News

As the New Year progresses, it’s time for prospective and admitted students to set goals and envision the next steps in their educational journeys. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville invites these individuals and their guests to add a campus visit to their calendars this spring.

“Whether you are just beginning the college search process or have already narrowed your list to your top schools, visiting campus is one of the surest ways to help you decide if that college is the...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, conferred degrees upon 1050 eligible graduates during December 2025 commencement ceremonies, held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13 in the First Community Arena at Vadalabene Center. 

SIU System President Dan Mahony, PhD, welcomed graduates, guests and introduced Chancellor Minor who addressed the Class of 2025 with this message: “This moment marks a stage of growth in your pers...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville mourns the passing of Eva Dreikurs Ferguson, PhD, professor emerita of psychology and distinguished scholar, who died Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at the age of 96. Ferguson served the University for more than five decades, leaving an indelible mark on SIUE through her teaching, scholarship, mentorship and philanthropic legacy.

Eva joined SIUE in 1965 and served as a faculty member in the Department of Psychology until her retirement in 2019. During her 54-y...

 
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville communications team ends the year with a look back at 2025 with images from University photographer Howard Ash.

The recorded events in order of appearance are as follows: 

• 42nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon keynote speaker Donzaleigh Abernathy, activist and author, goddaughter of Dr. King
• Faculty and Alumni perform with the SIUE Concert Jazz Band during An Evening with The...

 
Donors to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s annual Giving Tuesday campaign, themed “Cougar Nation Gives Back," contributed $427,989.10 in philanthropic support through scholarships, program enhancements, faculty support, and state of the art facilities, an 19.2% percent increase from last year.

The campaign drew 990 gifts from 828 unique donors, with an average gift of $432.31, highlighting the generosity and broad engagement of t...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) now has its first Endowed Professorship, due to a major contribution from Professor Emerita Therese Poirier, PharmD, MPH, FASHP, FCCP, BCPS. The Therese Poirier Endowed Professorship in Pharmacy is the largest single gift in the School of Pharmacy’s history.

“I look at some of the bigger schools and their affiliations where they have lots of money,” said Poirier. &#8...

SIUE graduate student Syanne Mohamed (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) had been named as the Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week.

Mohamed played 31 minutes in the game against Valparaiso Dec. 12. She went 7-10 from the field putting up 14 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds, and had four blocks. 

The Cougars (7-3) open up Ohio Valley Conference play on Thursday on the road at Eastern Illinois. 

SIUE freshman Iwo Baganc (Poznan, Poland) has  been selected as the Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball Freshman of the Week.

Baganc played just under 12 minutes in Sunday's win over Eureka but scored a career-best 10 points while shooting 4-5 from the field. He scored the last eight points of the game for the Cougars including break-away dunks on three consecutive possessions. He added three rebounds and a steal.

In four games this season, he has averaged 6.3 points and 2.5 rebound...

The Graduate School at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in conjunction with the Office of the Provost has announced the Distinguished Research Professor Award to two faculty members: Kristine Hildebrandt, PhD, and Faith Liebl, PhD.

The committee of distinguished research faculty awarded Drs. Hildebrandt and Liebl the promotion to Distinguished Research Professor based on each of their significant research output...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville TRIO Upward Bound’s Ideah Bradley is on a full-circle journey as the newest program Data Specialist who graduated from the college readiness program as a teen in 2021.

Bradley begins her MBA at SIUE in January 2026. Throughout her academic career, she has stayed connected to the TRIO Upward Bound experience. After graduating the program as a teen, Bradle...

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 a...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville raised a glass to its newest graduates on Thursday, Dec. 11, ahead of this weekend’s commencement ceremonies. The semiannual Always a Cougar Celebration welcomed members of the Class of ’25, along with their families and alumni, for an evening reception and champagne toast in the Meridian Ballroom of the Morris University Center.

Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, faculty, and staff met with graduating students and their guests.

“It is...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville announced two Fall 2025 URCA Research Assistant and Creative Activities Assistant of the Semester awards: Emma Prott who graduates this December with a degree in environmental toxicology, and Ella Young, a senior double majoring in English and Anthropology. 

Prott was interviewed previously about her work studying border militarization on the Rio Grande with mentor Adriana Martinez, PhD, professor of physical geography,  fluvial geom...

On Dec. 9, 125 students in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville CODES (Community Oriented Digital Engagement Scholars) program hosted their end-of-semester showcase in Lovejoy Library. The CODES curriculum combines small research teams with a faculty member and a community organization in order to consider how the world's vital issues impact communities near SIUE. Presentations that included data storytelling, historical analysis and y...

On Wednesday the Ohio Valley Conference announced that the SIUE volleyball program earned the 2025 Team Sportsmanship Award.

Voted on by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports, the team awards are bestowed upon the Conference squads deemed to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the OVC and NCAA. Included in the areas for evaluation are the conduct of student-athletes, coaches, staff, administrators and fans.

The 2025-...

In celebration of the centennial of Route 66, SIUE Athletics is proud to announce the department's first alternate identity. At various times during the 2026 calendar year, beginning on New Year's Day with men's and women's basketball, SIUE will compete as the SIUE 66ers.

The SIUE 66ers will compete with a new logo and color scheme including red, grey, and yellow. Each of SIUE's 16 intercollegiate teams will compete as the 66ers at least once during 2026, with a full schedule to be released a...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville staff served 535 students in under an hour during a late night breakfast to fuel up for finals. The annual tradition took place the night of Sunday, Dec. 7 in Morris University Center.

Make it a great finals week, Cougars!

Photos by Howard Ash

Nearly 100 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students participated in the Fall 2025 Affinity Graduation Celebrations this commencement season. Hosted by the Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub, the ceremonies honored the academic achievements, cultural identities and lived experiences of SIUE’s graduating students.  

A total of 94 students participated in the following: 

• Hispanic/Latinx Graduation...

Military and Veteran Services (MAVS) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville marked the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII this fall with a series of programs exploring the war’s lasting impact at home and around the world.

The first event of the series, “Women at War,” included a presentation and book signing from Tanya Roth, PhD, lecturer, local instructor and author of “Her Cold War: Women in the U.S. Military, 1945-1980.”

Roth highlighted the contributio...

SIUE senior forward Ring Malith has been named the Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball Player of the Week after a pair of standout performances.

Ring Malith was the offensive leader for the Cougars, and the catalyst in the comeback win Monday at North Florida. Malith recorded his first 30-point game with a career-high 31 points, while adding 10 rebounds for his seventh career double-double.

He sparked the Cougars to an 18-2 run to finish the game and scored the final nine points of the c...