Fortune Magazine published two articles as a result of interviewing Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Jocelyn DeGroot, PhD, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Applied Communication Studies.
DeGroot, an expert in communicative issues of death and dying, provided background and information for the articles.
Read more at “The biggest risk in business right now is grief” and “5 better ways to help your employees mourn at the office.”
Getting needed after-school academic instruction and help for high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging, but Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s Upward Bound (UB) EC/BEM program has approached the task with a multi-faceted approach.
“Virtual learning has been extremely difficult based on the fact that our students have to participate within their own school districts regularly and work with us also,” said UB Program Director Keith Ware, EdD. “We have modified instruction to best fit our participants. We are doing more in-person tutorials within CDC guidelines and are presenting speakers on Zoom sessions. We are also sending home STEM projects to our students.”
UB EC/BEM began its after-school instruction on Monday, Sept. 14 for high school students in East St. Louis, Cahokia (EC) and Brooklyn, the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School, and Madison (BEM).
Besides delivering academic instruction in myriad ways, UB EC/BEM is also intent on providing counseling during a time that many are finding stressful.
“We have upped the ante when it comes to counseling students,” noted Ware. “We want to check on our students to see if they are doing well emotionally and socially. Our counselors are contacting students daily to make sure their needs are being met.”
One social distancing event that UB EC/BEM has incorporated to meet part of their nutrition obligation of the program is to provide Saturday food truck events.
“This has been quite a trying time for students who are used to in-person interaction with our staff after school,” continued Ware. “To expect high school students to do virtual programming 10-12 hours a day is not normal, healthy or beneficial. We are trying to meet the needs of our students the best way possible, which means constantly modifying what we are doing to keep them engaged.”
The SIUE East St. Louis Center Upward Bound programs help youth prepare for higher education and serves students from East St. Louis and Cahokia (EC), and Brooklyn, East St. Louis Charter and Madison (BEM) High Schools. Participants receive instruction in literature, composition and STEM subjects on college campuses after school, on Saturdays and during the summer. The quality services provided will prepare the students for successful high school completion and entrance into post-secondary programs. Upward Bound is a college-preparatory program designed to serve low-income and/or potential first-generation college students who are currently in grades 9-12.
Photo:
Keith Ware, EdD, SIUE East St. Louis Center Upward Bound program director.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has selected Mesha Garner, MA, as director of student financial aid through a national search chaired by Kevin Wathen, SIUE director of military and veteran services. Garner assumes her duties on campus Thursday, Oct. 1.
Scott Belobrajdic, EdD, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management said Garner brings critically important experience to SIUE. “Her previous roles as federal awards coordinator and policy manager at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and financial aid specialist at Illinois State University (ISU) provide SIUE with valuable insight regarding large campus financial aid operations and efficiencies,” he said. “SIUE’s financial aid office manages more than $180 million in student aid annually. A working knowledge of large-scale operations is critical for the individual in the director’s role.”
A member of UW-Madison’s financial aid team since 2017, Garner was involved in the development and implementation of its Bucky’s Tuition Promise, demonstrating her ability to guide SIUE in the roll out of the SIUE Commitment. “I look forward to leading the SIUE financial aid team for the implementation of the new SIUE Commitment,” Garner said. “This program is a direct reflection of our financial commitment to students and their success. Moreover, we are sending a message that SIUE is accessible and affordable to Illinois students.”
Garner also has a strong history working with marginalized groups on campus, including her role as chair of UW-Madison’s Engagement, Inclusion and Diversity Committee. “I have served on multiple committees, both campus-wide and divisionally, that strategize to hire, recruit and retain employees from marginalized groups,” she said. “Also, I have led a team of professionals to use an equity-based lens for the administration of financial aid to students and decreased mitigators that would prohibit marginalized students from financial access to education. Equity and access are important to me personally and professionally.”
Prior to her arrival in Madison, Garner was a financial aid specialist at ISU from 2012-17.
Garner will lead an experienced SIUE financial aid team that supports undergraduates, graduate students and students enrolled in SIUE professional programs. She succeeds Sally Mullen who retired in May 2020 after serving SIUE for more than 30 years.
SIUE’s student recruitment strategies align with Garner’s goal of creating access to students, which proved attractive to her. “I look forward to building and strengthening campus and community partnerships for the recruitment and retention of students,” she said. “As an Illinois native from Tinley Park, I feel it is our state’s responsibility to prepare the nation’s future leaders for success. To progress towards this goal, I am committed to leading this division with fairness, authenticity, innovation and intention. With these values at our core, I am confident that our goals will not only be met, but also exceeded.”
Garner earned a bachelor’s in family and consumer science and political science, and a master’s in political science/public administration from ISU. She is a currently pursuing a doctorate in education administration at ISU.
Photo: SIUE Director of Student Financial Aid Mesha Garner.
Amid the public and economic health crisis of COVID-19 and harsh realities of racial inequities occurring across the nation, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville continues to work toward and promote change that unites people and underscores human value, according to Venessa A. Brown, PhD, associate chancellor and chief diversity officer.
The University will host its Third Annual Diversity Day, “The Fierce Urgency of Now: SIUE Shaping a Changing World.” The virtual conference will be held from Wednesday-Thursday, Oct. 14-15. Register now at siue.edu/institutional-diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-day/index.shtml
“Designed with community engagement, participation across the Southern Illinois University (SIU) System and conversations with other educational institutions in mind, this multi-event day will showcase myriad ways in which membership in the global community is core to SIUE’s values and mission,” said Brown, Diversity Day’s host and coordinator.
The conference goals are:
“Diversity Day is a time to bring all of us together, not only to celebrate the richness of the different races, ethnicities and cultures at SIUE,” noted Brown, “but also to learn from each other and educate our community about diversity, equity, racism, anti-racism and inclusion.
“This year, we are excited to provide Diversity Day in a virtual format and welcome higher education institutions, organizations, community members and other groups to share in this personal and professional development opportunity.”
The University’s ongoing commitment to its core values of inclusion and citizenship is to be applauded, especially during the current times, cited Brown.
“I am extremely proud of SIUE for being proactive and creating brave spaces for us to speak truth at a time such as this in our world,” she elaborated. “The creation of SIUE’s Anti-Racism Task Force (ARTF) was made a priority by Chancellor Randy Pembrook. Amazing conversations that include identifying areas of systemic barriers to equity and inclusion, historical knowledge gaps in American history, and personal commitments to change have been taking place every Tuesday and Thursday since the beginning of summer.
“The SIUE Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA), a constituency group, has given voice to and provided action for the needs and concerns of Black faculty and staff, which ultimately impacts Black students. Equally important are SIUE’s institutional commitment to keep talking to one another and sharing stories through such outlets as the SIU System’s Conversation of Understanding, Sustained Dialogue and Inclusive Conversations sessions (coordinated by Lindy Wagner, director for the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion), and a host of other educational opportunities that speak to systemic racism.”
Diversity Day will feature more than 22 presentations, including a luncheon panel and an international panel. A full event schedule and registration link is available on the SIUE Institutional Diversity and Inclusion website. Once registered, a confirmation email with a link to the Virtual Conference Program will be sent, and participants can access Zoom meeting links to each session.
For more information, contact diversity_day@siue.edu or 618-650-5382.
Photo:
Venessa A. Brown, PhD, associate chancellor and chief diversity officer.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville together with SIU Carbondale will host the 20th Annual Global Fusion Conference Friday-Sunday Oct. 9-11 in what will be the event’s first-ever virtual gathering.
The goal of the conference is to promote academic excellence in global media and international communication studies. It is sponsored by a consortium of universities, including SIUE, SIUC, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Ohio University and Temple University.
Under the theme “(In)visibility in global communication: Connections and Inequities,” the plenary panel brings together a rising filmmaker and two media scholars to discuss the Black Lives Matter and global anti-racist movement from Ferguson, Mo., to Cape Town, South Africa. Because it is virtual, there will be presenters from the Philippines, Myanmar, India and Europe.
According to Musonda Kapatamoyo, PhD, chair and professor in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Mass Communications, the virtual conference will provide participants with opportunities to network with leading experts in the field, which is beneficial for graduate students who want to pursue doctoral studies at other represented schools.
“Following the conference, we hope to advance knowledge and skillsets for our students and faculty through interacting with influential keynote speakers, inspiring presentations and alternative perspectives,” Kapatamoyo explained. “We have a couple of faculty members presenting at this conference. It is a perfect opportunity for our faculty to share their research and test findings in front of an invested, knowledgeable audience.”
Conference registration provides access to all conference events, including roundtables. To view the schedule of events and register, visit siue.edu/arts-and-sciences/global-fusion. The cost for students, faculty and independent scholars is $30. The conference will take place mostly live via Zoom with some prerecorded presentations.
Photo: Musonda Kapatamoyo, PhD, chair and professor in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Mass Communications.
As clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines are underway, mistrust in the healthcare system and concerns of speed over safety have amplified across the nation, especially in the Black community.
Now, a panel of Black doctors has organized to independently vet the vaccines as the National Medical Association (NMA) COVID-19 Commission on Vaccines and Therapeutics. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Lakesha Butler, PharmD, is serving as the commission’s only pharmacist, alongside seven physicians.
Butler is a clinical professor in the SIUE School of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacy Practice and the SOP Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She currently serves as immediate past president of the National Pharmaceutical Association.
“The appointed group will evaluate potential treatment options for COVID-19, including vaccines currently in clinical trials for safety and efficacy, and then evaluate the clinical trial processes,” said Butler, who will lend her expertise as a drug expert and trained immunizer with a clear understanding of vaccines and experience in evaluating clinical trials.
“I have built relationships with various groups including the NMA, who is leading this panel effort,” Butler explained. “I reached out to the president of NMA encouraging the addition of a pharmacist to the panel, and was asked if I would be that pharmacist.”
Butler notes the concern that has arisen surrounding Operation Warp Speed, an initiative of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Operation Warp Speed has a goal of producing 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by early 2021.
“The name of the operation has caused some concern, because the thought is that the speed of production will take precedence over safety and efficacy,” Butler said. “This concern is especially prevalent in the Black community due to pre-existing mistrust in the healthcare system. The heightened and warranted concern of Blacks pertaining to the current COVID-19 clinical trials, and not only a pending COVID-19 vaccine, but vaccines in general, stems from hundreds of years of systemic racism in healthcare and the overall mistreatment of Blacks in this country dating back to 1619.”
“I, along with many Black pharmacists and physicians, am skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccine process and getting involved in any clinical trials,” she added. “Black healthcare providers are trusted in the Black communities. We cannot expect our Black patients, who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 due to health inequities, to want to participate if we are not confident. Research proves that racial concordance between physician and patient results in greater health outcomes due to improved trust.”
Butler will meet weekly with members of the national COVID-19 commission to advance their critical work in addressing racial inequities in healthcare.
“This work is personal for me, because I have loved ones who have been mistreated and have mistrust for the healthcare system,” Butler explained. “I am committed to addressing racial and health inequities through my national and community service, teaching and research.”
An article posted in The Washington Post on Saturday, Sept. 26 details the organization of this commission. View the article here.
Photo: SIUE School of Pharmacy’s Lakesha Butler, PharmD, is serving as the only pharmacist on the National Medical Association (NMA) COVID-19 Commission on Vaccines and Therapeutics.
Proposals, objectives and tenets about dismantling institutionalized racism and minimizing, if not eliminating, personal negative and harmful racial constructs and practices have been reinvigorated at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
One such initiative, the Immersive Meaningful Practices for Accountable Campus Transformation (IMPACT) Academy, will utilize faculty as catalysts and leaders in transforming SIUE into an environment where racism and other forms of biases are not tolerated, according to Kathryn Bentley, MFA, IMPACT Academy coordinator, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Theater and Dance, and Black Studies program director.
The IMPACT Academy is among several new initiatives launched by the Office of the Provost under the direction of Interim Assistant Provost Jessica Harris, PhD. “SIUE’s University Strategic Plan and Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan affirm our commitment to developing a diverse, inclusive and supportive University community,” said Harris. “Achieving this goal requires the engagement and support of the entire SIUE community, and especially the active participation of our faculty.”
IMPACT Academy trainers will assist faculty colleagues with cultivating a more equitable and inclusive learning environment for students and working environment for faculty and staff, explained Bentley.
“IMPACT Academy trainers will provide faculty and staff with tools and resources to build the awareness and competencies needed to foster cultural humility as the standard of interaction and practice in order to advance inclusion, equity and social justice at SIUE,” Bentley continued.
The Academy’s objectives are to:
Training modules include:
The IMPACT Academy held its first workshop, “Using Communication to Build an Inclusive Classroom,” on July 23. The next modules will be part of SIUE Diversity Day, Oct. 14-15. On Oct. 15, “Inclusion, Equity and Social Justice at SIUE” will be presented from 10-11 a.m. and “Strategies for Making STEM Courses and Majors More Inclusive” will be held from 2-3 p.m.
Other upcoming IMPACT Academy trainings can be found here.
All training sessions have been developed and will be facilitated by the following faculty – the inaugural cohort of IMPACT Academy Trainers:
Applications for the next cohort of IMPACT Academy Trainers will be available fall 2021. Faculty at any rank are eligible to apply. Applicants are chosen based on several criteria including: a commitment to building an inclusive campus community and their willingness to facilitate trainings with other faculty.
For more information, contact Bentley at kbentle@siue.e.du or Harris at jesharr@siue.edu.
Photo:
Kathryn Bentley, IMPACT Academy coordinator, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Theater and Dance and Black Studies program director, and Jessica Harris, PhD, interim assistant provost for Academic Equity and Inclusive Excellence.
It’s a select group of women eductors who achieved a terminal degree – all from the same university and at the same time. “The Great Eight” will be featured during the next webinar hosted by The DREAM (Dismantling Racism through Education, Advocacy and Mobilization) Collective at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
“A Conversation with the Great Eight” will begin at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5 on the DREAM Collective’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28LIZrQtJPw.
Collectively referred to as “The Great Eight,” these Black women made history by receiving doctorate degrees from the Indiana University School of Education on the same weekend. Join the DREAM Collective for a conversation with members of this elite group of academicians, as they discuss their journey and the significance of eight marginalized Black women completing doctoral degrees from one school at the same time.
The DREAM Collective is a team of faculty activists who seek to create effective programming and foster cultural competency in responsive educators and community members. Members include education faculty Jennifer Hernandez, PhD, Jessica Krim, EdD, J.T. Snipes, PhD, Nate Williams, PhD, and School of Education Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB) Dean Robin Hughes, PhD.
For more information, visit the DREAM Collective on Facebook at @DREAMCollective20, Twitter at @DREAMcollect20 or Instagram at @DREAMCollective20, or email TheDREAMCollective@siue.edu.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville senior Abbi Ruppert had a different life plan when she chose to pursue higher education. But, like many, Ruppert changed course during her collegiate journey as she identified her true passion, and decided to refocus her studies and training.
Originally a public relations major with an art minor, Ruppert, of Nokomis, is now pursuing a bachelor’s in fine arts with an emphasis in sculpture. Among the accolades she’s received for her creative work is the Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award from the International Sculpture Center (ISC) for her sculpture entitled “Steal My Ambitions.”
The piece is part of Ruppert’s current body of work, where she analyzes and dissects the female self-sacrifice complex. Made by fabricating a steel armature and stretching it with nylon, her website, abbiruppert.com, describes the sculpture as “balancing the contrast between sharp points and soft edges, exploring opposites of love and pain, of complacency and rage.”
Ruppert credits Thad Duhigg, MFA, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Art and Design, for helping solidify her decision to change course and pursue her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He nominated Ruppert for the ISC award, which recognizes young sculptors and encourages their continued commitment to the field.
“I spent the first three and a half years at SIUE tiptoeing around my love for art, before deciding to fully commit to my practice in spring 2019,” explained Ruppert. “Our encouraging and enthusiastic sculpture professor, Thad Duhigg, played a significant role in my decision to pursue sculpture.”
“I applied to the ISC with my best work,” Ruppert added. “The International Sculpture Center is the most prestigious sculpture organization, so I never expected anything to come from it. But that’s what you do when you're an artist; you apply for everything, even though you expect a rejection email, and sometimes ... you get surprised.”
Twelve students, along with 10 honorable mentions, were selected for this prestigious honor from more than 200 nominees worldwide. Award recipients are participating in an Artsy Online Exclusive exhibition from October 1, 2020-January 31, 2021. Additionally, the artists’ work will be featured in the January/February 2021 issue of the ISC’s Sculpture magazine.
“My success in this award, my public sculpture “Revival,” and all my other art achievements would not have been possible without the help and encouragement from my mentor, Thad, and my sculpture studio classmates,” Ruppert emphasized. “I consider myself lucky to be part of this supportive community. Our department was significantly affected when the pandemic hit, and we were forced out of our second homes in the studio. I am happy to be back in the studio.”
Following her May 2021 graduation, Ruppert plans to attend a three-year Master of Fine Arts program at an accredited university.
Photos: “Steal My Ambitions” by SIUE senior fine arts major Abbi Ruppert.
SIUE’s Abbi Ruppert stands on campus by her installed sculpture, entitled “Revival.”
In support of his focus on the non-invasive assessment and possible detection of underlying coronary artery disease, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is accelerating the research program of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Jon Klingensmith, PhD, with a $433,376 award.
The NIH grant supports Klingensmith’s latest research project, “Model-based assessment of cardiac adipose tissue volume and distribution,” which aims to develop a system to make a comprehensive assessment of cardiac fat using only 2D ultrasound, an inexpensive and portable imaging modality.
“Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States,” noted Klingensmith, an assistant professor in the School of Engineering’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), and head of ECE’s Biomedical Imaging Research Lab.
“Broadly, my research goals are to develop imaging-related technologies and algorithms to aid in the assessment of heart disease,” he explained. “More specifically, this project focuses on using 3D image analysis and deep learning to quantify the layer of cardiac fat around the heart with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound. This layer of fat influences the development of coronary artery disease. Our long-term goal is to use non-invasive imaging to predict and characterize any underlying coronary artery disease based on imaging and measuring the cardiac fat.”
According to Klingensmith, a previous grant from the American Heart Association (AHA) allowed for the purchase of a specially-outfitted ultrasound system to conduct preliminary studies on whether spectral analysis of the raw ultrasound signals could differentiate cardiac fat from muscle.
“This NIH grant facilitates expanding on this idea of fusing the 2D ultrasound with 3D cardiac MRI,” Klingensmith explained. “It allows use of the 3D MRI to help train machine-learning algorithms to recognize cardiac fat using only the ultrasound, and make a 3D assessment of the cardiac fat using only a few 2D ultrasound images.”
SIUE’s Maria Fernandez del Valle, PhD, assistant professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s Department of Applied Health, is lending her expertise in obesity, exercise and cardiac fat reduction to complement Klingensmith’s work in cardiac imaging and coronary plaque quantification.
“Our research areas are a perfect match,” said Fernandez del Valle, who also partnered with Klingensmith on the AHA funded initiative. “Our interdisciplinary collaboration has opened new opportunities of study at SIUE, including the use of cardiac MRI to quantify and map cardiac fat, development of ultrasound-based algorithms for identification of cardiac fat, and studies on the effects of high intensity exercise (aerobic versus strength exercise) in cardiac fat and visceral fat in women with obesity. These efforts would not be possible for either of us alone, and the interdisciplinary nature of our work allows us to pursue different ideas and funding that would not otherwise be possible.”
Klingensmith’s commitment as a teacher-scholar also opens mutually beneficial opportunities for SIUE undergraduate and graduate students. His work aligns with the NIH R15 program, which facilitates the training of new scientists to pursue careers in medical research. With this program, the research partners will be able to attract young, talented engineers involved in medical applications and problems as they move toward building their own careers.
A team of graduate students is supported by the NIH grant, including Michaela Kulasekara, Brad Bates and Colin Gibbons, all of whom are pursuing an advanced degree in electrical and computer engineering. In the Department of Applied Health, graduate student Alexa Agne is also a contributing member of the research team.
“I’ve always been interested in finding interdisciplinary applications of engineering, so I was thrilled to join Dr. Klingensmith’s research group as an undergraduate,” said Gibbons. “Working in the lab has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic career. The NIH grant has helped make it possible for me to continue this engaging and important research at the graduate level.”
“As a graduate assistant in the Biomedical Imaging Research Lab at SIUE, I am in a position that allows advancement of my skills as an engineer while also performing research and developing tools that can be used in the medical field to help others,” added Kulasekara.
“It’s hard to quantify the ability to pursue one’s dreams,” noted Bates. “Simply, I am thankful for such an amazing opportunity. This gifted research opportunity is met with gratitude.”
Klingensmith also mentors six undergraduate students involved in this work through the University’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program. His URCA assistants include Nick Roberts, Brianna Witherell, Vu Dinh, Chandler Scott, Jackie Corral and Ethan Boulanger.
Additional research partners include Abdul Moiz Hafiz, MD, with the SIU School of Medicine; John Gao, MD, PhD, of Memorial Medical Center in Springfield; and Pam Woodard, MD, with the Washington University School of Medicine.
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute of the
National Institutes of Health under Award Number R15HL145576. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Photo: SIUE’s Jon Klingensmith, PhD, assistant professor in the School of Engineering’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) St. Louis Chapter awarded 7 of its 11 scholarships to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Mechanical Engineering students at its annual awards ceremony. The scholarship assistance totaled $12,500.
SIUE School of Engineering (SOE) students competed against students from such schools as Saint Louis University, Washington University in St. Louis, SIU Carbondale, and Missouri Science and Technology.
ASHRAE Student Advisor Serdar Celik, PhD, professor in the SIUE Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, believes this award recognition reflects well on SIUE’s student involvement in the St. Louis region.
Celik has enjoyed enthusiastic responses from St. Louis professionals about not only SIUE student participation in ASHRAE events and community engagement, but also with the engineering background and technical knowledge of SIUE alumni who have been hired as engineers in the HVAC field.
Lawrence Gilmore, of Collinsville, received the P. Gordon Glunt Memorial Scholarship worth $3,000 and an additional $1,000 General Scholarship. Gilmore was involved in the SIUE ASHRAE Student Chapter throughout his college career and served as vice president during the 2019-20 academic year. He earned a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in May 2020 and joined Icon Mechanical as a project manager following graduation.
Landon Skelly, of Chatham, received an ASHRAE General Scholarship valued at $2,500. Quintin Dial, of Grafton, and Nicholas Mensing, of Breese, received $1,500 General Scholarships.
General Scholarships worth $1,000 were awarded to Derek Robson, of Girard, Ethan Schumacher, of Breese, and Mohammed Abdul Raheem Jafery, of India.
Skelly earned a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in May 2020. He contributed to the SIUE ASHRAE Student Chapter’s being honored as a finalist for “Outstanding Student Organization of the Year.” He is currently pursuing a master’s at SIUE while working part-time at Hanson Professional Services in Springfield.
Robson earned a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in May 2020. He served the SIUE ASHRAE Student Chapter as treasurer. He seeks a career as an HVAC design engineer or a sustainable energy engineer.
Dial expects to earn a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in May 2021. He seeks a career in the design and construction industry in the St. Louis area after commencement.
Mensing is on track to earn a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in May 2021. His career focus will be on system efficiency, net-zero energy buildings and renewable energy technologies.
Schumacher will earn a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in May 2021 with a focus in evaporative cooling.
Abdul Raheem Jafery is slated to earn a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in December 2021. With a passion for energy efficiency and sustainability, he will seek a career in the HVAC industry with a focus on sustainable, efficient buildings.
Photo (L-R): Top row - Quintin Dial, Lawrence Gilmore and Mohammed Abdul Raheem Jafery.
Bottom row - Nicholas Mensing, Derek Robson, Ethan Schumacher and Landon Skelly.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Dawn Huckelberry, senior academic advisor in the Office of Academic Advising, has been elected to serve as vice president/president-elect of the Illinois Academic Advising Association (ILACADA), an affiliate of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).
Huckelberry brings 20 years of academic advising experience to the position and has served on the organization’s executive board for the past five years. She will serve one year as vice president, before assuming the role of president for the 21-22 academic year, and then serve a third year as past president.
“Dawn is an amazing colleague and skilled advising practitioner, an asset to our University and the advising community at-large,” said Kelly Atkins, assistant director for transition services in SIUE’s Office of Academic Advising and Huckelberry’s supervisor.
“My goals include implementing the plan to offer monthly online brown-bag lunch sessions, increasing awareness of available scholarships, awards and grant programs, and growing membership throughout the state,” Huckelberry said.
SIUE Senior Academic Advisor Elizabeth Sanders fully anticipated Huckelberry’s election. “I have had the distinct privilege of working with Dawn for 12 years in SIUE’s Office of Academic Advising, and I have been consistently amazed at her myriad professional accomplishments,” Sanders said. “Not only does she mentor and train advisors within our own unit, but she also receives requests to participate on search committees, training initiatives, presentations and campus-wide programming. It is reflective of her immense expertise and advising prowess. We all benefit from her willingness to share her wisdom.”
The ILACADA’s purpose is to raise awareness and advocate for the academic advising profession. ILACADA represents academic advisors and advising administrators at more than 40 Illinois colleges and universities. It is the largest state association in NACADA’s Region 5, which includes Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario and Nunavut.
This year, when NACADA elected to postpone its regional conferences, ILACADA creatively moved its conferences to a virtual format. “Our organization is wholly committed to offering professional development, and our host institutions were equipped with the technology, so we did it—and that put ILACADA in the spotlight,” Huckelberry said..”When NACADA Executive Director Charlie Nutt learned we were holding our May Drive-in virtually, he asked us if he could give the welcome address, because it was the first virtual academic advising conference in the nation.”
To support professional development activities among academic advisors, ILACADA offers an annual conference in the fall and a drive-in conference during the spring. ILACADA’s annual conference held last month was also virtual.
In 2019, SIUE hosted the regional conference with Huckelberry as chair. In working alongside Huckelberry as part of the conference committee, SIUE Lead Academic Advisor Danita Mumphard said, “I witnessed her diligence, creativity, and commitment to ILACADA’s mission of providing excellent professional development for advising colleagues across the state.”
SIUE will gain additional representation as Crystal Bryson, academic advisor II in the School of Nursing, has joined the ILACADA executive board as professional development chair.
Photo: SIUE Senior Academic Advisor Dawn Huckelberry.
Congressional members, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville leaders, and representatives from Madison and St. Clair County workforce development departments joined state and local officials to announce a $1.47 million state grant on Tuesday at the Biotechnology Laboratory Incubator on the SIUE campus.
The project, awarded to Madison County Employment and Training Department (MCETD) by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) as part of the U.S. Dept. of Labor Employment Recovery funds, supports dislocated worker education and training in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The grant team has envisioned an innovative approach to 21st century education and training that reflects both the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the opportunities of modern instructional design and technology for remote and hybrid learning,” SIU System President Dan Mahony said. “On behalf of the Southern Illinois University System, I applaud this team’s efforts in rising to the challenges posed by the pandemic and finding solutions that meet the needs of students, workers, businesses and communities.”
Madison County Employment and Training Dept. has partnered with St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants Dept. and SIUE to serve 100 dislocated workers participating in an innovative digital badging workforce training program to prepare them for fast-growing occupations such as lab technician, chemical technician and food science technician.
U.S. Congressmen Rodney Davis (IL-13) and Mike Bost (IL-12) emphasized the need for federal investment in education and training to restore economic and workforce recovery.
“I’m excited to see Madison County and SIUE partner up utilizing federal dollars to provide job training to dislocated workers and help them obtain new, good-paying jobs,” said Davis. “We had record low unemployment before the Coronavirus pandemic hit. Congress and the administration have worked together to help bring jobs back through efforts like the one we celebrated today. I look forward to seeing the real and meaningful impact this grant will have on people’s lives.”
“COVID-19 has changed how we educate, do business, and connect with others. It also means that the types of jobs and work we do will adapt as well,” said Bost. “This grant will not only help 100 Southern Illinoisans who are out of work but will also train them in scientific fields that will discover vaccines and treatments for this virus.”
As part of the project, Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act dollars will be leveraged to support trainees’ progression through digital badges leading to industry-aligned credentials and on-the-job training agreements with local employers.
“Digital badges and related alternative or micro- credentials demonstrate great promise as a strategy for closing the skills gap, and supporting the alignment of industry skills with innovative curricular offerings and applied, hands-on learning,” said Mary Ettling, SIUE director of online and education outreach. “This project will serve those dislocated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 100 trainees anticipated to complete the program in the next 18 months to two years. The training, which incorporates online learning, remote reality elements and competency-based in-person learning, leads to industry-aligned credentials in high-demand jobs.”
The program was developed utilizing a gap analysis (Economic Modeling Services Inc. Analyst data) to identify areas of disconnect between the skills sought by regional employers versus the skills possessed by applicants for the job. Utilizing this data, employer interviews were conducted to better understand the desired skill level for each competency and opportunities for on-the-job-training upon completion of the credential. Each industry-aligned credential consists of 6-10 digital badges which reflect the specific competencies sought by employers for each target occupation.
“This grant will help fund dislocated workers during a time it’s most needed,” Madison County Chairman Kurt Prenzler said. “Due to COVID-19, unemployment is at an all-time high. This innovative program offers dislocated workers an opportunity to prepare for in-demand technician jobs.”
Throughout the training program, education and workforce partners will work with local employers to establish on-the-job training agreements for program graduates. Madison and St. Clair County workforce training departments, SIUE, and employer and community partners have developed a recruitment strategy to identify eligible, qualified and committed individuals for this project with an emphasis on recruiting a diverse and inclusive participant pool.
“This award reflects SIUE’s commitment to shaping a changing world, both inside the classroom and in the community, and demonstrates great potential to meet both critical workforce needs and to drive economic development in our region. Building a stronger, job-ready workforce for these industries can make our region more competitive to companies seeking to relocate or expand their operations,” SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook said. “The grant team is committed to working with trainees, employers, and faculty across the University to ensure that participants have access to education and training beyond the initial program, including on-ramps into our newly launched Online Degree Completion Program, corporate partnerships, and other innovative opportunities to help workers continue to advance their education and their careers.”
To learn more about the project, including employer partnership or for details on how to apply, contact MCETD at 618-296-4445.
Photo: SIU System President Dan Mahony.
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing (SON) saw record enrollment for the second consecutive year in fall 2020 with a 5% increase (1,877 students) from fall 2019. With the new Health Sciences Complex on the horizon for the SIUE campus, the foundation is in place for continued growth.
SON Dean Laura Bernaix, PhD, RN, points to the SON’s faculty as the secret to their success. “Great faculty, who not only are great educators in the classroom but also experts at curriculum design, are the key,” she said. “We pride ourselves with having the pulse of what prospective students want and what our clinical agency partners need.”
That high-quality faculty instruction and student preparation led to a 94% pass rate in the School of Nursing National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for undergraduate students during the 2020 second quarter. In addition, the SON’s Family Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate students scored a perfect 100% first-time pass rate on their national board exams.
Meanwhile at the graduate level, the SON broke fall 2019’s record of 372 students with 437 graduate nursing students, an increase of almost 20%.
“Considering these record numbers along with recent regional and national accolades, I believe the future is extremely bright,” said SON Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs Andrew Griffin, PhD, CRNA, APRN. “I am additionally encouraged by early applications for the 2021 spring and fall semesters. We are well ahead of last year’s pace.”
Undergraduate student enrollment in the traditional accelerated bachelor of science (ABS) program grew from 872 students in fall 2019 to 905 in fall 2020 (+3.6%). The accelerated Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science (RN to BS) program added 17 students from its fall 2019 total to reach 549 students enrolled in fall 2020.
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs Ann Popkess, PhD, RN, CNE, points to a variety of factors for their growth. “We have an excellent reputation with southern Illinois regional agencies who hire and request our students practice in their organizations,” she said. “Our exceptional faculty are master’s and doctorate prepared, and most are certified in a specialty area. Combining this caliber of faculty with high-quality programs and curriculum, and our state-of-the-art simulation lab and virtual learning lab/experiences, highly prepares our students to excel in nursing as a career.”
Popkess sees opportunity to continue the momentum. “In January 2021, we are piloting a spring ABS enrollment option,” she said. “This is a 15-month program for students who have earned a bachelor’s in another field to be able to earn a bachelor’s in nursing. Additionally, an accelerated undergraduate to graduate option for qualified students is also proving to be attractive.”
Applications for the spring ABS option are due Nov 1. For more information or to apply, contact Sarah Anderson at saander@siue.edu.
RN to BS Program Director Sheri Compton-McBride, DNP, RN, notes that the SON continues to work diligently with its community college and agency partners to increase the number of bachelor’s prepared nurses in the workforce. “Our advantages have been our flexible 8-week course format, rolling enrollment with six enrollment entry points annually, and on-going evaluation of our curriculum and course content,” she said.
According to Compton-McBride, the SON also adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic environment. “Even prior to COVID, we supplemented our recruitment activity with virtual sessions, the next of which is Thursday, Oct. 22 and we varied modalities for advising opportunities and addressing questions. Routine touchpoints with our internal and external partners assess how we can best meet the needs of those nurses who are interested in obtaining a bachelor’s degree,” she said.
Bernaix looks forward to the new $105 million Health Sciences Complex as a key component to sustained growth. The complex will include approximately 221,000 square feet, making it the largest building on the SIUE campus.
Along with the SON, SIUE operates a School of Pharmacy (SOP), and the School of Dental Medicine (SDM) in Alton, and related health sciences programs in various disciplines serving central and southern Illinois. Currently, the SOP is primarily located in three buildings in University Park, while the SON is housed in Alumni Hall within the campus core. The SDM will remain in Alton.
“The Health Sciences Complex will definitely attract future students for the SON and the other health sciences on campus,” Bernaix said. “It emphasizes a highly dedicated and comprehensive University mission for the preparation of nurses and other future healthcare providers.
“For nursing, it will offer a full spectrum of state-of-the-art primary care and advanced practice nursing clinical simulation programs that will prepare undergraduate and graduate nursing students, and returning nurse professionals, to provide high-tech, high-quality patient care throughout their careers.”
SIUE’s location and affordability will also continue to positively impact the SON’s future.
Photo: SIUE School of Nursing Dean Laura Bernaix, PhD, RN.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s nationally recognized Graduate School is hosting a series of virtual Open House events throughout October.
SIUE’s premier Graduate School offers more than 140 master’s programs, post-baccalaureate certificates, specialist degrees, doctoral degrees and cooperative doctoral programs. Prospective graduate students are invited to explore the possibilities of an advanced degree in their academic area(s) of interest.
One-hour sessions will be hosted via Zoom at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the following dates:
Each one-hour session will include a general graduate studies overview, breakout sessions hosted by academic departments, as well as opportunities to ask questions and speak directly with faculty. Information will also be available on graduate admission requirements and financial support, including graduate assistantships and competitive graduate awards.
The $40 Graduate School application fee will be waived for virtual session attendees. For programming details and to register, visit siue.edu/graduate-visit.
“We have broken the event into four days, with different areas of focus each day, so that we can provide a more personalized experience for attendees,” said Jim Monahan, director of graduate and international admissions. “Graduate school challenges and inspires students to hone their skills and develop new ones. We highly encourage anyone seeking to enhance their professional skills to participate in this interactive event.”
The SIUE Graduate School facilitates excellence in research and creative activities, and ranks first among all Emerging Research Institutions in the Midwest for research expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation. Faculty members obtain funded grants from major agencies, such as the National Science Foundation; the National Institutes of Health; the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, Justice and Labor; and the Department of Health and Human Services.
“Whether you are a full-time student coming back for an advanced degree or a working student who needs to attend part-time, we have options for you,” said Jerry Weinberg, PhD, Graduate School dean and associate provost for research. “We have online programs, traditional programs and courses available during the daytime, evening and on weekends.”
Photo: An SIUE student works at her laptop.
The views of religion, spirituality and interfaith should be explored, broadened and updated, according to a new book edited by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s J.T. Snipes, PhD, assistant professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s (SEHHB) Department of Educational Leadership.
Snipes co-edited “Remixed and Reimagined: Innovations in Religion, Spirituality, and (Inter)faith in Higher Education” with Sable Manson, Interfaith Scholars program director at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
“This book is an extension of my dissertation project, when I examined the experiences of Black atheists in college,” said Snipes. “It is also a reflection of a community I’ve been building over the past few years. The writers in the book are a diverse collection of scholars interested in understanding religion and spirituality in higher education.”
The book is a collection of chapters written by 25 different authors. The book was published by Myers Education Press in April. The work introduces new theoretical frameworks to enhance and enliven the study of religion, spirituality and interfaith, making it more dynamic, inclusive and innovative. It is framed by a commitment to social justice and intersectionality, while centering the narratives of the religiously marginalized, according to Snipes.
“Religion, spirituality and interfaith are not static concepts but should be continually evaluated, reconstructed, and ultimately reimagined,” he noted. “Also, the text is rooted in a hip-hop aesthetic. Hip-hop is built on the art of sampling. In this art form, original tracks are imaginatively reconstructed and made new. This is what we sought to accomplish as it relates to religion and spirituality.
“We didn’t want to abandon the important work that has been done on the study of religion and spirituality in higher education. Rather, the ultimate goal of this text is to build upon the amazing work.”
To obtain a copy, visit “Remixed and Reimagined: Innovations in Religion, Spirituality, and (Inter)faith in Higher Education.”
Photo:
J.T. Snipes, assistant professor in the SEHHB’s Department of Educational Leadership.
The DREAM (Dismantling Racism through Education, Advocacy and Mobilization) Collective at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will air its next episode of the podcast, “Blacktivism in the Academy,” on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Episode four, “Hip-Hop Pedagogy with the Notorious Gloria Ladson-Billings,” will feature Ladson-Billings, a noted and experienced educator who has been the torchbearer for culturally competent pedagogy, and Stevie “Dr. View” Johnson, a new generation scholar activist with an artful understanding of how to use hip-hop to educate.
The two will discuss how hip-hop is understood and taught in higher education.
The podcast is for scholar activists by scholar activists, and encourages and facilitates learning, activism and anti-racist action. If you are seeking a community of like- minded scholar-activists, keep listening. Access “Blacktivism in the Academy” on Spotify and Stitcher. Featured will be prominent speakers from communities of color, who will address how to step out of the societal cyclical patterns of the past.
DREAM Collective members include education faculty Jennifer Hernandez, PhD, Jessica Krim, EdD, J.T. Snipes, PhD, Nate Williams, PhD, and School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Dean Robin Hughes, PhD.
For more information, visit the DREAM Collective on Facebook at @DREAMCollective20, Twitter at @DREAMcollect20 or Instagram at @DREAMCollective20, or email TheDREAMCollective@siue.edu.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has been included in Washington Monthly’s 2020 Best Colleges for Student Voting Honor Roll. SIUE is among 157 schools on the list.
To encourage schools to work at bettering turnout, Washington Monthly used the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge and the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) information to compile its fifth student voting honor roll. The listed schools met multiple criteria:
Laurie Rice, PhD, professor of political science in the College of Arts and Sciences, said SIUE joined the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge in 2016. Joining the movement meant SIUE committed to: “Improving democratic engagement, increasing student voter participation rates, and graduating students with a lifelong commitment to being informed and active citizens.”
“This commitment is consistent with SIUE’s core values, such as citizenship, and its mission to help prepare students to shape a changing world,” Rice said.
ALL IN works with many institutions to develop school-specific student voting action plans. It has developed a virtual tool kit full of suggestions for how schools can use the internet to bolster registration and turnout during the pandemic, and it has created a Google group where colleges can share digital resources. The NSLVE at Tufts University calculates registration numbers and turnout rates for participating campuses, allowing schools to track their progress.
As part of the ALL IN Challenge, SIUE formed a team of students, staff, and faculty to promote student engagement in elections. “The team drafts action plans with activities to increase voter registration, voter education and voter turnout,” Rice continued. “The team has worked to build partnerships across campus, bridging student affairs and academic affairs, and uses both NSLVE data and data from the Student Election Survey conducted by Dr. Ken Moffett and myself, to help refine efforts, involve more stakeholders and engage in outreach to underrepresented groups of students.”
The strategies proved effective as the team’s efforts contributed to a 10.6 percentage point increase in students’ voting rate in 2016 compared to the previous presidential election and a 20.8 percentage point increase in students’ voting rate in 2018 compared to the previous midterm election.
During the current election season, Carolyn Compton, assistant director of community engagement in the Kimmel Student Involvement Center, addressed the challenges of reaching out to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have met students where they are by using whatever means we can to bridge any gaps,” she said. “We have been innovative and creative, and we have been flexible with planning and expectations.
“Our graduate assistants have created Debate and Ballot Party packs that are Google share documents that can be used to help students plan virtual parties with their family and friends or small in-person events with their housing family units. The intention is that these reduce contact points and reach students both on and off campus.”
Compton said another initiative this year was launching social media platforms (Facebook: @siuevotes; Instagram: @siuevotes; Email: Siue_votes@siue.edu) from the Kimmel Student Involvement Center’s Community Engagement Team that promote the Campus Election Engagement Project and ALL IN Challenge events. They also have worked with student-athletes, as well as some of the fraternities and sororities, to create cross promotions.
Washington Monthly indicated that the 157 schools comprise an eclectic group. It created the honor roll utilizing voter registration rates. Many prestigious, private four-year colleges perform well, but they are easily outnumbered by public two- and four-year institutions. Some of America’s most famous schools did not make the cut.
The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for the Metro East at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is collaborating with the Small Business Administration (SBA) Illinois District Office, and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development (DCEO) Office of Minority Economic Empowerment to present an online small business resource webinar at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Local business owners and entrepreneurs throughout southwest Illinois are invited to participate online in “Small Business Update: A Guide to Federal, State and Local Resources.”
The one-hour session is complimentary, but registration is required. To register visit, illinoiswebex.com.
Staff from SBA, DCEO and the SBDC will present on technical resources and funding options for business owners and entrepreneurs.
“This is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs and business owners to discover the wide variety of resources and assistance available to help them start, grow, and expand their small businesses in Illinois,” said SBDC Director Jo Ann Di Maggio May. “The partnership with the SBA and DCEO’s OMEE Office has been invaluable. It truly takes a team effort to help small businesses survive and thrive.”
For more information, contact the IL SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE at 618-650-2929.
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
The Illinois Office of Minority Economic Empowerment (OMEE) will focus and promote opportunities for all minority communities across the state through targeted programs, resources and advocates. The goal is to ensure minority enterprises have an equal opportunity to contribute to the growth of the Illinois economy and serve as an advocate for businesses, entrepreneurs and start-ups in traditionally economically-disadvantaged groups.
The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East assists entrepreneurs, as well as existing business owners operating in the nine-county Metro East region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph. It enhances the region’s economic interests by providing one-stop assistance to individuals by means of counseling, training, research and advocacy for new ventures and existing small businesses.
The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE is funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement among the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and SIUE as a service to the community. To learn how these no-cost services may help your business venture, contact the Metro East SBDC at 618-650-2929 or sbdcedw@gmail.com.
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing unprecedented disruption to the global economy, which is causing severe negative impacts to small and mid-sized businesses.
Through its federal partner, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) via the CARES Act COVID-19 supplemental funding, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network remains at the center of the national economic recovery effort, supporting small businesses, so they can survive, recover and position themselves for future growth.
The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center (ITC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has been awarded CARES Act COVID-19 funding to increase professional business advising, and provide additional resources for education and training to small businesses experiencing challenges, including impending closure as a result of the pandemic. Outreach efforts for use of the funding is being focused on businesses owned by minorities, women, persons with disabilities, veterans and those located in rural areas.
“Together with domestic and international partners and consultants, the Illinois SBDC ITC at SIUE will continue expanding its reach to build a stronger and more cohesive network of assistance,” explained ITC at SIUE Director Silvia Torres Bowman. “First, we will identify small businesses in the southern region that are navigating stresses caused by COVID-19. Then, we will offer immediate insight and guidance in key areas.”
“Travel restrictions have changed the way we do international businesses these days,” Torres Bowman added. “The ITC at SIUE is committed to introducing more southern Illinois businesses to the prevalent, accessible digital world by making them feel more comfortable locating international buyers virtually and even in becoming more active in export sales.”
The required switch to digital business is prompting more small businesses to become more open to low-cost, creative ways of connecting with international buyers and partners. Fortunately, the rapid growth and expansion of technology continues to create new opportunities for business assistance, information sharing, and delivery of training and advising services to remote locations. It is also connecting Illinois suppliers to worldwide buyers via customized online sites/portals and tele- and web-based video conferencing.
“Additional funding through the CARES Act brings an exciting and empowering opportunity to the ITC to further expand our outreach activities in southern Illinois, and in turn connect more small businesses to an even greater network of experienced consultants and mentors around the world,” Torres Bowman said. “Our goal is that within the next 12 months, we will be able to make a difference in the level of export activity in our southern region, reaching more small businesses and having them open their doors to international opportunities. Competitors are not waiting. We want to help put southern Illinois on the map.”
Among the tools and services the ITC at SIUE will offer small businesses are virtual, one-on-one advising sessions, webinars with a special focus on eCommerce, online marketing and website globalization, virtual trade missions/matchmakings, Zoom connections with international partners, a training program to assist the development of a customized export plan for participating companies’ products in key international markets, as well as direct access to market analysis tools and an online directory featuring exporting businesses in the southern Illinois region.
Partner organizations providing initial support include the Southwest Illinois Trade and Investment Council, Illinois Office of Trade and Investment, U.S. Department of Commerce, Illinois Manufacturing Association, Leadership Council of Southwest Illinois, LR International LLC, Global Trade Source Ltd., AAA Translation, NASBITE, Illinois and Missouri District Export Councils and the International Trade Association of Greater Chicago.
“Most small businesses do not export due to a lack of hands-on guidance with their export planning, accessing trade leads and finding key international customers,” said Torres Bowman. “I urge those considering entering the export market and those wanting to boost their efforts to contact me at the ITC at SIUE. We are always here to support export growth with our wealth of knowledge and connections. The new CARES Act COVID-19 is a valuable resource that we hope businesses will take advantage of.”
For more information about CARES Act funding, contact the ITC by email International-Trade-Center@siue.edu or phone at (618) 650-3851, or visit siue.edu/business/itc.
The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at SIUE serves businesses in Southern Illinois by providing individualized, no-cost export advising, identification of foreign buyers, agents and/or distributors through trade leads, international market analysis, and more. The ITC is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville as a service to the region’s entrepreneurial and business community.
The ITC has a longtime partnership with the Illinois Office of Trade and Investment (OTI), which maintains a full-time staff of both foreign and domestic-based international trade and marketing experts. OTI also manages six foreign trade offices located in Belgium, Japan, Mainland China, Mexico, Canada, and Israel.
As a key member of the Illinois SBDC Network, the International Trade Center delivers these important services to its clients while supporting the goals and objectives of both the SIUE School of Business and the University at large.
Photo: Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at SIUE Director Silvia Torres Bowman.