Alumni

“I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for SIU,” said Major Elester Latham (’75). “SIU was everything to me.” Latham, who graduated 50 years ago with a degree in theatre  was one of more than 40 Golden Graduates at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s 2025 spring commencement exercises on Saturday, May 10. Latham, began his career as a United States Air Force and commercial airline pilot eventually returning to his first love ...

Messages of girl power, positive self-esteem, healthy body image, community activism and more were packaged in sparkly, eye-catching motion and decorative costuming during the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts’ (ESLCPA) 2025 Spring Dance Recital. 

Students took to the stage at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 15 in the Multipurpose Room of Building D of the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Center. Social justice was the theme of the d...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville conferred degrees upon 2292 eligible graduates during May 2025 commencement exercises, held Friday and Saturday, May 9-10 in the First Community Arena at the Vadalabene Center. The SIUE spring commencement weekend included six graduation ceremonies, led by Denise Cobb, PhD, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and respective deans. Throughout the ceremonies significant moments included inspiring keynotes, recognition of the 2025 Distinguish...

Free Information, Screenings and Prizes; Fraternity Gives Clinic $7,000  

Metro East residents received valuable information, participated in health screenings, enjoyed free haircuts, beauty services, clothing, lunch, and major door prizes during the Spring Forward Health and Wellness Fair, co-hosted by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing’s (SON) WE CARE Clinic in East St. Louis. 

The WE CARE Clinic partnered with the East St. Louis (IL) Alumni Cha...

SIUE will host its fourth annual One Day One SIUE celebration on Thursday, April 24. The event, which combines the University's day of giving with a vibrant outdoor celebration, will take place on the Stratton Quadrangle and feature music from the Red Jackets Band, a BBQ buffet, and an INDYCAR showcase presented by World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) in a fun raceway themed celebration.

“The fundraising festival has rapidly evolved into one of the University’s most antici...

The Fuller Dome Presents Five-Day Conference, 90^th Day Programs  

The man with an ingenious ecological and humanitarian idea that became a movement, caused his concepts to travel around the world and earn him the title, “Father of the Modern Sustainability Movement.” The pioneering legacy of the renowned visionary inventor R. Buckminster Fuller was applauded and his theories and beliefs revisited and discussed during a five-day conference at the Fuller Dome, Center for Spirit...

It was a Time of Information to Inspiration, Engagement to Enjoyment  

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville concluded its annual Wom*n’s History Month (WHM) on Monday, March 31. This year’s theme was Moving Forward Together! Wom*n Educating and Inspiring Generations.  

Speakers, presentations, activities, observances and more were woven throughout March to acknowledge and celebrate women and their contributions. WHM was also a time to inform, inspire and chall...

The Franklins Read “Ella’s Sunday Song” to Audience at SIUE’s Lovejoy Library and Early Childhood Center

The reading voices ran the scale from sounding strong to resolute, excited to pensive, and were punctuated with masterful and melodious tunes along the way. They relayed an old, important American story with a new twist, as told through the words of a fictious child and her grandmother. 

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Communications Director Nicole ...

Alumni and friends of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came together for a fun weekend at the ballpark in Florida. Coordinated by the SIUE Alumni Association, the two-day event celebrated Cougar pride while giving alumni a chance to connect, reminisce on good times and cheer on the St. Louis Cardinals.

The fun began Saturday, March 22 at the Homewood Suites in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl. Alumni and friends had a chance to sit down with friends, share stories and re-connect fueled by their ...

SIUE Faculty, Staff and Students Receive ACCESS Awards

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Office for Accessible Campus Community & Equitable Student Support (ACCESS) hailed the late disability rights activist Ed Roberts as a hero and pioneering leader. ACCESS also praised SIUE faculty, staff and students for their part in moving access rights forward during its 6th Annual Ed Roberts Champions of Accessibility Celebration and Awards on Monday, March 17. Roberts contracted polio ...

SIUE Alumnus is Credited for Work at SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School 

For being a positive influence and giving students a good view law of enforcement officials, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Police Sgt. Kasey Hoyd received Fox 2’s “Proud to Serve” award. 

SIUE alumnus Hoyd, who serves as the resource officer at the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School, accepted the station’s March award and $500 on a live segment that aired on Tuesday,...

When the Academy Awards air on Sunday, March 2, an actor cast in his first film role will be paying close attention to the double Oscar nominee, “Nickel Boys.” Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Trey Perkins (‘24) plays Chickie Pete in the feature, directed by RaMell Ross, nominated for both best picture and best adapted screenplay. Perkins says working on this project “was an amazing experience. This was my acting debut for real.”

Perkins was b...

Craig Ohlau, a Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus and former student-athlete, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2004 and later earned his master’s degree at SIUE in educational administration in 2014. Ohlau has gone on to make a lasting impact in the Edwardsville community as an educator, award-winning author, and as a highly decorated coach for the Edwardsville High School Baseball team. Dedicating his life to making a lasting impact on and off the ...

Mahony Talks with SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor and SIUC Chancellor Austin Lane

A doctor? A lawyer? A university chancellor? Though the third option is not one that most young people readily think of as a profession, Southern Illinois University (SIU) System President Dan Mahony, PhD, delved into the experiences and explored roads that led two successful men to their careers as administrators in higher education. 

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Chancellor James T. Mi...

 
Fresh off opening night of the Jazz Alumni Concert on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the SIUE Concert Jazz Band traveled across the river to take center stage at Jazz St. Louis, a top performance destination providing exceptional entertainment in the St. Louis Metro Area for three decades. “An Evening with the Chancellor” on Thursday, Feb. 6, brought together an audience of SIUE Alumni and members of The Chancellor’s Circle who contributed the ...

SIUE’s Dunham Hall Theater resonated with vibrant sound of jazz as the SIUE Concert Jazz Band welcomed four celebrated alumni for the 2nd Annual SIUE Jazz Alumni Concert on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The evening brought together past and present Cougars in a dynamic showcase of jazz artistry, featuring a rotation of guest performances from four nationally recognized musicians who got their start at SIUE: Austin Cebulske, '12, saxophonist, Kara Baldus, '03, '05, pianist, Nick Jost, ‘08, &#8...

Jazz Artists from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Concert Jazz Band and four featured SIUE alumni will take the stage in both Edwardsville and midtown St. Louis in February for two stellar evenings. Opening night on the Edwardsville campus will precede “An Evening with the Chancellor at Jazz St. Louis.” The Edwardsville concert will also feature the inaugural Brett Stamps Jazz Alumni Award. Performances are scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, ...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumni and friends are meeting in Florida for an exciting weekend at the ballpark this March. The SIUE Alumni Association is hosting a two-day event that will bring Cougars together to celebrate its community and to create memories.

The event kicks off Saturday, March 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Homewood Suites in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Alumni will enjoy a private gathering featuring appetizers, drinks and the opportunity to reconnect with old friend...

Initiative Revived to Combat Violence in East St. Louis and Beyond  

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is one of many partners working with the 40 Days of Nonviolence and Beyond initiative in its ongoing mission to deter and ultimately eliminate violence in the East St. Louis area. The committee kicked off its campaign with a press conference, that included State Sen. Christopher Belt (D- 57^th District), on Friday, Jan. 17 at the Clyde C. Jordan Senior Citizen Center in the East ...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Alumni Association and Athletics joined forces for an extraordinary evening of recognition and celebration for the 2025 Hall of Fame induction on Friday, Jan. 10. The event, held as part of the 2025 Alumni Weekend, highlighted the remarkable achievements of distinguished alumni and outstanding athletes, bringing together the SIUE community in a spirit of pride and camaraderie.

The 2025 Hall of Fame Ceremony was segmented after dinner with t...

Expanding on its previous and current dramatic offerings and education, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will present the inaugural SIUE Performing Arts Initiative on Wednesday, Jan. 22, according to Marc Schapman, DMA, professor of voice and chair of the Department of Music. 

The new series of performances and workshops will begin on Jan. 22 in the Dunham Hall Theater and will feature Chamber Project Saint Louis (CPSTL), with the University’s own Professor of Cello Marta Si...

Lindy Noel is a corporate communications specialist for the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team in Ohio. Noel earned both her bachelor's degree in communication studies  (‘11) and her master’s degree in public administration and policy analysis (‘14) from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Then, in 2024, blood donor and, eventually, a bone marrow donor, Noel performed a selfless act of service when she donated her kidney to her colleague.

Noel noticed a post from ...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Brett Sheroky is returning to his hometown of Belleville to showcase his musical talents, which have caught the attention of multiple top country music artists.

“I have had artists like Blake Shelton, Granger Smith, Jake Owen, and 2022 American Idol winner Noah Thompson record my songs,” said Sheroky, who moved to Nashville to pursue his passion for songwriting. “Matt Stell currently has my song ‘Man Made’ on cou...

As part of their development in becoming rising professionals contributing to society’s health and well-being, spring graduates of the nutrition program in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Education, Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB) Department of Applied Health finished their undergraduate journey by successfully completing research investigating novel topics on dietetics and nutrition. The nine students, comprising two groups, presented their findings at an ind...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is introducing three new concurrent degree programs to provide students with greater opportunities for learning and career advancement in the health sciences while saving time and money.

The new concurrent degree programs, which will begin in fall 2022, include:

• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS)
• PharmD and Master of Public Health (MPH)
• MPH and Master of Business Administration (MBA)

“Today'...