SIUE School of Engineering Unveils Wall of Fame Honoring Distinguished 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 and guests gathered for the celebration and enjoyed a reception with cocktails, appetizers and live jazz performed by SIUE student musicians. A black-curtain reveal and waves of confetti marked the moment the Wall of Fame was formally displayed to the campus. The event offered an opportunity for prestigious alumni to reconnect with the School and reflect on the impact SIUE engineers continue to make locally, nationally and globally.
Watch the unveiling of the SOE Wall of Fame.
Dean Cem Karacal, PhD, shared remarks during the ceremony, recognizing the honorees’ leadership, innovation and dedication to the profession.
“The Alumni Hall of Fame was created to recognize graduates who, through their leadership, character, and hard work, have made truly exceptional contributions in their professions, in their communities and at SIUE,” said Karacal. “The new wall of the Alumni Hall of Fame is a living tribute to the achievements and impact of our distinguished alumni. It's about honoring excellence, leadership and legacy; values that define not only our honorees but our entire SIUE engineering community.”
Among the honorees was Jonathan Fowler, President of J.F. Electric, who emphasized the importance of SIUE in developing the next generation of engineers.
“It’s humbling,” said Fowler. “Attending as a student and now coming back knowing my picture is going to be up there forever--you can’t really ask for much more. We depend on SIUE to produce good engineers to help us continue in business and we like to give back.”
The Wall of Fame display marries architecture and storytelling, with portraits spaced to echo the curvature of the atrium. Between honoree features, historic photographs and SIUE iconography trace the School’s growth over the decades, while additional frames serve as placeholders for alumni who will be recognized in years to come.
The School of Engineering Hall of Fame inductees include:
- Paul Galeski
- Jim Heinz
- Kay Guse
- Ed Grady
- Richard Oller
- Bruce Schopp
- Roland Thouvenot
- Hal Gentry
- Ken Cates
- Dr. Kurt Smith
- Vicki LaRose
- David Brammeier
- Dr. Daryl Beetner
- Dr. Robert Mock
- Thomas Niedernhofer
- Angie Heise
- Mike Marchal
- Ted Pruess
- Scott Miller
- Jonathan Fowler
PHOTOS: 1: Jean Daniel-Gentry, 2:Cem Karacel, 3: Jonathan Fowler, David Brammeier 4: Paul Galeski
