The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Office of Admissions unveiled its freshest summer visit event “Meet Us on the Quad” on Monday, June 21 as 96 prospective students and their families took advantage of the opportunity to meet faculty, staff and current students in person.

Assistant Director of Admissions for Campus Visits and Outreach Kelley Brooks said SIUE wanted to offer a unique campus visit experience this summer for prospective students and their families. “Due to COVID restrictions, this visit program was the first of its kind to be offered outdoors in a safe environment for all,” she said. “By collaborating with several academic departments, we were able to offer a campus visit experience that allowed prospective students to plan a full day of tours while visiting campus. As a result of the positive feedback, ‘Meet Us on the Quad’ will continue to be a standard campus visit experience offered in the future.” 

After the Meet Us on the Quad event, students were surveyed and provided these enthusiastic comments:

• “We enjoyed these 3 tours today! SIUE is one of the only Illinois schools providing in-person tours on campus that include residence hall tours of dorm rooms. That was a huge plus! I also liked that we could tour our specific major building (engineering) with 2 friendly and knowledgeable staff members … Overall, excellent!”
• “I really enjoyed all the tours I was led on today. SIUE is a very nice campus and I’m definitely interested. I particularly liked the School of Nursing tour.”
• “It was really great to see the classrooms in which I would be learning.”
• “The tour guide was very vibrant and very willing to help in anyway.”
• “The ROTC presentation was very insightful and informative. All of the people that we encountered were very friendly and helpful.”
• “I loved it! Great staff, can’t wait to come in the fall!”

For more information, contact Kelley Brooks at kbrooks@siue.edu. To schedule a campus tour at SIUE, visit siue.edu/visit. To apply to SIUE, visit siue.edu/apply.

Photo: Upper right – A group of students tour the SIUE campus during the “Meet Us on the Quad” visit event.

Middle – SIUE Student Tour Ambassador Jade Woodard provides direction to a family during the “Meet Us on the Quad” visit event.

Lower right – ROTC cadets provide information during the “Meet Us on the Quad” visit event.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Jie Ying, PhD, assistant professor of finance in the School of Business, earlier this week provided expert commentary on “How to Start Saving and Investing” on moneygeek.com.

Ying gives investing advice to beginners, tips for those living paycheck to paycheck, plus pros and cons of using an investment app vs. a financial advisor. 

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Justin Schulz has been recognized as the 2020 Officer of the Year by the Gulf Shores Police Department (GSPD) in Gulf Shores, Ala. Schulz earned a bachelor’s in criminal justice studies in 2014.

“It was an absolute honor to receive this award knowing there were several other officers in contention who hold high caliber standards,” Schulz said.

This is not the first time Schulz has been recognized by his department. Along with being selected as Officer of the Month several times during his career with GSPD, he and another officer were also awarded the 2019 Lifesaving Award for their efforts in performing lifesaving procedures for an individual who went into cardiac arrest.

“When the criminal justice studies faculty learned that Justin received the 2020 Officer of the Year award from the Gulf Shores Police Department, we were very proud to see one of our alumni receive such an honor,” said Kevin Cannon, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice Studies in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences. “He is a perfect example of the professional, ethical police officer and criminal justice system representative that we hope all of our graduates will become.”

Following his graduation from SIUE, Schulz joined GSPD. He then joined the special weapons and tactics team in 2016, and the field training unit in 2019 where he began serving as a field training officer.

Inspired to follow the footsteps of other family members who are police officers, Schulz said he wanted to be a part of something bigger than himself and to be called upon to protect those who are unable to protect themselves.

Schulz said, “The best part of this job is the camaraderie among officers. Walking away from critical incidents together knowing you prevented a person from seriously injuring someone and/or themselves or saving someone’s life is very rewarding.”

On why he chose SIUE for his education, Schulz stated that SIUE has a strong based core surrounding the criminal justice studies program, and it provided many opportunities to get involved such as associations and club sports.

“The professors held an unwavering commitment to pass on the knowledge and experience to help prepare me for my career,” recalled Schulz.

Photo: Criminal Justice Studies Alumnus Justin Schulz, ’14, Gulf Shores Police Department 2020 Officer of the Year Award Recipient

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), has approved Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Quality Initiative (QI) Proposal. SIUE’s QI is an institutional change effort focused on improving retention and graduation rates of Black students, and will launch during the fall 2021 term.

As part of HLC accreditation requirements for universities, SIUE is required to identify and implement a large-scale quality initiative between years five and nine of the decennial accreditation cycle. A QI may be designed to begin and be completed during this time, or an institution may continue a project that is already in progress or achieve a key milestone in the work of a longer initiative. The QI is intended to allow institutions to take risks, aim high and learn from partial success or failure. 

“I am grateful for the feedback and ideas that we received from the campus community. Their suggestions, the recommendations of the Anti-Racism Task Force, and the work of our QI leadership ​team​, which included Courtney Boddie, Geoffrey Edwards, Jessica Harris, Elza Ibroscheva and Matthew Schunke, informed this effort,” said Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD. “Our Quality Initiative invites all members of SIUE’s community to participate in the work of transforming our campus and ensuring that Black students have opportunities and supports to thrive.

“All Anti-Racism Task Force action items that directly align with this focus will be rolled into the QI and create even greater accountability. The Chancellor has dedicated at least $500,000 in the QI to advance these goals, and we will build on the efforts already underway.”

The University’s QI purpose is to acknowledge structural racism as a predictor of educational and career outcomes among Black students, and to build a multi-level program designed to enhance their daily experiences by reducing incidence, prevalence, and impact of minority stress and cultural trauma in students’ lives both within and outside SIUE. The interventions designed for this QI will directly address students, and indirectly address faculty and staff concerns as they to eliminate obstacles currently impeding the academic progress of Black students.

The QI’s goals are:

• Support Black students along the educational pipeline by developing a pathway for their enrollment at SIUE
• Improve retention and graduation rates of Black students by achieving annual increases in retention, and by increasing the six-year graduation rate
• Develop and nurture pathways to graduate and professional school and/or employment for Black students graduating from SIUE
• Provide ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion education, training and resources, through various modalities, to support self-awareness and professional development
• Enhance efforts to recruit and retain Black faculty and staff

For more information, visit SIUE’s QI website at siue.edu/accreditation/hlc-quality-initiative.

The SIUE community is mourning the loss of senior social work student Jasmine Streater, of Chicago Heights, who was involved in a fatal car accident last weekend. She was 26.

A College of Arts and Sciences student, Streater was doing a practicum in the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion. She is survived by her 2-year-old daughter. For those interested, a GoFundMe initiative has been created to support her daughter's future educational endeavors.

 “Our thoughts and prayers are with Jasmine Streater’s daughter, family and friends,” said SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook. “Whenever an individual’s full potential isn’t realized, it is absolutely heartbreaking. She will be missed.”

Information regarding arrangements will be communicated as they become available. A complete obituary is not yet available.

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 to students through Counseling Services, co-located with Health Service in the lower level of the Student Success Center (adjacent to the Morris University Center), suite 0222. By calling x-2842, psychotherapists are available for the following:
  • Crisis Support
  • Individual Therapy
  • Attend on-campus memorial events
  • Facilitate group, classroom or team discussions/debriefings

Faculty and Staff

• If faculty or staff are interested in care, this link will connect you with our University-sponsored contracted private practitioner who is offering faculty and staff individual counseling at no-cost.
• You may also seek care through the Employee Assistance Program & Counseling offered through Human Resources.

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

AdvisorSmith tapped upon the expertise of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Yohan Choi, PhD, when it needed insight on startup funding for students. Advisorsmith is an online publication focused on small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Choi is an assistant professor of entrepreneurship and strategy in the Management and Marketing Department of the SIUE School of Business. In the story, he discussed timing in the search for funding, how investors evaluate startups and whether venture capital is still the best source of funding.

Read the article at advisorsmith.com/business-loans/student-startup-funding/?expert=yohan-choi.

Photo: Yohan Choi, SIUE assistant professor of entrepreneurship and strategy.

H.E.R.O.E.S. Care will be providing 250 suits during a Veterans and Active Duty Resource Fair on Monday, July 26 at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Higher Education campus. The event will run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Building D Multipurpose Center.  

Veterans Upward Program Director Bound James Robbins noted that it has been more than 18 months since an event of this type has been held, and there is great need among area veterans. “With the economy reopening, many veterans will be interviewing for job openings, and we can assist by providing a new suit courtesy of our friends at Heroes Care,” Robbins said. 

“Since nearly 15% of the active duty force is female and more than 10% of veterans are female, we couldn’t forget our women veterans,” Robbins added. “The National Council of Jewish Women has stepped up to assist our female veterans through their retail locations and programs.” 

Proof of military service is required to obtain a suit. Individuals must register at eventbrite.com/e/veterans-resource-fair-tickets-159502713911. For directions, visit siue.edu/eslc/contact/maps-and-directions.shtml.

“We have also invited organizations that can provide tangible benefits to area veterans,” Robbins said. “The SIUE East St Louis Higher Education Campus offers an ideal location for veterans in Illinois and Missouri with easy access by car and public transportation.” 

Along with SIUE Veterans Upward Bound, the following organizations have committed to attend the Resource Fair:

• American Legion of East St. Louis
• Chestnut Health Services SSF
• Classical Trio of SIUE Students
• COVID Testing and Vaccinations
• Dept. of Veterans Affairs Whole Health
• Dept. of Veterans Affairs Transition Unit
• Dept. of Veterans Affairs Hope Recovery Center
• Disabled American Veterans
• Friends Adult Daycare
• Gateway Veterans in Education Collaborative
• Got Your Six Service Dogs
• Hope Recovery Center
• Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid
• Illinois Department of Employment Security Veterans Services
• Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
• The Joseph Center Homeless Veterans Services
• The Kaufman Fund
• Mobile Vet Center
• National Council of Jewish Women
• Reboot Combat Recovery
• SIUE Career Services
• SIUE Veterans and Military Services
• St. Louis Vet Center
• Scott AFB Transition Unit
• Student Veterans of America
• Travis Mannion Foundation
• VFW of East St. Louis
• The Vet Center of Metro East
• Veterans Advantage Urgent Care
• Veterans of Foreign Wars
• VUB Women Veterans Group
• Wounded Warriors Project

For more information, contact 618-874-6296 or veteransub@siue.edu.

H.E.R.O.E.S. Care is an affiliation of program partners working together to provide support to military families in the communities where they live. H.E.R.O.E.S. Care combines the power of national organizations dedicated to providing emergency financial aid, employment opportunities, and mental health care services through a network of specially trained care givers before, during, and after deployment.

With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals—from pre-school through adult—in the Metro East region. The Center offers programs that give the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. It does so by providing comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts. 

Photo: SIUE East St. Louis Higher Education campus.

The St. Louis Business Journal selected Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business alumna Kim Grbac as a recipient of its 2021 Business of Pride Awards Outstanding Ally honor, which celebrates people who work to make the region a more inclusive place for the LGBTQIA+ community.

A St. Louis native, Grbac earned a bachelor’s in business administration from SIUE in 1990 and achieved a master’s in human resources from Washington University in St. Louis leading to a career in human resources. She is now director of benefits and compensation at Edward Jones.

In a story published on June 17, 2021, Grbac told Business Journal reporter Greg Edwards that her team is responsible for ensuring Edward Jones’ policies, procedures and benefits are inclusive. “As a general partner and HR leader, I am in a unique position to focus on a group that may not have the same visibility as other groups,” she said. “Working as the executive sponsor of the firm's 700-plus LGBT and Allies Business Resource Group for the past five years has been an honor and a joy. I am a committed ally and passionate supporter of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the largest LGBTQIA+ civil rights organization in the country. I am proud that Edward Jones has earned a perfect Corporate Equality Index score and been recognized as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQIA+ Equality for five years running.”

Grbac’s passion for advancing LGBTQIA+ equality and diversity comes from a personal place. “I have a niece, who has the most beautiful family now, a wife and two kids, but when she came out to me at 17, I knew then and there that her path to the life she has now was not going to be as easy as if she fell in love with a man versus a woman, and that just wasn’t fair.”

Grbac continued the interview with Edwards in the following Q&A:

SBJ: Why do you consider yourself an ally to the LGBTQIA+community?

Grbac: Beyond my personal reasons, I am in a unique position professionally to make an impact for this group. And I have to say, in my role, I’ve learned so much from the LGBT Business Resource Group. They’ve never hesitated to share their stories and advocate for what they need and deserve in terms of policies and benefits. So, when the opportunity came up that they needed an executive sponsor, I said, “Can I please be that?” I can remember having early conversations that just blew my mind about how they had to decide when they came into work on Monday morning, were they going to talk about their weekend or not? This is not how I want my colleagues at the firm to feel. They are as important as any other of our diverse groups.

SBJ: How can this generation of allies improve things for future LGBTQIA+ generations?

Grbac: Awareness is key. Always include the LGBTQIA+ community when you’re thinking about your inclusive workplace. The movement is newer. The legislation isn’t as advanced as the original anti-discrimination laws that are out there. So, one of the biggest contributions we can make as allies is to keep this population top of mind. At the same time, allies need to advocate for the needs of today’s LGBTQIA+ community. We recently put self-identification in place, because we knew it would be easier to advocate if we could see and understand the population. If we put in place policies, such as self-identification and transgender benefits, today, we create an inclusive workplace that attracts more members of the LGBTQIA+ community, increases awareness of this community, and creates an environment that is exponentially more welcoming for the LGBTQIA+ community of the future. Not to mention how much the firm will benefit from their diverse perspectives and experiences.

SBJ: What resources or services have you helped create for LGBTQIA+ employees at your company, and what kind of impact have they had?

Grbac: Working with the LGBT and Allies Business Resource Group, my team has successfully advanced initiatives making a tangible impact on the lives of our associates, including: a universal workplace non-discrimination policy that protects all employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression; domestic partner benefits; transgender inclusive healthcare and welfare benefits; LGBTQIA+ self-identification; LGBTQIA+ inclusive employee assistance programs; and financial support for adoption and equal parental leave benefits for all primary caregivers. We also annually participate in, and sponsor, the St. Louis and Tempe Pride parades. Our business resource groups are an important pipeline for hiring at the firm, and our LGBT Business Resource Group, in particular, has had great success with candidate referrals. I think that speaks volumes. If our current LGBTQIA+ population are recruiting other LGBTQIA+ candidates, then I think that we are making an impact on making the firm a place of belonging.

SIUE’s School of Business and the accountancy programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, representing the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. The Princeton Review lists SIUE as one of the top 244 business schools in the U.S. for the 15^th consecutive year. Undergraduate degrees are offered in accountancy and business administration, with specializations in computer management and information systems (CMIS), economics, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources, international business, management, and marketing. Graduate degrees include accountancy, business administration, CMIS and marketing research, with specializations in tax, project management and business analytics. More than 30,500 alumni have earned degrees from the SIUE School of Business. 

Photo: SIUE School of Business alumna Kim Grbac, director of benefits and compensation at Edward Jones (courtesy Dilip Vishwanat, St. Louis Business Journal).

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Officer John Cavanaugh is retiring from the Air National Guard on August 7. A retirement flag will be flown in his honor at Korte Stadium.

Cavanaugh earned his bachelor’s in music education in 1998. He was a band teacher for five years before joining SIUE’s Police Department. Inspired by his parent’s love for aviation and music, Cavanaugh decided to pursue a career with the Air National Guard, where he serves in a band unit. He will play in his last Annual Training Tour with the band on Saturday, July 3 at the Alton Amphitheatre. 

“I’m a little sad as my military retirement draws near because I’ve been doing this for 27 years,” shared Cavanaugh. “However, I’ve done everything I wanted to do in my military career and seen parts of the world I never would have. I look forward to spending more time with my family.”

Cavanaugh has held many responsibilities throughout the years, including working as a content writer for the publicity team, serving as a unit career advisor, and training fellow colleagues as a unit fitness program manager. While with the Missouri Air National Guard, he served as the assistant unit deployment manager, where he deployed with his unit twice to Southwest Asia and twice to South America. Currently, he serves the Illinois Air National Guard’s security and safety team as the unit antiterrorism/force protection representative.

Throughout his years of service, Cavanaugh developed a love for traveling. He was deployed to Iraq, Kuwait, Chile and Afghanistan. Standout moments in his career include performing at Mount Rushmore on the 4th of July, playing for his fellow deployed troops, and becoming YouTube famous with his band’s rock component, “Sidewinder.”

When asked to describe the difficulties of being an officer, Cavanaugh described missing family as the greatest challenge.

“I missed out on many family events, including my daughter’s first birthday and steps,” he said. “When I was deployed in a time zone several hours away, it was difficult to find a good time to call someone. Similar to when I work night shifts for the police department, I am awake when almost everyone else is sleeping.”

Cavanaugh has enjoyed working at his alma mater, expressing feeling like he is “coming home.”

“Even though I don’t teach music anymore, all the education and training I received at SIUE while studying for my music education degree helps me in my current career,” said Cavanaugh. “I learned to talk to all kinds of people from different backgrounds and be careful with my choice of words. I was also taught to try to always find the positive, and when you do have to give bad news, “sandwich” it between two pieces of good news!”

Photo: SIUE alumnus and Officer John Cavanaugh.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy 4th of July from SIUE!

The offices of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will be closed on Monday, July 5, 2021 in observance of the Independence Day Holiday. Offices will re-open Tuesday, July 6, 2021. 

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville graduate student Zoe Barnes has received the National Association of School Psychologist’s (NASP) 2021 Student Leader Champion Award for her work to advance social justice for students, families and schools within the local and broader community.

“After a careful review of nominations, and with great pleasure, the NASP Graduate Student Committee has chosen to honor Zoe Barnes as one of two 2021 Student Leadership Champions,” wrote the NASP Committee. “We were greatly impressed by the many ways in which Zoe has served as a leader within the SIUE school psychology program and the broader community by connecting colleagues to resources, promoting advocacy and professional development related to social justice and equity, and serving as a source of strength and inspiration for those around her.”

Barnes, of Grand Rapids, Mich., is pursuing the Department of Psychology’s clinical child and school psychology specialist degree program and is slated to graduate in May 2022. She will be honored at NASP’s 2022 Annual Convention in February.

“I am extremely honored to be a recipient of this award and am grateful to NASP for placing such importance on topics like social justice advocacy,” said Barnes. “Over the past year, I’ve worked to facilitate discussions with those in our program about social justice and injustice, current domestic or international events, experiences that impact our racial identities, and how to lean into the uncomfortable to have productive future conversations surrounding these topics.”

Throughout her time at SIUE, Barnes has remained heavily involved in events and organizations that work to create a more diverse and equal space for the campus community. She previously served as a social emotional specialist at SIUE’s Head Start program, where she utilized her fluency in Spanish to communicate with families and students to ensure they received proper support and resources.

“I am passionate about promoting advocacy and professional development related to social justice and equity because it’s the right thing to do,” shared Barnes. “Our school systems have such diverse student populations that we need to have the proper training and resources to help all students, regardless of how they identify or what they look like.

“The world, and its people, are constantly changing, and we need to make sure we’re as informed as possible. It’s important to check your own biases and understand how they might influence your interactions with a student.”

Barnes recently served as the social justice chair of the Graduate Organization for Child and Adolescent Psychology Students (GOCAPS). Before holding this position, she frequently met with other graduate students to collaborate and discuss steps necessary for dismantling racism on campus. The group, Graduate Students for Social Justice, held discussions surrounding injustices with students and faculty, and brainstormed ideas of how to address social justice within their respective programs.

“A key part of success in promoting social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion is working with groups of people who share that same passion,” said Barnes. “I am fortunate to be part of a cohort that creates such amazing and meaningful discussions.”

Barnes aspires to continue creating positive change and make a difference in her community. “Whether it be big change, like implementing culturally affirming practices in my school, or small change, like helping one student, I want to make a difference,” she said.

Photo: SIUE graduate student Zoe Barnes has received the National Association of School Psychologist’s (NASP) 2021 Student Leader Champion Award.

SIUE’s Julie Zimmermann, PhD, professor and chair of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Anthropology, shared her archeological expertise as a featured guest of the Madison County Historical Society’s Online Speaker Series.

Zimmermann’s presentation, “In Our Own Backyard: SIUE Investigations of the Gerhing Site,” was published Sunday, June 20.

 The Edwardsville Intelligencer recapped Zimmermann’s presentation in an article posted Thursday, July 1. To view the full presentation on the Madison County Historical Society website, click here.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Jessica Harris, PhD, has appointed Earleen Patterson, PhD, as associate vice chancellor for Student Opportunities, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

This position forms a critical part of a developing divisional infrastructure to facilitate the University’s capacity to nurture an inclusive environment for racially minoritized and other historically underrepresented students, as well as address equity gaps in retention and graduation rates.

“Dr. Patterson brings more than 30 years of strong and varied experience educating and elevating historically underrepresented students,” Harris said. “During her tenure at SIUE, she has stood out as a champion for students and their education, a servant leader who brings a values-based approach to her work, a strategist who understands the value and importance of equity, diversity and inclusion, and an expert tactician capable of effectively managing and shaping culture, climate and policies. Dr. Patterson has my full support, and I am confident in her ability to help make SIUE a national leader in advancing the academic success of historically underserved student populations.”

Patterson has served SIUE since 1994 as director of Student Opportunities for Academic Results (SOAR). In this capacity, she has taken a holistic approach to promoting the engagement, retention and graduation of underrepresented students, based on a foundation of research, leadership and vision.

As associate vice chancellor for Student Opportunities, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, she will continue to direct SOAR, as well as supervise the director of the newly established Office for Strategic Partnerships, Student Pathways and Engagement. Together, SOAR and the Office for Strategic Partnerships, Student Pathways and Engagement will advance university goals with respect to anti-racism and student success through a significant, campus wide scaling of services and programming to support the social and academic thriving of historically underserved students.

Strategic planning to enhance and improve supports for historically underserved students will take team work. “Dr. Patterson is an experienced relationship-builder and collaborator, who actively engages all members of the SIUE community including students, faculty, staff and alumni,” Harris noted. “Among her strengths is the ability to work in decentralized environments, as well as listen and collaborate to achieve important results for students. I have no doubt that as her role and responsibilities expand, she will continue to serve as a strategic and mission-critical member of the SIUE community and leadership team.” 

“I’m thrilled to be joining Vice Chancellor Harris’ leadership team, as it deeply aligns with both my values and organizational change experience,” said Patterson. “I am excited to work collaboratively across our campus communities to advance equity, diversity and inclusion. I am grateful for the opportunity to expand strong relationships built on trust, integrity, authenticity, visibility and transparency. SIUE is “home.” I know that education for all creates opportunity for all, and I feel a strong responsibility to continue to open doors for the next generation.”

“I am attracted to SIUE’s vision of weaving the power of EDI into its organizational fabric,” she added, “serving an increasingly expanding and diverse community of students and scholars, and emphasizing strong outcomes for students of color, women and first-generation students. Together, we will create a more socially just environment where our students, faculty, staff and alumni will compete, thrive and experience a sense of belonging.”

Prior to joining the University, Patterson served as director of Women’s Resources Services at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in Houston, where she created vision and a strategic plan that brought together association-shared programs across multiple counties comprised of 10 organizations, all with the shared focus of support for women and girls. 

Patterson holds a doctorate in higher education administration from Saint Louis University. She earned a bachelor’s in sociology and master’s in guidance/counseling from Illinois State University.

Photo: SIUE’s Earleen Patterson, PhD, associate vice chancellor for Student Opportunities, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Aeronautical Center, women aviators make up only 7% of the total pilot population. To bring awareness to women in aviation and inspire young female pilots, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumna Anni Huang participated in the 2021 Women’s Air Race Classic.

Huang, of Belleville, graduated from SIUE in 2013 with a bachelor’s in accountancy and international business administration. In 2014, she earned an MBA from SIUE, and has since worked as a marketing manager for Coca-Cola and a procurement analyst for Boeing. Currently, she serves as a Mandarin linguist for Quark Expeditions in Antarctica.

“I have worked in multiple male-dominated industries, whether with Coca-Cola, Boeing or even in Antarctica,” shared Huang. “I am a true believer that women can achieve in fields that are normally male dominant. I believe this is a great opportunity for myself and my team to present to aspiring female pilots that aviation is possible.”

The goal of the Air Race Classic is to encourage, promote, and educate current and future women pilots while preserving the tradition of pioneering women in aviation. Huang’s team, Flying Penguins, includes co-pilot Heidi Kim and navigator Mariah Sellers. The three women take pride in their work, and strive to promote women in aviation and other STEM related fields. They placed 36^th out of 90 participating teams in the 2021 Women’s Air Race Classic.

Women’s air racing began in 1929 with the Women’s Air Derby, which now takes place annually through the Air Race Classic. Each race is approximately 2,400 statute miles in length with eight or nine timing points. Due to COVID-19, this year’s race was held in an Air Derby format, meaning each team chose their own five-leg, one-day route.

“Because of the new format this year, Heidi, Kim and I thought it would be the perfect time to participate, as we can learn and focus on the route surrounding our home airport,” said Huang. “Based on the aircraft we used, we precisely calculated our estimated time of arrival at each point selected and raced against our calculations. In aviation, a lot can affect the performance of an airplane, including weather, aircraft performance and limitations, weight distribution, and pilot skill.”

While at SIUE, Huang served as president for the International Student Council, and as an active member of the Society of Chinese Students and International Business Association. She credits her study abroad experience to Germany and alumni trip to Cuba for developing her sense of adventure and traveling. Huang’s goal is to combine her love of flying with her passion for Antarctica by professionally flying to the continent.

“I decided to pursue SIUE, because I had many friends that attended the University, and I knew that SIUE had many excellent programs,” said Huang. “My academic preparation not only provided me with the knowledge I needed to work in corporate jobs, but also helped me become more adventurous and step up as a leader.”

Photo: SIUE alumna Anni Huang.

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville community is mourning the loss of Beverly ‘Bev’ K. George, who passed away Saturday, July 10 at her home. She was 68.

As a first-generation college graduate, George attended SIUE and earned a bachelor’s in 1975 and a master’s in education in ’79. From 1975-82, she was an instructor for SIUE’s Upward Bound program, where she helped Vietnam veterans returning from war strengthen their skills. From 1979-82, she taught English and Reading at Highland High School. During that time, her passion for students and education led her to develop and implement a delinquency prevention program for the City of Edwardsville.

George’s commitment to SIUE over the years was second to none. She was a loyal donor to the University since 1980 and volunteered her time and many talents whenever possible. Most recently, she served on the SIUE Foundation Board since 2011 and served as the president from 2017-19. She was a member of the SIUE Alumni Association Board and served as president from 2010-12, and was a former chair of the SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Advisory Board.

“When I moved to Edwardsville, she brought me into her vast group of friends, book club, SIUE Foundation, personal friends, her family, and her business associates. They are all my cherished friends now because of her,” said Sherry Baker, former SIUE Foundation Board member.

George was also a Lifetime Member of the SIUE Alumni Association, a member of the Meridian Society, the Friends of Lovejoy Library, the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Academy of Fellows, and a mentor for Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT).

George was inducted into the SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2017, Bev shared with Chancellor Randy Pembrook, “As the daughter of a steelworker and a secretary who otherwise may have not been able to go to school, studying at SIUE was a wonderful opportunity. SIUE gave me such a jumpstart on learning and in my career. Over the years, I’ve seen how much the University has grown under the great leadership of our presidents and chancellors. When I come on to campus now, I just about burst with pride to see all the buildings, the growing number of students and the high standards we’re able to demand of our students. I’m so pleased to see how SIUE has grown, and it makes me want to be on campus and help in any possible way.”

In 1984, George founded Bev George & Associates, which has grown to become the oldest independent real estate firm in Edwardsville. She published five real estate courses and taught realtors locally and internationally. She served as the chair of the Illinois Association of Realtors Professional Standards and Education committees, the National Board of the Certified Residential Brokerage Council, and was former chair of the Real Estate Education Foundation. She was the recipient of several professional awards including The Greater Gateway Association of Realtors “Realtor of the Year” and “Outstanding Educator” awards. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Tallerico Leadership Award from the Ed/Glen Chamber of Commerce.

George had a passion for giving back to the Edwardsville community. She played a significant role in the Edwardsville community with her involvement with the Edwardsville Chamber of Commerce, Edwardsville Children's Museum, the Humane Society, the YMCA, Holiday Shores Fire Department, the Watershed Nature Center, Goshen Market, Edwardsville School District Citizen’s Advisory Council and many others.

She is survived by her husband John D. George. They celebrated their 39^th anniversary last month. Their daughter, Sarah George-Waterfield, graduated from SIUE with a master’s in English in 2013.

“She was a brilliant woman, a fierce friend, a woman of great faith, and the best mother a girl could possibly have. A woman of many hats, most of them big and fabulous, she’s left a lot of holes in a lot of hearts,” George-Waterfield ‘13, said.

Weber & Rodney Funeral Home is managing the arrangements. A complete obituary is available at the Intelligencer.com.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 15 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 600 Water St., in Edwardsville. There will be a reception from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Sunset Hills Country Club. Memorial contributions can be made to the SIUE Foundation and the Madison County Humane Society.

The DREAM (Dismantling Racism through Education, Advocacy and Mobilization) Collective at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s “Blacktivism in the Academy” podcast will spotlight the prestigious and incredible careers of three Black women educators. 

“Six Degrees of Mary Howard Hamilton” airs Thursday, July 15 on Spotify, Apple and Stitcher. In the season two finale, the podcast will feature Mary Howard-Hamilton, PhD, Coffman distinguished research professor and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership at Indiana State University. Howard-Hamilton will be joined by Lori Patton-Davis, PhD, higher education scholar, educator and consultant; and Chayla Haynes Davison, PhD, assistant professor of Higher Education Administration at Texas A&M University in College Station, Black women in higher education scholar and co-editor. 

DREAM Collective members include education faculty J.T. Snipes, PhD, Jennifer Hernandez, PhD, Jessica Krim, EdD, 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.  

Photo:
“Blacktivism in the Academy” Season 2, Episode 10.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has been awarded $1.8 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to boost the number of qualified mental health providers, especially in rural communities.

The Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program (BHWET) is a cross-disciplinary effort led by principal investigator (PI) Melissa Bogle, DNP, SIUE School of Nursing assistant professor and family nurse practitioner (FNP) clinical site coordinator in the Department of Family Health and Community Health Nursing. She will collaborate with co-PI Jayme Swanke, PhD, associate professor and master of social work (MSW) program director in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Social Work.

“There is a natural alignment of nursing and social work areas of focus, which facilitated our creation of this shared effort,” said Bogle. “Behavioral health providers are extremely important in a number of settings, including community health and mental health centers, hospitals and other public organizations. Using a multidisciplinary integrated-care approach to providing mental health services ensures that consumer needs are met efficiently and effectively.”

The need is great as the number of healthcare providers in many areas of the central and southern half of Illinois is insufficient. Within the 70 counties that comprise central and southern Illinois, from which SIUE attracts a majority of its students, there are documented health provider shortages.

“Data from Mental Health America indicates increased rates of anxiety and depression among youth and adults between January and September 2020, with increased rates of suicidal ideation among both groups,” Swanke noted. “Mental Health America reported that 70% of people reported the top contributing factors to mental health issues as loneliness and isolation, while 46.1% attributed mental health issues to past trauma, and 42% to relationship problems.”

“As we re-emerge to life as usual,” she continued,” the need for mental health providers and services will remain, and could increase, as people feel more comfortable and safe seeking help.”

SIUE’s high-quality program offerings and physical location make it ideally equipped to meet the critical need of developing behavioral health workers in Illinois to serve vulnerable populations in the region.

“The SIUE doctor of nursing practice program is one of the only programs with a brick and mortar presence south of Springfield,” Bogle explained. “Additionally, the School of Nursing’s psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) program admitted its first cohort in 2019.”

“Students in the MSW program have a range of regional agencies that they can choose from to fulfill the specialized field practicum requirements,” added Swanke. “We fully vet field sites to ensure they meet our Department’s focus on social and economic justice, human rights and diversity. HRSA BHWET funds will help ensure students choose SIUE for their graduate education.” 

Through the BHWET Program, SIUE has partnered with Casa de Salud, Chestnut Health, Centerstone, Southern Illinois Health Foundation, the Macoupin County Health Department and the SIUE WE CARE Clinic to provide interprofessional training opportunities for MSW and PMHNP students.

“These locations represent a diverse group of healthcare systems that provide access to care for many underserved populations,” Bogle said. “They also give students an opportunity to experience various cultural and socioeconomic patient backgrounds.”

Additionally, SIUE has joined a consortium of schools who will provide educational and collaborative opportunities for each program’s students. The existing consortium includes SIUE, Webster University, Stony Brook University, Rutgers University, Michigan State University and Northern Michigan University.

Photo (L-R): SIUE’s Melissa Bogle, DNP, SIUE School of Nursing assistant professor and family nurse practitioner (FNP) clinical site coordinator in the Department of Family Health and Community Health Nursing, and Jayme Swanke, PhD, associate professor and master of social work (MSW) program director in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Social Work.

The Southern Illinois University (SIU) Board of Trustees, at its regularly scheduled meeting held virtually today, approved contracts for photocopying services and digital media buying services for the Edwardsville campus, along with re-electing three community directors to the SIUE University Park Board of Directors. 

The board approved a five-year, $975,000 contract with Watts Copy Systems, of Springfield, for leasing multifunction office machines for copying, printing, scanning, email and fax functions at the Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville campuses. Two one-year options are available with an estimated additional total cost of $375,000. The contract will be funded by Information Technology Services (ITS) and supported by multiple University accounts across campus.

The board approved a one-year contract valued at $1.2-million with Reeleyez Media, of Wentzville, Mo., for management of digital media buys, including optimization of online video, display advertising, retargeting, search engine marketing, streaming radio and other emerging digital media. Three one-year options are available based upon performance. The funding is provided by the University Marketing and Communications advertising and marketing budget.

The board approved Donna Richter as the 2021 Distinguished Service Award recipient. She will be honored at the 2021 fall commencement ceremonies in December. Richter has left a permanent mark on SIUE and the southern Illinois community by holding administrative roles for more than 40 years at the Southern Illinois Builders Association (SIBA) and serving on several not-for-profit boards. She has created numerous opportunities for SIUE construction management students, including scholarships, industry connections, OSHA safety training, participation in Associated General Contractors of America conferences, involvement in SIBA activities and support of department advancement initiatives.

In a procedural matter, the board approved the re-election of tech entrepreneur and Direcror of Research Enabled and Co-Founder, Partner with Active Capital Jay DeLong, Holland Construction Chief Executive Officer Bruce Holland, and IC Management, Inc., President Steve McRae as community directors to two-year terms on the SIUE University Park Board of Directors. Their terms began on July 1, 2021 and will conclude on June 30, 2023.