News

Here are some of the recently published stories featuring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students, alumni, faculty and broader initiatives showcasing SIUE’s regional impact:

1. Four SIUE Alumni Named to St. Louis Business Journal’s “40 Under 40”

• Jenna Gorlewicz, BS Mechanical Engineering ’08, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation at Saint Louis University
• Colin Hale, BS ’13, MS ’20, Mechanical Engineering, Associate Vice President at CannonDesign
• Zachary Lewis, BS CMIS ’12, Network and System Administrator at St. Louis College of Pharmacy
• Erica Ridgway, BS Civil Engineering ’12, St. Louis Regional Manager at TREKK Design Group

The “Top 40 Under 40” honors outstanding young professionals across the region whose leadership, innovation and community impact set them apart.

Read more on the St. Louis Business Journal.

PHOTO: Zachary Lewis, Erica Ridgway, Colin Hale, Jenna Gorlewicz

2. WSIE’s Robin Boyce Featured as a “St. Louis Character”

The St. Louis Business Journal featured Robin Boyce, longtime WSIE radio host and journalist, in its “St. Louis Character” series. Boyce reflected on her career in broadcasting, the mentors who shaped her work and her passion for amplifying voices across the region.

The feature highlights Boyce’s role at WSIE and her decades of commitment to community-centered storytelling.

Read the full profile on the St. Louis Business Journal.

PHOTO: Robin Boyce


3. Paul Rose, PhD, Featured in WalletHub’s Starter Credit Card Guide

SIUE psychology professor Paul Rose, PhD, offered expert advice in WalletHub’s national guide to selecting beginner credit cards. Rose discussed responsible credit use, interest rate awareness and strategies for students and young adults building financial habits.

His commentary contributes to WalletHub’s ongoing consumer education series focused on financial literacy.

Read the full article on WalletHub.

PHOTO: Paul Rose

4. STLPR Highlights Regional Environmental History Featuring SIUE Expertise

St. Louis Public Radio explored the region’s history of coal pollution and civic response, referencing SIUE-affiliated scholarship on an environmental change and public health segment.

Andrew Theising, PhD, SIUE professor of political science, contributed historical information about former St. Louis Mayor Raymond Tucker, and joined a regional conversation about environmental policy toward cleaner air.

Listen to the segment on St. Louis Public Radio.

PHOTO: St. Louis on “Black Tuesday,” 1939

5. Edwardsville Turkey Trot at SIUE Featured in Illinois Business Journal

The Illinois Business Journal featured the annual Edwardsville Neighbors Turkey Trot, hosted on SIUE’s campus Thanksgiving morning. The community run supports local families while strengthening SIUE’s ongoing partnership with area organizations.

Hundreds of participants gathered on campus trails for this year’s event, marking one of the region’s most well-known holiday traditions.

Read more about the Edwardsville Neighbors Turkey Trot on the Illinois Business Journal.

PHOTO: Runners gathering for the Edwardsville Turkey Trot on SIUE’s campus.

6. “Black Excellence in Healthcare: White Coats & Real Talk” Celebrates SIUE Alumna Asheley Whitlatch.

A new episode of “White Coats & Real Talk,” a podcast that explores Black excellence in healthcare and amplifies Black healthcare professionals, features SIUE nursing alumna Ashley Whitlatch, DNP, MBA, APRN, FNP-C. Whitlatch discussed clinical experiences, challenges in modern healthcare and the importance of community support for future practitioners and is the founder and CEO of A.K. Hybrid Health.

The video podcast series offers a candid look at the realities of nursing and STEM education by elevating Black voices in the profession.
Watch the episode on YouTube.

PHOTO:  Host Angel White, Ashley Whitlatch

7. SIUE Alumna Diane Dietz review of “Music Under the Dome”

The Jacksonville Journal-Courier featured SIUE alumna soprano Diane Dietz in a preview of the Jacksonville Library’s Music Under the Dome concert series. The annual series brings immersive chamber experiences in the library’s rotunda to audiences from central Illinois.

Read the story on the Jacksonville Journal-Courier. 

8. SIU SDM Veterans Dental Care Day Featured on Regional News Outlets 

The SIU School of Dental Medicine’s Veterans Dental Care Day received coverage from multiple outlets, including First Alert 4 and KSDK. The program provides free dental services for veterans while offering hands-on experience for dental students.

Coverage showcased SIU SDM’s commitment to service, community health and clinical education.

Watch coverage from First Alert 4.

Read the article on Riverbender.

PHOTO: Dental student assisting a veteran during Veterans Dental Care Day

9. SIUE Volunteers Support Hispanic Families Through Sin Fronteras 

The Collinsville Daily News highlighted SIUE volunteers supporting Sin Fronteras, an initiative connecting Hispanic families with early childhood resources, educational support and community programming.

SIUE volunteers assisted with moving supplies to the new location in Fairmont City, Il.

Read the story on the Collinsville Daily News.

PHOTO: Sin Fronteras Family Resource Center

10. NewsBreak Picked up Headline from Graduate School’s RGGS Awards

NewsBreak, a news app that aggregates leading local news, featured SIUE’s announcement recognizing recipients of the Graduate School Student Research Awards.

The awards support innovative graduate scholarship across disciplines and encourage the advancement of independent research.

Read more on NewsBreak.

PHOTO: Student Sheeba Sadiq presents her research at the 2025 GSRS

11. SIUE Hosts One of Region’s Largest Foodbank Distributions

KMOV First Alert 4 and KSDK covered the St. Louis Area Foodbank distribution on Thursday, Nov. 20, at SIUE. This was one of the largest deployments in the region to date. Volunteers organized vehicles, loaded donations and supported families throughout the distribution event.

The coverage gave visibility to the central role SIUE has in the Metro East.

Watch coverage on First Alert 4.

Watch coverage on KSDK.

PHOTO: KMOV Anchor and SIUE alumnus Cameron Bopp Introducing the food distribution segment by Steve Harris

12. KSDK Recognizes Academic Excellence in Athletics

KSDK aired a brief segment bolstering SIUE Athletics recent announcement as the leading Division I Graduation Success Rate Ranking in all public institutions.

Watch the segment on KSDK.

PHOTO: SIUE Athletics infographic on KSDK.