The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy in association with The American Diabetes Association is hosting the 14^th annual Free Diabetes Education Program at SIUE’s Morris University Center from 8 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29.

The annual free program provides lifesaving information and features topics related to both Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes. Participants have the opportunity to attend speaker sessions, a vendor fair, receive free screenings and speak directly with healthcare professionals.

Speakers and topics offered at the program include:

• A dose of mindfulness
• Healthy eating – diet hits and misses
• The digital age of diabetes – monitoring devices
• Type 2 Diabetes treatment – customized selection of medication

Education is instrumental in curbing the life-threatening results of unmanaged diabetes. Through education, individuals are equipped with the tools necessary to potentially mitigate and prevent the complications associated with the disease, which include heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, amputation, severe nerve damage and premature death.

Vendors hosting information tables at the fair will include the American Diabetes Association, Alton Memorial Hospital and BJC HealthCare. A free lunch will be provided.

The program is partially funded by Alton Memorial Hospital and the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP).

Registration deadline is Saturday, Feb. 15, and RSVPs are requested. To register for the program, visit tinyurl.com/DPES2020. For more information, call 618-650-5164 or contact siue.op.diabetes@gmail.com

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has earned the 2020-21 Military Friendly^® School designation. The 2020-21 Military Friendly^® Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at militaryfriendly.com.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly^® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-21 survey with 695 earning the designation.

“It’s an honor to be selected as a Military Friendly^® School,” said Military and Veteran Services Director Kevin Wathen. “We continue to improve our service to the military at SIUE. New programs are being put in place right now that weren’t part of this designation. Our new Green Zone training for faculty and staff on military culture and military transition, the first military and veteran graduation celebration, and our new Military and Veteran Resource Center opening in fall 2020 are some of the ways we plan on enhancing our services.”

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly^® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, student veterans.

 “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to colleges creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to invest in programs to provide educational outcomes that are better for the military community as a whole,” said Military Friendly^® National Director Josh Rosen.

For Military and Veterans Services at SIUE, visit siue.edu/military.

About Military Friendly^® Schools

The Military Friendly^® Schools list is created annually based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The free survey is open to all post­secondary schools that choose to participate. Find criteria at militaryfriendly.com. For more information, contact Rosen at Josh.Rosen@militaryfriendly.com.

About Viqtory

Founded in 2001, Viqtory is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. Viqtory and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about Viqtory at viqtory.com.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has earned the 2020-21 Military Friendly^® School designation. The 2020-21 Military Friendly^® Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at militaryfriendly.com.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly^® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-21 survey with 695 earning the designation.

“It’s an honor to be selected as a Military Friendly^® School,” said Military and Veteran Services Director Kevin Wathen. “We continue to improve our service to the military at SIUE. New programs are being put in place right now that weren’t part of this designation. Our new Green Zone training for faculty and staff on military culture and military transition, the first military and veteran graduation celebration, and our new Military and Veteran Resource Center opening in fall 2020 are some of the ways we plan on enhancing our services.”

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly^® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, student veterans.

 “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to colleges creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to invest in programs to provide educational outcomes that are better for the military community as a whole,” said Military Friendly^® National Director Josh Rosen.

For Military and Veterans Services at SIUE, visit siue.edu/military.

About Military Friendly^® Schools

The Military Friendly^® Schools list is created annually based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The free survey is open to all post­secondary schools that choose to participate. Find criteria at militaryfriendly.com. For more information, contact Rosen at Josh.Rosen@militaryfriendly.com.

About Viqtory

Founded in 2001, Viqtory is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. Viqtory and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about Viqtory at viqtory.com.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s commitment to service was on display for the third consecutive year as the School of Nursing (SON) took a 12-person team comprised of students and faculty to Costa Rica Jan. 4-11, where they saw approximately 850 patients in four days at different locations.

Valerie Griffin, DNP, SON assistant clinical professor and director of Nurse Practitioner Specializations, and Sheri Compton-McBride, SON instructor and director of clinical acquisitions in the Department of Primary Care and Health Systems Nursing, led the team that traveled in partnership with Central America Mission Projects (C.A.M.P.). In seven days, they visited La Carpio, Alajuela, Coco and Casa Vida.

“Every student has a different goal going in,” Griffin said. “Every student is transformed in ways they could not even imagine. We all enter these experiences thinking we are going to provide a service to the underserved. What we all quickly realize is that we personally have been served in meaningful ways we never expected.” 

Ten graduate students included nine family nurse practitioner students and one nurse educator student. Four of the doctoral students, Gabrielle Giamonco, Wendy Rogers, Ashlee Schoby and Tyler Tanzyus shared their thoughts and experiences. 

Decatur native Tanzyus said, “For seven days, this group touched lives of and provided medical care to the underserved. We placed 2,000 pairs of shoes on children’s feet.”

Tanzyus said arriving in Costa Rica was an absolute culture shock. “I had no expectations in mind, but was soon in awe of the condition in which I found these families,” he said. “For some, this would be the only hot meal they received all week. The first lesson quickly learned was to stop taking things for granted, such as a warm meal. These families struggle day-in, day-out not knowing how or when they are going to get their next meal.” 

Tanzyus described his encounter with a little boy who talked to him in Spanish. “I asked one of the translators, as I couldn’t understand what he was trying to ask,” he said. “The translator looked at me with a smile, ‘He is asking when you will be back.’ My eyes filled with tears as I tried to hold back my emotion.

“Which brings me to lesson No. 2: find joy in the simple things in life, the connections you make, the people you encounter and the memories that can be shared. As the week came to an end, I was not able to completely grasp the transformation I just went through. Positively influencing the lives of the underserved has truly changed my attitude and perspective on life. It has given me meaning and helped refocus my energy.”

Schoby, of Athens, said putting shoes on the children’s feet was a beautiful experience. “Each child also got a new clean pair of socks to wear with their shoes,” she said. “I can’t put into words the feelings I had while doing this. The pure joy of getting new shoes. Some of the children even gave me a hug after I put on their shoes for them.” 

Schoby expected the trip would be special and change her. “But I am changed in ways I did not expect,” she said. “Heading home was such a bittersweet experience. I was sad to be leaving this beautiful place and the people there, who I knew needed more healthcare. On the way to the airport, I truly felt that it won’t be goodbye forever. I will be back in Costa Rica in the future!”

Rodgers, of Lincoln, remarked how the Costa Ricans were so patient, relaxed and kind. “They waited patiently for their turn and gently explained their symptoms or concerns,” she said. “Even with the language barrier, they never became negative or agitated.

“One of the real-life lessons I want to remember is patience and kindness, because nothing is so stressful that anyone deserves anything less. If people with nearly nothing can find happiness and treat people with kindness all the time, so can I. As I move forward in life, I will seek opportunity to help others whenever I can. I will pay it forward by performing simple or small random acts of kindness. Everyone can benefit from kindness and humility.”

Chancellor Randy Pembrook introduced the C.A.M.P. concept to the SIUE campus upon his arrival in 2016 and has made the excursion three of the past four years, preceded by 11 consecutive annual trips prior to his SIUE tenure.

Pembrook split his time working with a construction crew, and helping with nursing and dental equipment set up and tear down. Meanwhile, Mary Jo Pembrook, his wife, worked with the nurses during the week, checking-in people and securing initial patient information.

“The construction project included building an outdoor meeting area with a restroom, kitchen and gathering space as an extension to an apartment facility,” Pembrook said. “The apartment facility is called Casa Luz and is used by pregnant young girls who have been trapped in the sex trafficking industry. The complex gives them a safe place to receive treatment, care for their children and learn skills to re-enter society.” 

“It is a transformational experience for me and the students,” Pembrook said. “I also call it a ‘calibrating experience.’ Seeing people who have practically nothing and are dealing with almost inconceivable challenges puts a lot of things in perspective. There is something quite special that happens when giving of oneself ends up returning more than what is expended.”

Giamanco, of St. Louis, related a quote from the Japanese Village of Fudai’s late mayor Kotaka Wamura: “A person’s most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge, but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen and a hand willing to help others.” Giamanco said, “I believe each and every one of the SIUE team accomplished that quote.”

In March, the SON will return with six undergraduate nursing students and nine alumni. Three of the alumni joined the Costa Rica trip in 2018, while six went in 2019.

Photo: (Top Right) - Gabrielle Giamonco with shoes.

(Middle) - Tyler Tanzyus testing a patient’s glucose.

(Lower Right) - Ashlee Schoby with her stethoscope and a young patient.

An integrated luggage system, a drone-based security system, a hydro-electric energy harvesting product - the next great startup idea may have been conceived on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Those were just three of five products pitched during the 3 Day Startup (3DS) hosted by the Schools of Engineering and Business Friday-Sunday, Feb. 7-9 in the Grady Foundation Innovation Loft.

Led by a 3DS-certified facilitator, the 72-hour entrepreneurship program challenged 32 SIUE student participants to ideate a concept and develop it into a viable and scalable business model in an extremely hands-on environment that emphasized brainstorming, prototyping, customer discovery and mentorship.

“3 Day Startup runs hands-on entrepreneurship programs to teach students the skills they need at the early stages of founding a company,” said 3DS CEO Alexis Taylor. “These skills matter, because an entrepreneurial mindset and approach to your future opens doors that students might not have known were there before. All they need to do is unlock their potential. 3DS provides that opportunity, and helps them develop lifelong connections along the way.”

“Dean Cem Karacal and I have been discussing ways to encourage entrepreneurial activity among our students for quite some time, and we believe that hosting this 3DS event on campus will serve as a catalyst for this,” said School of Business Dean Tim Schoenecker, PhD. “The interdisciplinary nature of 3DS perfectly fits what we hope to accomplish.”

“As we are trying to establish an entrepreneurial mindset among our students and build a startup infrastructure in the School, this event was timely and provided a great learning experience for students,” added School of Engineering Dean Cem Karacal, PhD. “The nature and format of the 3 Day Startup strongly aligned with the objectives of our Grady Foundation Innovation Loft, located in our new Fowler Student Design Center.”

The program engaged students pursuing a variety of majors, including industrial, mechanical and mechatronics engineering, computer science, computer management and information systems, business administration with a focus on entrepreneurship, art and more.

“This opportunity has been beneficial to me, because I’ve been able to network with students and professionals and build a community of support, while gaining numerous entrepreneurial skills,” said junior business major Sophie Tremblay, of Taylorville, whose team proposed an integrated luggage system featuring a backpack with a built-in lunch box.

“I’ve learned that launching a product or company is not as impossible as I thought,” added senior industrial engineering major Sarah Almutairi. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration involved in the 3 Day Startup. People have ideas I would have never thought of. I’ve enjoyed watching our concept grow. I can see its potential!”

Eight successful mentors, including SIUE alumni, offered their insight and recommendations to each of the project teams during day two of the 3DS. Their backgrounds in entrepreneurship, investing and education provided ample opportunities for students to advance their ideas. Additionally, five industry professionals volunteered their time to listen to the teams’ final pitches and offer feedback and guidance.

“The mentors were extremely helpful,” said junior electrical engineering major Cameron Sutter, of Millstadt. “My dream is to start my own company using aspects from both electrical and mechanical engineering.”

Sutter’s team pitched a system that collects water from downspouts to create energy.

“It’s an idea I’ve been mulling around for a couple months,” Sutter explained. “Water is one of the most powerful sources of natural energy, and we should try to harness that any way we can.”

Other product pitches included digital business cards sharing software and a room reservation and tutor search app. 

“The 3 Day Startup has enhanced my perspective and adaptability,” said junior computer management and information systems major Michael Brown, of O’Fallon, Ill. “I’ve learned there is so much background work involved in the startup process. I’ve learned that all ideas are worth tossing out, and that feedback and criticism are important for development.”

Sponsors for the 3 Day Startup held at SIUE were J.F. Electric, Boardwalk Inc. and the Martinson Family Foundation.

For more information on the 3 Day Startup, visit 3daystartup.org.

Photos: Students engage in an activity aimed at stimulating idea generation at the beginning of the 3 Day Startup.

A team of students shares their startup idea with a mentor during the 3 Day Startup.f the 3 Day Startup.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWZI9m4P1lQ&feature=youtu.be

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today approved a tuition freeze for the second consecutive year for all new undergraduate students at SIUE, effective fall 2020. The board met on the Edwardsville campus.

Tuition for the 2020-21 academic year will remain $9,123 for new, full-time undergraduate students (15 hours per semester) entering fall 2020. Undergraduate students currently in a guaranteed tuition plan will also maintain their annual tuition rate.

“SIUE has traditionally been a leader among Illinois public, four-year higher education institutions in delivering the best educational experience at the most affordable price,” said Chancellor Randy Pembrook.

In fall 2017, in-state tuition became available to all new and continuing domestic undergraduate students. Offering in-state tuition to out-of-state students streamlines tuition rates and produces less confusing rate structures, while broadening the institution’s recruiting opportunities.

In fall 2020, all domestic graduate students will be charged the in-state graduate tuition rate of $8,155.20 (12 hours per semester) for the second consecutive year.

International students will continue to be assessed a 2.5 times surcharge on the in-state rate, unless they qualify for an alternate tuition rate.

For the third consecutive year, School of Dental Medicine (SDM) tuition will remain the same. In-state SDM students will pay an annual tuition of $29,998. Since fall 2019, the SDM has offered the in-state rate to all new and continuing domestic dental students in its traditional program to build and maintain a diverse student population. This does not include the SDM International Advanced Placement Program, which remains at 2.3 times the in-state dental rate.

The School of Pharmacy (SOP) in-state tuition will also remain flat at $24,096 for new and continuing domestic pharmacy students. International pharmacy students pay 1.2 times the SOP rate.  

Visit siue.edu/paying-for-college for more information about tuition and fees.

Photo: SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook.

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today maintained the general student fee (GSF) charge for the Edwardsville campus for the fall and spring terms of the 2020-21 academic year. The board’s decision came at its meeting on the Edwardsville campus.

Instituted during the 2018-19 fiscal year, the consolidated GSF charges a consistent amount per credit hour for undergraduate, graduate and professional students whether enrolled in on-campus, off-campus, online or hybrid courses. Continuing the fees from fall 2019, the GSF will be $103.20 per credit hour for the 2020-21 academic year.

The GSF is applied toward areas including facilities, Information Technology Services (ITS), the Morris University Center (MUC), Student Success Center (SSC), student government, Counseling and Health Services, Career Development Center, Textbook Services and Intercollegiate Athletics.

Facilities Services is continually updating campus buildings and infrastructure, as seven major campus buildings constructed between 1965-79 need internal systems updates. Renovating classrooms and offices continue.

ITS allows the University to continually expand and enhance computing resources and the campus network infrastructure to satisfy the increasing demand, as well as maintain and support ITS services for faculty, staff and students.

The MUC is supporting several required food service updates during the upcoming years, as well as managing small renovation projects.

The SSC provides funds to support student demand for services. Textbook rental fees offset the additional cost of digital publications, as well as the inflationary cost of textbooks.

Student government, Counseling and Health Services, and the Career Development Center support various programs and positions to better serve SIUE students. Intercollegiate Athletics has annual operating expenses associated with SIUE’s evolution as an NCAA Division I program.

University Housing rates are also remaining the same. The revenue funds debt service payments and maintains adequate fund balances in housing operations.

In addition, University Housing is introducing a new type of space in the Cougar Village Apartments. The Deluxe Apartment rental rate is $4,555 per semester. The room accommodates one student in a bedroom designed for occupancy by two students, with a guarantee of only one other roommate. Upgrades include a full-size bed and updated apartment furniture.

Dining Services also froze the meal plan charges for residents living in residence halls on the mandatory meal plan. Revenue covers labor and food expenses. A new mid-range meal plan is being introduced with a cost of $2,120 per semester, which is between the established meal plans with semester costs of $1,780 and $2,460, respectively.

Visit siue.edu/paying-for-college for more information about tuition and fees.

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees, at its regularly scheduled meeting on the Edwardsville campus today, approved contracts totaling more than $7.4 million toward the School of Dental Medicine’s (SDM) Advanced Care Clinic (ACC) at the Alton campus.  

During its December 2019 meeting, the board provided budget and project approval for the $11.5 million facility. The project’s funding is from grants ($3 million), SDM reserves ($3 million), University plant funds ($1 million), and internal or external financing ($4.5 million). The debt service will be repaid with SDM clinic operation revenues, equipment usage fees, and future donations and grants.

The ACC project will involve demolishing the former MDL Building 283, which is no longer in use. The new clinic will be constructed on that site, and serve dental students and residents. The clinic will serve a comprehensive range of patient dental needs through existing, expanded and new post-doctoral programs.

By adding general anesthesia capabilities in two medical operating suites, the SDM will be able to offer more comprehensive, predictable and safe treatment, allowing for the timely completion of care, particularly for children and patients with special dental care needs.

“This clinical space will provide facilities for the SDM to facilitate treatment for our most vulnerable population, children who require general anesthesia, for the completion of care,” said SDM Dean Bruce Rotter, DMD. “The facility will also allow the school to expand and enhance our postdoctoral specialty programs.”

Contracts for construction services were awarded to:

• Poettker Construction Co., of Breese, for general work: $4,781,100
• Wegman Electric Co., of East Alton, for electrical: $1,024,292
• France Mechanical Corp., of Glen Carbon, for heating: $435,400
• Hock, Inc., of Millstadt, for ventilation: $473,464
• GRP Mechanical Company, Inc., of Bethalto, for plumbing: $597,156
• Kane Fire Protection, Inc., of East Alton, for fire protection: $126,300

Work is expected to begin in mid-March with completion anticipated in June 2021.  

SIUE’s Danielle Lee, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Biological Sciences, shared her insight on dog domestication and what science says about dogs’ love in a NOVA documentary titled “Dog Tales.”

The documentary premiered Wednesday, Feb. 12 on PBS’s NOVA, the most-watched prime time science series on American television. View the full episode here.  

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Theater and Dance Associate Professor and Black Studies program Director Kathryn Bentley has earned a 2020 Saint Louis Visionary Award in the Outstanding Working Artist category. The award celebrates Bentley’s acclaimed work in the arts both at SIUE and in the community.

“I am humbled to win this award,” said Bentley. “There are so many phenomenal women artists in St. Louis, so being recognized in this way is significant to me. I am grateful to my fellow artists with whom I collaborate on a regular basis.”

Bentley joined the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance in 2004 and has been directing the Black Studies program since 2018. She has also served as the artistic director of SIUE’s Black Theatre Workshop since 2006.

In addition to her work at SIUE, Bentley has performed and directed with numerous theater companies regionally and nationally, most recently directing the 2019 Shakespeare in the Streets production of Love at the River’s Edge with Shakespeare Festival St. Louis. In 2018, she joined Bread & Roses Missouri as artistic director for the Workers’ Theater Project and directed the company’s first full-length production, Jailbird, in 2019.

Bentley has been instrumental in developing the CHIPS In Motion program at CHIPS Health and Wellness Center in North St. Louis. This program continues to utilize performance to teach the community about pertinent health and wellness issues.

“I have committed the last 20 years of my career to educating through theater,” said Bentley. “It’s important to me that I utilize the arts to impact change whenever I can. There is not a more powerful way to effect change than through heart-centered interactions. Theater challenges us to go past the intellect and make personal connections to difficult topics.”

Bentley will receive her Saint Louis Visionary Award during a ceremony held on Monday, April 27, at 6 p.m. at the Sun Theater in Grand Center. Visit vizawards.org for details.

Photo: SIUE Dept. of Theater and Dance Associate Professor and Black Studies Program Director Kathryn Bentley.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of English Language and Literature Assistant Professor Tiana Clark has been named one of five finalists in the prestigious 2020 Kate Tufts Discovery Award for her poetry book, “I Can’t Talk About the Trees Without the Blood.”

The Kate Tufts Discovery Award is bestowed annually by Claremont Graduate University (CGU) to honor a first book by a poet of promise. It is awarded in conjunction with the Kingsley Tufts Award, which is one of the world’s leading annual poetry awards for mid-career poets.

“I am beyond honored to be a finalist for the Kate Tufts Discovery Award,” said Clark. “I bawled when I received the email. It’s an amazing and validating feeling to be recognized for trusting my imagination.”

This year’s five finalists for the Kate Tufts Discovery Award were selected by a panel of fellow poets from a pool of several hundred nominations submitted by individuals and publishers. The recipient of the award and its $10,000 prize will be announced in late February.

Clark wrote “I Can’t Talk About the Trees Without the Blood,” because to her, “Trees will never be just trees. They will also and always be a row of gallows from which Black bodies once swung. This is an image that I cannot escape, but one that I have learned to lean into as I delve into personal and public histories, explicating memories and muses around race, elegy, family, and faith by making and breaking forms, as well as probing mythology, literary history, my own ancestry and, yes, even Rihanna.” 

Clark hopes this book and her next poetry collection investigating long poems with lyric swagger will provide inspiration to her SIUE students.

“I hope my work gives my students encouragement to be themselves on the page, to take creative risks and experiment with poetic form,” said Clark.

Photo: SIUE Department of English Language and Literature Assistant Professor Tiana Clark.

Established international dentists are perfecting their skills and pursuing doctor of dental medicine (DMD) degrees through the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine’s (SIU SDM) competitive International Advanced Placement Program (IAPP).

The program launched in 2016, offering a unique opportunity for dentists who have graduated from an international dental school to gain the necessary qualifications to obtain a license to practice in the United States. The specialized IAPP allows cohorts of six. The SIU SDM will accept its fifth class in 2020. 

“The IAPP program has allowed the School of Dental Medicine to help internationally trained dentists to continue to practice their chosen profession upon relocation to the U.S.,” said SIU SDM Dean Bruce Rotter, DMD. “Entry into our program is extremely competitive, and we have had the great fortune of graduating some incredibly talented dentists. These students have also added a new level of cultural diversity to our program, which has benefitted students, faculty, staff and patients.” 

Jamie Terrill, a native of Guatemala, became a dentist in 2012 and practiced for two years in her home country. Upon moving to the U.S. following an engagement, she was eager to continue the career she loves and work toward a license to practice in the states.

“The International Advanced Placement Program has been the most amazing experience,” Terrill noted. “It allows you to continue your dreams and pursue even more than what you have achieved in your previous career.”

Terrill has developed a passion for pediatric dentistry during the program. She emphasizes the School of Dental Medicine’s team approach to treatment as a valuable indicator of its commitment to patient care.

“I have found a family in the School of Dental Medicine,” Terrill explained. “The faculty and students respect and embrace patient needs, and work together as a team. Through the International Advanced Placement Program, I have grown as a professional, my international relationships have expanded thanks to the diversity in our program, my English communication and approach to patients has improved, and I’ve gotten a chance to see the Latin community in the surrounding area.”

Terrill is slated to complete the IAPP in June 2020. Following graduation, she will pursue specialty training in pediatric dentistry.

For more information on the SIU SDM’s IAPP, visit siue.edu/dental/iapp.

Photo: Jamie Terrill, of Guatemala, is pursuing the SIU School of Dental Medicine’s International Advanced Placement Program.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHDzAr8lTRw&feature=youtu.be

It was a day of skill, wit, challenge, experimentation and fun that yielded a time of learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) that instructors hope will incite their students’ desire for learning well into the future. 

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) held its first STEAM Day on Friday, Feb. 14 at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus in East St. Louis. An awards program followed. 

“It’s been so much fun putting this all together. We wanted to highlight what STEAM is, and to let students see and experience some other connections than what they would typically in the classroom,” said Liza Cummings, PhD, CHS STEM instructional coordinator and STEAM Day planner.  

Throughout the day, groups of CHS students rotated through the following challenges:

• Mystery Bag (art/technology/mathematics) – Students used recyclable and other basic materials to create a new invention
• Tessellation (art/mathematics) – Students were challenged to arrange shapes closely fitted together in a repeated pattern without gaps or overlapping
• Realistic Sketch (art/technology/mathematics) – Students showed their skills of drawing technique by utilizing sketching, doodles, shapes, proportions, perspectives and more
• Escape the Room (mathematics/technology) – Students worked in groups in a race against the clock to solve a series of increasingly challenging equations
• Dough/Clay (science/art/mathematics) – Students used measurements and instructions to create and design a heart cookie
• Rose Slime (art/science/mathematics) – Students created their own unique moist, soft and slippery substance
• Catapult (science/engineering/mathematics) – Students designed a catapult with items provided with the mission of moving materials the farthest
• Roller Coaster (science/engineering/mathematics) – Students used logic and creativity to build a roller coaster
• Sudoku (mathematics) – Students learned how to play the puzzle game of Sudoku 
  
  CHS Art Teacher Hope Jordan came up with the idea of the Mystery Bag Challenge. Each group of students received a bag with the following contents: paper plates, an empty toilet roll, cotton balls, an egg carton, Styrofoam, water bottles, rubber bands, colorful pipe cleaners, pom-pom balls, Q-tips and paper clips. They were charged with fashioning a new invention that would be judged on creativity and appearance. 
  
  Brandon Moore, CHS senior, proudly showed off his group’s invention. “It makes those who hear it fall in love with the person playing,” said Moore, as he mocked playing the “Love Instrument.” “It is like a flute, but it has no holes.” 
  
  Moore’s team member, sophomore J’Mori Mitchell, quickly chimed in that the original design was her idea. “I wanted it to be an airplane, and he made it into an instrument,” she added. “But that’s OK, because teamwork makes the dream work.” 
  
  In one of the Escape Room Challenges, groups of students are intent on solving equations, using algebra and geometry. 
  
  “They have to use math and ingenuity to solve the problems, and get out of the room,” said Aaron Vance, CHS physical education and social studies teacher.  
  
  “STEAM Day is a unique opportunity for students to engage in principles that they aren’t using on a daily basis,” said CHS Social Studies Teacher Carolyn Kribs. 
  
  “We are always looking for ways to stretch and grow our students,” said CHS Director Gina Jeffries, EdD. “STEAM Day was an innovative and stimulating way to do that.” 
  
  The SIUE Charter High School is a school-of-choice for families in the East St. Louis School District 189. The mission of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School is to prepare students who are career- and college-ready upon graduation. To achieve this mission, the school and its staff will positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis, Illinois youth through individualized instruction in core academic subjects, exploration of career interests and aptitudes, assistance in realizing students’ talents, high academic goals, and expectations that graduates will become competitive employees for the 21st century.  
  
  Photos:
  Aaron Vance, CHS teacher, helps sophomore Sydney Williams in the Escape Room Challenge. 
  
  CHS senior Brandon Moore helped make a “Love Instrument” in the Mystery Bag Challenge. 
  
  CHS administrators and teachers held the school’s first STEAM Day on Friday, Feb. 14.
  

The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Academic Relations Committee (ARC) has accepted Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Business into its Internal Auditing Education Partnership Program (IAEP) program as an IAEP Internal Audit Foundation Program.

SIUE is the only university affiliated with the St. Louis Chapter of the IIA to receive the designation and only the fourth accounting program in Illinois to be recognized.

ARC Chairman Rudrik du Bruyn, CIA, sent a congratulatory letter to SIUE Associate Professor of Accounting Jamie Hoelscher, PhD, CIA, and said, “The Academic Relations Committee has demonstrated its firm belief that SIUE will make impactful contributions to the next generation of internal auditors.”

“Being recognized as an IAEP program puts our program in both a national and global spotlight,” said Hoelscher, who will serve as SIUE’s IAEP coordinator. “While only four schools in the state have this designation, less than 40 schools in the United States have it, with roughly 55 schools globally receiving it. It is a formal acknowledgement of our department’s ability to prepare students for a career in internal audit.” 

Hoelscher said the process took years of work and collaboration between the SIUE Department of Accounting faculty and the St. Louis IIA Chapter. SIUE had to demonstrate a commitment to offering internal audit-related coursework in its curriculum by qualified faculty. Extensive documentation was warranted to show course offerings, course availability, faculty qualifications, faculty contributions to the profession and a resources commitment to ensure students get appropriate exposure to the necessary coursework.  

Du Bruyn noted that participation in the IAEP program identifies SIUE as a forward-thinking school that recognizes the importance of the internal auditing profession as a career choice. “SIUE is to be commended for bringing internal auditing education to its academic curriculum in order to prepare future internal auditors,” he said.

“Inclusion in the IAEP program helps us to strengthen our partnership with our local St. Louis IIA chapter and further enables our students to bridge the gap with the profession,” Hoelscher said. “Increased access to educational and practice-based resources at the local and global level will be available for our students and faculty alike. 

“Our students will have more direct access to the profession, with increased guest speakers in the classroom, access to local and global workshops, training and networking events, as well as increased opportunities for internal auditing internship and jobs not only in the St. Louis area, but also globally. In addition, our students will be recognized as coming from a school that places a strong emphasis on professionally developing internal auditors for the workforce.” 

A formal presentation will be given at the Internal Audit Student Exchange (IASE) on September 18-20 in Orlando.

Photo: SIUE Associate Professor of Accounting Jamie Hoelscher, PhD, CIA.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering alumna Dana Sigman and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) senior Brett Bertok are one step closer to leading lives full of educated and impassioned global service.

The duo has completed the United States Peace Corps Prep Program to earn a spot among the top 400 applicants in a pool of 24,000 should they choose to pursue the Peace Corps, and live its mission to promote world peace and friendship.

“The intentionality of achieving this certificate is significant,” noted SIUE Study Abroad Advisor Kim Browning. “Dana and Brett can now make a reality out of their desire to serve. Many people think about doing this, but don’t follow through. The commitment these two have shown is admirable and makes them ideal candidates for the Peace Corps when they’re ready.”

Sigman, of Mascoutah, completed a bachelor’s in civil engineering with a minor in Spanish in December 2019. She aspires to combine her engineering training and interest in foreign cultures to help build society.

“At SIUE, I was involved in the Mustard Seed organization, and we traveled to Guatemala,” she explained. “Right after that, I went to Costa Rica. Going to those types of countries makes you appreciate your life in the U.S. As an engineering student, you need real-world experience. Getting that experience in a foreign country made me quicker on my feet, and more creative in problem-solving and decision-making.”

Sigman plans to achieve her professional engineer license, gain engineering-related experience in Latin America and save money before applying to the Peace Corps.

Bertok, of Hoffman Estates, is slated to achieve a bachelor’s in geography with a minor in French in May 2020. He transferred to SIUE specifically to pursue the Peace Corps Prep program and quickly fell in love with the geography program. Bertok aims to complete a master’s in geography at SIUE, and then hopes to serve in the Peace Corps.

“I’m hoping to learn a lot about life outside the U.S., and see the struggles people face in underserved communities and areas like those in West Africa,” Bertok said. “The prep program expands the number of post-graduation opportunities for students, regardless of intention to serve abroad. I found the foreign language skills and field experience requirements to be the most impactful components of the program. Earning this certificate is a small step in the direction of what I want to do with the rest of my life, which is to make a difference in the world.”

“It is incredibly rewarding to see our students exemplify the core values of SIUE in very real way,” said CAS Dean Greg Budzban, PhD. “Our faculty work hard to ensure that our students understand the importance of positive engagement with the global community in the service of others. These students are wonderful ambassadors in this critical mission. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

For more information on the Peace Corps Prep Program, visit siue.edu/study-abroad.

Photo: (L-R) SIUE Study Abroad Advisor Kim Browning stands alongside Peace Corps Prep certificate recipient Dana Sigman, a School of Engineering (SOE) alumna, and SOE Dean Cem Karacal, PhD.

Also holding a certificate alongside Browning (right) is geography major Brett Bertok. Bertok shakes hands with College of Arts and Sciences Dean Greg Budzban, PhD.

Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) students’ eyes were opened to the wide world of career possibilities within the dentistry profession beyond the clinic, with a focus on the significance of academia, diversity, inclusion, leadership and mentorship.

Funded by a grant from the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Gies Foundation, guests from the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine led the workshop: “Creating Awareness in Academic Dentistry” on Thursday, Feb. 13 at the SIU SDM’s Alton campus. Featured speakers included Rutgers’ Associate Dean of Student Admissions and Recruitment Rosa Chaviano-Moran, DMD, and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Diversity and Inclusion Herminio Perez, DDS.

“The purpose of this workshop was to educate, motivate and excite dental students of diverse backgrounds about careers in academic dentistry,” said Nathalia Garcia, DDS, SIU SDM department chair of Applied Health and ADEA faculty representative. “This was a great experience for our students to discover career opportunities beyond that of traditional private practice. Our speakers presented interesting topics regarding the importance of developing professional networks, establishing mentor-mentee relationships, understanding the organizational meaning of being a leader, and the significance of teaching and educational scholarship.”

“A considerable part of the presentation focused on diversity and inclusion, and the positive effects of having a diverse academic community,” she added. “Our School’s response to this event was excellent. All junior, senior and international students, as well as some faculty, were in attendance.”

“As dentists, we are clinicians,” said Chaviano-Moran, “but, we want to empower students to know that there are other opportunities within dentistry, such as becoming involved in academia and leadership, and seeking ways to meet and network with fellow clinicians and scholars. We want to plant the seed that there are numerous opportunities, and promote that students have to water their own grass and look for different perspectives to grow.”

“This is the first step toward something bigger, because students need to be aware of what it is to be in academia,” added Perez. “We want to pave the future for schools to have more training for students to be dental educators. We need new blood in academia to continue to educate and train future professionals.”

SIU SDM students appreciated the opportunity to hear from and make connections with the outside educators through the ADEAGies Foundation event.

“There can sometimes be a disconnect between students and faculty,” explained D4 Maya Habibi, of Springfield, president of the ADEA SIU SDM Chapter. “Faculty are much more than teachers. They are clinicians and mentors with a wealth of knowledge in professional development.”

“Today, I was reminded that we can understand more beyond what we imagine,” added Guatemala native Jamie Terrill, a student in the SIU SDM International Advanced Placement Program. “The dentistry world is small. It’s a network. I appreciated hearing from the event speakers, so we could learn about what’s happening outside of our campus.”

The ADEAGies Foundation is uniquely positioned to identify and promote innovative, future-ready oral health initiatives that advance dental education and elevate the dental profession. Across the dental, allied dental and advanced dental education community, our diverse ranks—comprised of dental school deans and program directors; faculty; students, residents and fellows; and corporate and philanthropic partners—allow us to tap a tremendous breadth of knowledge, ability and perspective to develop leaders who can grow their capacity to lead academic dentistry amidst change.

Photos: (L-R) SIU SDM’s Nathalia Garcia, DMD, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine’s Herminio Perez, DDS, and Rosa Chaviano-Moran, DMD, and SIU SDM’s Cornell Thomas, DDS.

Featured speakers for the “Creating Awareness in Academic Dentistry” workshop funded by the ADEAGies Foundation were Rutgers School of Dental Medicine’s Rosa Chaviano-Moran, DMD, and Herminio Perez, DDS.