, Director for the Division of International Cooperation and Exchanges in Gansu Province; Gretchen Fricke, School of Education Director of Student Services; Mary Weishaar, School of Education Associate Dean; Jiayi Wang, Director-General, Education Department of Gansu Provincial Government; Bette Bergeron, School of Education Dean; Ping Wang, Deputy-Director General, Gansu Provincial Education Department; Huaibo Xin, School of Education Assistant Professor; Yuliang Liu, School of Education Professor
Illinois Commission on Access to Justice to Hold Listening Conference at SIUE
The Illinois Supreme Court will present an Access to Justice Listening Conference on Wednesday June 5 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. In association with the SIU Carbondale School of Law, the Commission on Access to Justice Listening Conference for the Fifth Appellate District will be held from 1:30-4 p.m. in Founder's Hall, room 2207.
In attendance will be Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride, Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier and members of the Court's Commission on Access to Justice.
The Illinois Coalition for Equal Justice developed the idea for the Commission, Chief Justice Kilbride said at a recent appearance at Northern Illinois University. The Commission's goal is to create ways to improve access to the justice system throughout the state, especially for the poor.
"This presentation should be of interest to all individuals, whether students, faculty, the legal community or interested members of the general community," said P. Ann Dirks-Linhorst, associate professor of sociology and criminal justice studies in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences. "Justice is such an important concept that we are thrilled to participate in this discussion and certainly enthusiastic to collaborate with the SIU School of Law."
The Illinois Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission was formed in 2012 in an effort to remove barriers and increase the ease of interacting with courts by those who can't afford lawyers. It is comprised of 11 individuals, seven of whom are appointed by the Supreme Court. Jeffrey Coleman, a partner at the Chicago firm of Jenner & Block, chairs the commission. He has been a leader in delivering legal services to the under-represented.
The SIUE Listening Conference is one of a series being held across the state with each focusing on a particular appellate district. Previous conferences were held at NIU and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After SIUE, the next conference is slated for Thursday, June 13 at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
Interested individuals may RSVP to atjcommission@court.state.il.us.
Eddie the Cougar Visits Edward Jones' Save for Education Day
SIUE's Eddie the Cougar appeared at Edward Jones' headquarters in St. Louis today to highlight the firm's "Save for Education Day" promotion. In an effort to raise awareness for 529 College Savings Plans, Edward Jones branches across the country recognized May 29 as "Save for Education Day." The firm-wide holiday is derived from the name of the popular college saving tool.
To remind communities about the importance of setting education savings goals, financial advisors hosted a "529 Day" at their respective branches and dressed in university attire from their favorite colleges or alma maters. Families were encouraged to stop by their local branches to learn more about planning for their children's educational future.
Photos: SIUE alums Emily Taul and Matt Armentrout with Eddie the Cougar at Edward Jones.
SIUE University Museum Needs Your Knitting Projects
Attention all artists, knitters and crochet-ers, and anyone with an interest in having their work on display! In response to International Knit in Public Week from June 8-16, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville University Museum is organizing a yarn bomb.
During a yarn bomb, also known as an art bomb, artists from across the region and around the world, are asked to contribute their knitted and crocheted creations. The purpose is to promote art awareness and have some fun. The knitted and crocheted pieces will be draped over other artwork, including statues, paintings, sculptures and other media, as well as other stationary objects across campus. Nothing will be immune from being covered, including trees, benches, tables, poles.
The project is part of an awareness generating initiative, said Noelle Norris, a graduate student in English who works at the Museum. The Museum is asking members of the campus and surrounding communities to take the event a step further and continue knitting and contributing their knitted pieces through October.
"We would like this to be an international experience," said Eric Barnett, University Museum director. "We're searching for knitted and crocheted pieces from around the world."
All the work will be displayed on the SIUE campus during the Midwest Artists Art Symposium, which will take place October 17. Barnett and Norris said they hope to have all submitted pieces for the purpose of installation no later than October 12. Items can be submitted to the University Museum, Campus Box 1150, Edwardsville, IL 62026. For more information, contact the Museum at (618) 650-2996.
Asian, European and Canadian University Reps Visit SIUE
View the video.
Photo: SIUE Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Ann Boyle welcomes NAFSA attendees to campus.
Photo: Representatives from international universities visited the SIUE campus Tuesday.
Representatives of 15 universities from Asia, Europe and Canada toured Southern Illinois University Edwardsville today and talked with administrators about prospective agreements between institutions.
The visitors are attending the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) meeting, which is being held in St. Louis. Individuals from Sweden, Russia, France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Japan, SPAIN and Canada learned more about the SIU system and SIUE.
"It's so exciting to have a wide array of countries represented on our campus," said Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Ann Boyle. "We have a great opportunity to showcase our beautiful campus."
Boyle, who extended a welcome to the guests on behalf of SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe, talked about the importance of building a University of internationally trained students. "We are growing our international footprint and enhancing the educational experience for all of our students," she said to the audience.
Information was made available about the University's variety of programs through the College of Arts and Sciences, and the schools of Business, Education, Engineering, Dental Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy, as well as the Graduate School.
The visitors interacted with the campus community during a morning breakfast, a walking campus tour, a discussion with leaders and faculty members, and a lunch.
"Already we've had discussions about cooperative, direct exchange and research programs, as well as larger numbers of students coming to us as part of 2+2 programs," said Ron Schaefer, SIUE's director of the Center for International Programs.
Boyle referenced a plan that SIUE School of Engineering Dean Hasan Sevim and Schaefer authored five years ago with the assistance of an International Task Force comprised of SIUE faculty members. That plan has been taken off the shelf under the new chancellor's directive to embrace strategic growth. The proposal is to increase SIUE's current total of approximately 300 international students to 800-1,000.
Currently, the University has 2+2 international programs in place with Turkey through the SIUE School of Engineering, as well as study abroad opportunities across the world. Under Furst-Bowe's chancellorship, the plan is to increase SIUE's international presence and offer more collaborative international programs.
Representatives from 15 international universities visited campus Tuesday.
SIUE Healthcare Summer Camp to Begin June 16
The healthcare professional schools at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville want to attract more minorities into their respective careers. In an effort to accomplish this goal, the SIUE Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp will be held from Sunday, June 16-Friday, June 21 on the University's campus.
"We recognize the value of increasing the diversity in our student body," said Dr. Lakesha Butler, clinical associate professor in the School of Pharmacy. "Considering the low number of minority students who apply to SIUE professional healthcare programs, we have developed a one-week summer camp for high school juniors and seniors who have an interest in pursuing a future career in healthcare."
Current coordinator of the summer diversity experience, Butler was instrumental in starting the camp in 2009. The camp began as a three-day, non-residential pharmacy only activity that has evolved into a six-day, inter-professional program under her leadership.
This year, the free camp is taking a different spin by coordinating with the School of Dental Medicine and the School of Nursing. The focus is to expose students to careers in healthcare offered at SIUE, said Butler, who was interested in expanding inter-professional collaborations across the university.
Also instrumental in organizing this year's SIUE Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp are Dr. Cornell Thomas, associate dean of student affairs at the SIUE School of Dental Medicine, and Cheryl Jackson, instructor in the SIUE School of Nursing.
U.S. News & World Report rates dental medicine, nursing and pharmacy, in that order, as the top three among its "100 Best Jobs" ranking. The criteria include occupations that offer a mosaic of employment opportunity, good salary, manageable work-life balance and job security.
"We targeted minority students, because we recognize the low minority numbers and the need for more diversity," said Butler. "We also want to help prepare minority students to get to the finish line. We see minority students apply, but they're not as competitive. Hopefully, this camp will provide them with the tools to make them more competitive, especially with the addition this year of an ACT Crash Course."
The response to the 20 slots for the Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp was overwhelming this year, according to Butler. Participants have been selected for the program.
Some speakers and activities on the six-day program include:
• Dr. Gireesh Gupchup, School of Pharmacy dean
• Dr. Venessa Brown, associate provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
• Kelly Brooks, coordinator in SIUE Admissions
• Dr. Anne Perry, interim dean of the School of Nursing
• Careers in Nursing/Advanced Practice
• Anatomy and Physiology Experience (Dental)
• Laboratory Exercise (Dental)
• Introduction to School of Pharmacy/Admission Requirements
• Advanced Pharmacy Practice Lab
• Community Pharmacy Site Visits
• ACT Crash Course
Photo Information: Pictured above is Dr. Lakesha Butler, clinical associate professor in the School of Pharmacy.
SIUE Alum Named Greenview School District Superintendent
The State Journal Register in Springfield reported last week that the Greenview School District has named SIUE alum Janice Kunz as its next school superintendent. Kunz assumes her new duties July 1.
Kunz earned bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education from the SIUE School of Education in 1985 and 1995, respectively. She achieved a doctorate in educational leadership from Saint Louis University.
Kunz has been principal at Reed-Custer Primary School in Custer Park (Will County) since 2005. Previously, Kunz was principal at Virden Elementary School.
She replaces Gary DePatis, who is leaving Greenview after nine years to become superintendent of the Pekin High School District.
Time Management was Focus of SIUE Alumni Speaker Series
Two Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumni returned to their alma mater last week to discuss successful time management techniques.
A group of students, staff and faculty members, alumni and members of the outside community attended the event. Brian Henry, a 1995 mass communications graduate and senior director of public affairs for Express Scripts in St. Louis, and Zach Schaefer, assistant professor of speech communication at SIUE led the event, which was sponsored by the SIUE Alumni Association and SIUE Educational Outreach.
The group collectively listed prioritization, managing emails, dealing with other people's emergencies, shifting focus and helping others get focused as the top time management challenges they face. Another topic was intent - what individuals say they want, versus behavior - what they actually want.
Henry and Schaefer presented a PowerPoint presentation that referenced a 2008 article from the Boston Globe stating that when identifying what people value most between the following categories: wealth, marriage, career and free time-the majority of respondents, 68 percent, chose free time.
"All of us are wired for inattention and inertia," Henry said. "It's important to consider time management isn't just about your time. It's about that shared time-time with family, friends and colleagues.
"The focus of this program today is to help you reframe the way you think about time; discuss useful strategies, identify your top time management obstacles and develop an action plan."
Schaefer added, "When you stay focused it requires you to make conscious decisions, which means you manage yourself and your time much more effectively."
Some means of incorporating time management tactics included:
- Adopting time management applications on wireless phones and computers to identify how time currently is being used
- Breaking larger projects into manageable pieces and tackling them one task at a time
- Picking up the telephone and calling people if more than two emails are exchanged
- Identifying times of greatest productivity in order to determine when is the best time to take on projects that require the most focus and attention.
The event was free for SIUE students and $10 for other attendees. The Alumni Association and Educational Outreach host monthly Speaker Series events on myriad topics aimed at engaging students, alumni, and the campus and outside communities.
For more information, contact the Alumni Association, (618) 650-2760, or siuealumni@siue.edu, or visit siue.edu/alumni.
SIUE's La'Derrick Ward Earns Spot at NCAA National Championship
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville track and field program began competition on Thursday at the NCAA Division I West Preliminaries in Austin, Texas, and sophomore La'Derrick Ward stole the show with a dominant performance in the men's long jump.
Ward qualified for final round of NCAA National Championships with a mark of 25 feet, 8.25 inches (7.83m) to finish second overall in the long jump. The top 12 finishers punched their ticket for the national finals from June 5-8 in Eugene, Ore.
"It was an outstanding performance," Head Coach Kareem Jackson said. "For La'Derrick to have the opportunity to compete at nationals says a lot about his development over the last two years. He's definitely put in the work."
Ward made his qualifying mark on his final jump of the meet. After fouling on his first two attempts, he not only set a personal best but also broke his own school record in the event.
"Once he made that jump, it raised everyone else's level of competition," Jackson said. "We've been working for the last four years to get to this point and to have someone qualify in our first year at this level is very impressive."
Jackson also extended his appreciation to Dr. Bradley Hewitt, director of Athletics, who called to congratulate Ward and the entire program on their accomplishments.
"He was very excited," Jackson said. "It's great to have your leader excited about the team's accomplishments. I could hear how pleased and proud of he was of the performance."
Also representing SIUE at the meet on Thursday were Ahmad Evans, Darius Smith, Aftan Noon, Colleen McDonough, and Elizabeth Hampl.
Evans and Smith finished 37th and 44th, respectively, in the men's 100 meters. Evans finished in a time of 10.61 while Smith posted a time of 10.67.
Noon competed in the women's 800 meters and 1,500 meters. She finished 45th in the 800 with a time of 2:15.27, and was 33rd in the 1,500 with a finish of 4:31.92.
McDonough and Hampl finished 29th and 32nd, respectively, in the women's hammer throw. McDonough was two inches off her own school record with a toss of 187-7, while Hampl posted a mark of 186-1.
"All of our athletes competed well," Jackson said. "I can't tell you how many people have come up to us at this meet asking about SIUE and our program. It's been a great experience."
The three-day meet continues Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. A pair of Cougar athletes will be competing, as Jatavia Wright will run in the women's 100 meter hurdles at 5 p.m. before Evans competes in the men's 200 meters at 8:25 p.m.
SIUE Faculty, Staff Presenting at Michigan STEM Conference in June
"Advancing the STEM Agenda," a conference sponsored by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) that will focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics in education, will take place June 3-4 at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich.
A number of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville faculty and staff members will take part in the program. A paper titled "Creating a Foundation for Engineering Education in Five K-12 Rural School Districts" will be presented by faculty members:
- Dr. Gary Mayer, assistant professor of computer science
- Dr. Allison Fahsl, associate professor of special education and communications disorders, and chair of that department
- Dr. Stephen Marlette, associate professor of curriculum and instruction through the School of Education and affiliate with the SIUE Center for STEM Research, Education and Outreach
- Georgia Bracey, research associate from the STEM Center.
Other SIUE presenters will include Adam Weyhaupt, associate professor and chair of the SIUE Department of Mathematics and Statistics, on his paper with local collaborators titled, "Intel Math Connections: A Three-Year Study of the Impact of a Math-Based Program on Elementary Teachers."
Bracey, Marlette, SIUE graduate student Molly Brooks and SIUE STEM Center Director Sharon Lockewill present their paper titled, "Teachers 'n Training: Building Formal STEM Teaching Efficacy through Informal Science Teaching Experience." The Teachers 'n Training (TNT) program was made possible thanks to funding from The Boeing Co.
The two-day event will feature keynote speakers, including:
- Paul D. Plotkowki, the founding dean of the Seymour and Ester Padnos College of Engineering and Computing at Grand Valley State
- Reginald McGregor, manager of Engineering Employee Development R&T Strategy at Rolls-Royce Corporation in Indianapolis
- Carrie Houtman, regulatory services leader for Michigan and Minnesota at The Dow Chemical Company
- Glenn Walters, deputy cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Higher Education Department.
The event will highlight promising practices that increase high school students' interest in STEM disciplines and prepare them to pursue STEM majors in college, as well as improve recruitment and retention efforts, and provide mentorship opportunities to bring more scientists and engineers into the workforce. Some of the papers featured at the conference were partially funded by the National Science Foundation. SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe, who has expressed her unwavering commitment to STEM initiatives, is a member of the conference planning committee.
Time Management was Focus of Recent Alumni Speaker Series
Two Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumni returned to their alma mater Monday to discuss successful time management techniques.
A group of students, staff and faculty members, alumni and members of the outside community attended the event. Brian Henry, a 1995 mass communications graduate and senior director of public affairs for Express Scripts in St. Louis, and Zach Schaefer, assistant professor of speech communication at SIUE led the event, which was sponsored by the SIUE Alumni Association and SIUE Educational Outreach.
The group collectively listed prioritization, managing emails, dealing with other people's emergencies, shifting focus and helping others get focused as the top time management challenges they face. Another topic was intent - what individuals say they want, versus behavior - what they actually want.
Henry and Schaefer presented a PowerPoint presentation that referenced a 2008 article from the Boston Globe stating that when identifying what people value most between the following categories: wealth, marriage, career and free time-the majority of respondents, 68 percent, chose free time.
"All of us are wired for inattention and inertia," Henry said. "It's important to consider time management isn't just about your time. It's about that shared time-time with family, friends and colleagues.
"The focus of this program today is to help you reframe the way you think about time; discuss useful strategies, identify your top time management obstacles and develop an action plan."
Schaefer added, "When you stay focused it requires you to make conscious decisions, which means you manage yourself and your time much more effectively."
Some means of incorporating time management tactics included:
- Adopting time management applications on wireless phones and computers to identify how time currently is being used
- Breaking larger projects into manageable pieces and tackling them one task at a time
- Picking up the telephone and calling people if more than two emails are exchanged
- Identifying times of greatest productivity in order to determine when is the best time to take on projects that require the most focus and attention.
The event was free for SIUE students and $10 for other attendees. The Alumni Association and Educational Outreach host monthly Speaker Series events on myriad topics aimed at engaging students, alumni, and the campus and outside communities.
For more information, contact the Alumni Association, (618) 650-2760, or siuealumni@siue.edu, or visit siue.edu/alumni.
The Beat, Writing and Dance Live on Through SIUE Co-Sponsored Event
Music, literary and art lovers gathered Tuesday night for an annual event in honor of three legendary figures who impacted the world with their brilliance and creativity. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville English Department and the Eugene B. Redmond (EBR) Writers Club of East St. Louis co-sponsored the "Da-Dum-Dun" multi-arts festival at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus.
Dr. Redmond, namesake of the EBR Writers Club and SIUE English Department emeritus professor, began the celebration to pay homage to musician Miles Davis, author Music, literary and art lovers gathered Tuesday night for an annual event in honor of three legendary figures who impacted the world with their brilliance and creativity. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville English Department and the Eugene B. Redmond (EBR) Writers Club of East St. Louis co-sponsored the "Da-Dum-Dun" multi-arts festival at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus.
Dr. Redmond, namesake of the EBR Writers Club and SIUE English Department emeritus professor, began the celebration to pay homage to musician Miles Davis, author Henry Lee Dumas and anthropologist-choreographer-dancer Katherine Dunham.
The commemoration, which included the reading of kwansaba poems and prose, music and dance, also was combined with a book signing for Drumvoices Revue authors.
The program included Sunshine Lee's East St. Louis Community Dance Ensemble and the world renowned Bosman Twins of East St. Louis. Poets who performed included Michael Castro, Roscoe "Ros" Crenshaw, Susan "Spit-Fire" Lively, Jaye P. Willis, EBR Writers Club President Darlene Roy and East St. Louis poet laureate Redmond.
Drumvoices Revue is a literary-cultural journal founded by Redmond and co-published by the Writers Club and SIUE.
The EBR Writers Club was chartered in 1986 by Sherman L. Fowler, Roy and Redmond. The club meets twice monthly. The Club created the literary device now widely known as the kwansaba. Both the name and the principles of the poetic device come from Kwanzaa, the seven-day African-American cultural holiday created by Dr. Maulana Karenga. A kwansaba is a seven-line poem with seven words on each line and no word containing more than seven letters.
The Club's trustees are Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, Avery Brooks, Haki R. Madhubuti, Walter Mosley, Quincy Troupe, Jerry Ward Jr. and Lena J. Weathers. For more information about the Club and Redmond, visit eugenebredmond.com, email eredmon@siue.edu or call (618) 650-3991.
A sample of poems read on Tuesday night included:
Literary Estate
(Considering Eugene B. Redmond, literary executor of Henry Dumas' Literary Estate & his widow, Loretta Ponton Dumas)
With Loretta's demure nod, strands of kefs,
sabas, praise songs and sagas were pulled
from Dumas' sweet homes in Africa, Arkansas,
East St. Louis or Harlem and keenly
woven by Redmond into Echo Tree, Goodbye
Sweet Water, Knees of a Natural Man;
gave birth to Morrison's famed title, Beloved.
Darlene Roy © April 24, 2013
The Great Katherine
Élan vital* emerged as genius cracked the
collar of this once common house Kat,
her grand plié spiced with Vodun rhythm,
a reality reborn through desire, support,
incur-rage-meant and God's endurin' gift. Earthly
spirit swaying to Carib song, dancing at
Habitation Leclerc**, inhalin' mystery of the world.
*vital force
**Mrs. Dunham's home in Haiti
Jaye P. Willis © May 21, 2013
Photo Information :
On program were Dr. Eugene B. Redmond, SIUE English Department emeritus professor; and Darlene Roy, EBR Writers Club president.
Sunshine Lee's East St. Louis Community Dance Ensemble added the beat and dance to the multi-arts festival.
Official SIUE Seal
After a lengthy process involving a wide variety of SIUE community members, we now have an official University seal. You will start to see the seal involved in the commencement communications and ceremonies beginning with the August ceremony.
The SIUE seal prominently features a torch, the symbol of both enlightenment and knowledge. Interlocking laurel leaves surrounding the torch are a time-honored symbol of education. The year of SIUE's founding (1957) is depicted within the banner enveloping the seal. The stars below the banner represent SIUE's three campuses- The Edwardsville campus, the School of Dental Medicine in Alton and the East St. Louis Center.
The process was all current and former members of the SIUE community were invited to submit designs. A committee comprised of various SIUE representatives narrowed the choices to the top four. Members of our community were invited to comment and provide feedback on each of the designs. Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe selected the final design. It was unveiled at her installation ceremony in mid-April.
SIUE alumna and current University Marketing and Communications employee Carol Dappert created the winning design.
A university seal represents the heart of a university's formal identity. It is one of the more important symbols for a university, and is different from the logo and wordmarks. Because of its significance, use of the seal will be restricted to preserve its integrity.
The SIUE seal will be used primarily to signify the importance of special occasions and historical events. It may generally be used on the following items:
- Certificates
- Ceremonial communications
- Formal invitations of a ceremonial or historical nature
- Awards
The seal and guidelines for its use will be added to the Wordmark and Logo Requirements document
Please contact University Marketing and Communications at extension 3600 or marketing@siue.edu if you would like to consider using the seal on items such as those listed above.
SIUE STEM Center Forms Online Relationships to Advance Initiatives
Recognizing the need to collaborate with other centers dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education around the world, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville STEM Center Director Sharon Locke made a decision last year.
She enlisted the support of her staff, and using Batchgeo, a free-online tool for mapping lists of addresses, they made their center's location known to the world. Only a year after implementing the map, more than 145 other STEM centers from across the globe have identified their locations. They are beginning to work together to avoid duplicating efforts and reinventing the wheel, especially when it comes to identifying policies and procedures.
"So far the data is mostly centered on the U.S. for now," said Locke who hopes to promote its existence to draw more global interaction. "
The interactive map includes a list of centers with contact information and their exact locations for reference purposes. The site also includes direct links to STEM Center websites.
"This tool allows other STEM Centers to easily identify who in their area is doing work, so they can collaborate," Locke said. "It enables teachers to see resources in their communities. It also provides funders and policy makers the ability to see geographic hot spots or holes in access to resources. As a result, they can better direct resources to meet specific community needs."
The list is available at http://stemideas.org/national_community/. For more information, or to add a center to the list, contact (618) 650-3065 or email STEMCenter@siue.edu.
SIUE Emergency Management Reminder: Always be Prepared for Weather
When severe weather hits, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Director of Emergency Management and Safety David McDonald wants area residents to be prepared.
"You never know when a disaster will occur, but there are steps that you can take to be prepared," said McDonald.
McDonald suggested individuals check out emergency preparedness websites for helpful readiness tips, such as the state of Illinois' two sites, including Ready Illinois and Ready.gov, which is supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA.)
Additionally, FEMA offers an online readiness guide titled, "Are You Ready." The guide provides important tips about building basic disaster supply kids, maintaining those kits and storing them. The kits should include the following:
- At least one gallon of water per person for at least three days to be used for drinking and sanitation
- At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food; a battery powered or hand-crank radio and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio
- A flashlight with extra batteries, as well as a standard first-aid kit, a whistle to signal for help and a dust mask for each person to help filter contaminated air
- Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist packaged wipes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- A wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- A manual can opener for food
- Local maps and a cellular phone with chargers, an inverter or solar charger.
Other suggested items include having a ready supply of prescription medications and glasses when required, as well as infant formula and diapers, pet food and extra water, cash or traveler's checks and change. Sleeping bags, fire extinguishers, matches in a waterproof container and personal hygiene items also are recommended.
In October 2011, SIUE was named a StormReady® University by the NOAA National Weather Service for completing a set of rigorous warning criteria. The designation is given to institutions that institute early warning systems, such as SIUE's e-Lert text messaging system, which is open for faculty, staff, students and retirees with active SIUE email accounts.
"I really want to encourage anyone with an SIUE email account to sign up for e-Lert text messaging," said McDonald. "Not only does it provide you with information about emergency situations and inclement weather closures, but it also gives you advance notice so you can be prepared for what might be coming our way."
To be recognized as a StormReady® University, institutions must:
- Have an Emergency Operations Plan that includes severe weather procedures
- Have more than one way to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings
- Have several methods to warn students, employees and visitors of impending hazardous weather
- Have shelter areas designated and clearly marked
- Have an active preparedness program that educates students and employees of the dangers posed by hazardous weather.
The program is voluntary and provides communities with advice from a partnership of local National Weather Service forecast offices, as well as state and local emergency managers. It was started in 1999 with seven communities in Tulsa, Okla. Participating. It now includes 1,600 communities across the country.
Information about SIUE's many emergency management and safety initiatives can be found on the emergency management and safety website.
SIUE Alumni Assoc. Selects Skoblow for Great Teacher Award
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Alumni Association has selected Dr. Jeffrey Skoblow as its 2013 Great Teacher Award recipient. He is a professor of English Language and Literature in the College of Arts and Sciences. Skoblow is the 45 th SIUE faculty member to receive the honor since its inception in 1970.
"Jeffrey is a one of the most student-centered professors I've ever known," said Sharon James McGee associate professor and chair of the Department of English Language and Literature. "His passion for the material shows through in the classroom. He uses a variety of engaging assignments to help students experience literature, not just read it.
"As a mentor, he is concerned first and foremost with students' progress and success. He is every student's biggest cheerleader. He wants every student to do well and succeed both in school and in their lives beyond the University."
Skoblow joined the SIUE faculty in 1987. He has served as a Fulbright senior lecturer in American Literature and Culture at the University of Lleida, Spain, and at the University of Barcelona, Spain. He also was a visiting lecturer at UCLA.
"I'm truly honored and very touched to receive this award from the alumni," Skoblow said. "I generally have at least some sense of how my current students feel about their experiences in my classes. But to know that years later this experience still matters in a powerful and positive way is very gratifying to me."
He is the author of "Dooble Tongue: Scots, Burns, Contradiction"and "Paradise Dislocated: Morris, Politics, Art."
"Professor Skoblow has the rare quality of being both delicate and generous in his suggestions and advice to students, never imposing his views as ultimately the right ones," said one of Skoblow's nominators. "On the other hand, his bar of academic, teaching and ethical standards is always raised high. He is a dedicated teacher who is demanding, but at the same time cares about his students' progress, which makes him highly effective."
Photo: Jeffrey Skoblow.
NCERC's Trupia to be a Featured Speaker at International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo
Dr. Sabrina Trupia is director of biological research at The NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She is scheduled as a featured speaker at the 29 th annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo. The event is set for America's Center in St. Louis from Monday, June 10 through Thursday, June 13. Read about it in Ethanol Producer Magazine.
Fullerton is James R. Anderson Scholarship Recipient
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville University Housing has chosen Daniel Fullerton as the 2013-14 James R. Anderson Housing Scholarship recipient. The scholarship is given annually to an academically motivated student who has a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and has demonstrated civic leadership in community service and housing activities.
The Centralia native is studying chemistry with the intent of attending medical school to become an internal medicine physician. Fullerton has made an impact at SIUE as both a member of the Chemistry Club and a Golden Key Honors Society member.
"We had many qualified candidates," said Michael Schultz, director of University Housing. "But, in the words of Mrs. Karen Anderson, she believed that Daniel embodies many of the strong leadership qualities and community service dedication that Jim believed in."
The award was created in memory of Anderson, a former SIUE associate director of University Housing. Recipients are granted a $1,000/semester stipend.
"We are pleased to honor Jim in this fashion," said Schultz. "He believed not only in the value of education in and out of the classroom, but also highly valued family, community involvement and service."
For more information regarding the James R. Anderson Housing scholarship, please contact Schultz at (618) 650-4628 or mschult@siue.edu.-SIUE-
Photo : Daniel Fullerton
Lovejoy Library's High School Writers Contest Featured in Intelligencer
The Friends of Lovejoy Library received nearly 500 entries in its 20 th High School Writers Contest. The invitation to participate is distributed to juniors and seniors in 57 public and private high schools in 11 counties surrounding SIUE. Read more about the contest winners in the Intelligencer .
SIUE East St. Louis Charter High Graduates "Imagine" Their Future
A stirring message that rung of self-determination, courage and hope was given to graduating seniors of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School at their commencement ceremony. The graduation service was held on Friday at the Church of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville. Twenty-seven seniors graduated to the cheers of about 500 family, friends and SIUE faculty, staff and administrators.
Dwan LaMar Prude, confidence coach and pastor of the Bride of Christ Church of God in Christ in East St. Louis, was the commencement speaker. Prude buoyed the graduates and the audience by insisting the students were well-equipped to rise above any mud or "light afflictions" that they may encounter.
Preceding Prude's battle cry for the graduating seniors was a host of moving accolades and acknowledgements.
The 2013 Charter High School class is one made up of innovative students, said Dr. Bette Bergeron, dean of the SIUE School of Education. "You are our class who proved to the community and the state that you are successful academically," Bergeron said. "You have been nationally recognized for robotics. You are noted for your music, dance, poetry and science, technology, engineering and math - STEM - education.
"You are our leaders and ground breakers," Bergeron said, "and I could not be more proud of you."
Others on the program and accompanying Bergeron on the platform were Dr. Patrick Hundley, SIUE vice chancellor of University Relations; Dr. Venessa Brown, SIUE associate provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion; Willis Young, assistant director of the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School; and Staccy Lampkin, Charter High School counselor. Brown presided over the Hope Rope presentation, a new tradition for the Charter High School. All students held onto the same two long pieces of rope. The string was then cut, leaving each student with two pieces: one a "lifeline," and the other both a reminder of SIUE and to strive for excellence
Excellence also was mentioned earlier in the class valedictorian's speech. "We were challenged to do our best and we did more, said DeAndre Howard. "We do not want to achieve what is possible, but prove the impossible."
His words came on the heels of John Lennon's song "Imagine," sung by class salutatorian James Washington, who was received with great applause. Washington was accompanied on the piano by Johnathan Tate, Charter School STEM instructor.
Both seniors and students of the Charter High School have proved something different than what statistics and some "nay-sayers" report, said Veronica "Gina" Washington, CHS director.
"The Class of 2013 has a 100 percent graduation rate," Washington said.
The director also noted that recently received 2013 ACT scores show that 100 percent of the Charter High School juniors improved their scores.
"You are a child of God," Prude said, his voice reverberating around the circular church. "When you let your light shine it allows others to do the same."
The SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School provides underrepresented students with the opportunity to succeed through immersion in the fine arts and a rigorous curriculum that prepares them to be college-and career-ready. The mission statement of the high school is to positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis youth through individualized instruction in core academic subjects, exploration of career interests and aptitudes, and specific training in skilled trades, ensuring that graduates realize and attain their educational and career aspirations.
Photo Information:
SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School graduate Tyesha Daunielle Fisher enjoys the ceremony.
Participating in the graduation services were DeAndre Howard, class valedictorian; Veronica "Gina" Washington, Charter School director; D. Lamar Prude, commencement speaker; and Dr. Bette Bergeron, dean of the SIUE School of Education.
James Washington, class salutatorian, performs the song, "Imagine," by John Lennon.
SIUE Alumni Hall of Famer to Speak at SIU Dental Commencement
Dr. W.H. (Bert) Milligan, director of the Center for Continuing Education at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, will be the keynote speaker at the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine commencement at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 1.
Forty-six students will receive a doctor of dental medicine degree at the event in SIU Edwardsville's Meridian Ballroom in the Morris University Center. The ceremony will be seen live on siuetv. A reception for students, faculty and family members will follow the ceremony in the Goshen Lounge.
In light of his career contributions to dentistry, Dr. Milligan earned the SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame Award in October 2012. The SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame annually honors alumni who, through leadership, character and hard work, have made exceptional contributions in their chosen field.
After earning his Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh, Milligan began his career as a faculty member at the SIU School of Dental Medicine prior to the enrollment of the first class of students in 1972. He helped develop the curriculum and played a role in the education of the first graduating classes.
In a unique twist, Milligan served as faculty member for four years before deciding to enter the dental school as a student. He obtained his D.M.D. in 1979.
Milligan spent eight years as a SIU SDM faculty member before returning to Pennsylvania. He spent 25 years practicing general dentistry, lecturing part-time and giving continuing education courses at Pitt's SDM. Before recently transitioning to his current position, Milligan had served as the Pitt SDM associate dean of Clinical Affairs.
In March 2013, Milligan received the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Presidential Citation, which is awarded to leaders who have demonstrated exceptional service to ADEA and the dental education community.
Dr. Milligan is a lifetime member of both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the ADEA. He serves as counselor for the ADEA's clinic administration section and chairs the Pennsylvania Dental Association's environmental issues committee. He is a fellow in the International College of Dentists and a consultant for the ADA Council of Dental Accreditation.
Milligan serves as an assistant professor in the departments of Diagnostic Sciences and Oral Biology at Pitt's SDM. He teaches microbiology, ethics and professionalism, practice management and pathobiology. He has been an advocate for interdisciplinary and inter-professional education, and patient care throughout his career.
Photo : D. W.H. (Bert) Milligan.
Construction Moving Forward on New Sim Lab for SIU Dental Students
Progress is continuing on the multi-million dollar building construction at Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine in Alton. The Multidisciplinary Dental Simulation Laboratory is expected to be completed and ready for occupancy by spring semester 2014, according to Dr. Bruce Rotter, dean of the SIU School of Dental Medicine.
"The time between the proposed end of construction on the building and the installation of the simulation units will put us on a tight schedule," said Rotter. "Nonetheless, we are excited to see our students learning in a more authentic clinical environment as soon as possible."
Construction on the $9.5 million facility began in October of last year. The SIU School of Dental Medicine received $4.1 million for the project from the state when Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation in 2009 that created the $31 billion "Illinois Jobs Now!" plan.
"Construction on the new Simulation Lab facility is now moving vertically," said Rotter. "Steel
I-beams have been put into place to support the structure and the exterior walls of the new facility are beginning to take shape. Faculty, staff, students and the general community have been stopping by to view the progress. It is an exciting time."
The Sim Lab will be a primary site of instruction for 100 Year I and Year II predoctoral dental students and contain 60 simulation units. The 18,000 square foot addition also will include a ceramic reconstruction room, x-ray room, casting and dispensing areas. The building also will house the replacement of the School's fitness center.
"We are grateful for the educational opportunities that will be afforded by this new lab," said Rotter. "The use of this facility will enhance our students' preparation to be outstanding healthcare providers."
School of Dental Medicine: School of Dental Medicine students manage approximately 35,000 patient visits each year at its patient clinics in Alton and East St. Louis. In addition, students offer oral health treatment, screenings and education to more than 10,000 people annually through a wide variety of off-campus community outreach events. These opportunities provide students the training they need to graduate and become highly skilled dentists. As the only dental school within 200 miles of the St. Louis metropolitan area, the region depends on the School of Dental Medicine as a vital oral healthcare provider.
Photo Information: Steel beams are being erected in the construction of the Multidisciplinary Dental Simulation Laboratory for the SIU School of Dental Medicine. Pictured is Steve Koepke of Toenjes Brick Contracting.
SIUE's Weinberg Elected President of IAGS
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Jerry Weinberg, associate provost for research and dean of the Graduate School, is president elect of the Illinois Association of Graduate Schools (IAGS). He also has been tapped to serve on the Council of Graduate Schools Masters Committee.
The IAGS is the Illinois chapter of the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools, which is the regional affiliation of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), the national organization. CGS research and activities serve to advance graduate education and to promote U.S. competitiveness in the global economy.
"I am looking forward to serving as the IAGS president," Weinberg said. "IAGS creates a great opportunity for Illinois universities to share ideas, develop collaborations and collectively express opinions to the state legislature regarding the advancement of graduate studies across Illinois."
As a member of the CGS Masters Committee, Weinberg will join in providing advice on issues that master's students and programs are facing. The committee helps provide direction for national meetings and new CGS initiatives and studies for its more than 500-member institutions.
"The CGS is the premier national organization for developing new initiatives, conducting research and influencing the direction of graduate studies across the U.S.," said Weinberg, who is honored to serve on the master's committee. "I will be one of a small group of educators who will provide guidance to CGS as it promotes and advances master's degree programs nationally."
Before being named to his current SIUE post in May 2012, Weinberg served as the acting associate provost for research and dean of the Graduate School for nearly two years. During that time, he advanced the activities of the unit to strengthen both the graduate operations and its scholarly efforts. He increased travel support for faculty, developed and offered new internal programs to support faculty in the submission of external grant proposals. He also oversaw the creation of a new research and creative activities website, increased attendance at the Graduate School Open House and brought the graduate program assessment process under the shared governance structure of the Graduate School.
Prior to serving in the acting position, Weinberg was the department chair of computer science in the School of Engineering from 2005-2010. He joined the SIUE faculty in 1996 after earning a Ph.D. in computer science from Vanderbilt University that same year.
Photo: SIUE Associate Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School Jerry Weinberg.
SIUE Alum's Drive-Thru Legal Service Featured in News-Democrat
Brandon Marshall Hilmes earned a bachelor's in business administration/finance from the SIUE School of Business in 2000. His Caseyville law firm, Hilmes Legal Solutions LLC, offers unique drive-thru service. Read about Hilmes in the Belleville News-Democrat .
SIUE Alum is President of Webster U. and Featured in Smart Business
Webster University President Elizabeth Stroble earned two master's from SIUE in history in 1980, and American and English literature in 1984. Read about Stroble in Smart Business St. Louis.
Col. Charles B. Schweizer, 1913-2013; Was Major SIUE Donor, Established SIUE Foundation
Col. Charles B. Schweizer, 99, of Edwardsville, died Sunday, May 12.
Schweitzer, along with his late wife, Eleanor, was an avid SIUE supporter and fundraiser. He established the SIUE Foundation and served for 10 years as its executive director, and endowed a Meridian Scholarship and other scholarships.
A visitation will take place from 4:30-7 p.m. Friday, May 17 at the Weber & Rodney Funeral Home, 304 North Main in Edwardsville. During that time there will be a Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) ceremony at 6:30 p.m. and a Masonic ceremony at 7 p.m. in his honor. Funeral services will be held at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 406 Hillsboro Ave. in Edwardsville at 1 p.m. Saturday. A private burial service will follow at Valhalla Cemetery in St. Louis, with military honors.
Memorials can be made to St. Andrews Church, to the Hills Fort Society, 6 Ridgefield Drive in Troy, or the charity of the donor's choice. Condolences can be expressed online and a full obituary can be viewed at weberfuneralhome.com.
Club Sport Programs Make Their Mark Nationally
The SIUE Club Baseball Program has earned its first bid to the National Club Baseball Association World Series in Paducah, Ky. SIUE begins the double-elimination tournament by facing Maryland at 10 a.m. (CT) on Friday. For more information, visit clubbaseball.org.
BassMasters Club members Brad LeMasters and Zach Hartnagel have qualified for a Regional Fishing tournament to be held on the Detroit River in July. Read more at flwooutdoors.com.
The two-time defending national champion Women's Basketball Club team earned a third consecutive Final Four Appearance at the NIRSA National Championship in April. SIUE advanced by winning the Oklahoma St. Regional. SIUE beat Ithaca College, Lamar University, Old Dominion University and Clemson University before falling to eventual national champion University of Virginia. Junior pre-pharmacy major Kelly Korza was an All-America selection.
SIUE Alum Harrison Wins Arch Grant for Startups
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Jeffry Harrison is one of 20 winners in the 2013 Arch Grants Global Startup Competition. The winners were announced at a press conference Tuesday afternoon at Polsinelli in downtown St. Louis.
The global business startup competition provides $50,000 non-dilutive grants to early stage ventures. Arch Grants created the competition to help grow businesses and create a more robust entrepreneurial culture and infrastructure in St. Louis.
Harrison's RoverTown concept gives more than 2,000 businesses direct access to 1.4 million college students through their mobile devices. RoverTown's student discount program allows actively enrolled students at nearly 70 institutions to earn exclusive discounts and rewards at rovertown.com.
"The Arch Grants winners are the best of a terrific group, and are exciting young companies," said Jerry Schlichter, co-founder and president of Arch Grants. "Arch Grants' vision has become a reality. We are building an entrepreneurial ecosystem and have great partners who, through their support of Arch Grants, have put St. Louis on the international map as a great place for entrepreneurs."
This year's competition attracted 707 applicants from 15 countries and 40 states. The 20 grant recipients will receive $50,000 each in funding and free support services. Starting in July, the out-of-town companies will relocate to St. Louis and begin immersing themselves into the entrepreneurial community.
A Redbud native, Harrison arrived at SIUE as a result of the Homer L. & Helen L. Cox Scholarship from the School of Business. He earned a bachelor's in finance and entrepreneurship in 2012. Harrison served as the SIUE student trustee for the SIU Board of Trustees for two years.
RoverTown will move to St. Louis from its current location in the SIU Carbondale Research Park.
For a complete list of Arch Grant winners, click here.
Photo: Jeffry Harrison.
SIUE Engineering Students Win Third Place in National Design Contest
Two former Southern Illinois University Edwardsville engineering students won the third place award in a national structural design competition earlier this month in Pittsburgh.
Winning the award were Luke Potthast and Ryan Holdener for their project, Dalian Office Building. Potthast and Holdener were one of three teams selected to compete in the final round of competition at the 2013 Student Structural Design Competition of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Structural Engineering Institutes (SEI) Structures Congress.
"It was pretty daunting when we submitted our project to the competition," said Potthast, "knowing that we would be up against some of the largest engineering schools in the country. So, it was very exciting when we learned that we were picked in the top three and were able to represent SIUE at the Structures Congress." Potthast and Holdener graduated from SIUE with bachelor degrees in Civil Engineering in May 2012.
The engineering faculty selected Potthast and Holdener's project in January of this year and submitted it to the SEI Structures Congress. The two SIUE alums were mentored by engineers at HOK Design Co. in St. Louis, Mo., for one semester. For more information on the global company based in St. Louis, see hok.com/.
"The Dalian project was provided to us by our host company of HOK," said Potthast. "It was a project they were currently working on, and they gave us a few preliminary designs to work on separately for our own model."
The pair designed a multi-story steel structure to be built in China with an estimated cost of $53.7 million, said Dr. Ryan Fries, SIUE assistant professor in Civil Engineering.
"They constructed a digital model using the Building Information Modeling (BIM) software," said Fries, who co-supervised the project with Dr. Brad Cross, SIUE professor of civil engineering.
Among the many issues to consider when designing the model were the weight of the structure, the weight that might be applied to the building and environmental factors, Fries said.
The competition looked mainly at students' ability to effectively communicate the project to judges and the challenges or level of difficulty of the design, Fries added.
"There were a few challenges throughout the project," Potthast said. "The most difficult was learning new software that aided us in designing the building. Another challenge was trying to understand different construction and fabrication techniques that we needed to use in our design to make it a more efficient and cost effective building.
"Lastly, it was pretty difficult giving presentations on the project and keeping it under 10 minutes."
Potthast and Holdener also had success with this same project when the duo presented it for SIUE's Senior Assignment Showcase at the end of last spring's semester, Fries said.
"The faculty recognized then that they went above and beyond in doing a good job for their Senior Assignment," said Fries.
SIUE Alum Takes Pontoon Beach Post
SIUE alum Benjamin Motil will lead Pontoon Beach's economic development and tourism office. The Maryville resident earned his bachelor's in political science from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2010 and later achieved a master's in public administration and policy analysis in 2012. Read about Motil in the Suburban Journals.
SIUE Alum Edwardsville PD Officer Andy Feller Named Hero
Andy Feller, an SIUE graduate and 10-year veteran with the Edwardsville Police Department, is being honored during the month of May as a Mental Resources Hero. To read more about it, check out the article published in The (Edwardsville) Intelligencer .
SIUE Alum Thomas Named Chairman of SIU Board of Trustees
The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees unanimously elected SIUE alum Randal Thomas as its chairman yesterday during the Board's meeting on the Carbondale campus. Thomas succeeds Alton attorney John Simmons, who's appointment to the Board was not renewed.
Thomas was elected six days after Gov. Pat Quinn appointed him to the panel, along with former SIUE professor Dr. Shirley Portwood. Donna Manering succeeds Edwardsville School District Superintendent Ed Hightower as vice chair. Don Lowery replaces IMPACT Strategies, Inc., President Mark Hinrichs as the board secretary.
Thomas, of Springfield, served as the 36th Adjutant General of Illinois, which is the highest National Guard post in the state. He is an SIUE graduate, earning a bachelor's in 1973 in English and literature and a master's 1980 in education. He also has a master's from the U.S. Army War College.
Thomas received his commission as an infantry officer in 1967 and served in the Army Special Forces from 1966-1969. He was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor for his 1968-1969 combat service in Vietnam.
Prior to his appointment as adjutant general, Thomas worked for 30 years as an English teacher, librarian and media director in Hillsboro. Thomas also served on the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission for three years. He is a member of the SIUE Alumni Association Hall of Fame.
Photo : Major General (ret.) Randal Thomas with SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe at her installation on April 19.
SIUE Fee Changes Approved By SIU Board of Trustees
The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees yesterday approved fee-related changes that will affect the Edwardsville campus. The changes finalized during the board's meeting on the Carbondale campus included the student fees for Housing rental rates, Information Technology, Textbook Rental and Intercollegiate Athletics.
Other fee changes approved were Student Welfare and Activity Fee (SWAF), Student Fitness Center, Facilities and the Morris University Center.
Under the three percent increases, annual rental rates for a shared room at Woodland, Prairie and Bluff residence halls will be $5,430 compared with the current charge of $5,270. A deluxe single room will cost $10,860 annually compared with $10,540 now. Annual housing rates at Evergreen Hall will be $5,770 for a shared apartment compared with $7,700 for a private apartment or a private suite rate of $6,530.
Upperclassmen residing in Cougar Village Apartments will pay $4,130 per year for a shared room compared with $4,010 paid currently per year, while a single room will cost $6,130 annually compared with $5,950 now. A deluxe single room will be assessed at $8,260 per year compared with $8,020 now.
Families in Cougar Village, now paying $990 per month for a two-bedroom, unfurnished apartment, will pay $1,020 in the fall. The same family paying $1,160 per month now for a furnished two-bedroom apartment will pay $1,195 per month in the fall. Families in a three-bedroom unfurnished apartment now paying $1,110 per month will pay $1,145 per month in the fall. A three-bedroom furnished is now $1,300 per month and will be $1,340 in the fall.
The rental rate increases will offset inflationary cost increases projected at 2-3 percent, fund debt service, maintain adequate fund balances in housing operations and provide for administrative costs.
The Board approved the Resident Housing Association's recommendation of a three percent increase per semester in the meal plan charges for residents living in housing on the mandatory plan. The rates were developed for the academic year effective fall 2013 to offset inflationary cost increases in labor and food.
The Information Technology fee will change from $6.85 per credit hour to $7.05, resulting in a full-time undergraduate student paying $211.50 annually (two academic semesters of 15 hours each) compared with $205.50 that is paid currently for two semesters. This fee helps defray the costs of supporting computing resources and networking infrastructure on campus.
Textbook rental fees will increase by $18 for the academic year effective fall 2013. The textbook rental fee is assessed at the same rates year-round. The annual rate for 30 hours will increase from $351 to $369. The increase will offset other inflationary operating cost increases in salaries and general administrative costs, provide necessary levels of service and maintain an appropriate fund balance.
A full-time undergraduate student (30 credit hours) will pay an Intercollegiate Athletics annual fee of $341.30 beginning in the fall, a change from the current rate of $331.40. The proposed increase of $9.90 will support the annual operating expenses associated with an NCAA Division I program and will move the program toward established fund balance targets.
Annually (for a full-time student enrolled in 15 hours during fall and spring)
FY13 FY14 Change
• SWAF $225.80 $229.90 +$ 4.10
• Student Fitness Center $163.50 $168.40 +$ 4.90
• Facilities Maintenance $555.00 $570.00 +$15.00
• University Center $313.50 $323.10 +$ 9.60
School of Pharmacy students will see a decrease of $35 per semester in their technology fee as the semester rate will drop from $235 to $200. While the fee provides for student laptop computers and replacements, the higher fee is no longer required as the cost for laptops has declined and built-in battery replacement is available.
SIU Board of Trustees Approves SIUE AY 13-14 Tuition
The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees yesterday approved a five percent tuition increase for the 2013-14 Academic Year that results in a $348 increase over last year for newly entering, in-state undergraduates on the Edwardsville campus. A $198 annual increase (3.0 percent) also was approved for SIUE in-state graduate students for the coming fall.
In addition, the board also approved other tuition change proposals that result in annual three percent increases for students enrolled in the professional schools of Dental Medicine and Pharmacy. The overall tuition proposal was considered during the board's regular May meeting conducted on the Carbondale campus.
The increased annual tuition rate will be $7,296 for new in-state, full-time undergraduate students (15 hours per semester) entering this coming fall. Undergraduate students currently in a guaranteed tuition plan will see no increase in their annual tuition rate. In-state, full-time students (12 hours per semester) in the SIUE Graduate School will pay $6,702 in tuition.
For in-state students, the School of Pharmacy annual tuition will be $22,764, while the SIU School of Dental Medicine annual tuition will increase to $28,552.
SIUE Staff Member's Daughter Vaults to National Junior Olympic Team
The sixteen-year-old daughter of a Southern Illinois University Edwardsville staff member is part of the Regional 5 Junior Olympic Team that will compete at the 2013 Women's U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships in Minneapolis.
DaWanda Gresham, accounting associate at the SIUE East St. Louis Center, is hoping that her daughter, Ciara, will make a good showing. But more importantly, Gresham said, she is proud of the teenager's progress and hard-earned successes along the way.
"Ciara and her Region 5 team members have been committed to their sport all of their lives," said Gresham, of Shiloh. "She loves gymnastics and is thrilled to have achieved this level of accomplishment." Region 5 consists of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.
Ciara is one of about 450 of the country's best Level 10 gymnasts competing Friday and Saturday. Level 10 is the highest level in the Junior Olympic program. Gymnasts from 39 states compete in the championship, which features eight age divisions. Ciara is among 25 junior gymnasts from Illinois and is listed as: World Class Gymnastics, Region 5, and Junior D.
All the gymnasts are competing to become Junior Olympic national champions in the all-around and in the following four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.
For the past 14 years, Ciara has trained and competed in all the above events. "I have loved gymnastics from an early age," said the teen. "As long as I can remember, I have enjoyed flipping and jumping."
"At the age of two I enrolled her into a gymnastics class, because she was always flipping off of furniture and elsewhere," Gresham said. "I thought it would help her burn up some energy. I didn't realize it would turn into a passion that she would hone into a well-developed athletic ability."
Gresham, her husband, Todd, and their 8 year-old daughter Kameron traverse the country with Ciara for her gymnastic competitions.
Traveling the country and meeting new gymnasts is an advantage of participating in the sport, Ciara said. While the 16-year-old has worked to become a good gymnast, she does not want to compete on the adult women's Olympic team, but rather has an interest in becoming a psychologist.
"It's too much for one person to think about," Ciara said, "competing for the country. It's a lot of stress. But looking back, I'm very thankful to have been in this sport."
Before she left for the national championships, Ciara said, "My responsibility is to do what I do in the gym every day so I can help my team win."
For more information about the sport, visit USA Gymnastics at http://usagym.org/pages/index.html.
SIUE East St. Louis Center
With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals-from pre-school through adult-in the Metro East region. The Center offers programs that offer the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. It does so by providing comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts.
SIU BOT Approves Cougar Athletics Apparel Deal with Adidas
The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today authorized a five-year apparel contract between SIUE Intercollegiate Athletics and Adidas America, Inc. The Board also approved the development of plans and cost estimates for development of indoor and outdoor golf facilities on the Edwardsville campus. The Board took action at its regularly scheduled May meeting on the Carbondale campus
Intercollegiate Athletics purchases athletic wearing apparel, footwear, embroidery and athletic equipment for all athletes and staff for team competitions, practices and events. The multi-year contract with the Portland, Ore., firm will cost less than single retail purchases during the same time frame. After the initial five-year agreement, an option exists for five one-year renewals. The cost of the initial five-year contract is approximately $200,000 per year and will be funded by athletic fees.
The total value of the 10-year option agreement is approximately $2 million. The actual cost is dependent on needs based on the number of competitions, practices and events scheduled annually. Bids for the services were received in accordance with University procurement policies.
Plans to enhance facilities for the Cougars' intercollegiate golf programs will look at designs and costs for constructing an indoor practice facility and an outdoor driving range. The preliminary design process will evaluate the feasibility of developing enclosed/covered bays that could be opened on one side toward the driving range. The design also will address putting greens, restrooms and lockers along with outdoor greens, a practice course, a clubhouse and future additions to the clubhouse. An analysis of possible sites and an overall master plan for the facility will be developed, so the project can be accomplished in phases as funding becomes available.
A Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) process will be conducted to select a consultant for the golf project. The consultant will help determine the extent of the work to be done and the estimated cost. Final project and budget approval and award of contracts will require further Board action.
SIU BOT Approves Contracts for SIUE Lukas Athletics Annex Build Out, NW University Dr. Multipurpose Path and Art & Design Roofing
The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today at its regularly scheduled meeting on the Carbondale campus approved contracts worth more than $1.5 million to complete three separate projects on the Edwardsville campus:
- The build out of the top and bottom floors of the Charles and Mary Lukas Athletics Annex
- The project, budget and construction contracts to construct a pedestrian and bike path along Northwest University Dr.
- The construction contract to replace the roof on the existing Art and Design Building
At its November 2012 meeting, the board approved the project and budget for the annex build out. The project will complete the annex's top and bottom floors. The ground floor will accommodate a weight and fitness training area for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. The top floor will accommodate offices for the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. A special events center also will be completed.
Once the two floors are finished, space in the Vadalabene Center currently occupied by academic units will be available as swing space to support other major building renovations on campus.
The contracts to perform the annex construction work were awarded to the following Illinois firms:
Work Contractor Value
General Construction: Bruce Unterbrink Construction, of Greenville $719,700
Electrical: J.F. Electric, of Edwardsville $218,769
Heating: Loellke Plumbing and Heating, of Jerseyville, Ill., $73,800
Plumbing: Loellke Plumbing and Heating, Jerseyville, Ill. $21,680
Ventilation: JEN Mechanical, of Alton, Ill. $138,298
The Northwest University Dr. multipurpose path project will construct a mixed-use path to provide safe access for students on university property to the new Enclave West. A privately developed student housing complex adjacent to the campus' north boundary, the Enclave West is scheduled to open in August 2013.
The new path will provide a safe pedestrian and/or bike access for students who will be traveling the more than one-half mile between the campus core and the new complex.
The developer has agreed to donate $150,000 toward the university's project costs and will pay its own costs for safe access on the development side of the project. The project's estimated cost is $725,000, of which $575,000 would be funded from University Plant Funds. A Qualifications Based Selection process was used to select Hurst-Rosche Engineers of Hillsboro, Ill., as the consultant for the design of the path.
The contracts to perform the construction work were awarded to the following Illinois firms:
Work Contractor Value
Asphalt: Keller Construction, Inc., of Glen Carbon $322,445
Electrical: Lowry Electric Co., Inc., of East St. Louis $264,299
The roof replacement for the existing Art and Design Building is part of the overall $15.9 million Art and Design Building Expansion and Renovation, which the Board approved in 2011. The project's final phase is replacing the existing building's 19-year-old roof.
The contract to perform the roofing work was awarded to Joiner Sheet Metal & Roofing of Greenville at a cost of $484,735.
Cougar Lake Pool Opens With New Renovation
The Cougar Lake Pool at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is scheduled to open on Friday, May 24 with a new feature-a splash pad.
"We converted our wading pool into a Splash Pad for summer 2013," said Keith Becherer, assistant director of SIUE Campus Recreation. "The conversion was done in response to student expectations, industry trends and to make the Cougar Lake Recreation Area more accessible to all patrons."
To celebrate the opening of the splash pad and to kick off the summer operating season, free admission will be offered to everyone during the Memorial Day weekend.
The splash pad will feature various water sprinklers that will be accessible to everyone.
The pool's hours of operations are from noon-6 p.m. every day.
The cost for use of the pool is free for SIUE students with valid identification. During Family Night, from 6-8 p.m. Monday, the immediate family of students, faculty, staff and alumni can use the facility at no charge. For details on the costs of seasonal memberships, including a limited number available to the general public, swimming lessons and more information, visit Cougar Lake Pool or call (618) 650-2348.
Cougar Lake Recreation Area
The Cougar Lake Recreation Area at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville consists of a pavilion, a lake and a pool. The pavilion is available to rent for picnics and gatherings. It includes a covered picnic shelter, picnic tables and a grass volleyball court. The lake allows for fishing. A valid Illinois fishing license is required.
Fred McCall is SIUE CLI Alumni Leadership Award Winner
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the Construction Leadership Institute (CLI) last night named Frederic J. McCall as its first Alumni Leadership Award recipient. McCall is vice president of BSI Constructors and a CLI Class of 2004 graduate.
The award was presented at the 10 th anniversary celebration of the CLI program at SIUE in the School of Engineering atrium. The CLI Alumni Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding graduate of the CLI program honoring exceptional contributions to the building community through leadership, character and hard work.
"Fred McCall epitomizes the CLI Leadership Award criteria," said Dr. Chris Gordon, CLI co-director and chair of the Department of Construction in SIUE's School of Engineering. "In addition to his success and contributions in his professional and personal life, he is improving the industry by serving as a mentor to BSI's emerging leaders."
Fred McCall joined BSI Constructors as a project engineer. He has progressed through the ranks to his current role as vice president and preconstruction director, while serving in nearly every key role at BSI along the way. He is widely considered a top building professional in the St. Louis construction community. In addition, Fred contributes significantly to the St. Louis community through his work with his church, veterans organizations and the environment.
Fred participated in the inaugural class of the CLI program. The Construction Leadership Institute was created 10 years ago when building industry leaders approached SIUE to help create a program to accelerate the leadership development of high potential employees. It resulted in the annual program of nine weekly, day-long sessions from mid-January through mid-March. The program is designed and continuously refined to develop and hone leadership, communication and critical professional skills for emerging leaders in the industry.
"Many of the more than 200 building industry professionals, who have participated in the CLI program, now serve in leadership roles for St. Louis area contractors, suppliers, professional services firms, major facility owners and industry affiliated organizations," said Sandra Hindelang, CLI co-director and director of Executive Education in the School of Business.
Photo: BSI Constructors Vice President Fred McCall.
SIUE Receives Grant from NSF's STEM Talent Expansion Program
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's School of Engineering has received a grant valued at nearly $830,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF). "Graduate 10K+", is a special funding mechanism within NSF's STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP). The focus is on creative approaches to retaining undergraduates in engineering and computer science during the first two years of college.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. SIUE is one of nine institutions on the receiving end of $10 million in funding from the Graduate 10K+ program.
Dr. Cem Karacal, associate dean in the School of Engineering is SIUE's principal investigator. The awards were announced today at the Knight Conference Center in Washington, D.C. The effort is supported by major funding from Intel and the GE Foundation.
The SIUE project is titled "Student Teams Engaging Peers for Undergraduate Progress (STEP-UP)" and addresses pre-calculus and calculus I retention for engineering students. Karacal's co-principal investigators include: Zenia Agustin and George Pelekanos, professors of mathematics and statistics; Ryan Fries, assistant professor of civil engineering; and Ryan W. Krauss, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering.
Karacal described the collaborative project between the School of Engineering and the Department of Mathematics as a holistic approach. "We expect to improve the retention rate of engineering students by using mathematics enrichment sessions, face-to-face and online tutoring, residence hall peer mentoring," he said. "We also will implement mentoring from industry professionals along with freshmen involvement in engineering student clubs and design teams. Tracking and monitoring student progress for early intervention will play a significant role."
"Through the techniques implemented during this project, engineering students will experience significant improvement in learning math," said Hasan Sevim, dean of the School of Engineering. "In the long term, I expect the methodologies developed will be used in all SIUE mathematics courses, which will significantly increase retention and graduation rates not only in engineering, but also in other disciplines as well."
The NSF is aware that as a new crop of graduates from U.S. colleges and universities enters the job market, the country is counting on a new wave of skilled workers to navigate a wide variety of complex issues. Challenges to national security, health and rehabilitation, energy security and reliability of critical infrastructure are among the most pressing.
Yet in the critical fields of engineering and computer science, industry leaders lament an inadequate supply of graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in business and industry. These also are fields in which women and minorities are generally underrepresented.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has partnered with Intel and GE to change the status quo through a targeted set of grants whose projects take creative approaches in engaging and retaining undergraduates in engineering and computer science. Both fields are dynamic, encompassing areas of focus that didn't even exist two decades ago -from green energy and advanced robotics to cybersecurity. Engineering and computer science also offer good careers with salaries that can make a life-changing difference, especially to first-generation college students and their families.
Speakers at the event included:
- Tom Kalil, deputy director for technology and innovation, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)
- Cora Marrett, acting director, NSF
- Kelvin Droegemeier, vice-chairman of the National Science Board (NSB)
- Kimberly Stevenson, Intel chief information officer
- Robert Schrafrik, special engineering projects manager, GE Aviation
The other eight awardees included:
- California State University Monterey Bay
- Cornell University
- Merrimack College
- Syracuse University
- University of Portland
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Texas-Pan American
- University of Washington and Washington State University
Photo (L to R): Dr. Zenia Agustin, professor of Mathematics and Statistics; Dr. George Pelekanos, professor of Mathematics and Statistics; Dr Ann Boyle, SIUE interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs; Dr. Cora Marrett, NSF acting director; and Dr. Cem Karacal, associate dean in the SIUE School of Engineering.
SIUE Celebrates 10th Anniversary of CLI Program
Frederic J. McCall, vice president of BSI Constructors.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the Construction Leadership Institute (CLI) will celebrate CLI's 10th Anniversary tonight at a reception in the atrium of the SIUE School of Engineering. CLI alumni will be joined by well-wishers that include top St. Louis area building industry executives and SIUE administrators.
A brief ceremony will trace the history of the program and recognize SIUE alum Ralph Korte for his leadership. Ten years ago, Korte approached SIUE to create a program to accelerate the leadership development of high potential building industry employees. Thus, CLI was born.
The ceremony will include the first annual CLI Alumni Leadership Award to Class of 2004 graduate Frederic J. McCall, vice president of BSI Constructors. The CLI Alumni Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding graduate of the CLI program honoring exceptional contributions to the building community through leadership, character and hard work.
"Fred McCall epitomizes the Construction Leadership Institute Leadership Award criteria," said Dr. Chris Gordon, CLI co-director and chair of the Department of Construction in SIUE's School of Engineering. "In addition to his success and contributions in his professional and personal life, he is improving the industry by serving as a mentor to BSI's emerging leaders."
Also to be spotlighted during the event is the Building Futures program, which the CLI Advisory Board has designated as the CLI Alumni Fall Service Project. Through an innovative extracurricular program, the Building Futures program is teaching St. Louis area middle school students the joy of hands-on design and building. Annually in the fall, CLI alumni donate a Saturday morning instructing students to safely use power tools and to develop design and building skills.
"SIUE is fortunate to have an exceptionally dedicated group of CLI graduates who are committed to improving the building community," said Sandra Hindelang, CLI co-director and director of Executive Education in the School of Business. "One of the greatest challenges facing the building industry is the retirement of approximately 25 percent of the workforce. Coupled with a generation or two who have never learned to work with their hands, a crisis in work force development is here. The Building Futures program is the perfect vehicle for CLI Alumni to inspire children with their passion for building."
The Construction Leadership Institute is a collaborative effort between the SIUE Schools of Business and Engineering to offer an annual program of nine weekly, day-long sessions from mid-January through mid-March. The program is designed and continuously refined to develop and hone leadership, communication and critical professional skills for emerging leaders in the building industry.
A plaque honoring the contributions to the St. Louis community by late CLI graduate Tyrone Thompson also will be presented. Tyrone's mother, former Missouri State Rep. Betty Thompson, will accept the honor.
Tyrone Thompson was a member of the Kwame Building Group and graduated from the inaugural CLI program in 2004. In his private life, he was a fierce education advocate who mentored hundreds of at-risk youth. Thompson was tragically shot by two teenagers in an attempted robbery in 2010. At the time, he was developing a mentorship program through University City High School.
The Kwame Building Group continued Tyrone's work by creating the Tyrone Thompson Institute for Nonviolence (TTIN), which offers an innovative approach to school suspensions. Through the foundation, college students are trained to provide one-on-one mentoring in a student's own school setting, and support skills workshops are available to parents. As a result, college students perform community service by tutoring and mentoring; parents build parenting skills; schools retain state funding; and juvenile delinquency and dropout rates are reduced.
SIUE School of Business and the accountancy programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, representing the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. The Princeton Review consistently lists SIUE as one of the top 296 business schools in the U.S. for the seventh consecutive year. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in accounting, computer management and information systems, economics, finance, management and marketing. More than 20,000 alumni have earned degrees from the SIUE School of Business. For more information about the School of Business, visit www.siue.edu/business.
SIUE School of Engineering offers one of the most comprehensive and affordable engineering programs in the St. Louis region with eight undergraduate degrees, five master's degrees and a cooperative doctoral program, all housed in a state-of-the-art facility. Students learn from expert faculty, perform cutting-edge research, and participate in intercollegiate design competitions. Companies in the metropolitan St. Louis area provide students challenging internships and co-op opportunities which often turn into permanent employment. All undergraduate programs are accredited by their respective accreditation agencies.
FLIGHT Scheduled for Take-off May 29 on SIUE Stage
Acrobatics, an airplane and the advancement of the women's movement can all be seen on one stage during the theatrical performance of FLIGHT at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Technology, history and art will converge in a unique and stunning way at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 29 in Dunham Hall Theater.FLIGHT is presented as part of SIUE XFest and SIUE's Arts & Issues. The theatrical piece is sponsored by the Cassens Companies of Edwardsville.
"I think it will be thought provoking because of all the issues that will be portrayed, but it will also be entertaining," said Grant Andree, director of SIUE's Arts & Issues and assistant director of development in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The performance is set in Paris in 1913 and deals with the pioneering women fliers of the time. The theatrical piece will revolve around the assembly of a three-quarter sized Bleriot XI monoplane on stage. Also part of the show will feature new choreography, a complex sound and music score, and filmmaking.
"We remain interested in creating new work that explores the synchronicity of an artistic work with its historical environment," according to Robyn Hunt and Steve Pearson, co-founders and directors of Pacific Performance Projects-East, which produces productions that employ a synthesis of the core of Suzuki training, modern dance, slow tempo, circus technique and silent narrative. FLIGHT was created and directed by Pearson and written by Hunt.
"FLIGHT uses a contemporary, integrated artistic approach to treat the first decades of the twentieth century, linking the present with that past to reveal the core relationships of art and society," Hunt and Pearson noted.
The theater piece offers a colorful interface of past and present and displays the creativity of early aviators, filmmakers, and the first advocates of realistic theatre, according to the Pacific Performance Projects-East cofounders.
"Its thematic threads include early feminism, the confluence of historical fact and artistic fiction," said Hunt and Pearson, "the theatrical implications of real work on stage, and of course elements of flight: aerial freedom, metaphor, cosmology, and escape.
For tickets and information, visit the SIUE Dunham Hall Arts & Issues Box Office, the SIUE Morris University Center Information Booth, artsandissues.com or call (618) 650-5774. For more information about the performance, visit p3east.com .
The Arts & Issues series brings artistic excellence to the SIUE campus through an eclectic blend of speakers and performers. For more than 28 years, SIUE's Arts & Issues series has showcased some of the world's finest artists. Each season, thought-provoking speakers inspire people of all ages and backgrounds. Thanks to the underwriting of SIUE, corporations, foundations and individual donors, tickets are often discounted by as much as 75 percent.
Arts & Issues is tied to the academic mission of the University and offers unique opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and the community, to engage with performers and speakers through master classes and special sessions.
Photo Information: Steve Pearson and Robyn Hunt
SIUE to Recognize CLI Graduate Tyrone Thompson's Education Contributions
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the Construction Leadership Institute (CLI) Advisory Board will present a plaque honoring the contributions to the St. Louis community by late CLI graduate Tyrone Thompson. The plaque will be presented at the 10 th anniversary celebration of the CLI program on Wednesday, May 8, in the School of Engineering atrium. Thompson's mother, former Missouri State Rep. Betty Thompson, will accept the award.
Tyrone Thompson was a member of the Kwame Building Group and graduated from the inaugural program of the Construction Leadership Institute in 2004. In his private life, he was a fierce education advocate who mentored hundreds of at-risk youth. Thompson was tragically shot by two teenagers in an attempted robbery in 2010. At the time, he was developing a mentorship program through University City High School.
The Kwame Building Group continued his work by creating the Tyrone Thompson Institute for Nonviolence (TTIN), which offers an innovative approach to school suspensions. Through the foundation, college students are trained to provide one-on-one mentoring in a student's own school setting and support skills workshops are made available to parents. As a result, college students perform community service by tutoring and mentoring; parents build parenting skills; schools retain state funding; and juvenile delinquency and dropout rates are reduced.
CLI was created 10 years ago when building industry leaders approached SIUE to help create a program to accelerate the leadership development of high potential employees. It resulted in collaboration between the SIUE Schools of Business and Engineering to offer an annual program of nine weekly, day-long sessions from mid-January through mid-March. The program is designed and continuously refined to develop and hone leadership, communication and critical professional skills for emerging leaders in the building industry.
Tyrone Thompson.