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SIUE Nursing Faculty Awarded Fellowship for Teaching

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:38:38 +0000

Amelia Perez, assistant professor of Primary Care and Health Systems Nursing through the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing, was among 18 nursing faculty at Illinois colleges and universities who were recipients of $10,000 fellowships awarded by the Illinois Board of Higher Education at its December meeting.

The fellowships may be used as salary supplements or to fund professional development activities.

The state of Illinois faces a shortage of well-trained nurses, along with a shortage of highly qualified nursing faculty to educate new nurses. The Illinois Nurse Educator Fellowship Program rewards well-qualified faculty for remaining in the classroom rather than relocating to better paying private sector positions.

Laura Bernaix, professor and chair of the SIUE Department of Primary Care and Health Systems, explained the importance of this award for Perez and the SIUE School of Nursing. “The IBHE Nurse Educator Program is an excellent way to provide new faculty with opportunities for development and to help ensure their retention in academia,” Bernaix said. “Dr. Perez plans to use her fellowship funding to attend various continuing education conferences and workshops to learn best practices for incorporating diversity, culture competence and health care, specific to the Hispanic population, into our nursing curriculum, and to develop her skills as a teacher-scholar. The knowledge and skills gained as a result of this fellowship will help to ensure that the SIUE School of Nursing is continuing to meet the learning needs of our students.”

Fellows are nominated by Illinois institutions of higher learning with a nursing program approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission.

SIUE Chancellor Search Advisory Committee Seeks Community Feedback

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:54:30 +0000

Last November, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Search Advisory Committee was formed to assist in efforts to find the replacement for Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift, who, after eight years of distinguished service plans to retire at the conclusion of Academic Year 2011-12.

The committee is seeking participation and feedback from the SIUE, Edwardsville and Glen Carbon communities, which will be vital in the new Chancellor selection process.

A form to submit comments or items that are considered important in the search process to the committee has been added to the Chancellor Search site: siue.edu/chancellorsearch/contact.shtml.

On-campus interviews of the finalists are currently scheduled for the end of March and early April, with the naming of the new chancellor planned for the May 2012 SIU Board of Trustees meeting.

SIUE Music Faculty Featured Through HEC-TV’s I Love Jazz: February 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:53:29 +0000

Higher Education Channel Television (HEC-TV) has Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in the spotlight this month, featuring the University’s jazz programs.

Musical guest SIUE Professor of Music Rick Haydon, who manages the recording studio and is the director of Jazz Studies at SIUE, talks about jazz during the segment and performs with a quartet. In the channel’s education segment this month, Building Blocks of Jazz, Haydon joins HEC-TV’s Phil Dunlap to discuss rhythm guitar in jazz music. From the station’s Don Wolff’s archives, Jazz Gem features 7-string guitarist, Bucky Pizzarelli. According to the station, audiences will meet the “Rising Stars of Jazz,” who are students from the SIUE Jazz program.

As St. Louis’ leading producer of education, arts and cultural television programming, HEC-TV is the only television station in the metro area with the mission statement “to strengthen and promote the education, arts and cultural communities in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.” Major funding for the station comes from the St. Louis County Commission for Educational Media. It is programmed by the Higher Education Consortium, which is a compilation of the 12 colleges and universities and 62 cooperating school districts in Greater St. Louis. The HEC-TV Board of Directors is comprised of the presidents, chancellors and leaders of member colleges and universities.

Haydon, who is one of the first SIUE jazz program graduates, said he has been pleased with its evolution since its inception in 1982. “We’ve had a great thing here. I think there are folks who come here specifically for our jazz program. Students have said they’ve heard our professors on CDs and it has influenced their decision to come here. As faculty members, we’re all performing all the time and I think that’s one of the attractions to this program.”

According to HEC-TV’s website, its programming reaches 630,000 subscribers each minute of each day. Programming is available for general viewing, as well as to teachers for use with appropriate curriculum and classroom materials. The site continues, “Winner of the prestigious Station of Excellence from the Mid America Emmy association in 2010 and 2011, HEC-TV is committed to producing and presenting programming that engages the audience, illuminates subjects, and challenges viewers.”

For more information, visit hectv.org/programs/series/i-love-jazz. For show times click on the “TV Schedule” tab.

SIUE Finance Professor’s Research Featured in the Wall Street Journal

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:49:28 +0000

Understanding corporate stock buybacks can be a tool in an investor’s arsenal, if investors closely examine the trades made by insiders leading up to the buyback announcement. Dr. Shrikant Jategaonkar, an assistant professor in the School of Business at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has studied the relationship between share repurchases, insider buying and stock performance between 1991 and 2006. His working paper entitled “If it’s good for the firm, it’s good for me: Insider trading and repurchases motivated by undervaluation” was highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article on Saturday, January 21^st, 2012 (Buy Signals: How to Decipher Stock Buybacks).

Smart Money.com columnist Jack Hough explored share buybacks and the possible implications of this activity for investors in his article. Hough cited a variety of reasons why managers choose to repurchase their stock and how in some cases this can be a signal to invest in that company. He posed the question: How do you know when a company feels that their stock is undervalued?

“Valuation ratios are useful, but company insiders are in a particularly good position to know when their shares are cheap or undervalued,” according to Jategaonkar. His study shows that stock repurchases associated with unusually low insider buying outperformed other stocks by almost 9 percent over a four-year period. In contrast, firms with unusually high insider buying prior to stock repurchases earned an abnormal return of 29 percentage points over the same period. “If managers are spending their own money on shares, it is a good indicator of value because their actions matter more than their words.”

Jategaonkar, who is an alumnus of SIUE’s School of Business, earned an M.S. degree in Economics and Finance in 2004. Prior to returning to SIUE, he received a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Arizona.

The SIUE School of Business is among an elite 10 percent of business schools worldwide that have earned the prestigious seal of approval from the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business (AACSB) International. The School’s accounting program is accredited through AACSB International. Less than 30 percent of AACSB accredited business schools also hold the accounting accreditation. For the sixth consecutive year, the SIUE School of Business is named an outstanding business school by The Princeton Review. The publication’s The Best 294 Business Schools: 2012 Edition recommends the School as one of the best institutions in the U.S. to attend to earn an MBA.

Poet to Inspire and Challenge SIUE Charter High School Students

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:23:20 +0000

Many young people love the music and message of such hip hop superstars as Jay-Z, DMX and Snoop Dogg. But when dealing with rap, as well as other cultural influences, young people should consider what goes into both their hearts and heads, according to Chicago-area poet and motivational speaker, Reggie Legend.

Legend, 33, will visit students at the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School on Friday. The young poet will be at the school all day, beginning with an assembly at 9:35 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room, Building D, at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd. in East St. Louis. The theme for the school activity is “Authoring Your Destiny – Taking you from what you think you can be to what you never thought you could achieve!” Legend will challenge students to broaden their perspectives on how to make the best of their education, take hold of hope and shape it into destiny. The poet will also hold sessions with students to help improve their writing skills.

Legend is author of the book, Steel Waters Volume 1: DUPLicate AuthentICITY. In the book, the Christian poet deals with his duality and being torn between two worlds: light and dark, spirit and flesh.

“My mission is to help give young people of this generation a new voice and direction,” Legend said. “Rap influenced me because it was a dominant medium for my culture. But now as a Christian poet, I am dealing with the ill effects that can be associated with rap.”

The poet said he’s not trying to “demonize” the popular music or the culture. Legend does, however, point out that there is a dark side of rap, and that the artistic expression has strayed from its original beginnings of calling attention to injustice and giving a voice to the voiceless.

It is for those people, especially youth, who were disenfranchised or felt marginalized, that early rap music first sought out to encourage and uplift, Legend said. To that end, Legend has put his pen to paper.

An excerpt from the poem “Afraid of My Own Strength,” which is featured in his book reads:

“…The untapped potential of our young people

Is unmatched and exponentially unequaled.

Some peak through, but others never scratch the surface.

Stymied by either a lack of resources

Or an untimely lapse in recourses,

Last resorts have blasted fortunes into a status that’s worthless.

Forfeited self-worth is a bankruptcy of the soul

That’s a forlorn, shell-torn vacancy to behold.

To ignore your core is a flagrancy too bold and foul to sense.

So as the stench’s fragrancy is condoned,

A trail of tears heinously unfolds…

As the cadence tolls from blatant doles roused in the pits…”

More information about the poet can be found at his website: http://www.steelwaterspoetry.com.

Student Becomes SIUE’s First Young Ambassador to Germany

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:09:40 +0000

For the first time ever, an SIUE student has received the honor of being a Young Ambassador for the German Academic Exchange Service. A German education major, Hannah White is overjoyed about the opportunity presented to her.

The GAES strives to build ties between higher education institutions around the world in support of international academic collaboration. Only 39 students were chosen in the United States to represent the program, with two of those hailing from the state of Illinois. This is a major accomplishment for the University and illustrates the core value of excellence that SIUE is always working toward.

For White, the best part of being a Young Ambassador is being able to speak to SIUE classes about her study abroad experiences in Germany. She is able to tell students how much studying abroad was a life changing experience and reminds them that they don’t have to speak German to study there.

“I used to be a shy person and get anxious,” White said. “But once you are thrown into a new experience you just have to swim. I initially thought that studying abroad might put me behind. But it’s put me ahead of the game. I think everyone should study abroad. I have become a much stronger person intellectually.”

Studying abroad led White to becoming a Young Ambassador, allowing her to not only share her passion, but also to learn an important lesson.

“I would say the most significant thing I learned is the importance of intercultural understanding,” she said. “America isn’t the center of the universe. It’s important to have a global perspective, from race to religion, sexual orientation and gender. You need to know what is going on in the world around you.”

Though White is a German education major, the GAES is not limited to just education students. The opportunity is open to students from several different majors including engineering, political science, psychology, music, international relations, business and more.

Studying abroad is a big decision for many people. White initially became interested in Germany because of her ancestry. She chose to study there because of the tremendous support she received from the German education faculty at SIUE and the SIUE Center for International Programs. Both have offered Hannah guidance before she left and were just a “phone call away” while she was abroad. The Center for International Programs aids students in answering any questions they have about studying abroad and making connections.

Germany ended up being a perfect fit for White, who had taken only a 100-level German class before living in Heidelberg from January-August 2010. White now considers herself fluent in German and adds that Heidelberg is full of young adults, lots of culture and rich history.

“Heidelberg is the best,” she said. “It’s young, and you have people from France, Switzerland and Japan. It has big nightlife. It’s amazing to see all of these historic places you’ve learned about in class. To see them in real life, it’s beautiful.”

White hopes that her experience studying abroad will inspire others to do so. She is one student who has made a connection with Germany, allowing others to use that connection to create their own experiences as well. She urges everyone to, “Make the plan, while you are young, before things get too complicated. Make the plan.”

MLK Award Winners Announced At SIU Edwardsville

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:07:01 +0000

The Annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian and Scholarship Awards have been announced by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

The awards will be presented at the University’s annual celebration of the birthday of the Rev. King at SIUE on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The awards are given each year to recognize those who exemplify the philosophy of nonviolent social change as demonstrated by Rev. King.

This year’s guest speaker will be East St. Louis Mayor Alvin Parks Jr., noted as the primary architect and innovative visionary for the city’s current progress.

The luncheon program will begin at 11:30 a.m. in Meridian Ballroom of SIUE’s Delyte W. Morris University Center, followed by a reception in the Goshen Lounge for the winners of the Scholarship and Humanitarian awards. Winners of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. High School Essay, Poetry, and Visual Arts Awards also will be honored.

Winners of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards include (Click on the names in bold face to find photos suitable for print):

• Deontay “Sean” Crawford of Springfield, a junior majoring in biological sciences with a concentration in dentistry through the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences. Crawford is the recipient of the MLK Scholarship and Humanitarian Award;

• Cheryl Heard, assistant director of the SIUE Kimmel Leadership Center, who has worked for positive social change for 16 years through St. Louis area the grass roots organization, Racial Harmony, is the Faculty/Staff Humanitarian Award recipient;

• The Rev. Dorris Davis, founder of the Dorris Davis Helping Hands Shelter for homeless men in East St. Louis and dedicated community volunteer, was chosen as the recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service award.

Winners of the MLK high school competition awards are:

• Jacob Till-Meidinger of Belleville, a senior at Belleville West High School—visual arts award;

• Berit Ericson of Columbia, a senior at Waterloo High School—poetry award; and

• Richard Roberts of Alton, a sophomore at Alton High School—essay award.

Tickets for the MLK luncheon are $20 for general admission; students, $15. For reservations, call (618) 650-2660.

Elijah P. Lovejoy Library To Host “Lewis & Clark” Traveling Exhibition

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:44:59 +0000

“Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country,” a traveling exhibition, is on display at the Elijah P. Lovejoy Library on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville through March 2.

The exhibition tells the story of the explorers’ historic 1804–1806 expedition from a different point of view—that of the Indians who lived along their route. During the explorers’ journey to the Pacific coast and back, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their small group of voyagers crossed the traditional homelands of more than 50 Native American tribes. The exhibit examines this monumental encounter of cultures, and the past and present effects of those events on the lives of the tribes which still live in the region.

“What often gets lost in the story is that Lewis and Clark did not explore a wilderness—they traveled through an inhabited homeland,” said Frederick E. Hoxie, the exhibit’s curator and Swanlund Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “This expedition is part of the history of the native peoples the explorers met, and the exhibit offers us an opportunity to understand an Indian perspective on our shared American past.”

“We are pleased to have been selected as a site for this exhibition,” said Regina McBride, dean of Library and Information Services. “The story of the Lewis and Clark expedition is well known to most Americans, thanks in part to the recent bicentennial celebrations, but the Native American perspective on their voyage is not as well known. It is important to understand that although this great journey essentially opened American eyes to the West and encouraged national expansion, it also contributed to a dramatic change in the well-established cultures of the Indian tribes already living in the region.”

“Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country” draws upon original documents in the rich Native American collections of the Newberry Library, and in the collections of the Washington State Historical Society, the Minnesota Historical Society and other institutions. Photographs of handwritten documents, maps, paintings and drawings provide a colorful background for the story of the encounter.

Organized by the Newberry Library, Chicago, in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office, “Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country” was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): great ideas brought to life. Additional support came from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Sara Lee Foundation is the lead corporate sponsor; Ruth C. Ruggles and the National Park Service also supported the exhibit.

The library will host two free programs for the public in connection with the exhibition: A lecture by historian Carolyn Gilman of the Missouri Historical Society at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 and a panel discussion led by SIUE faculty Gregory Fields, Rowena McClinton and Robert Paulett, and Lewis and Clark Center Director Brad Winn, will be presented at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26. Parking for the two weekend programs is free.

Contact Library and Information Services, (618) 650-4636, email kbouman@siue.edu or visit www.siue.edu for more information.

New Director Hopes To Connect Community, The Gardens at SIUE

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:35:24 +0000

Figuratively speaking, Jane Drake’s vision is to make the bridge in The Gardens at SIUE stretch well into Edwardsville and throughout the Metro East Area.

That’s because Drake, the new director of the Gardens at SIUE, wants to grow community awareness and involvement in the Signature Garden through outreach programming and events.

“I hope to bring more exposure to The Gardens,” said Drake, who began her new job Jan. 3. “Our previous director (Doug Conley) did a fabulous job. With support from community members and a strong master plan, he established The Gardens. I will continue to develop the horticultural character of the property and find new and exciting ways to connect The Gardens to the broader community. I look forward to what we’ll grow into.”

Drake first cultivated a love of horticulture as owner/operator of a small farm in Northeast Kansas. She graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in horticulture from Kansas State University. After relocating with her family to Edwardsville, she connected with The Gardens when she volunteered there as a graduate student.

“And I fell in love with it,” she said. “I know there are many people who don’t realize what a treasure we have here.” The horticulturalist graduated from SIUE in 2009 with a Master of Science in biological sciences with an emphasis in science education.

After graduating from SIUE, Drake went to work at The Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton, MO, where she was the education director. She was responsible for collaborating with project partners, establishing a volunteer program, assisting with Center development and grant coordination, and establishing nature-based outreach programming for all ages. “I enjoy helping people connect to nature,” she said. “A well appointed, thoughtfully designed public garden is much more than its horticultural collections and meandering paths. It is a place for folks to come together, to learn from each other, to remember our history, to be observant in the moment and to engage in our future.”

The Gardens at SIUE is a 35-acre public botanical garden and is recognized by the Missouri Botanical Garden as a Signature Garden. Included in the Gardens are natural areas, gardens, sculptures and a walking path. The Garden also includes The Lantern, an Asian-influenced garden pergola embraced by white pines. Near Turtle Pond, a winding path lands in a plaza surrounded by a small amphitheater creating an intimate space for special events and contemplation.

The Prairie House, scheduled for 2012-13 and part of SIUE’s Defining Excellence Campaign, will be an exciting new addition to The Gardens. SIUE began a major gifts campaign last year to thrust the University to a new level of prominence and performance. The Gardens remains a major part of the fundraising efforts, as SIUE expects philanthropic support to transform it into a major educational and cultural resource, which will attract regional visitors and support the academic and social life of the University.

The Prairie House will offer both indoor and outdoor classroom space and be a stunning venue for events and celebrations. The surrounding Prairie Garden will both delight visitors with its iconic landscape of the Midwest, and provide students with a living laboratory in which to study and explore one of the most productive plant communities on earth.

Karla Smith Foundation to share their story at SIUE

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:49:28 +0000

Tom, Fran and Kevin Smith, founders of the Karla Smith Foundation, will be sharing the story of their daughter/sister living with a mental illness and the effects of her death by suicide at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6 in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s (SIUE) Morris University Center (MUC). The free event is being presented in cooperation with the SIUE School of Nursing.

Karla Smith’s 7-year struggle with bipolar disorder began when she was 19, and culminated with her death by suicide at age 26. In her memory, the Smith family continues her commitment to help other families face these challenges through the Karla Smith Foundation.

Sara Rosenbery, senior nursing student, along with her SIUE nursing faculty mentor, Michele Beatty, coordinated the event with the hope of shedding light on suicide. “During my freshman year, one of my friends died by suicide,” Rosenbery said. “My purpose for this event is to help people identify the warning signs and to erase the stigma associated with suicide.”

Representatives from SIUE’s Center for Spirituality and Sustainability, along with Counseling Services, will be available during and after the conclusion of the event. Donations to the Karla Smith Foundations will be accepted.

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/SIUE-School-of-Nursing/205827226104824.

A Season For The Child Continues 2011-12 Season With ‘Puss In Boots’

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:16:46 +0000

A Season for the Child (SfC), the family-oriented live theater season—sponsored by the SIUE Friends of Theater and Dance (FOTAD), TheBANK of Edwardsville and the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation of St. Louis (FPACF)—continues its 23^rd season with the beloved fairytale, Puss In Boots, on Saturday, Jan. 28.

The FPACF fosters and promotes the performing arts in the St. Louis metropolitan area, encouraging audiences of all ages and from all walks of life to discover the joy and wonder of live arts performances. TheBANK of Edwardsville has been a supporter of A Season for the Child since its inception in 1990.

Performance of the popular fairytale will begin at 7 p.m. that Saturday on the mainstage at SIUE’s Katherine Dunham Hall. The FOTAD series features professional theater troupes from St. Louis staging adaptations of various children’s stories, using interactive techniques that not only delight children and parents, but also provide a learning experience.

Before he was Shrek’s swashbuckling sidekick, Puss was one of Mother Goose’s best-loved story time characters. Find out how this frisky feline’s legend began as he leads his master on a journey to find his way in the world. The clever Puss uses cunning and intelligence to overcome an ogre, befriend a king and win the heart of the fair princess, gaining his master and himself a life of ease and happiness.

Puss In Boots will be performed by The Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC), the touring arm of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. The ITC combines the spirit of the original tale with fresh, musical mischief to present a classic adventure and a laugh-out-loud treat.

FOTAD, a support group for the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance, uses the proceeds from SfC to help fund merit awards for talented SIUE theater and dance students. Each year, the organization awards some $5,000 in merit scholarships to qualified students. FOTAD also funds scholarships for new freshmen entering the theater and dance program. The support organization holds an endowment to help fund the merit scholarship program. Those interested in donating to the endowment may contact Greg Conroy, (618) 692-0874.

Tickets for the Jan. 28 performance are $5 per person and are available through the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774. The final production of the 2011-12 season is Rumpelstiltskin, an adaptation of the fairytale by local playwright John Harvey, to be staged at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 17.

SIUE Art Auction Set For April 12 At N.O. Nelson Campus

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:07:27 +0000

The 33^rd Annual Art Auction, sponsored by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Friends of Art, is set for Thursday, April 12, on the N.O. Nelson campus of Lewis and Clark Community College, 601 Troy Road, Edwardsville. The auction will be conducted in the Leclaire Room of the Jay Hoffman Building on the campus. The entire L&C Edwardsville campus was home for many years to the SIUE Department of Art and Design, then known as the Wagner Complex.

This year’s auction will feature original donated artwork, which may be previewed from 6 -7 p.m. when professional auctioneers Gary Niemeier and Dennis Ahrens will begin the event. Admission is free to students and those who have donated pieces for the event, as well as members of the Friends of Art. Others are asked to pay $5 at the door. Since 1979, the Friends of Art organization has assisted the department in staging this fundraiser which provides funds to bring local, national and international artists, and lecturers to the SIUE campus.

In addition, the Friends group annually donates money to help purchase new books, videos and films about art for SIUE’s Lovejoy Library; sponsors awards for the annual high school art exhibit and other SIUE student exhibits, and sets aside funds for a graduate scholarship. Last year, more than 140 art pieces by faculty, alumni, friends and students were available for auction as well as nearly 50 pieces sold during the silent auction. Participants have almost as much fun bidding as winning the bid at this lively event. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

For more information or directions, contact Dianne Lynch by e-mail: lynch.dianne4@gmail.com; or Andi Smith by e-mail: beyondtimbuktu@yahoo.com.

U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin To Speak At SIUE

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:53:52 +0000

U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin will hold a media conference at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday in the Morris University Center Goshen Lounge on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus to encourage financial institutions to voluntarily adopt a bank account fee disclosure form designed to make checking account terms and fees transparent and easy for consumers to understand.

The document, created by the Pew Charitable Trust, was created to make understanding banking information easier. Durbin will be joined by Narbeth Emmanuel, SIUE vice chancellor for Student Affairs.

SIUE School of Business Hires New Director of Development

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:22:40 +0000

Marilyn Marsho (BA ’84) has been appointed director of development for the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business. Marsho brings more than 20 years of experience in academics and the nonprofit sector to her new position. Marsho comes to the School of Business after serving as the director of development for SIUE’s College of Arts and Sciences for the past 13 years.

In her new role, she will be responsible for strategic planning and implementation of all aspects of major, planned and annual contributions, as well as activities for establishing and maintaining relationships with School of Business alumni, and corporate and community leaders.

Marsho said that her initial plans for the School will focus on looking for underwriting to assist with the Cougar Business Resource Center, endowed faculty positions and new funding for student scholarships—all part of the School’s targeted goals for “Defining Excellence: The Campaign for SIUE.”

“In addition to my being a graduate of SIUE, I have many family ties to the University, such as my son-in-law and late husband, who were both graduates of the School of Business,” Marsho said. “Joining the Business School felt like a way of ‘giving back’ for the solid foundations they received at SIUE. Additionally, my father and his brother owned Illinois Lumber Co. in Edwardsville, so I am well aware of the effort it takes to run a small business and can appreciate the School’s mission of preparing students for future business endeavors.

“Providing people with the opportunities to reach their fullest potential has been my personal goal in every position that I have held and I hope to continue doing this as a part of the School of Business.”

“We are thrilled to have Marilyn’s expertise and experience in the School of Business,” said SIUE School of Business Dean Gary A. Giamartino.

Marsho formerly worked in fund development for the Girl Scouts, YWCA of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Heartland Division of the American Cancer Society. She is a long-time member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Council on Advancement and Support of Higher Education (CASE), the American Prospect Research Association (APRA) and the Southern Illinois Fund Development Association.

Space Still Available For FOTAD Trivia Night Jan. 14

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:06:07 +0000

Space still remains for the 12^th Annual Friends of Theater and Dance (FOTAD) Trivia Night set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the James F. Metcalf Theater on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

FOTAD is a support organization for the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance. The doors will open at 6 p.m., with the game scheduled to begin promptly at 7. Proceeds from the event benefit FOTAD’s student merit award fund for qualified SIUE students majoring in theater and dance at the University.

Winners of the competition will receive 1^st ($160), 2^nd ($80), or 3rd prize ($40) for scoring the most points per table. Reservations may be made for tables of eight. The evening will offer challenging trivia, during the regular question-and-answer sessions and during survivor trivia. Free popcorn and pretzels will be offered; also, soft drinks will be available for purchase.

Tickets are $10 per person; a table of eight, $80. A $40 deposit must be received by Jan. 13 to guarantee a table will be held. Make checks payable to the SIUE Foundation and send to Greg Conroy, 217 N. Buchanan St., Edwardsville, IL 62025-1740. To make reservations, call (618) 692-0874; participants must arrive by 6:50 p.m. or their reservation may be given away, unless a 50 percent deposit has been received.

Plans Moving Along With SIUE Construction Projects

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:15:49 +0000

Despite challenges presented by the economic downturn, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has progressed in its efforts to update existing structures, reallocate and create space to accommodate growth, and enhance infrastructure.

Since 2006, SIUE has been in the process of investing nearly $300 million in campus construction projects. Some of these have included:

The $39.3 million, 190,000-square-foot residence hall, known as Evergreen Hall, which opened in fall 2007 and is home to 500 students each semester, offering a variety of “green” features.
The state-of-the-art $16.1 million Student Success Center building, which opened in fall 2009 and allowed for the centralization of academic and personal support services, optimizing the academic, service and social components of the student experience.
A $9.1 million Student Fitness Center renovation and expansion project, which was completed in fall 2009 and included the addition of two multi-purpose rooms for exercise and student activities, a 30,500-square-feet gymnasium for court recreation, a food and juice bar, and an office addition.

“Each and every one of our projects is meant to improve services and enhance educational offerings for students, as well as support and encourage faculty in teaching and research opportunities at SIUE,” said Rich Walker, assistant vice chancellor for administration. “We are particularly proud of the fact that the majority of our projects are completed within the specified timeframe and under the projected budget.”

The University isn’t stopping with its current list of completed projects. It expects to introduce another round of projects during the next fiscal year. Future projects, some of which have begun, include:

The completion of the long-awaited new Science Building, expected in fall 2012, which is estimated to cost about $53 million.
Renovation of the existing Science Building, which will be connected to the new facility, at an estimated cost of $30 million.
A roughly $15.3 million Art & Design building addition and renovation. The addition will include approximately 29,000-square-feet of space for classrooms, offices and a gallery.
The projected $14.2 million expansion and renovation of the Engineering Building, which currently is underway and will include the construction of a new roughly 32,000-square-feet annex that will be connected to the existing building through an enclosed bridge.
The creation of the Vadalabene Center Lukas Athletics Annex at a projected cost of $4.5 million. A total of $4.2 million for the project was provided by a gift from the estate of Charles S. and Mary L. Lukas. The project will include the creation of approximately 29,100-square-feet of space for offices. A planned future project will involve the renovation of the vacated space for use for kinesiology and allied health education.

The Science Building projects are being funded through, and managed by, the Illinois’ Capital Development Board. The enhanced Science Building facilities will further the University’s standing as a premier Metropolitan University in the St. Louis area, as well as nationally, said SIUE Kenn Neher, vice chancellor for administration. He added, “When these projects are complete, this will significantly enhance the student learning experience at SIUE. The University has a strong commitment to educating tomorrow’s workforce for careers in science and health care professions that are currently experiencing workforce shortages.”

SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift has said the lack of a new science building “has been the single most important factor limiting future growth” at the University.

Three departments, including chemistry, biological sciences and environmental sciences, will move into the new structure upon its completion. Physics, mathematics and statistics will stay in the existing structure, which will be completely gutted and remodeled.

A 2010 Economic Impact Study conducted by members of the SIUE School of Business faculty showed the University had a $471 million annual economic impact on the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. This reflects a 32-percent increase from a study released in 2005. It also reported that SIUE is the second largest employer in Madison and St. Clair counties, with nearly 2,500 full-time employees and a total yearly payroll of more than $130 million.

“The University has a strong commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our students, and we work closely with the community and the region to make that happen,” Vandegrift said. “Being good stewards of taxpayer dollars is critical to our continued success as an institution.”

Other projects that are part of the University’s $300 million expenditures include improvements to the Environmental Resource Training Center, the Early Childhood Center, Korte Stadium, Cougar Village, the SIU School of Dental Medicine, the SIUE School of Pharmacy and the University Bookstore. Also, University signage and entrance-ways were enhanced to allow easier campus navigation, and landscaping, sidewalk and roadway improvements were made to ease traffic flow.

Housing Community Submits Entry to National Scholarship Program

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:12:46 +0000

Residents of the Eco-House, an upperclass Focused Interest Community in University Housing at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, are pursuing resources to make their dreams a reality. The Eco-House, an upperclass community of nine residents designed to support sustainable living, conservation and community service, created the video, Heart Behind the Oval to submit to the Ford Motor Company.

The three winning videos (based on public votes) will be selected. The student will receive a scholarship and the non-profit organization will be awarded a grant.

The Eco-House video submission focused on projects to be pursued if awarded the scholarship and grant. Projects included: solar panels, completing a windmill, expanding the existing compost system, creation of butterfly garden and community education.

Vicky Dean, assistant director for Residential Education, commented on the impact of Eco-House on the campus community. “The Eco-House residents are actively working together as a community to find unique ways to implement sustainable initiatives in their home,” she said. “As a Focused Interest Community, the Eco-House and its first cohort of residents have exemplified the concept of what a living and learning community can do. I’m excited to see just how much of an impact they will make on this campus.”

Participation in the Heart Behind the Oval contest is just one of several initiatives being explored by the Eco-House community. Community members have participated in grant writing and are working with partners within the campus community.

For information on the Eco-House or any University Housing Focused Interest Communities, please contact Vicky Dean at vdean@siue.edu or 650-5296 or visit www.siue.edu/housing/fic.

SIUE Student Wins Prestigious Gilman Scholarship

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:26:07 +0000

Next year, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville student Julian Glover will study and perform in one of the largest cities in Central Europe.

Glover, 20, was one of 900 outstanding American undergraduate students from more than 380 colleges and universities who won the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which makes it possible to study abroad. Glover, who is working on a major in speech communications and a double minor in sociology and music, has a grade point average of 3.68.

“I was thrilled to know that I had won,” said Glover, who will travel to Prague, where he will reside from January through May 2012.

The senior would not have been financially able to travel and study outside of the country if it were not for the Gilman Scholarship. Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad program costs.

But Glover said he expects the educational and cultural advantages to far outweigh the financial costs of the trip. After being immersed in another culture, the student said the most important lesson he hopes to receive is better and deeper appreciation for cultural diversity.

Likewise, the Gilman Scholarship Program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Southern Regional Center in Houston, Texas.

Yet another benefit of the trip will be to help Glover graduate. The student will complete his requirements for his minor in sociology while in Prague. Glover will also continue to play his cello, while attending the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.
The International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 established the scholarship and since that time, more than 6,500 students nationwide have received the award. Gilman, a U.S. congressman who retired in 2002 after serving 30 years in the House of Representatives and chairing the House Foreign Relations Committee, said: “Studying abroad is a special experience for every student who participates.

“Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience,” Gilman said. “It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”

SIUE Catholic Campus Ministry To Offer Christmas Day Mass

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:10:25 +0000

The Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, which has offered a Christmas Vigil mass on Dec. 24 for more than 20 years at SIUE’s Center for Spirituality and Sustainability, will instead this year offer Christmas Day mass at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The change in plans has occurred because of unforeseen scheduling conflicts.

Christmas Vigil mass will resume next year as usual. In addition, the CCM announced there will be no mass offered on Sunday, Jan. 1. For more information, call the center, (618) 650-3246.

SIUE Supporter Donates Building To Campaign

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:07:37 +0000

The gift of a building valued at $817,000 from an ardent supporter will help Southern Illinois University Edwardsville as it continues its efforts to define excellence.

Defining Excellence—the Campaign for SIUE is reaching its goal to raise $50 million by garnering alumni and community support. To date, nearly $30 million has been raised. The building, an existing structure located in SIUE’s University Park, was made possible through the generosity of Ralph Korte, founder of the successful Korte Company of Highland, alumnus and longtime University advocate.

“I feel very good about my business degree from SIUE and without my degree, I don’t think my company would be nearly as successful,” said Korte, who earned his bachelor’s from the School of Business in 1968 with a decade of hard work and night classes. “I’m still heavily involved and I want to see the University achieve great things.”

“My love for SIUE and my dedication to make it a better place prompted my decision. SIUE will be here for a long time after I’m gone. I hope my gift will help set an example for others to give.”

The gift is the latest example of the support the University has received from outstanding alumni and members of the community. Dennis Terry, president of the SIUE Foundation, said “Ralph Korte is a tremendous alumnus of SIUE, and he never goes anywhere without praising the University. This gift is but another addition to his legacy at SIUE.”

“Ralph has been a great asset to SIUE, and he has given us so much support over the years,” added Byron Farrell, chair of Defining Excellence—The Campaign for SIUE. “As we move forward toward our goal of $50 million for the campaign, we hope that Ralph’s continuing benevolence will encourage others to join us in this special endeavor for SIUE.”

SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift acknowledged Korte’s gift by noting that no graduate of SIUE has been more committed to the support of the University over the years. “We couldn’t be more proud of Ralph Korte and what he means to SIUE,” said Vandegrift. The exact use of the building has not yet been determined, but it is expected to be use for economic development in the University Park.

Publically launched in March, the major gifts campaign is about taking SIUE to a new level of prominence and performance. For more information, visit siue.edu/definingexcellence.

BOT Awards More Than $8.3 Million In Contracts

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:30:08 +0000

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees has awarded more than $8.3 million in contracts to eight Illinois companies and one Missouri company for two major projects on the SIU Edwardsville campus. The action took place today at the board’s regular meeting at SIU Carbondale.

In the first project, the board awarded $5,830,025 in contracts to renovate the SIUE Art and Design Building. The renovation is part of a larger project that includes a new addition to the building which is currently under construction after approval earlier this year by the board. The new addition will be completed by fall 2012 and the renovation project will be ready fall 2013.

The Art and Design renovation, which is being funded by facilities fees, and the construction of the addition originally were estimated to cost $14.3 million, but addressing safety concerns regarding the condition of the present mechanical systems has raised the entire cost to $15.9 million. The Art and Design Building was constructed in 1994.

The Art and Design renovation contracts were awarded to:

Poettker Construction Co. of Breese; $2,125,000 for general contracting
K&F Electric of Belleville; $1,244,175 for electrical work
Bi-State Fire Protection of St. Charles, Mo.; $82,450 for fire protection work
Bergmann-Roscow Plumbing of Belleville; $266,400 for plumbing work
JEN Mechanical of Alton; $929,000 for ventilation work
AMSCO Mechanical of Granite City; $1,183,000 for heating

The project will renovate the existing studio and office spaces for ceramics, design, drawing, glass, graphics, metals, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and textiles. Work includes reconfiguring the existing atrium in addition to addressing the mechanical systems safety concerns.

The board also awarded $2,513,836 in contracts for replacement of windows in SIUE’s Rendleman Building to improve the building’s energy efficiency and comfort. Funding for the work will come from facilities fees.

The renovation contracts totaling $2,513,836 were awarded to:

L. Wolfe Co. of Granite City; $2, 369,500 for general contracting
Camp Electric & Heating Co. Inc. of Alton; $26,636 for electrical work
France Mechanical Corp. of Edwardsville.; $117,700 for heating

In other business today that affects the Edwardsville campus, the SIU board gave project and budget approval for an overlay on North University Drive and for track resurfacing at Korte Stadium. In addition, the board gave authority to the board’s Executive Committee to award contracts for expansion and renovation of the Engineering Building as well as project and budget approval to construct a multi-discipline laboratory at the SIU School of Dental Medicine in Alton, both at a later date.

SIUE East St. Louis Performing Arts Presents Holiday Celebration

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:36:52 +0000

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Performing Arts Program and the SIUE Charter High School will present “Holiday Showcase Celebration,” at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16. The performance will be held in the Multi-Purpose Theater in Building D at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd., in East St. Louis, IL, 62201.

Ticket costs are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and children 12 and under. For more information please contact Theodore H. Jamison at (618) 482-6932.

The night will be filled with traditional holiday songs accentuated with dance, theater and music from the SIUE East St. Louis Performing Arts Program and the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School. A few songs that will be performed include Whitney Houston’s “Joy to the World” from Preacher’s Wife, Kirk Franklin’s “There’s No Christmas without You,” Vickie Winan’s “Mary Did You Know,” and Joan Javits’ “Santa Baby.”

Jamison is program director for the SIUE East Louis Performing Arts Program. The production is choreographed by Performing Arts staff members Andrea Smythe and Jack Williams and Charter High School staff member Jamila Ajanaku. The musical arrangement is produced by Charter High School staff member E.L. Wilkes. Special guest performances will include Vivian Watt, artistic director for What It Is Dance Co. in St. Louis, and Tiffany Scott, an artistic director from the African American Dance Company in East St. Louis, IL.

SIUE Pharmacy Students Score 100 Percent Pass Rate On National Exams

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:35:08 +0000

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy has achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) during the May 1-Aug. 31, 2011 testing cycle.

During this cycle the Illinois state and national pass rates for the NAPLEX were 93.88 percent and 94.16 percent, respectively. Also, the MPJE pass rates during this cycle were 92.25 percent for Illinois and 96.05 percent nationally.

“This is a testament to the caliber of students and graduates we have through the SIUE School of Pharmacy, as well as the quality of our faculty, staff and preceptors,” said the School’s dean, Gireesh Gupchup.

A Season For The Child Continues With ‘The Shoemaker & The Elves’

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:16:54 +0000

The Shoemaker and The Elves, a delightful musical based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, is the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Friends of Theater and Dance (FOTAD) holiday show on Saturday, Dec. 10, part of the organization’s A Season for the Child series. After some 22 years, tickets still are $5 per person.

The Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC), the traveling arm of the Repertory Theatre Company of St. Louis, will stage this classic show at 2 and 7 p.m. in SIUE’s Dunham Hall theater. The ITC has been working with FOTAD for some two decades to produce family-oriented theater for the Edwardsville area.

Times are tough for the shoemaker and his wife, and while trying to sell his only pair of shoes at the marketplace, the Shoemaker runs into a poor old beggar woman. Without thinking anything about it, he happily gives her his final pair of shoes so that she has something to warm her feet. The old woman promises that “good things” will come to the shoemaker and his wife … and they do just that. The Shoemaker and The Elves continues A Season for the Child, in its 22^nd year of presenting family-oriented theater to Southwestern Illinois audiences.

The series, sponsored by FOTAD, the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation, and TheBANK of Edwardsville, features professional theater troupes from St. Louis that stage adaptations of various children’s stories, using interactive techniques that not only delight children and parents but also provide a learning experience.

In January, the ITC will return with an adaptation of Puss In Boots—who was in a popular Mother Goose fairytale BEFORE he was friends with Shrek—at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in Dunham Hall theater. All tickets for A Season for the Child are $5 per person and may be obtained through the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774.

SIU Dental Student Wins NSRG Research Award

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:36:51 +0000

Pictured are SIU School of Dental Medicine student Jillian Rigert (right) and Kaitrin Baloue, (left), dental student at the University of Illinois at Chicago and current NSRG president.

Jillian Rigert, a student at the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, won this year’s prestigious National Students Research Group (NSRG) award for her research project related to pain management in dentistry and medicine.

The award is given each year at the Hinman Student Research Symposium to one student based on that individual’s research project. The NSRG is part of the American Association for Dental Research. The 17^th Hinman Student Research Symposium recently was held in Memphis, Tenn. and featured oral and poster presentations of research projects by dental students and graduate students from dental schools across the nation. A total of 90 students represented 41 dental schools in 24 states, the District of Columbia and four Canadian provinces.

Rigert studied the time course of expression of the TRPA1 receptor, which has a role in pain perception following injury to dental pulp. The project was directed by Dr. Kevin C. Rowland, associate professor of physiology at the SIU School of Dental Medicine.

The Symposium was sponsored by the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and co-sponsored by the Hinman Dental Society, which holds one of the nation’s largest continuing dental education meetings in Atlanta each March. The Symposium is also supported in part by grants from the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), the ADEAGies Foundation, the Procter & Gamble Company and the Tennessee Dental Association Foundation.

The keynote speaker at the Welcoming Banquet was Dr. David Wong, associate dean of research at the UCLA School of Dentistry and immediate past president of the American Association for Dental Research.

SIUE Among RCGA’s 2011 Top 50 Award Recipients

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:30:45 +0000

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has been recognized for the fifth consecutive year among the region’s top 50 by St. Louis Commerce Magazine.

As one of the 16th Annual Greater St. Louis Top 50 Award recipients, SIUE was honored at a recent dinner presentation and was recognized in the November-December issue of the magazine.

Companies and organizations are selected based on their significant contributions to regional economic and civic impact. The awards are presented by the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA), in collaboration with Rubin Brown. Sponsors include Commerce Magazine, Ameren Corp., Edward Jones, M&I Bank, Thompson Coburn LLP, KMOX Radio, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and STLtoday.com.

SIUE is the second largest employer in Madison and St. Clair counties, with more than 2,500 employees and a $471 million economic impact, according to the 2010 Economic Impact Study released by the SIUE School of Business.

About 3,500 students live on SIUE’s campus and the majority of its more than 14,100 students live in the region. More than half of the University’s 90,000 alumni live and work in the St. Louis Metropolitan area and contribute to the economy.

SIUE Chancellor Search Advisory Committee Announced

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:35:28 +0000

Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard today announced that the following individuals have agreed to serve on the SIU Edwardsville Chancellor Search Advisory Committee:

• Veronica Armouti, SIUE Alumni Association representative

• Bette Bergeron, dean, School of Education

• Rhonda Comrie, associate professor of Primary Care and Health Systems Nursing, School of Nursing

• Kathleen Gardner, associate director, University Housing

• Ronald Gray, community representative

• Jeffry Harrison, undergraduate student

• Calvin Jarrell, professor, Theater and Dance

• Brian Lotz, manager, Information Technology Services

• Shan Lu, graduate student

• Florence Maatita, associate professor, Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies

• Lora Miles, associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs

• John Navin (Chair), professor, Economics and Finance, School of Business

• Paul Pitts, assistant chancellor, Institutional Compliance

• Elio Reyes, assistant professor, SIU School of Dental Medicine

• Paul Sarvela (ex-officio), vice president for Academic Affairs

• Joseph Schober, assistant professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy

The committee will hold its first meeting toward the end of November and will begin screening applicants in January.

On-campus interviews of the finalists are currently scheduled for the end of March and early April, with the naming of the new chancellor planned for the May 2012 SIU Board of Trustees meeting.

The new chancellor will succeed Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift, who after seven years of distinguished service to SIUE announced his retirement this fall.

FOTAD Trivia Night Jan. 14 Means Fun, Food And Brain Teasers

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:43:39 +0000

The 12^th Annual Friends of Theater and Dance (FOTAD) Trivia Night is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the James F. Metcalf Theater on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. FOTAD is a support organization for the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance.

Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the game scheduled to begin promptly at 7. Proceeds from the event benefit FOTAD’s student merit award fund for qualified SIUE students majoring in theater and dance at the University. Winners of the competition will receive 1^st ($160), 2^nd ($80), or 3rd prize ($40) for scoring the most points per table. Reservations may be made for tables of eight. The evening will offer challenging trivia, during the regular question-and-answer sessions and during survivor trivia. Free popcorn and pretzels will be offered; also, soft drinks will be available for purchase.

SIUE BassMasters Club on Television

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:20:36 +0000

Two Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students will be featured on television at noon Sunday on the Versus Network for their part in a fishing competition, which garnered them the title of third place in the National Guard FLW College Fishing Central Region championship.

Brad LeMasters, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Justin Skinner, a senior Sociology major, both of the SIUE BassMasters Club, caught three bass, weighing 7 pounds and 10 ounces at a regional contest hosted by Southern Illinois University on Kinkaid Lake. The SIUE team was one of the top five teams.

The top five teams from each of the five regional tournaments will advance to the national championship where the first-place team will win a top award of $100,000: $25,000 for their school, $50,000 cash and a Ranger 177TR bass boat valued at $25,000 with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard wrapped in school colors for their fishing club. Coverage of the Central Regional Championship will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on “FLW Outdoors,” hosted by Jason Harper. The show is broadcast to approximately 500 million households worldwide.

In the Bi-State Area, the Versus Network can be seen on Direct TV channel 603, ATT Uverse channel 640, Charter channel 45 and Dish Network channel 151. College Fishing is free to enter and FLW Outdoors provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university. FLW Outdoors allowed anglers worldwide to compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW Outdoors has taken fishing mainstream with the world’s richest fantasy sports game. For more information about FLW Outdoors and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com.

Lt. Governor Simon To Speak About Public Higher Education

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:15:15 +0000

Illinois Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon will discuss the need for public higher education at noon, Thursday in the Goshen Lounge at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

The event is being sponsored by SIUE Student Government and students are encouraged to attend to express concerns and ask questions. For more information, contact the Kimmel Leadership Center or Student Government, (618) 650-2686.

Former SIUE Charter High School Student Sets Sight on Ph.D. and Beyond

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:50:32 +0000

Chasity Love, a graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School, is working hard to earn her doctorate and construct her life so that she can educate, enlighten and encourage young people.

“I plan to get my Ph.D. in analytical chemistry in December 2013 or May 2014,” Love said. “After working in the industry or government for some years, I eventually want to go overseas and teach. I want to help motivate young people and speak positivity into their lives like educators and mentors did for me.”

Love, a native of East St. Louis, graduated as valedictorian in 2005 from the SIUE Charter High School. “The Charter School staff was awesome,” she said. “They encouraged me to aim higher than I was aiming. And they continued to tell me that no matter where I came from I was a bright student with an even brighter future.”

Love enrolled at SIU Carbondale in fall 2005. She graduated cum laude with a 3.68 grade point average from the University, earning a bachelor of science in chemistry with a specialization in forensic chemistry.

While at SIUC, Love received a host of awards and departmental scholarships, presented her academic research at several national and regional conferences, published a peer-review journal article and was the recipient of several research grants. She is a McNair Scholar and has received the Illinois Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (IL-SAMP) research assistantship, SIUC Research-Enriched Academic Challenge (REACH) research assistantship, and a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) internship. “I have always loved math and science,” she said. “Those subjects came easy to me because I like to solve problems and explore. While at the Charter High School, Love also was a student in one of the SIUE East St. Louis Center’s after-school Upward Bound Programs. Upward Bound is a college preparatory program that prepares students for post-secondary education and works to motivate their exploration of mathematics, science and related education.

The program is critical to encourage and better equip African-American students to pursue the math and science fields, Love said, adding that she was thrilled to learn about a recent $1 million gift to SIUE to build the East St. Louis 21st Century STEM Learning Center at the Charter High School. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The high-tech learning center will provide students access to state-of-the-art technology, equipment and curricula.

“If I had to give the Charter High School any advice, it would have been to invest in providing students with more exposure to the various areas of science and to expand the level of mathematics teaching,” said Love, who is vice president of the student chapter of the National Association for Professional Advancement of Black Chemist and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). “I felt a little behind when I got to SIUC. However, I excelled and graduated with research awards and high honors because of determination, self-motivation and a great support system.”

It was both exciting and challenging to be one of the few African American students in the chemistry department at SIUC, Love said.

“During the second semester of my undergraduate experience, my professor let me teach class three times,” Love said. “I was very nervous, but she always told me that I could do it because I worked hard.”

Love added that she was the only freshman out of about 400 who was given this opportunity. This same instructor was so impressed with Love’s ability that she allowed Love to teach her class the following year when she went on vacation.

After graduating from SIUC in 2009, later that year Love entered a Ph.D. chemistry program at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.

Love continued, “When I thought about getting my Ph.D., I said: ‘Why not!’ Besides, who wouldn’t want to be called Dr. Love? And I knew by getting my Ph.D., it would afford me more opportunities and more knowledge in my field.”

Love has a teaching assistantship and a research assistantship at Purdue. Immediately upon receiving her doctorate from Purdue, Love said she would like to work in forensics research. She previously interned with the Illinois State Police Forensics Lab in Carbondale.

“I find forensics intriguing because what is blind to the human eye is visible using many types of science instrumentation,” Love said. She also has an interest in working in a pharmaceutical or chemical company.

Currently, Love, in collaboration with NOBCChE is working with Agape Village of Hope International in a STEM book drive for Ghana, West Africa. The effort, which lasts until May 2012, hopes to collect at least 1,000 books that will be donated to two senior high schools. For more information visit www.avohi.org.

“I want to do so many things, and one is to apply for grants to help support the technology development and advancement of STEM subjects being taught in many countries in Africa,” Love said. “I know I have to start small, but there is no limit to what a determined mind can do.”

SIUE Civil Engineering Alumnae Wins Gold

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:29:41 +0000

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Civil Engineering Alumnae, Alicia DeShasier, won a gold medal for Team USA in the javelin competition at the 2011 Pan American Games held in Guadalajara, Mexico Oct. 27, 2011.

“The experience here in Guadalajara was awesome,” DeShasier said. “The opportunity to represent the U.S.A. and then throwing a personal record at an international meet is a great feeling.”

DeShasier, a 2007 graduate, had never competed in track and field until her senior year at SIUE. Despite the late start she was an immediate success. In her first competition she broke the SIUE’s javelin record and went on to finish 10^th at the 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championship.

After graduation DeShasier competed nationally while working at Oates Associates in Collinsville as a civil engineer. In 2010 she took a job with Strand Associates in Madison, Wisc. where she helps design roadways, and is a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin-Madison track and field team.

Where does this SIUE civil engineering graduate go from here? With DeShasier’s goal of achieving a spot on the 2012 U.S. Team for the Olympic Games in London in mind, the next stop on her amazing journey is the June 2012 Olympic Trials to be held in Eugene, Ore.

SIUE Education Opens Doors to Freedom and Promise

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:17:04 +0000

It was the fall of 1964 and Don Hussey, armed only with a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, a four-year military record and a steel-clad resolve, persuaded the dean of admissions at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, to admit him as a freshman.

“A GED and a nickel would get you a cup of coffee in those days,” said Hussey, first-time author. “I convinced him to let me attend for one semester promising that if I failed, I would leave.

“The dean agreed to honor my request, admonishing me with: ‘If you do not maintain a “C” average you will not be allowed to continue.’” Hussey made the grade and was allowed to continue. He completed his coursework in December 1968 and graduated from SIUE on June 10, 1969.

SIUE is a principal “character” in Hussey’s recently published memoir: “Ticket to Ride: the Promise of America—a True Story.” The author gives an account of his challenges as a youth, his years in the U.S. Air Force and his journey to SIUE, where he was subsequently awarded his “ticket to ride”—his bachelor’s degree from SIUE.

“With that leather bound document tucked under my arm, I could open doors and seek opportunities with confidence,” Hussey said. “Without it, I would have been relegated to a life of mediocrity.

“When I walked across the open-air stage to receive my degree, I knew it would be the most important credential in my life. It opened up for me the promise I had been given at birth—the promise of America.”

In particular, the author likes to spread that message to young people in hopes of encouraging and motivating them to take advantage of this country’s opportunities. “They must advance their education and earn their degrees if they ever expect to go anywhere in this life,” he said.

But a traumatic and life-altering accident after his first year of college threatened to derail his dreams. Hussey, while working a summer job in St. Louis, operated a large piece of equipment in an industrial machine shop. It was at this job that he made a miscalculation and it resulted in both of his hands being crushed. Hussey lost three fingers and crushed his little finger on his right hand. On his left hand, the author lost half of his three middle fingers and nearly severed his little finger.

“It was a long recovery— more emotional than physical,” he said.

The accident required Hussey to go through extensive physical therapy and caused the author to miss about a half-year of schooling. But after a long period of adjustment, Hussey forced himself back to the typewriter, determined to learn to type again.

The horrendous accident didn’t keep Hussey from having an exciting and enriching experience at SIUE. When Hussey started SIUE, the campus was located in Alton. After his accident and upon his return in fall 1965, the campus had moved to Edwardsville.

Hussey received a bachelor’s in elementary education with a minor in math from SIUE in 1969.

“I’ve tried to show young people that they can make something out of their lives even if they encounter roadblocks along the way,” he said. “No one knows what fate will bring each day, but all of us must keep the faith, believe in the ‘promise,’ and reach for that elusive brass ring.”

Hussey traveled back to SIUE to do research and interviews for his book. His interviews included speaking to many fraternity members who still live locally. He received much assistance in compiling research from the Louisa H. Bowen University Archives and Special Collections at SIUE. The author used photos from its digitized yearbooks from 1964-1969.

“They couldn’t have been more helpful,” he said. “It was exciting to walk back into the Lovejoy Library. I hadn’t passed through those doors in 35 years.”

Hussey also credits Stephen Kerber, University archivist; Bill Brinson, University photographer; and Steve Jankowski, SIUE director of alumni affairs, for helping with his research.

“The most important thing in my life was to graduate from SIUE,” he said. “I would have been lost without it. Without that degree, the opportunities in our competitive world would surely have been frustrating and set limits on my future.”

The author went on to earn a master’s in education from Bridgewater State University and a master’s in dispute resolution from the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Hussey also started his own business and ran for the Massachusetts State Senate and, more recently, ran for a seat in the U.S. Congress. He now lives in a suburb south of Boston, Mass., with his wife, Brenda.

Hussey’s memoir is available on www.Amazon.com, www.Bn.com or for a personalized, signed copy visit www.donhussey.com .

IERC At SIUE Releases Study On Reverse Transfer Students

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:21:18 +0000

The Illinois Education Research Council (IERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville released a report today highlighting the reverse transfer trends of the Illinois High School Class of 2003.

Reverse transferring is when students move from four-year institutions to community colleges. The practice has been depicted in recent research as one of the major forms of student mobility, according to the IERC. Since it is associated with extremely low rates of degree completion, it is critical to better understand the predictors of reverse transferring and what happens to reverse transfer students once they move to a community college, said Eric Lichtenberger, associate director of research for the IERC and an assistant research professor at SIUE.

“This knowledge could help policymakers as they develop strategies to meet the state’s goal to increase the proportion of individuals with quality postsecondary degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025,” he said.

The report focuses on 37,165 graduates from the Illinois public high school class of 2003 who initially enrolled at a four-year college and follows them along their path through postsecondary education. It starts by establishing the factors associated with reverse transferring, and then describes the subsequent postsecondary outcomes of reverse transfer students –such as degree attainment at the community college and bachelor’s completion if they returned to a four-year institution.

Findings from the report indicate the following:

About 21 percent of students enrolling at four-year institutions reverse transferred to community colleges before the end of the study, which was completed in spring 2010;
The majority of reverse transfers happened early in the study; however, many reverse transfers occurred at points that would suggest junior or senior level status and beyond if students had persisted;
Many reverse transfer students used community colleges as a way to persist in postsecondary education, while some students reverse transferred as a way to re-enter postsecondary education after taking time off from college;
Less than 20 percent of reverse transfer students earned an associate’s degree or certificate during their stay at a community college;
Only half of reverse transfer students made it back to a four-year college and slightly less than 25 percent earned a bachelor’s degree.

Reverse transfer students account for nearly 50 percent of four-year college dropouts, with males more likely to reverse transfer. The IERC further reported that being from the middle parental income categories and expecting to work while enrolled increased the likelihood of reverse transferring; however, having a higher high school GPA and enrolling at a more selective institution were associated with a decreased likelihood of the practice.

According to Lichtenberger “This suggests that factors related to financial aid and academic preparation were both significant in terms of predicting reverse transferring.” Also, the distance between where students come from in relation to their initial four-year institution was associated with this form of student mobility, as students who enrolled closer to home were much more likely to reverse transfer.

This report stemmed from previous IERC research that established how students who start at four-year colleges use the community college system.

For more information, contact Lichtenberger, the author of the report, (618) 650-2840 or (866) 799-4372. A complete report is available at ierc.siue.edu.

Chief Judge Herndon Challenges SIUE Charter High School Students

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:01:08 +0000

In a couple months, a senior at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School could end up in a federal courtroom—shadowing Chief Judge David R. Herndon of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois.

This new mentoring opportunity, the Judge Joseph F. Cunningham Fellowship Program, which was named for a judge who was an East St. Louis native, is being offered to selected high school seniors interested in learning about the federal judicial system or who want to explore careers in federal law enforcement.

“When I was in college and law school, I had the advantage of having mentors I could talk to and get advice,” Herndon said. He graduated from SIUE with a bachelor’s in 1974 and from the SIU Carbondale School of Law in 1977.

Herndon invited students to apply for the first annual fellowship program. He is one of four federal officials that students selected to participate in the program will shadow. The other three include: Clerk of Court Nancy Rosenstengel, United States District Court; U.S. Marshal Donald Slazinik and U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton, all of the Southern District of Illinois.

Only one student will be chosen from each of the following high schools: Althoff, Cahokia, East St. Louis and the Charter High School. Students must submit an application, proof of U.S. citizenship, an official transcript, a recommendation letter from a teacher or guidance counselor and an essay of no more than 1,000 words explaining why they are interested in learning more about the federal court system and law enforcement. Applications can be obtained from high school counselors or the information can be downloaded at www.ilsd.uscourts.gov.

The program will run January through April, 2012. Each student will shadow each of the four officials, spending one day with each of them during those months.

“This program resulted in the vision of Mr. (James) Lewis as a way to honor the legacy of Joseph Cunningham, who was a fair and compassionate judge and went on to serve on the Illinois State Supreme Court,” Herndon said. Lewis, executive director of the East St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, co-founded the Cunningham Fellowship Program with Herndon.

Brandon Rice, a junior at the East St. Louis Charter High School, asked Herndon how he was able to be fair and impartial on cases.

“At first I had to concentrate on that because I was not on the plaintiff side any longer,” Herndon said. “But as time passes and you’re purposing to be neutral, it becomes less of a consideration. I only think in terms of what is the law.”

Herndon was appointed to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton in 1998. He serves on the executive committee of the Federal Trial Judges Division of the American Bar Association. He also is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association and the Madison County Bar Association. He serves on a committee of judges who read essays for the James Lewis Essay Contest and Scholarship Program for the NAACP East St. Louis Branch. (SIUE Photo by Denise Macdonald)

SIUE Staff Receive Phenomenal Women Awards

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:15:06 +0000

Most days Lora Miles’ hands are full of work that entails making Southern Illinois University Edwardsville a better place for all students to learn and thrive. And Kathleen Thimsen is consumed with improving the conditions for the vulnerable populations in the Metro East.

Neither of the women is looking for any recognition. In fact, both were surprised to learn that the Center for Racial Harmony in Swansea had selected them as recipients of Phenomenal Women awards.

“I don’t see myself as a phenomenal woman,” said Miles, SIUE associate vice chancellor for student affairs. “I was just doing my job.”

“I was surprised at the news of an award,” said Thimsen, director of SIUE Community Nursing Services at the SIUE East St. Louis Center and an instructor in the School of Nursing. “This has been a remarkable journey and an amazing opportunity for me, and for our SIUE student nurses to assist people in improving their quality of life. The people of the East St. Louis community are so wonderful and caring. They are no different from anyone else in wanting a better way of life for themselves and for their children.”

Racial Harmony is dedicated to promoting cooperation and understanding among all races and ethnic groups, said Jerril Jones, president. Racial Harmony, a grass-roots organization now in its 20th year of operation, is committed to making a difference through mediation, teaching, training and cooperative learning.

The Phenomenal Women Award, that began three years ago, was the brainchild of Constance Rockingham, former SIUE vice president for student affairs and president emeritus for Racial Harmony. Helping formulate the award program was Cheryl Heard, assistant director of the SIUE Kimmel Leadership Center. Heard was president of the Racial Harmony from 2005-2010.

“The idea is to recognize exceptional women in the Metropolitan St. Louis area for outstanding contributions to their communities, families and work that goes over and beyond their professional responsibilities,” Jones said. A total of 45 were honored as Phenomenal Women recently at the Center for Racial Harmony’s annual dinner auction at The Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville. A total of 120 women have received the award.

The Center for Racial Harmony selected Miles because of her instrumental work with the development and implementation of the SIUE Student Success Center. The facility was touted as enabling student achievement by creating an environment where all students can be successful. Miles also serves on the Student Success Advisory Council charged with developing a University Retention plan that will focus on under-represented populations such as African American males, the disabled, Hispanics and international students.

Thimsen was spotlighted for her involvement with community gardening in East St. Louis. Thimsen and her public health nursing students began the Jones Park Re-Beautification Project—part of the Green Partnership gardening sites—in 2009. The purpose is to bring people together in order to promote and educate them about healthy nutrition, diet, lifestyles and exercise. Thimsen also is planning to start a caregiver education program in East St Louis in February 2012.

In addition to the Phenomenal Women Award, the Center for Racial Harmony has an initiative that is working on the elimination of the educational achievement gap between majority and minority students, Jones said. Any group or person interested in joining the organization or obtaining more information can contact centerforracialharmony@yahoo.com.

Legislators, Officials Unveiling $3.5 Million In Equipment At NCERC

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:19:36 +0000

From left to right: Larry Chandler, Midwest director for the USDA, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift, Pete Moss, vice president of marketing for Cereal Process Technologies, John Caupert, director of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center and Larry Hasheider from the Illinois Corn Marketing Board.

Legislators, local dignitaries, Southern Illinois University and SIU Edwardsville administrators, and industry leaders met today at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center in SIUE’s University Park to witness the unveiling of nearly $3.5 million in equipment, made possible through the generous support of Cereal Process Technologies, LLC (CPT) of Overland Park, Kansas, and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

The corn fractionation system represents an advanced technology NCERC will utilize to expand upon the career training programs and advanced ethanol research currently taking place at the country’s only pilot-scale ethanol facility.

“CPT’s fractionation technology is the foundation for a revitalized ethanol industry,” said Kenneth “Pete” Moss, CPT’s vice president of marketing. “It significantly reduces energy consumption, provides high value edible corn oil and creates new cellulosic ethanol feedstock. With recent process enhancements the ethanol plant can get more oil, more starch and higher value products.”

SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift emphasized the importance of the new technology in taking the NCERC to the next level.

“The NCERC is the only facility of its kind in the world,” he said. “We are so fortunate to have this facility, which is committed to serving a diverse clientele that includes the private and public sectors, industry leaders, academia, and domestic and foreign ethanol producers. The center offers necessary third-party validation and commercial testing of a variety of products and technologies.”

According to NCERC Director John Caupert, “The gift will help the Center in its efforts to reduce dependence on imported foreign oil and generate jobs, as well as improve the environment through the promotion and use of renewable fuels. This system opens up new opportunities for industry, government, academic researchers, along with trade and policy in developing new fuels, chemicals and food products from corn.”

Representatives from the Illinois Corn Marketing Board and Illinois Corn Growers Association predicted the new system would tremendously advance NCERC’s research capabilities and expand the Center’s marketability for partnerships with private-sector companies in the biofuels industry.

“The new fractionation system installed on the ethanol pilot plant will allow NCERC to become a true biorefinery research center capable of developing and validating in partnership with industry new co-products, fuels, and chemicals to benefit both the corn farmers and consumers,” Illinois Corn Marketing Board Chairman Bill Christ said.

Illinois Corn Growers Association President Jim Reed said, “ICGA commends DCEO, SIUE and Cereal Process Technologies for this significant investment in the future of NCERC and the new opportunities that this fractionation system will generate. NCERC, through its success at commercializing new value-added technologies, has already proven to be an excellent return on the investment of public dollars.”

An informal news conference followed the event.

New Cougar Business Resource Center Facility Opens at SIUE

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:17:31 +0000

The Cougar Business Resource Center (CBRC), a 3,700 square-feet complex designed to support the new curricula is the latest addition to the School of Business at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

SIUE officials dedicated the new facility in Founder’s Hall on November 3rd at a reception for students, faculty and staff of the School of Business from 1 to 2 p.m., celebrating the high-tech facility that will serve as a focal point for resources, programs, and co-curricular activities. CBRC tours will continue for students, faculty and staff through November 8th. The Center will begin operation on November 9th.

The new space is composed of online learning technologies, conference rooms for practicing presentations, communication technology for students to interact with faculty and teammates regardless of location, shared office space for student organizations and Executive-in-Residence offices. The Executive-in-Residence program will be developed as a mentoring/coaching program that will allow students and faculty to take advantage of the experience of business professionals.

The CBRC is a work environment for students unlike any other on campus. The modern surroundings integrate technology into a collaborative work environment that would easily lend itself to the office of a Fortune 500 company rather than a university.

Additionally, students no longer need to wander the halls of Founders looking for space to set up and study. The conference rooms of the CBRC provide ample space for students to spread out and spend hours working on homework and group projects.

SIUE Chancellor, Vaughn Vandegrift spoke at the ribbon cutting about how the CBRC is emblematic of his main goal, which is for SIUE to be nationally recognized as an elite university.

“I am impressed with this facility not only because of what it can do for our students but also because it demonstrates what a great difference donors can make for this university,” said Vandegrift.

School of Business Dean Gary Giamartino addressed how the CBRC is also advancing the mission of the School. “We are committed to continuous improvement and these necessary changes in curriculum and facilities will shape the way the undergraduate business curricula will be delivered and how our business students learn at SIUE. Ultimately, these changes will produce graduates who better possess the skills employers are seeking.”

“Only the generosity of private donors, such as TheBANK of Edwardsville and The Korte Company, made the CBRC a reality,” said School of Business Dean Gary Giamartino. “The strong support of our business alumni has ensured that we have made this facility the best possible hands-on learning environment for our students.”

“TheBANK of Edwardsville is proud to be a major supporter of the Cougar Business Resource Center,” stated Tom Holloway, President of TheBANK. “ We treasure our long-standing partnership with SIUE and our mutual commitment to academic, athletic, arts and civic programs. To have our name permanently associated with such a new, state-of-the art facility is truly an honor.”

Alumni CBRC contributors include William D. Boudouris 78) and Teresa Boudouris, Jeffrey M. Dale (‘79) and Denise Panyik-Dale (‘81), Camille Emig-Hill (’72, ’77) and D. Bradley Hill (’78), Doris K. Reynolds-Johnson (’83, ’85) and Gordon A. Johnson (82, ’84), Jane Louer (’85) and Craig R. Louer (’76), Steven F. McCann (’78) and Alita R. McCann, Mara “Mitch” Meyers (’77, ’80) and Robert J. Meyers (’71, ’72), David R. Schaake (’77) and Kathy Schaake, James C. Zink (’67) and Rita M. Zink, and Michael Wenzel (’70) and Kathleen A. Wenzel (’71.)

Legislators, Officials Unveiling $3.5 Million In Equipment At NCERC

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:30:12 +0000

SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift emphasized the importance of the new technology in taking the NCERC to the next level.

An informal news conference followed the event.

New School of Business Facility at SIUE Opens to Public

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:39:59 +0000

Media Advisory

When: 1-2 p.m. Nov. 3, 2011

What: Grand Opening of Cougar Business Resource Center (CBRC) in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business, including tours of the new facility, demonstrations of technology, prize giveaways, and refreshments

Where: Third floor of Founder’s Hall

Who: Vaughn Vandegrift, SIUE Chancellor, and Gary Giamartino, School of Business Dean, will dedicate the new wing in Founder’s Hall

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business is unveiling a 3,700 square-feet complex designed to support the new curricula which will aide in the development of cross-disciplinary skills for undergraduate students and address how businesses are integrating technology and collaborative work into an increasingly globalized world.

The new space is composed of online learning technologies, space for students to practice presentations, communication technology for students to interact with faculty and teammates regardless of location, and Executive-in-Residence offices.

SIUE Nursing Professor Elected INA President

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:38:16 +0000

Karen Kelly, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, of O’Fallon and associate professor of Primary Care/Heath Systems Nursing, recently was elected president of the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) at the group’s 81st Biennial Convention in East Peoria. More than 400 nurses attended the meeting, which INA jointly hosted with the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing. Nurses attended education sessions, visited with a number of the exhibitors and participated in the INA’s legislative and policy-making body, the House of Delegates.

Kelly, who earned a doctorate in instructional processes and adult learning and a master’s in psychiatric nursing, as well as a BSN, all from SIUE, joined the INA in 1972 after receiving an Illinois nursing license. She has served the INA as a director-at-large, first and second vice president, and has been a member of the INA Commission on Continuing Education. She also has served as a peer reviewer for the INA continuing education program since 1982 and as a delegate to the American Nurses Association’s House of Delegates.

At SIUE, Kelly teaches health policy and nursing administration and before coming to SIUE she taught in several schools in the St. Louis area, spending 17 years in administrative and consulting positions. Kelly also was a staff nurse in OB-GYN and in behavioral health.

Annual Fall Big Band Jazz Concert Set For Nov. 15

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:34:56 +0000

Featuring music from the big bands of Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis, Clayton-Hamilton, Rob McConnell and Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Music will present the annual Fall Big Band Jazz Concert at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Appearing on the mainstage at SIUE’s Dunham Hall, the event will feature the SIUE Concert Jazz Band directed by Brett Stamps, performing notable pieces including Buddy Rich’s “West Side Story,” Stan Kenton’s “Malaguena” and Maynard Ferguson’s “Danny Boy,” all performed by SIUE students. Two of SIUE’s vocal jazz majors also will be featured: Zelina Bott-Goins and Nicole Jonas.

Admission is $10; senior citizens and those 18 and younger, $7, while SIUE students with a valid student ID will be admitted free compliments of the University’s Arts-for-All program. All tickets may be acquired at the box office, (618) 650-2774.

Occupy Movement Coming to SIUE

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:00:35 +0000

People can write their complaints on a “Wall of Grievances” in the Morris University Center (MUC) Cafeteria beginning today through Wednesday and then meet for a rally around the Rock in the University Quad on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

SIUE will be the site of the organized demonstration, which is in response to a nationwide non-violent movement called: “Occupy Wall Street.” The movement has spread to cities, municipalities and schools across the country. According to the movement’s website, the message is that 1 percent of the nation—identified as bankers, politicians and corporate persons—possesses the majority of the country’s wealth and has a stranglehold over the other 99 percent.

The site states that, in order to bring national awareness to the “greed and corruption of the rich” for the purpose of creating dialogues and finding solutions, mass groups of people are “occupying” outdoor places and holding rallies. The movement began in New York’s financial district Sept. 17 and describes itself as “a leaderless, people-driven crusade for democracy.”

People can write their complaints on paper that will be provided, which will then be posted to a “wall.” Concerns can be listed from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the MUC Cafeteria through Wednesday, Nov. 2.

A rally will be held from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 in the Morris Quadrangle, with participating organizations rallying for their ideas. Panel discussions about some of the written concerns will be held from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 in the MUC Goshen Lounge, affording students the opportunity to create their own solutions to grievances. All events are open to students, faculty and staff and other Occupy Movements in the area.

For more information on “Occupy SIUE” contact Harry Zollars, coordinator, at occupysiue@gmail.com, or visit occupystl.org, occupysiue.tumblr.com, facebook.com/OccupySIUE or youtube.com/user/OccupySIUE. For national coverage of “Occupy Wall Street,” visit occupywallstreet.org.

SIUE East St. Louis Performing Arts Director Wins Award

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:25:21 +0000

The masterfully artistic arrangement of dance, music and theater, which portrays what saved, strengthened and sustained blacks from Africa to America, resulted in a regional award for its creator—Theodore H. Jamison, director of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Performing Arts Program.

Jamison recently won the Black Excellence Award 2010-2011 for Outstanding Achievement in Dance/Choreography for his piece, “The Blood,” presented by the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago. Jamison was commissioned to do the piece by the Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, which is the largest African dance company in the United States.

“What was more compelling to me was to show the tie from Africa to America and how African Americans have come this far with our spiritualism and religion,” Jamison said.

His 20-minute suite was part of Muntu’s “This Far by Faith” concert, which was presented at the Harris Theater of Music and Dance in Millennium Park in downtown Chicago.

“The African-ritual part of the choreography was inspired by the late Katherine Dunham’s ‘Shango,’ which is an Afro-Caribbean ritual,” said Jamison, who was certified more than 25 years ago by the late dance legend herself, as a Master Dunham Technique instructor. Jamison has worked with the SIUE East St. Louis Performing Arts Program for nearly 28 years. Jamison choreographed the number under the direction of Muntu’s artistic director, Amaniyea Payne, who, in her own right is also a keeper of traditions of cultures of the African Diaspora. The piece includes a live pianist, live percussion and a live vocalist, and covers various aspects of the arts including music, dance, theater and visual aids, Jamison said.

“Mr. Jamison, being the dynamic artist/choreographer that he is, gave Muntu Dance Theatre the opportunity to bring the energy/synergy of Katherine Dunham to the stage,” said Payne, who designed and made all the costuming for the presentation. “The piece was very thought provoking, as well as a menagerie on the stage. It was spectacular.”

Jamison also worked with Joan Gray, executive director of Muntu, on his production. Muntu in the African Bantu language means “the essence of humanity.” The Chicago’s dance company’s mission is to “preserve and perpetuate the African aesthetic and its influence on world cultures, through education and professional presentation of dance, music and folklore.” “Miss Dunham once said: ‘Dance is a way of life,’” said Jamison. “The Muntu Dance Theatre exemplifies the philosophy of Miss Dunham through their embodiment and presentation of authentic rhythms, songs and dance of the African Diaspora.” Jamison is scheduled to teach the Dunham Technique from January 25-28 at the International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference in Toronto, Canada. This will be his15th year teaching at the international conference.

SIUE Opera Theater Opens New Season Oct. 28

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:53:46 +0000

Turnabout is fair play for the SIUE Opera cast as they open their new season, under the direction of Assistant Music Professor Marc Schapman, with a performance of Donizetti’s Rita in the John C. Abbott Auditorium at 7:30 PM, Oct. 28-29. This rarely performed one-act gem, set at an inn along the road to Turin, features the wiley Gasparo vying in a game of chance to lose the hand of the overbearing Rita to the beleaguered Beppe.

Exciting newcomer, soprano Kyrstan Langer, stars as Rita, in her SIUE Opera debut, along with baritone Richard Ladd as Gasparo and tenor Daniel Werts as Beppe. For tickets, call the SIUE Box Office, (618) 650-2774. Tickets are free to SIUE students with a valid Cougar ID.

SIUE Among 30 Schools Awarded $10K Technology Grant

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:50:15 +0000

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Research, Education and Outreach recently was awarded a $10,000 grant from Vernier Software & Technology, based in Beaverton, Ore.

SIUE’s STEM Center, as it is called, will use the money for tools to enhance its summer camp programs for area youth. Vernier selected 30 schools in the nation—10 elementary or middle schools, 10 high schools and 10 colleges or universities—to receive grants to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The awards were given to each institution, based on demonstrated financial need, as well as the inspiring stories each entity provided to explain how the money, if given, would be used.

“With nearly 2,000 applications in total, we were overwhelmed by the innovation and dedication demonstrated by educators nationwide for the betterment of STEM education,” said David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and a former physics teacher. “The 30 grantees are truly deserving of this recognition and the technology received through this grant will greatly assist with their ongoing efforts to expose students to many STEM disciplines in an engaging and hands-on manner.”

To learn more about all of Vernier’s 30th anniversary technology grant winners, visit www.vernier.com/30years. Vernier develops easy-to-use, affordable science interfaces, sensors and graphing/analysis software. According to its website, with world-wide distribution to more than 130 countries, Vernier products are used by educators and students from elementary school to college, and Vernier’s technology-based solutions enhance STEM education, increase learning and build students’ critical thinking skills. The company is committed to using Earth-friendly policies and practices, and offers a family-friendly workplace.

SIUE School Of Business Again Named Outstanding Business School

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:10:41 +0000

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is an outstanding business school, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features the school in the new 2012 edition of its book, “The Best 294 Business Schools.”

According to Princeton Review Senior VP-PublisherRobert Franek, “We recommend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to readers of our book and users of our site, www.PrincetonReview.com, as one of the best institutions they could attend to earn an MBA. We chose the 294 business schools in this book based on our high opinion of their academic programs and offerings, as well as our review of institutional data we collect from the schools. We also strongly consider the candid opinions of students attending the schools that rate and report on their campus experiences at their schools on our survey for the book.”

“The Best 294 Business Schools: 2012 Edition” has two-page profiles of the schools with write-ups on their academics, student life, and admissions, plus ratings for their academics, selectivity, and career placement services. In the profile of SIUE, The Princeton Review editors describe the school as: “convenient, affordable and located close to a metropolitan area.” They quote students attending SIUE who say “The School is great for students who want a great education but cannot afford to pay inflated tuition.”

In a “Survey Says . . .” sidebar in the profile, The Princeton Review lists topics that SIUE students it surveyed were in most agreement about. The list includes: “Good peer network, solid preparation in general management, communication, interpersonal skills and doing business in a global economy.” The 80-question survey for the book asked students about themselves, their career plans, and their schools’ academics, student body and campus life.

“We’re delighted that our students give positive ratings to key components of our MBA program,” said School of Business Dean Gary Giamartino. ”The Princeton Review recognition is a tribute to our outstanding faculty and students.”

Nursing Student Completes Externship at Mayo Clinic

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:01:05 +0000

Stephany Williams, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville senior nursing student from Roodhouse, Ill., completed a 10-week externship with Mayo Clinic in August 2011. Williams was one of 100 student nurses selected to participate in the Mayo Clinic summer externship out of more than 1,000 who applied.

She was assigned to the orthopedic acute care surgical trauma unit at the Rochester, Minnesota facility, which is the unit she requested during the application process.

“Most patients that I saw were involved in serious vehicular accidents or had bone cancer,” Williams said. “The patients dealt primarily with trauma to the arms, legs and spine, and received extreme surgeries that are typically not performed in most hospitals across the country.”

Sheri Compton-McBride, instructor and director of clinical acquisitions for the SIUE School of Nursing, emphasized Williams’s determination for success in the nursing field.

“Stephany is an amazing young woman, with a quiet demeanor,” Compton-McBride said. “She is willing to take risks so that she may be exposed to all that nursing has to offer. She has demonstrated her dedication to growth, both personally and professionally.”

Upon completion of the externship, Williams was offered a full-time position at Mayo Clinic in the orthopedic trauma unit to become effective after graduation in May 2012. “I am thrilled and honored to have been offered my dream job. I loved Minnesota, and I loved working at Mayo Clinic. I am so excited about the future.”

SIUE Pharmacist Wins State Award

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:46:33 +0000

In just a little over five years, this young pharmacist has written curriculum, trained pharmacists to become diabetes coaches in collaboration with the Illinois Pharmacist Association (IPhA), been instrumental in establishing immunization programs throughout Illinois—including ones at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville—and has created a statewide student competition for patient counseling.

So it came as no surprise when the Illinois Pharmacist Association recently selected Dr. Jessica Kerr to receive the Illinois Pharmacist of the Year Award, said Dr. Gireesh Gupchup, a pharmacist and dean of the SIUE School of Pharmacy.

“She’s very passionate and energetic and is always looking to move the profession forward,” Gupchup said. “Her enthusiasm is really infectious. She’s truly a star.”

But the 34-yerar-old pharmacist sees her work as being the bright spot. “It’s hard to find a job that you love, that is also your hobby,” said Kerr, who also won the Illinois Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year Award in 2007. “But that’s what I found in pharmacy.”

Kerr received her doctorate in pharmacy in 2001 from St. Louis College of Pharmacy and came to SIUE in 2005. She is an associate professor in pharmacy practice in the SIUIE Department of Pharmacy. Kerr also works with in the St. Louis Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s Belleville office, where she helps patients improve their cardiovascular outcomes and empowers patients with diabetes to take ownership of their condition. She has worked collectively with the Illinois Pharmacists Association to train pharmacists to manage patients’ diabetes within the Patient Self-Monitoring Program.

The mother of three continues to serve on the IPhA Board of Directors and remains active with other state and national Boards.

“Getting all this work done at times can be a challenge, but once I sit back and remember why I am doing what I am doing it boils down to this: I want to be a role model for my students and my own kids, and I want to give back to the profession.”

Kerr said she feels the best way to do this is to continue her efforts within her community and to continue with her faculty advisor role for the SIUE Academy of Student Pharmacists organization.

High School Students Walking for a Cure

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:20:07 +0000

T’Keyah Byrum, a senior at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School, didn’t expect breast cancer to be part of her schedule. But after the disease met her in the classroom, the 18-year-old felt she didn’t have a choice.

“When I found out that someone in our school had breast cancer, it really struck me,” Byrum said. “And I wanted to do something.”

The teenager organized a group of other Charter High School seniors and the students are sponsoring a Breast Cancer Awareness Program and Walk. A Charter High School teacher, who is in recovery, will be honored during a program at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 in the Multipurpose Building at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus. The program will consist of students presenting poetry, speeches and dance routines.

A Breast Cancer Awareness Walk will follow the program at 2:45 p.m. Participants will meet at the silver sculpture in the middle of campus. All participants are asked to wear pink. A suggested donation is requested of $2 for students and $5 for adults. Anyone is invited to participate and all proceeds will be given to Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

“We want to help raise money, but more than that we want to help raise hope,” Byrum said.

The Charter High School seniors took on the project with just a little help from their senior advisors, Carolyn Kribs, Colin Neumeyer and Candice Jackson.

“I am extremely proud of our senior class for doing something so selfless and having put so much work into it,” Kribs said.