“Still We Rise: Black Resilience in the Midst of Dual Pandemics” is the theme for the 2021 Black Heritage Month (BHM) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 

“The SIUE Black Heritage Month committee and the SIUE Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI) are proud to present presentations, workshops and activities both online and in person throughout the month of February,” said Tarsha Moore, CSDI assistant director and BHM co-committee chair with Kathryn Bentley, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Theater and Dance. “We developed sessions, sponsored by University partners across campus, that will inform, engage, excite and challenge participants during the month of February.” 

SIUE will kick off its Black Heritage Month with an opening ceremony at 12 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1. The guest speaker will be Jessica Harris, PhD, assistant provost for academic equity and inclusive excellence in the SIUE Office of the Provost. Registration is available at http://bit.ly/BlackHeritageMonthOpening. 

Whether it’s looking at the State of the Black Union on campus, attending a health panel discussion, delving into the sociopolitical reality of Black women or discovering the “African American Ambition in the Era of Slavery,” the month will be chock-full of opportunities, according to Moore. 

Other BHM committee members include:

• Alexa Bueltel, coordinator of Campus Life in SIUE’s Kimmel Student Involvement Center
• Anthony Cheeseboro, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Historical Studies
• Domonique Crosby, assistant director of University Housing
• Keyara Harshaw, junior in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior
• Kasey Hohlt, CSDI graduate assistant
• Bryan Jack, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Historical Studies
• Timothy Lewis, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science
• Patricia Merritt, University Marketing and Communications
• Kiah Meyer, Kimmel Student Involvement Center graduate assistant
• Kristen Schmalz, University Marketing and Communications 

To view the complete BHM calendar of events, visit siue.edu/csdi/events/black-heritage-month-siue.shtml. 

Photos:
Black Heritage Month logo

Tarsha Moore, Black Heritage Month committee co-chair and CSDI assistant director.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumna Sacha Jackson of, Edwardsville, who earned a bachelor’s in anthropology, French and psychology in May 2020, achieved third place in the Lambda Alpha Senior Scholarship Award competition of the Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society – a first for a student in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Anthropology.

After accepting the nomination by anthropology faculty and pursuing a daunting application process, Jackson was recognized for her senior capstone project, which focused on the Lyles Station Consolidated School and Museum and the encapsulating community.

“Lyles Station, Indiana, is the last remaining African American farming community in the state,” said Jackson. “For over 200 years, the families in this community have bonded together through blood and land, with their unique microcosm leading to a featured position in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. As a descendant of this location, my intention was to highlight the heritage site as a nexus for history, pride and identity of the residents and descendants of this community.”

When asked how she became interested in the field of anthropology, Jackson replied, “I have always had an intense interest in what motivates people collectively and individually. This focus developed organically into a deep curiosity about cultures outside of my zone of perception, and supported my enthusiasm for learning a language that will provide increased access to others.” 

Jackson plans to expand her study into cultural anthropology during graduate school. She aspires to work in a museum or within an organization that places high importance on fostering honest, open dialogues between cultures and peoples to bring greater understanding to why we are, who we were and what we shall become. 

“Winning this award is a sign that my passions led me on the right path,” Jackson said. “This acknowledgement from the larger anthropological community inspires one to proceed down an unknowable path with greater confidence. The support and encouragement of SIUE’s Departments of Anthropology and Foreign Languages and Literature is beyond measure. My long-suffering professors have no idea how grateful I am for their patience, understanding and willingness to laugh in questionable times.”

While at SIUE, Jackson was involved in numerous initiatives, including instruction in SIUE’s Head Start/Early Head Start program, French document transcription and translations through the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program and archival assistance in the Interdisciplinary Research and Informatics Scholarship (IRIS) Center.

It was out with the old and in with the new – Chromebooks that is – when students showed up for the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School’s (CHS) January school supply pickup. 

New Chromebooks with Wi-Fi hot spots embedded into the device were given to CHS students on Thursday Jan. 28 in the Multi-purpose Room at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus (ESHEC), according to CHS Director Gina Jeffries. 

“This phenomenal opportunity to bless our CHS students with new computers was made possible, because of an anonymous donor, who heard that our students were struggling with unreliable internet due to the lack of bandwidth within the East St. Louis community,” noted Jeffries. “The anonymous donor is an ‘angel’ who showed up for the needs of our Charter School students and has East St. Louis community at heart.” 

Each student also received the following items:

• $100 Schnucks gift card
• Food box
• Pizza
• Afrocentric themed books
• Goodie bag

“We were able to give out the Afrocentric books, because of a book drive that CHS English teacher Bridget Nelson held,” Jeffries added. “Also, our goodie bags were donated by Mary Jo Pembrook, PhD, ESLC Performing Arts music teacher.” 

“Some parents were brought to tears, because they were finding it difficult to manage unreliable internet issues during the pandemic in which they had no control over,” Jeffries revealed. “We are also pleased to provide families’ with food-related items. It’s difficult to concentrate on academics, when the basic need for food is unmet.” 

“Having the new technology with reliable internet connectivity helps lessen the digital divide,” said SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Dean Robin Hughes, PhD. “Whatever it takes to help our Charter High School students not only continue to learn, but to excel in their academics, is what we are willing to do.” 

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:
L-R: Ronald Irving, CHS IT support; and George Laktzian, CHS math instructor, help a student with a new computer. 

CHS Assistant Director Pam Saffore hands out $100 Schnucks gift cards to students.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumna Sacha Jackson of, Edwardsville, who earned a bachelor’s in anthropology, French and psychology in May 2020, achieved third place in the Lambda Alpha Senior Scholarship Award competition of the Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society – a first for a student in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Anthropology.

After accepting the nomination by anthropology faculty and pursuing a daunting application process, Jackson was recognized for her senior capstone project, which focused on the Lyles Station Consolidated School and Museum and the encapsulating community.

“Lyles Station, Indiana, is the last remaining African American farming community in the state,” said Jackson. “For over 200 years, the families in this community have bonded together through blood and land, with their unique microcosm leading to a featured position in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. As a descendant of this location, my intention was to highlight the heritage site as a nexus for history, pride and identity of the residents and descendants of this community.”

When asked how she became interested in the field of anthropology, Jackson replied, “I have always had an intense interest in what motivates people collectively and individually. This focus developed organically into a deep curiosity about cultures outside of my zone of perception, and supported my enthusiasm for learning a language that will provide increased access to others.” 

Jackson plans to expand her study into cultural anthropology during graduate school. She aspires to work in a museum or within an organization that places high importance on fostering honest, open dialogues between cultures and peoples to bring greater understanding to why we are, who we were and what we shall become. 

“Winning this award is a sign that my passions led me on the right path,” Jackson said. “This acknowledgement from the larger anthropological community inspires one to proceed down an unknowable path with greater confidence. The support and encouragement of SIUE’s Departments of Anthropology and Foreign Languages and Literature is beyond measure. My long-suffering professors have no idea how grateful I am for their patience, understanding and willingness to laugh in questionable times.”

While at SIUE, Jackson was involved in numerous initiatives, including instruction in SIUE’s Head Start/Early Head Start program, French document transcription and translations through the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program and archival assistance in the Interdisciplinary Research and Informatics Scholarship (IRIS) Center.

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Graduate School has presented its 2021-23 Hoppe Research Professor Award to Adriana E. Martinez, PhD, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ (CAS) Department of Geography and Geographic Information Sciences and Department of Environmental Sciences.

The Hoppe Research Professor Award recognizes and supports SIUE faculty members whose research or creative activities have the promise of making significant contributions to their field of study. The award supports a significant portion of a faculty member’s larger research agenda for a two-year period. Recipients are expected to produce published scholarly works and externally sponsored funding.

The award will support Martinez’s project, entitled “The Hydrological Impacts of the U.S.-Mexico Border Fence along the Rio Grande River, Texas.” The comprehensive study will examine the hydrological impacts of the 2008 U.S.-Mexico border fence on local residents by calculating flood flows and boundary conditions, modeling changing flood extents for multiple flood scenarios, and determining pre- and post-fence conditions to determine how the fence has impacted flooding.

“I feel honored and privileged that this work is being recognized through the Hoppe Research Professor Award,” said Martinez. “The impact of the border fence is not only important to the Texas-Mexico area, an underserved region, but also is a national issue that merits investigation. This funding will provide the opportunity to examine a topic that has not been previously studied despite the impact fence construction has had on habitats, landowners and potential flooding.”

In 2008, as Martinez left her hometown of Eagle Pass, Texas, to earn a doctorate in river science, construction had just begun on the border fence. Like many local residents, she did not believe the fence was the answer to growing border concerns and grew worried about the significant environmental impact construction would have on the Rio Grande River.

“The project began with a course on human migration, where I conducted interviews with residents to determine how locals felt about the fence, and its impact on undocumented immigration and international relationships,” said Martinez. “Now, I finally have the time to examine the impacts of the fence on the Rio Grande and the river processes that may be altered there, which is my primary area of expertise.”

“This project addresses a timely and important issue of the effects of border wall construction on flooding,” said CAS Dean Kevin Leonard, PhD. “It has implications that extend beyond the disciplines of geography and environmental sciences, and has relevance to social sciences, ecosystem management and policy.”

“Dr. Martinez’s scholarly work and professional reputation are significant and unique,” added Wendy Shaw, PhD, chair of the Department of Geography and Geographic Information Sciences. “The Hoppe Research Professor Award will not only have a significant impact on her ongoing border wall project, but will also enhance the reputation of SIUE and the College of Arts and Sciences.”

In the near future, Martinez and her collaborators plan to apply for external funding to further examine how such populations are affected. Future project plans include notifying residents about the flooding impacts, examining census data to see which populations may be affected, and analyzing hospital discharge data to determine if floods and fence lines have impacted health along the border.

A loan fund was established in 1976 through the SIUE Foundation by Joseph W. Hoppe, because he believed in SIUE’s mission and the value of faculty research. Four years later, the Hoppe endowment became the basis for the Hoppe Research Faculty Award. In 1999, the award was transformed with the help of SIUE academic deans into the current Hoppe Research Professor Award program.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville celebrated a faculty member, a staff member and a student with awards during part two of its 38^th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, held virtually on Friday, Jan. 29 and hosted by SIUE’s Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI). The theme for the two-part celebration was one of King’s prolific quotes: “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle.” 

Gertrude Pannirselvam, PhD, associate professor in the School of Business Department of Management and Marketing, and SIUE Anti-Racism Task Force (ARTF) core council member, received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award for Faculty. She was nominated by Anthony Vatterott, PhD, visiting assistant professor in the School of Business. 

Kelley Brooks, Office of Admissions assistant director for campus visits and outreach, and SIUE alumna, won the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award for Staff. She was nominated by Todd Burrell, director of undergraduate admissions. 

Armon Adkins, a junior majoring in exercise science, received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship, which entails free tuition for the fall semester after receiving the award. He was selected from a total of 21 applicants. 

“Each year, the SIUE community recognizes Dr. King’s birthday as a prelude to our Black Heritage Month, and we honor the life and legacy of a man who dedicated his life to bringing hope and healing to America,” said SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook. “Dr. Timothy Lewis gave us a call to action in the first part of our Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration, and today we will hear about people in our community who have been stepping up to those calls for action.” 

“I absolutely enjoy every opportunity I have had to serve my SIUE colleagues,” said Pannirselvam, who has worked at the University for more than 25 years. “The Diversity Council is probably where I grew the most, with honest conversation that enhanced my approach to work. The work of SIUE’s Anti-Racism Task Force gives me the most contentment and hope. We had honest and difficult conversations about institutionalized racism, and we saw the need for change from a system’s perspective.  

“My biggest takeaway from Dr. King is the idea of continuous struggle and never giving up the fight. Dr. King said, ‘We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.’  Honoring Dr. King aligns perfectly with SIUE’s continuous improvement perspective – which is reimagining what we can be and knowing there is a lot more space to improve and grow.” 

In looking at ways that Brooks is most pleased to have had the opportunity to serve SIUE during her 13 year-tenure, she replied, “The Chicago Bus Tour was the first of its kind, created to provide minority students from the Chicago area a chance to see our campus. I created this program in 2008, and it continues to be one of the highest yielding recruitment programs for the University. Many minority students have attended the bus tour and have gone on to graduate and become successful SIUE alumni.” 

Of Dr. King, Brooks commented, “I respect and admire that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Christian and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind about the injustices of the world. He wasn’t afraid to attack racism during a time in our country where his life was at danger for doing so. Most of all, I admire that his dream and legacy continue to live on through individuals all over the world, who believe in advancing civil rights through nonviolence.” 

A grateful Adkins gave remarks about being the 2021 scholarship recipient, and thanked his family, SIUE mentors and community who support him in his academic career and life goals. “With this scholarship money, I plan on continuing my education at SIUE. My plan is to enroll in a doctoral program for the profession of chiropractic,” he said. “I also plan on being a better version of myself, which includes having faith, remaining steadfast amid adversity, utilizing my position and influence to empower others, and shift a space/culture into a new paradigm. 

“Dr. King chose to take on the fight of racial injustice. He knew it was not an easy one, but one that carried the credible possibility of death. Yet, his service to the cause of racial equality for Blacks did not waver despite controversy and imprisonment. After his death, Dr. King’s contributions made an impact on the culture of a nation that would be renowned for generations to come.” 

“Our mission at SIUE is to shape a changing world, but it is also to do right,” remarked Pembrook. “Last fall, the University was recognized for the seventh consecutive year with the Higher Education in Excellence and Diversity (HEED) Award, which is a national honor. SIUE is extremely proud of the recognition, and the fact that it acknowledges community that cares for and about each other. There is much to be celebrated, but as always there is much yet to be done. SIUE will continue doing for others and through that, we will strengthen our community, and thereby, honor and promote Dr. King’s legacy.” 

Photos:
Gertrude Pannirselvam, PhD, associate professor in the School of Business Department Management and Marketing and SIUE Anti-Racism core council member. 

Kelley Brooks, Office of Admissions assistant director for campus visits and outreach. 

Armon Adkins, a junior majoring in exercise science.

Difference makers can be described in many ways: proactive, improves the lives of others, service driven and more. Amid the ongoing pandemic, difference makers are all around, helping individuals overcome challenges, coordinating support mechanisms, creatively adapting activities and offering light through darkness.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is celebrating such difference makers throughout February. These individuals are just a few of the countless University faculty, staff and students that have made hard times a little less difficult for others. They were nominated by colleagues and students.

The Coronavirus pandemic has presented major challenges for international students who have dealt with the inability to travel home, financial constraints, changing course requirements due to federal policy and more. Gaby Renteria-Poepsel, international student programming advisor in the Office of International Affairs, is a difference maker who has helped international graduate student Anuj Kharel, of Nepal, persevere. 

“She is the one who helped me through these tough times,” said Kharel, who is pursuing a master’s in computer science. “Gabriela helped with my academic advising when I was having financial hardship. It was through her effort I was able to make it through. I felt like home whenever I spoke with her, and that gave me hope that all these hardships will go away. I can’t express with words how thankful I am.”

Deeply honored by Kharel’s acknowledgement, Renteria-Poepsel noted her strong dedication to serving the international student population at SIUE. She praised students for demonstrating incredible resilience throughout the pandemic.

“Being a new student at any institution is a stressful experience, and more so when you are embarking on your academic journey overseas,” she explained. “They are expected to navigate a different language, culture, teaching styles, transportation systems and even weather. With the pandemic, providing students with hope is extremely important, because I want them to believe that they will get through this tough time, even if it doesn’t always feel like it at first.”

As international programming advisor, Renteria-Poepsel manages pre-arrival communication, as well as communication with current students, international orientation and other programming, and retention efforts. She and her colleagues in the Office of International Affairs have devoted countless hours to the students they serve as they all navigated through changing circumstances.

“Quickly after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, constant communication with current students became key to not only provide peace of mind, but also to make sure they knew about resources available to them,” Renteria-Poepsel said. “I distributed gift cards from local businesses to 37 students. The gift cards were donated to Student Affairs and were meant to support international students in Edwardsville, who were in most need, to cover at least one or two meals.”

“Many international students also faced the loss of job opportunities,” she added. “Our office recognized the need to help students who needed emergency funding to continue to make academic progress. Four of our students received a $2,500 emergency fund from the Institute of International Education based on our nominations. Additionally, we offered biweekly virtual meetups in partnership with SIUE Counseling Services to share strategies for managing stress and anxiety during the pandemic. We also held a series with the Career Development Center to provide additional tools for students who were slated to graduate last May or summer.”

According to Renteria-Poepsel, as the pandemic forges on in combination with a rise in white nationalism, violence and racial incidents, it is critical to enhance students’ sense of belonging.

“Our international students hear about these incidents through social media, and it can have a negative impact on their sense of belonging not only at SIUE, but also in the U.S.,” she concluded. “I want to make sure they know we are here to support them and that there are resources available to them to deal with any concerns. I look forward to continuing to serve our international student population.”

Photo: Gaby Renteria-Poepsel, international student programming advisor in the Office of International Affairs.

Remembrance and reflection were part of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Black Heritage Month’s (BHM) Opening Session on Monday, Feb. 1 that highlighted a past full of struggle and strength. Jessica Harris, PhD, assistant provost for academic equity and inclusive excellence in the SIUE Office of the Provost, was the featured speaker. 

Harris chronicled the beginnings of Black History Month in her speech, “Why Black History Month Matters: A Call to Remember. A Call to Greater Achievement” during the virtual celebration sponsored by SIUE’s Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI) and the BHM Committee, headed by Tarsha Moore, CSDI assistant director. 

 “As we celebrate this month, I encourage all of you to do your research and reflect upon contributions made by Black people in this country, both forced and voluntary,” said SIU System President Dan Mahony, PhD. “Also recognize the contributions that Black people have made to SIUE. We have a lot of work to do at SIU and SIUE to be all that we hope to become, and we must continue to support and advocate for Black people. In advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion, we are advocating for a better University and community for all.”

“The story of Black History Month begins in Chicago during the summer of 1915 with Dr. Carter G. Woodson,” recounted Harris, who served as an associate professor in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Historical Studies and director of the interdisciplinary Black Studies program before being promoted into administrative roles. 

Woodson’s advocacy of the widespread dissemination of Black history would lead to the eventual launch of Negro History Week in February 1926. “Woodson chose February to encompass the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, whose birthdays are the 12th and the 14th, respectively,” Harris explained. 

The 1960s and the Civil Rights movement turned Negro History Week into Black History Month, with most celebrations on college campuses. “In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, calling upon the public to ‘seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history,’” she recounted. “Every president since Ford has issued a similar proclamation. 

“Black history is a call to remember the valiant struggles of freedom fighters like Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman and Harriet Jacobs, and Frederick Douglass who exposed the horrors of slavery and created pathways toward its end. We remember women like Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell who not only spoke out against the indignities of racism, but also defended the lives and positions of Black women, when others were silent. We recall the strange fruit of Southern and Northern trees, the Black bodies swinging in the breeze, reminding us of the backlash and violence that those committed to white supremacy can and do wield. 

“However, we also remember W.E.B. Du Bois, A. Philip Randolph, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, John Lewis, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Fred Hampton, Robert Williams—and the countless invisible foot soldiers whose sacrifices and service have opened a number of pathways and opportunities for us today.” 

Also on the program were SIUE Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) students Heaven Bones and Tylan Tarron, who performed “Stand Black,” a piece written by Bones, Taron and Kiara Ullmer. Bones is a junior majoring in psychology, and minoring in theater and Black studies. Taron is a junior majoring in theater design. Ullmer is an SIUE alumna. 

“Black is the hue of royalty … proud adorned jewels of excellence … our blood holds the magic that illuminates our souls,” resounded Taron. “Our stories are passed down through art, poetry, dance … We create with love and light, but we speak words seasoned with soul. Our essence is what birthed this nation … Black is not meant to be feared. Black is nothing to be ashamed of. Black is not violent. Black is magical, vibrant and bold.” 

“Why doesn’t anyone listen to me? … Oh, you can’t because I’m angry, right?” intoned Bones. “I’m sick and tired of everyone assuming that I’m just angry for no reason … I’m angry, because I feel my voice has been silenced my whole life. … Since the 19^th century, Black women have been stereotyped as loud, ‘ratchet,’ promiscuous, uneducated …This woman right here ain’t ‘ratchet.’ This woman ain’t promiscuous. I work hard, and I go to school full time, thank you very much …We have humanity in us.” 

In another part of the program, Bentley asked, “What makes us resilient, and who are the resilient people you know?” 

Responses in the chat included: 

• “Maintaining hope – never giving up. Taking the pain and loss endured, and using that as our super power makes us beautiful and strong” – R’Eyanna Moore 

• “Dr. Eugene B. Redmond, Black faculty and staff on this campus” – Lydia Jackson 

• “My ancestors who crossed the Middle Passage. My grandmother, my father, my brother” – Venessa Brown 

• “The way in which we struggle with Racial Battle Fatigue, we have no choice but to be resilient in a racist space” – Robin Hughes 

• “Black resilience is the continued and collective uplifting that is practiced daily outside of the lens of public consumption.” – Derrick Houston 

The audience was also treated to two videos – one looking at SIUE Black history and promise, and the other on those Black people, stars and movements who have been the most searched on the internet. 

“The research, reflection or advocation for positive change should not be confined to Black Heritage Month or this opening ceremony,” said Mahony. “Black history is American history, and I encourage us to embrace and recognize that. In fact, studying American history without studying Black history is like reading a book with several critically important pages missing from each chapter. Without those pages, it doesn’t leave you with a really good understanding of American history. Often, it leaves you with a misunderstanding of American history.” 

“One final element for us to reflect on is that we have the same history makers right here at SIUE,” concluded Moore. “They are here. They are energetic. They are ready to learn and get out in the community and inspire. When we think about Black resilience, we should think about the beautiful Black bodies that are at SIUE, who contribute in so many positive ways not just during Black Heritage Month, but every single day.” 

For information on other upcoming events, visit BHM calendar.

Photo:
Tarsha Moore, Black Heritage Month committee chair and CSDI assistant director.

First and foremost, Johnetta Randolph Haley was an ardent educator with an impressive character, drive and strength that left no question as to her capabilities, which were vast, and her intentions which were honest and helpful. Haley, whose service at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville spanned nearly 48 years, passed away Sunday night, Jan. 30. 

“Johnetta Haley was my mentor,” said SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook. “She supervised my student teaching experience, providing salient observations when I was a senior at SIUE in 1978 and equally valuable insights when I returned to Edwardsville as chancellor in 2016.” 

The Alton native began her career at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1972 as an assistant professor in the Department of Music in the School of Fine Arts and Communications. She rose through the SIUE ranks to associate professor in 1978 and to professor in 1984. Haley served as the executive director of the SIUE East St. Louis Center from 1984-1993. She was named professor emeritus in 1993 by the SIUE Music Department upon her retirement. 

In 1994 shortly after Haley’s retirement, SIUE’s minority scholarship program was named the Johnetta Haley Scholars Academy in honor of her many contributions to the University and to the East St. Louis community. 

“Johnetta Haley was a teacher and mentor to many. Her expectation of excellence, civic duty and community service has been passed on to hundreds of SIUE students in the Johnetta Haley Leadership Academy,” said Earleen Patterson, PhD, director of the Johnetta Haley Leadership Academy and director of Student Opportunities for Academic Results (SOAR). “Led by myself and Dr. Howard Rambsy (professor in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of English Language and Literature), the Haley Leadership Academy supports the vision of Johnetta Haley, providing opportunity for the success of underrepresented students at the secondary education level. 

“Students who receive the Johnetta Haley Scholarship participate in community service activities, emphasizing Ms. Haley’s important example of giving back. Ms. Haley was often visible to these scholars, last attending a welcome event in fall 2018 for first time Haley’ scholars. She spoke to students, offering words of wisdom, encouragement and support as they began their academic journeys. The Johnetta Haley Leadership Academy, administered through the SOAR office, will continue her work to support her vision for the next generation.”

“One of the first former faculty members I met was Dr. Johnetta Haley,” said Vice Chancellor for Advancement Rachel Stack. “She welcomed me with a big hug, and told me about the evolution of the Haley Scholars. We became extremely close over the years. She was always challenging me to do more for SIUE. She’d say, ‘Honey, you can do it. Just put your mind to it.’” 

Some of Haley’s community achievements included being elected to the St. Louis Metropolitan Board of the YWCA, the National Board of Directors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and the Board of Directors of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. She also served on the Board of Trustees of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and served as chair of the Illinois Committee on Black Concerns in Higher Education. 

 Among her various awards were the Key to the City from Gary, Indiana, the Missouri Music Educators Service to Music award, the St. Louis Sentinel’s SIGNEL Honor Award for outstanding community service, SIUE’s 2017 Distinguished Service Award and the St. Louis American 2018 Lifetime Achievement in Education Award. 

 “Johnetta knew the Edwardsville campus, the East St. Louis campus, and the St. Louis metropolitan area because of the leadership roles she had held,” added Pembrook. “Her commitment to diversity and equity were a driving force in her life, and she transformed those around her with an inclusive vision. I will miss her wisdom.” 

“She was a brilliant woman who lived life to the fullest,” reflected Stack. “Her passion for education was unmatched.” 

Funeral arrangements will be provided at a later date. 

The following is a list of resources available to members of the campus community: 

On-Campus

• To support acceptance, coping, and grieving, short-term options are available through Counseling Services, co-located with Health Services in the lower level of the Student Success Center (adjacent to the Morris University Center), suite 0222. By calling x2842, Psychotherapists are available for the following:

• Crisis Support
• Individual Therapy
• Attend on-campus memorial events
• Facilitate group, classroom, or team discussions/debriefings

Digital

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
• Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741 to access a trained crisis counselor
• Psychoeducational Materials
• Self-care

Local Community Resources

• NAMI
• Heartlinks 

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 13,000. 

Photos:
Johnetta Randolph Haley, SIUE Distinguished Service Award winner, emeritus professor and former administrator. 

L-R: SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook and Haley. 

Haley is seen with the Johnetta Haley Leadership Academy.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Associate Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer Venessa A. Brown, PhD, has been recognized by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine as one of 25 women who have a made a difference in higher education.

In honor of Women’s History Month, Diverse will publish its 10^th annual special report on March 4 recognizing women’s contributions to higher education. 

Diverse highlights women who have made an impact on campus by tackling some of higher education’s toughest challenges, exhibiting extraordinary leadership skills and making a positive difference in their respective communities. 

A tenured professor in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Social Work, Brown has also served as associate provost in the Office of Academic Affairs and executive director of the SIUE East Saint Louis Center.

Brown joined SIUE in 1995 as an assistant professor and became full professor in 2006. She later served as department chair from 2006-07. In this role, she contributed to the bachelor’s/master’s of social work program becoming fully accredited.

With all of her contributions to SIUE during her 25-year tenure, Brown’s legacy may be most strongly tied to the annual Diversity Day conference established in 2018. “Designed with community engagement and participation across all three of SIUE’s campuses in mind, Diversity Day showcases the multitude of ways in which membership in the global community is core to SIUE’s mission and values,” she said. 

When social and civil unrest arose in nearby Ferguson, Mo, Brown was motivated to host three Black Lives Matter conferences to enlighten the community and create understanding. Brown has always believed that SIUE could set the standard for diversity, equity and inclusion not only for metro St. Louis, but also for the region and nationally.

A Missouri native, Brown is internationally known for her commitment to public child welfare with her expertise in the area of child sexual abuse. She is the author of “Child Welfare Case Studies,” published by Allyn & Bacon and “A Promising Reality: Reflections on Race, Gender, and Culture in Cuba,” published by Peter Lang.  

Joining Brown in the 2021 class of leading women in higher education are (in alphabetical order):

• Neeli Bendapudi, president, University of Louisville
• Karen Carey, chancellor, University of Alaska Southeast (UAS)
• Laurie A. Carter, president, Shippensburg University
• Robin R. Means Coleman, associate provost for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, Northwestern University
• Karlyn Crowley, provost, Ohio Wesleyan University
• Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education emeritus and founding president of the Learning Policy Institute, Stanford University
• Carol Fierke, provost and executive vice president, Brandeis University
• Angélica Garcia, president, Berkeley City College
• Ayanna Howard, dean of college of engineering, Ohio State University
• Parneshia Jones, director, Northwestern University Press
• Caroline Laguerre-Brown, vice provost for diversity, equity and community engagement, George Washington University
• Cynthia Lindquist, president, Cankdeska Cikana Community College
• Felicia McGinty, executive vice chancellor of administration and planning, Rutgers University
• Tracey L. Meares, Walton Hale Hamilton professor of law and founding director of the Justice Collaboratory, Yale Law School
• Traci L. Morris, director of the American Indian Policy (AIPI) Institute, Arizona State University
• Erica Muhl, president, Berklee College of Music
• Maureen Murphy, president, College of Southern Maryland
• Madeline Pumariega, president, Miami Dade College
• Desiree Reed-Francois, athletic director, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Jeanne Craig Sinkford, dean emerita, College of Dentistry, Howard University
• Raquel Tamez, CEO, Society of Hispanic Engineers
• Nancy Jean Tubbs, director, LGBT Resource Center, University of California, Riverside
• Tara VanDerveer, head women’s basketball coach, Stanford University
• Geraldine Young, chief diversity and inclusion officer, Frontier Nursing University

For more than three decades, Diverse: Issues In Higher Education has been America’s premier source of timely news, provocative commentary, insightful interviews and in-depth special reports on diversity in higher education. Savvy individuals who appreciate the crucial and ever-changing role that higher education plays in the lives of students, professionals, their families and their communities make reading Diverse a regular habit.

Photo: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Associate Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer Venessa Brown, PhD.

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Office of Admissions is celebrating School Counselor Week Feb. 1-5 by sending posters to a variety of regional schools and their counselors. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) annually sponsors the event each February. 

“SIUE recognizes the important role that school counselors play in our recruitment of new students and how valuable those counselors are to our office,” said Todd Burrell, SIUE director of undergraduate admissions. “While we won’t be able to reach out to all school counselors, we truly appreciate each one’s support to prospective SIUE students and their continued support to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in assisting students considering SIUE, especially during these challenging times.”

Burrell pointed out that school counselors have always been considered most influential as students consider institutions and are valuable to students transitioning to post-secondary institutions. 

“The relationships school counselors make with not only their students, but also the universities, allow for many opportunities for those students,” Burrell said. “They are an essential part of why students select certain institutions, and they are a major stakeholder to SIUE and our office in regards to students choosing to enroll.” 

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Office of Admissions is offering new self-guided tours as an option for prospective students and their families to safely visit campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The self-guided tour allows visitors to see campus at their own pace and time,” said Kelley Brooks, assistant director for campus visits and outreach. “Many of our in-person tours are limited due to the pandemic. Therefore, the self-guided tour provides an option for all to see campus in the same manner as those who schedule tours with a tour ambassador.”

 Printed brochures guide visitors through campus with 10 signs identifying the tour stops. The brochure is available at various campus locations: Office of Admissions, Morris University Center, Elijah P. Lovejoy Library and the Student Fitness Center. Visitors can view the brochure at siue.edu/visit, and check for building hours and parking information.

The self-guided tour complements the SIUE virtual tour, available at siue.edu/virtual-tour.

Traditional daily campus tours are available, but limited to groups of nine individuals. To schedule a traditional campus tour, visit siue.edu/visit/schedule-a-tour.

The Office of Admissions is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri. for additional questions. 

Photo: SIUE self-guided tour sign outside Art and Design East building.

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is hosting its ninth annual “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” for the first time in a free, virtual format on Saturday, Feb. 27.

 “With this year’s virtual event, we are taking what makes the normal, in-person event successful and translating that to a virtual setting in as many ways as possible,” said SWE President Emma Schleeper, a Golden Eagle native.

Event activities will feature the engineering disciplines of civil, industrial, electrical, mechanical and computer science in pre-recorded videos. “Traditionally, engineering students and engineering professionals volunteer in the activity rooms,” said Schleeper, a senior industrial engineering major. “To provide that perspective in a virtual format, engineering students will be managing the activity videos. Engineering professionals are making videos about their careers to share. We also plan to spotlight SIUE School of Engineering student organizations and build teams.” 

 “We decided on this strategy to make the event as accessible as possible,” Schleeper said. “We want students to be able to go at their own pace with the activities, and we think this will be especially beneficial for students who may be intimidated by the normal, large in-person events or the pace and length of the day.”

All the content will become available at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 on YouTube. The videos will remain online for use at any time on or after the event date. To access, search YouTube for SIUE Society of Women Engineers.

“This will also be a great resource for teachers, as they can take the activities and professional videos into their classrooms on their own schedule,” Schleeper said. “It will serve as a lasting resource for students, parents and teachers.” 

Interested guardians or educators can sign up for SWE emails to directly receive all the information at: forms.gle/dpkArxCWwDGdiYUm8. Additionally, SWE will be sharing event information on Facebook at facebook.com/swesiue/.

“I’m particularly excited to make this opportunity more accessible for a larger group of students, who may usually be unable to attend due to cost or any number of barriers that prevent young students from considering the STEM field,” Schleeper said. “Additionally, in a difficult financial year for many families, we’re happy to be able to provide this free virtual event.”

SWE will not be providing materials as they have in the past. To keep the event highly accessible, all necessary materials are either common household items or inexpensive items to pick up at the store. A materials list will be posted on the SWE Facebook page soon.

For more information, contact the SWE at swesiue@gmail.com. 

Photo: Students participate in the 2020 SIUE Society of Women Engineers Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day at the School of Engineering.

Reaching back to an ugly time in history and melding it with a current musical and cultural theme to present art which illustrates the intertwined, complex and oppressive nature of U.S. race relations, Kylea Perkins is stretching her creative limits as much as the copper and silver material with which she so diligently and lovingly labors. 

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville senior studio art major is conducting the independent endeavor as an associate in the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program. 

“The URCA program seemed like a fantastic opportunity to delve deeper into the metalsmithing techniques that I was interested in, and it afforded a budget to purchase materials and equipment I would otherwise not have been able to access,” said Perkins. “Professor Aimee Howard-Clinger (associate professor and head of Metalsmithing in the SIUE Department of Art and Design) was the reason I applied for URCA. She knew what a great opportunity this would be for my development as an artist and student. She’s an incredible mentor, and I have been extremely lucky to have her.” 

URCA encourages, supports and enables undergraduate students of all disciplines to participate in research and creative activities under faculty mentorship. 

“Since my sophomore year, I’ve been making work around the subject of race relations in United States history. I’ve also been taking a lot of courses around that subject for my minor in urban studies, and it often informs my work and the ideas I generate,” explained Perkins. “Last spring, I created a large chain necklace that represents America and the relationship between Blacks and whites in the way that only a chain could – interconnected, forced together to create strength and too heavy to be comfortable.” 

 Perkins researched the ideas and conceptual meanings behind chains and their significance in the Black community, and discovered parallels between slavery and hip hop. 

“In slavery, African Americans were exploited by white Americans for capital gain. We see the same thing happening in hip hop,” she noted. “The overwhelming majority of executives in the music industry are white, and Black artists (and artists in general) often have to relinquish quite a bit of control when signing record deals and working with large corporations. This reinforces the same racial hierarchy and capitalistic exploitation.” 

Perkins found the shared iconography of chains between the two subjects especially interesting. 

“Aesthetically, chains have become a symbol of both slavery and hip hop,” she informed. “Chains have historically been used to control prisoners or slaves as a tool of bondage. Blacks began to reclaim large chains and use them as an indicator of their wealth and success, which leads me down a rabbit hole of interesting questions about perceived value, material wealth and racial hierarchy. Chains in the Black community took on new meaning, one of prosperity and liberation through expression, even if the racial domination was still at play.” 

Perkins is creating a large, four-chain necklace for her URCA project that will be hand-fabricated out of thick copper grounding wire. “I have a passion for fabrication and creating with copper, because of its material properties and its conceptual implications,” she said. “I want this necklace to be extremely heavy and uncomfortable, like its subject matter. I like to use copper as an analogy for Blacks, because we rely on it as a building material, but we don’t value it in the same way as a precious metal like silver. 

“The chains will resemble the ostentatious chain necklaces that Black rappers popularized in the ‘90s. The uppermost necklace will be a Cuban-style chain with several stones set in it to reference the large, blinged-out chains that have become synonymous with hip hop. The longest chain on the necklace will resemble a more industrial, shackle-like chain to refer to chains involuntarily worn by slaves.” 

Perkins added that the aesthetic connections between the chains of slavery and chains of hip hop also piqued her interest about the financial and racial parallels of the two subjects. 

“Working on this project has allowed me to learn and practice fabricating several types of chain, including Cuban, box and rope,” she said. “This semester, I will learn two types of stone-setting. These skills will make me a better metalsmith. The URCA program is a great opportunity for undergraduates to get research experience and work closely with professors on a variety of extremely interesting projects.” 

For more information on SIUE’s URCA program, visit siue.edu/urca. 

Photo:
Kylea Perkins, a senior majoring in studio art, is an Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program associate.

Why is it so challenging to find lasting happiness? How can we develop practices that help create greater peace and joy? The answers to those questions and more are being shared in a new Southern Illinois University Edwardsville online course entitled Mindfulness for Helping Professionals.

The course launched this spring and will be offered again in fall 2021. Any undergraduate or graduate students who experience stress or challenges can benefit from the course content and mindfulness practices, especially those helping professionals such as nurses, social workers, educators and pre-med students.

“Being human is stressful, and even more so during a pandemic, and amid social and political unrest,” said Wendy Weber, PhD, professor and special education program director in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s Department of Teaching and Learning. “On top of that, students are trying to juggle feeling isolated and disconnected from classmates and the campus community with online/remote instruction. Inherently, many of the concepts and practices center around how to feel more connected to your own life and feel compassionate and connected to other people.”

Weber has practiced mindfulness and meditation for more than 30 years. She has taught mindfulness to students and educators nationwide and internationally, as well as implemented and conducted research on mindfulness in schools. Additionally, Weber is a graduate of the two-year intensive Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program led by world-renowned meditation teachers Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.

“This is a course for any students who want to cultivate more clarity, balance, kindness and joy in their lives,” Weber explained. “Many find some relief, reduction in stress, a sense of ease or more space to handle the ups and downs of daily life. Participants can expect to turn toward their own experiences in a patient and kind manner. This may be new to individuals who, like many of us, have been conditioned to be hard on ourselves, beat ourselves up for shortcomings, feel inadequate or otherwise.”

According to Weber, the Mindfulness for Helping Professionals course helps individuals experience clarity around issues that have challenged them for years. 

“It is possible that with increased awareness and compassion, people choose to focus more on relationships that support their well-being, and move away from those relationships that do not serve them,” she noted. “This course invites students to create room for noticing and shifting habitual responses to people and events in our lives, to a more understanding, open-hearted approach.”

The course is structured around three books that cover foundational mindfulness concepts, basic meditation practices, self-reflection assignments and group discussion.

Registration for fall 2021 courses begins March 29. For more information, visit siue.edu/online/online-courses. 

Photo: Wendy Weber, PhD, professor and special education program director in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s Department of Teaching and Learning.

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Offices of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs have opened a new Military and Veteran Resource Center (MAVRC) located on the Morris University Center’s (MUC) second floor.

The military student population at SIUE is among the largest in the state with Military and Veteran Services currently supporting more than 800 military-connected students and their families. 

“The opening of the Military and Veteran Resource Center is a long-term goal finally realized,” said Military and Veteran Services Director Kevin Wathen. “In the first few weeks, we have already seen a steady stream of military-connected students utilizing our computers, printer and lounge space. They are meeting, sharing experiences, and developing a deeper sense of belonging at SIUE.  

Telisha Reinhardt, coordinator of military and veteran services, says the center is available to address the isolation experienced by many military-connected and veteran students, who are non-traditional students with lived experiences that differ immensely from traditional students.

“The resource center connects this population with peers who they can simply talk to and be themselves,” Reinhardt said. “We also connect students with services that assist them in reintegrating into civilian life in order to have a successful academic and professional experience at SIUE and throughout the rest of their life. Right now, the resource center is in the process of establishing programs and activities that center on issues such as diversity and inclusion, women and gender matters, and peer mentoring.”

“The momentum does not stop here,” Wathen said. “Our office has plans to enhance the military-connected experience and to increase military-connected graduation and retention. We will continue to make SIUE an institution that the military-connected are proud to call home.”

The project was funded by an SIUE Innovation Grant from the Office of the Chancellor.

Photo (L-R): SIUE MAVRC staff Matt Hanks, Brad Hebert, Jasmine Fox, Jacob Vignone, Coordinator of Military and Veteran Services Telisha Reinhardt, Payton Williams, Nathan Peery and Military and Veteran Services Director Kevin Kevin Wathen.

The life and experiences of local Black influencer Conway Barbour serve as the foundation of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s first Sankofa Lecture and Dialogue Series presentation of 2021.

The ongoing series features robust conversations surrounding the history of slavery and its lasting legacies, and is organized through SIUE’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center, specifically its membership of the international Universities Studying Slavery (USS) consortium.

Victoria Harrison, PhD, instructor in the Department of Historical Studies, will present, “Fight Like a Tiger: African American Ambition in the Era of Slavery” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24 via Zoom. Registration is available at https://siue.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ttL7EX8SSU-eYzav3EEJXA.

The presentation is based on Harrison’s book: “Fight Like a Tiger: Conway Barbour and the Challenges of Black Middle Class in Nineteenth-Century America.”

“Focusing on the life of ambitious former slave Conway Barbour, I argue that the idea of a Black middle class traced its origins to the free Black population of the mid-19^th century and developed alongside the idea of a white middle class,” Harrison said. “Although slavery and racism meant that the definition of middle class was not identical for white people and free people of color, they shared desires for advancement.”

The presentation aims to engage those interested in African American history, the era of the Civil War and Reconstruction, and local history, since Barbour and his family played an important role in Black Alton in the 1860s and beyond. Harrison’s work makes “visible a man formerly invisible to history.”

“My research supports the idea that the Black middle class, though small, developed alongside the white middle class,” she explained. “African Americans shared the middle-class mores of the larger white society and at the same time, although this was made more difficult by a hostile environment and tumultuous national politics. I use the life and experiences of Conway Barbour, a former slave, to trace these small, but significant communities in four states over 30 years.”

“In search of upward mobility,” she continued, “Barbour worked as a steamboat steward, tried his hand at several commercial ventures and entered politics. In each place that he lived, Barbour found that he was one of many free Black people who fought to better themselves alongside their white countrymen, challenging the customary narrative of downtrodden free African Americans in the midcentury.”

The Sankofa Lecture and Dialogue Series is one of the University’s many anti-racism initiatives. For more information on the TRHT and its future programs and initiatives, visit siue.edu/provost/trht.

Photo: SIUE’s Victoria Harrison, PhD, instructor in the Department of Historical Studies.

Blacks account for 43 of 677 faculty members, 323 of 2,431 staff members, and 317 of 3,433 undergraduate and graduate degrees at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 

Statistics and analytics, panelists’ experiences and viewpoints, previously conducted and live interactive surveys, and strategies and recommendations were shared during SIUE’s second annual State of the Black Union, sponsored by the Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA) and moderated by BFSA member Tarsha Moore, Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI) assistant director. The webinar was held virtually on Thursday, Feb. 4 with approximately 100 people attending. 

“This event is an opportunity for our campus to report and reflect upon the current conditions and experiences of Black faculty, staff and students at SIUE that fall well below the aspirational statements of administration,” said BFSA President J.T. Snipes, PhD, assistant professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s (SEHHB) Department of Educational Leadership. “Furthermore, we will use this event as an emergency call to action for our campus to reconcile with the truth, and reimagine ways we engage and support our Black community.” 

“Thank you for the call to action,” said SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook in his welcoming remarks. “It is such an important part of this event. There are areas where I have concern, and there are areas where we can celebrate. 

“The retention and graduation of Black students at SIUE is not where we want it to be, and it is something I think about every day. The Black graduation rate is between 25-30%, compared to 50% for the campus as a whole. The retention rate is about 10-12 points behind the campus as a whole,” noted Pembrook. “There are also areas where our hiring and employment numbers are not where we want them to be. The percentage of Black faculty is between 5-6%, which is dramatically lower than desired. We were encouraged that the incoming Black faculty class of 2021 is much larger than it has been. We hope that is a result of our strategic hiring efforts. On the staff side, particularly in the trades where we have 0%, we have to address ways to increase numbers.” 

In the opening address, BFSA board member Dominic Dorsey, director of the Office of Accessible Campus Community and Equitable Student Support (ACCESS), began with a historical and reflective approach in using one of James Baldwin’s famous quotes, “To be Black and conscious in America is to be in a constant state of rage.”

“Baldwin went on to qualify that statement by discussing the heart of America and a privileged population that had deluded themselves for so long into the belief that he was not a human,” rebuffed Dorsey. “He described it as moral apathy. A profound lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern for the welfare of Black Americans in this country. Although Baldwin would engage in this conversation about being Black in America in 1960, surely the notion of moral apathy would have largely dissipated some 60 years later. 

“In over three decades since Baldwin prolifically encapsulated the experience of Black social awareness, we still endure a consistent rage. One that has apparently now become popular to acknowledge by a majority population no longer afforded the luxury of preoccupation or ignorance due to being held captive by a pandemic. … Our response to the pandemic is the realization that we must willingly participate in a theater of pain or endure injustice and provide proof to receive a fair and equitable existence among our peers. Slavery was ‘abolished’ in 1865, and the labor of emancipation is still heaped upon Black folks. It’s no wonder that the state of the union is not only a state of emergency, but an ever-present state of rage.” 

Also part of the opening address was BFSA board member Gina Jeffries, EdD, director of the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School. “In the past year, many performative actions have been implemented but there is questionable progress … Being hopeful that progress will happen is a complacent position for the inactive to appease their own self-aspirations of racial equity – deeming themselves as allies, while never being bestowed such a title from the Black community! 

“SIUE has existed for more than 60 years, yet there are departments that have never granted a Black person tenure. As a matter of fact, there are departments and units with no Black people in the department …  SIUE refuses to implement mandatory racism and multicultural competency training for all administrators, faculty, staff, and students, when by its own words in the 2013-2016 Diversity Plan admitted that in order to create a ‘climate within the unit that is welcoming to ... individuals from diverse background [it would] necessitate formal diversity training.’ … SIUE should re-examine reasons why Black faculty, staff and students leave this institution …  We hope the annual State of the Black Union event will help to hold our institution accountable for the collective responsibility it has to create and sustain an equitable and safe campus for Black people.” 

A close look at the numbers from the SIUE Fact Books from 2015-18 was presented by BFSA members Michael Hankins, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, and Regiere Lovett, coordinator for New Student Programs and team leader for Springboard to Success Freshman Orientation in the Office of Admissions. 

An analysis on the results gathered from the SIUE Black Climate Survey, adapted from Dr. Tonisha Hamilton’s 2009 dissertation research at Seton Hall University, and given to faculty, staff and students was explained by Timothy Lewis, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Political Science. Some of the statements that respondents were asked to rate from strongly agree to strongly disagree included:

• As a Black faculty/staff person, I have been treated fairly on this campus
• In general, I have experienced racial bias from other faculty/staff persons and or students
• The interracial climate on this campus is tense
• As a Black student, I feel out of place in the classroom

 A discussion on the numbers, survey results and more were led by the following panel members:

• Kathryn Bentley, associate professor in the CAS Department of Theater and Dance, and Black studies program director
• Stephanie Simpson, assistant director in the Office of Online Student Services
• Fannie Acoff, program coordinator for SIUE CORE T.E.A.M.
• Capri Wroten, graduate student in the College Student Personnel Administration program

“There are some things I’m excited about,” Pembrook said in his earlier remarks. “We’re getting ready to begin the three-year period for our Quality Initiative, which is required for our accreditation. The QI topic we’ve selected is to put $500,000 in Anti-Racism at SIUE … Also, within a month or two we will be able to announce additional diversity within our leadership with both the Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (VCEDI) at SIUE and first SIU System Vice President for Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Chief Diversity Officer.” 

In closing and after celebrating achievements of various Black faculty and staff, Bentley counseled, “Remember, we forget to celebrate ourselves as part of our self-care. We have to stop, take a minute and breathe, and celebrate!” 

A formal report of the BFSA’s second annual State of the Black Union will be submitted to Pembrook and will be uploaded to the BFSA website at a later date.

There is a growing need for statisticians and data analysts across all sectors nationwide, as advancements in computational power have afforded researchers the ability to generate and analyze mass quantities of data. To meet the demand, employment opportunities for statisticians are expected to grow by 33% within the decade.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Center for Predictive Analytics (C-PAN) is leading a statewide, multi-institutional fellowship program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through its Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates program, award number 2019-67032-31623

Under the direction of C-PAN Director Carolyn Butts-Wilmsmeyer, PhD, the project entitled, “Preparing Undergraduates for New Frontiers in Data Analysis: Experiential Learning in Applied Statistics (ELIAS) Fellows,” is concurrently training undergraduate students in real-world data analysis and hands-on research in a greenhouse, laboratory or field setting.

 Institutional collaborators include the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Illinois State University (ISU), Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) and Parkland Community College (PCC). Co-PIs are UIUC’s Martin Bohn, Maria Villamil and Alexander Lipka, with support from NEIU’s Pamela Geddes and ISU’s Nicholas Heller.

“The overall goal of the ELIAS fellowship program is to produce students who can meet the need for an increasingly data-driven workforce, particularly in the life sciences,” Butts-Wilmsmeyer explained. “Upon graduation, students in statistics and data science are placed in multidisciplinary teams consisting of chemists, biologists and business personnel.

“However, current training in data science and statistics often does not occur in laboratory, greenhouse, field or other applied research settings, making it difficult for graduates to understand the limitations in these research environments and to communicate findings across disciplinary bounds. Through this program, students are placed in a two-year, dually immersive research experience in applied statistics/data science and a laboratory, greenhouse or field research environment, based on the students’ interests.”

Fellow Sam Garcia, an environmental science major at NEIU, is in her second year of the program. “I have been passionate about environmental science since I learned about climate change in elementary school,” she recalled. “I particularly became interested in data-driven research, because quantifying and analyzing data brings order and significance to the information that can be found through science.”

Under the mentorship of Dr. Geddes, and in collaboration with Urban Rivers, Garcia is analyzing the effects of artificial floating wetlands on macroinvertebrate communities in the Chicago River.

“The ELIAS program has provided me the opportunity to carry out my own independent research project which is preparing me for graduate school,” Garcia said. “After graduate school, I plan to pursue a research career in the marine or atmospheric science field at NOAA, NASA or a similar organization. My long-term intentions are to use science as a tool to incite change that will help preserve the environment.”

Butts-Wilmsmeyer notes the USDA’s recognition of the need for programs that support the recruitment and training of traditionally underrepresented groups in the food and agricultural sciences. As such, the ELIAS Fellows’ recruitment efforts emphasize women and minorities, as well as transfer students from community colleges.

“While the fellowship program is open to all students in the agricultural and life sciences, and all fellows will be provided with unfailing support, we recognize that there may be some hurdles which female students, transfer students and underrepresented minorities may face at a higher frequency than their classmates,” Butts-Wilmsmeyer explained. “Our mentor team actively works with all of our fellows to identify ways to overcome any hurdles they may face during the completion of their degree and progression toward their desired careers.”

Participating students receive full funding for their research, as well as a $7,250 stipend each year of the fellowship. They will present their findings at UIUC Agronomy Day, Undergraduate Research Symposium’s at their respective institutions and at a scientific conference of their choosing.

Photos: SIUE’s Carolyn Butts-Wilmsmeyer, PhD, Director of the Center for Predictive Analytics.

ELIAS Fellow Sam Garcia conducts research in the field.

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) will drop the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) as a requirement for admission to align admissions practices with national trends among pharmacy schools. The policy immediately applies to fall 2021 admission applications.

“With many of the barriers that standardized tests can create, the environment during COVID-19 and to ensure our applicant pool is as diverse as possible, it was deemed this would be best for our prospective students,” said SOP Associate Dean Jessica Kerr, PharmD, CDCES, Office of Professional and Student Affairs, and professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice.

“We discovered that the PCAT was not as strong a predictor for success in our program as other admission variables, such as pre-pharmacy coursework grade point average,” said SOP Dean Mark Luer, PharmD, FCCP. “Thus, to address the factors that Dr. Kerr referenced and to better identify those individuals most likely to be successful in the Doctor of Pharmacy program, our admission criteria were modified. 

“The School already has an average graduation rate over 95% and top 20 board pass rates (North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam^®), but we believe that the adjustments made were a calculated approach to strategically move the School forward.”  

To apply to the SIUE SOP, visit siue.edu/pharmacy/admission.

Photo: SIUE School of Pharmacy Dean Mark Luer.