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Underrepresented youth – with an interest in college and those who are already there – have a tireless advocate and committed champion in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Darryl C. Cherry. 

This sentiment was celebrated and underscored as being resoundingly true when Cherry, coordinator of Student Retention and Academic Advisor for Student Opportunities for Academic Results (SOAR) and FirstGen Forward Coordinator, was recently named as 2025 Educator of the Year by the Eta Kappa Zeta (East St. Louis) Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. 

“We chose him because we saw the extent and longevity of his community involvement and how well he worked in the community,” said Marla Golliday, president of the Eta Kappa Zeta Chapter of ZPB. “We saw a lot of positive things in him. There are all the activities he’s involved in on the SIUE campus. He is very hands on with the100 Black Men and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He has also been a high school girls volleyball referee for years. He fit all our requirements and then some.” 

Cherry’s devotion to education and to helping assist and inspire young people is not simply a pass time. 

“I believe in the power of education!” said Cherry. “My degree changed the trajectory of my life and afforded me many experiences and opportunities that otherwise, I would not have had. Education is a game changer.” 

“A postsecondary education is important, because it gives students the training and preparation to earn a livable wage,” continued Cherry. “If done right, it provides a level of social, emotional, and professional development and growth that cannot be gained elsewhere. It also affords students the opportunity to level the playing fields, and to maximize their earnings potential.” 

Cherry has spent 25 years advocating for access and equitable support for collegebound and college students. In his current role as SIUE’s Coordinator of Student Retention, he develops, implements and oversees programming. He supports students in overcoming social, academic, and cultural barriers and challenges to assimilate, matriculate and graduate with college degrees.   

Prior to his current role, Cherry served as a TRIO Upward Bound Counselor at St. Louis Community College before transitioning to serve as the Director for two TRIO Upward Bound Programs at the SIUE East St. Louis Campus. 

He earned a bachelor’s in communication and a double master’s in business management and computer information and resource management. 

Cherry serves on the SIUE, local, regional, and national levels to implement and support equity-minded student engagement, advising, development and support.  

His professional involvements include: 

• Membership in NASPA | Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
• Co-chair of SIUE’s First-Gen Forward efforts to engage and support first-generation students
• Member (and former chair) of NACADA’s Advising Communities Division Steering Committee, First Generation Advising Community Steering Committee and Advising First-Year Students Advising Steering Committee
• Vice-President for Staff of SIUE’s Black Faculty and Staff Association.

 In other educational-related work, Cherry is:

• A proud member of 100 Black Men of America(Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter), where he serves as the Regional Chair for Collegiate 100 as well as the advisor and mentor for the Collegiate 100 of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• A proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity(Nu Chi Chapter), where he strives to live out the fraternity’s motto “Lifting As We Climb”
• An Elder at New Life Community Church(East St. Louis), where he works to impact and “Build Strong Families” in servant-leadership roles. 

“I will continue working to help unrepresented and under-supported students realize their dreams of earning college degrees,” said Cherry. “I plan to coordinate SIUE’s efforts toward becoming a FirstGen Forward Network Champion, which is an institution that demonstrates active implementation of continuous improvement principles, while emphasizing institution-focused strategic priorities to improve first-generation students’ experience and completion rates.”  

Cherry also aspires to partner with others to establish an endowment for the Director position of SOAR to “ensure perpetual financial support and sustained leadership for a proven program that engages, mentors, develops and supports students to graduation.” 

Photo:
SIUE’s Darryl C. Cherry, coordinator of Student Retention and Academic Advisor for SOAR, was recently named as 2025 Educator of the Year by the Eta Kappa Zeta (East St. Louis) Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.