Alumni

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Engineering unveiled its newly created Wall of Fame on Wednesday evening, honoring Hall of Fame alumni whose achievements have shaped industries, strengthened communities and advanced the engineering profession. The installation, located along the curved inner wall of the Engineering Building atrium, features framed portraits, biographical plaques and decades of School of Engineering imagery.

Faculty, staff, alumni, industry partners...

Here are some of the recently published stories featuring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students, alumni, faculty and broader initiatives showcasing SIUE’s regional impact:

1. KSDK Archives Highlight Muhammad Ali’s 1971 Visit to SIUE
   
   Muhammad Ali at SIUE
   
   KSDK News revisited a historic moment from June 1, 1971, when boxing legend Muhammad Ali spoke at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. In the archival footage, Ali delivers his speech, “The Intoxication of Life...

  

On Monday, Nov. 3, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosted the NCERC Illinois Ethanol Research Advisory Board Meeting and distributed its annual report to the Board and stakeholders. Chairman of the Illinois Ethanol Research Advisory Board and SIU System President Dan Mahony, PhD, welcomed the Board and the partnerships that have contributed to the success of t...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Cole Milam, CFP, MBA, (’20, ’24), has built an impressive career defined by determination, discipline, and a drive to help others succeed. A former standout pitcher for SIUE Baseball, Milam’s journey from the Cougar mound to professional baseball and now to successful entrepreneur and wealth planner exemplifies SIUE’s mission of shaping leaders who make a lasting impact.

Milam’s time at SIUE was marked by both athle...

On Tuesday, August 26th, more than 60 students, faculty, staff, and administrators gathered in Lovejoy Library to celebrate the launch of the Hansen Humanities Network established by a generous endowed gift from Julia Y. and Stephen L. Hansen to the College of Arts and Sciences.

Highlighting  the Hansen’s many contributions to the College and University, Dean of the College, Kevin Leonard, PhD, noted that “Over the course of their long careers in the SIUE Department of History,...

Here are some of the recently published stories featuring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students, alumni, faculty and initiatives that highlight SIUE’s excellence and influence across the region and beyond: 

1. Friends of Art Annual Auction to Benefit SIUE Art & Design

RiverBender.com highlighted SIUE’s annual Friends of Art Auction, returning Nov. 14 in the Art & Design West Gallery. The event supports student scholarships, assistantships, and the visi...

“They cleaned my teeth really good, and now they feel a lot better,” said eight-year-old Kazan Mohammad who visited Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) during Give Kids A Smile (GKAS), a day of free comprehensive dental care for children aged three to 13. This day of care, which involved all D1 through D4 students, many graduate students, alumni, dental and biomedical faculty, is in its 20th year. The total value of treatment: $89,352.

“We’...

On Oct. 1, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville welcomed Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel “Chris” Welch and State Rep. Katie Stuart (Edwardsville, 112th District) on campus for a showcase of SIUE’s innovative programs, community partnerships, and research facilities.[HJ1]  They were joined by SIU System President Dan Mahony, PhD, SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, as well as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD,...

With more than 20 events that included live music, food trucks, games, vendors, college sports, an NPHC Yard Show, more than 620 runners and a petting zoo, the 2025 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Homecoming & Family Weekend proved to be a tremendous success.

Families such as those of lifelong friends and nursing students Jessica Gutierrez and Danna Rivera-Cortes, traveled as one large multigenerational unit from the suburbs of Chicago to the Edwardsville festivities, just to suppor...

Nearly 50 years after leading Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men’s soccer to its first national championship, Cougar legend Chris Carenza is preparing for a different kind of finish line. The 1972 national title hero, SIUE Athletics Hall of Famer and lifelong Cougar supporter will run the TCS New York City Marathon in support of Team For Kids, a youth running program that promotes fitness and healthy lifestyles.

Carenza, 73, has set his sights on completing the iconic 26.2-mile...

State Representative Jay Hoffman Discusses Pension Inequities and Reform Efforts

State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea, 113th District) spoke to the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chapter of the State Universities Annuitants Association (SUAA) regarding the longstanding inequities in the pension system for public sector employees hired after 2011. He emphasized the urgent need for corrective action and highlighted ongoing efforts to address these issues. 

Hoffman, who serves as A...

With the publicity still fresh surrounding Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s fall enrollment growth despite challenging national trends, SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, gave an encouraging address, thanking students, faculty, staff, and administrators for achieving the monumental feat.    

Minor delivered the University Budget Update on Thursday, Sept. 4 in the SIUE Morris University Center’s Legacy Room to a crowded audience. Minor opened his remarks b...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will “Unleash the Spirit” during Homecoming & Family Weekend, Sept. 24–28. The annual celebration invites alumni, students, families and community members to reconnect, recharge and enjoy a weekend packed with high-energy events and time-honored traditions.

“Homecoming & Family Weekend is one of my favorite times of the year,” said Cathy Taylor, associate Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and Executive Director o...

An SIUE-led research team is taking a statewide look at what lingers in the tap—measuring and mapping potential contaminants in Illinois drinking water using advanced chemical and geospatial analysis. The initiative, “Sustaining Illinois through Safe Drinking Water for All: A Detailed Chemical and Geospatial Analysis of Agricultural and Pharmaceutical Contaminates in Drinking Water Across Illinois” brings together faculty and students from Southern Illinois University Edwardsvi...

 
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumna Halie Hebron earned the title of First Runner-Up at the Miss Missouri 2025 competition receiving multiple honors recognizing her excellence, leadership, and artistry. 
  
Hebron, from O'Fallon, MO, is the first recipient of both the Simone Esters Mentor Award, voted on by teen contestants, and the Photogenic Award in the Miss division. She began competing in the Miss America Organization in 2018. Since then, she has held ...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Makayla “Mak” Mallon, currently pursuing her graduate degree in African American Literature, has spent this summer as a Servant Leader Intern for the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools® hosted on SIUE’s campus. Mallon graduated SIUE with a bachelor’s in history (’24) and also co-founded the student organization Black Literary Analysis Club (BLAC). “I was also privileged enough to...

The Savannah Bananas brought their world-famous baseball entertainment to St. Louis for the first time, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville fans of Banana Ball were right in the middle of the action. With two sold-out nights at Busch Stadium and more than 90,000 fans in attendance, the SIUE Alumni Association hosted a memorable gathering for hundreds of alumni to celebrate the occasion and support fellow Cougar, Matt Graifer (’10), who now serves as Cast Director and Chief Pota...

Here are some of the recently published stories featuring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students, alumni, faculty, and broader initiatives showcasing SIUE’s regional impact:

1. Dr. Tandra Taylor Profiled as a St. Louis Character
   St. Louis Business Journal
   
   SIUE’s own Tandra Taylor, PhD, historian and director of the Institute for Community Justice and Racial Equity, was featured as a "St. Louis Character" for her community-based scholarship and leadership. The article highl...

Here are some of the recently published stories featuring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students, alumni, and initiatives:

1. WGEL: Clinton County 4-H Foundation Awards Scholarships to SIUE Students
    WGEL Radio highlighted the Clinton County 4-H Foundation’s 2025 scholarship recipients, including two SIUE students recognized for academic achievement and community service. The Foundation's support helps rural students access higher education, reinforcing SIUE’s stron...

 
Students from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville won top awards at the second edition of the Wildey Short Film Competition, held April 17 at the historic Wildey Theatre located in downtown Edwardsville.

“I am incredibly proud of our students. Their creativity, dedication, and storytelling talents stood out in their films,” said Suman Mishra, PhD, chair of the Department of Mass Communications.

The annual competition, hosted by Friends of the Wildey, a nonprofit organiz...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD, conferred Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degrees upon 55 graduates of the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM). The commencement ceremony was held Saturday, June 7 at the First Community Arena at the Vadalabene Center on the Edwardsville campus. The Class of 2025 represented the 50th graduating class of SIU SDM, which held its first comme...

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...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) was recently awarded with the national Innovation in Teaching Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy for their innovative project, "Making an ‘ImPaCT (Improving Patient Care for Tomorrow)’: A longitudinal, required innovation curriculum to address practice-based problems.” The program is led by Kate Newman, PharmD, Director of Experiential Education and a clinical associate professor wit...

On the mornings of April 13 and April 20, a large group of students, staff, alumni, faculty, retired faculty and future Cougars from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) pitched in to clean and beautify the yards of 12 area senior citizens. The work ranged from small projects to large. After each shift, all homeowners were left with beautiful yards that they could safely enjoy.

The project was the idea of Chris Lynch, professor and director of clinical pr...

Tyler Unterbrink, Vice President of Operations at the Korte Company, is the recipient of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s 2024 Construction Leadership Institute (CLI) Alumni Leadership Award.

The CLI Alumni Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding graduate who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and service to the St. Louis area building community.

Unterbrink was a member of the CLI’s 2014 class. He knows about hard work, dedication, and what it means to get your h...