SEHHB students experienced hands-on learning on a global expedition to Universidad Gerardo Barrios (UGB) in El Salvador. The long-awaited trip, delayed due to COVID-19, was a dream come true for attending faculty and students.

“As a Spanish major, I have always dreamt of having the opportunity to go to a Spanish speaking country and experience everything that I have learned first-hand,” said Gage Peek, a senior from Collinsville. “Once I complete my degree, I will be able to travel to different countries to teach English as a second language. This incomparable experience showed me that this is something that I would love to do in the future, and I am forever grateful to have been a part of it.”

Participants visited all three campuses of UGB and engaged with UGB’s students as they learned about El Salvador’s rich history, culture and cuisine.

Read more about the partnership.

Approximately 20 high school students from across the region attended SIUE's annual Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp in June. The camp is a collaborative effort between the SEHHB's nutrition program, the Schools of Pharmacy and Nursing, and the SIU School of Dental Medicine.

The camp helps students gain an understanding of the ample opportunities that exist within each healthcare field through interactive lessons and activities.

“Faculty offered us tips and advice regarding what we should be doing to prepare us for our chosen course,” said Paulina Gutierrez, a senior from Collinsville. “My camp experience has helped me navigate what I plan to study.”

Read more about the camp.

The SIUE Graduate School has presented its 2022-24 Hoppe Research Professor Award to Elizabeth McKenney, PhD, associate professor in the SEHHB’s Department of Psychology. This award recognizes and supports SIUE faculty members whose research or creative activities have the promise of making significant contributions to their field of study.

McKenney's research project, “Advocating for socially just multi-tiered systems of support: School psychologists’ skills and needs,” will advance school psychologists’ understanding of effective advocacy toward the goal of creating socially-just Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).

“School psychologists face cultural and structural obstacles that reduce the likelihood that they will effectively engage in the kinds of leadership and advocacy needed to ensure that all students receive appropriate and effective services,” McKenney said. “This project addresses this disproportionality by using MTSS, which focuses on providing students with an appropriate level of support through a public health model of service delivery.”

Learn more about McKenney's research.

Spring 2022 graduates of the SEHHB's nutrition program 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 independently organized symposium.

One group focused its project on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, while the second group considered nutrition’s role in autoimmune disease.

“These were model students in their ability and desire to support and learn with one another,” said Cindi Inman, nutrition instructor and undergraduate program director. “The project they were assigned was to create a symposium-type presentation on a nutrition topic of their choice. Both groups did an excellent job of finding the evidence-based research and disseminating the information to an audience of all levels of nutrition knowledge. They exceeded expectations for an undergraduate level symposium.”

Read about the research projects.

SEHHB alumnus Franklin Boster, PhD, is among 10 remarkable graduates who will be inducted into the SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame this fall. The event, "A Night Among the Stars,” will take place in conjunction with Homecoming weekend on Friday, Sept. 23, at 5:30 p.m. in the Morris University Center’s Meridian Ballroom.

Boster is an internationally recognized expert of social influence and group dynamics and professor emeritus in the Department of Communication at Michigan State University (MSU). He earned a bachelor’s in psychology in 1972 and a master’s in behavioral science in 1975 from SIUE before pursuing his doctorate at MSU.

Boster's first academic appointment was at Arizona State University, where he spent nine years before returning to MSU. For the next 33 years, Boster served as a faculty member and researcher, earning numerous awards for both endeavors. He is the former editor of Communication Monographs, a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering research on human communication, and is a fellow in the International Communication Association.

Learn more about the 2022 inductees and register to attend.

SIUE New Student Welcome Parade

Friday, Aug. 19, 3:15 p.m.
SIUE Stratton Quad

SIUE alumni and community members are invited to line the on-campus parade route as our newest students journey to the Cougar Statue for their class photo. Volunteers will meet in the Lovejoy Library main level for quick directions and location assignments. Wear comfortable Cougar Gear, bring signs and cheer on our newest students as they partake in one of their first campus traditions. Stay around after the photo for a campus-wide sweet treat social.

Register here. 

SIUE Alumni and Friends Pre-Show Reception and Concert with Alumnus Brett Sheroky

Saturday, Aug. 27, 5 p.m.
Venue on Main, Belleville, Ill.

The Alumni Association is thrilled to host a pre-concert reception featuring alumnus Brett Sheroky ’06, ’08. After spending more than a decade focusing on the craft of songwriting while living in Nashville, Sheroky signed his first publishing deal in 2020 and has landed songs on major artists’ records including “Man Made” with Granger Smith, “Bible Verses” with Blake Shelton and most recently with the debut single “One Day Tonight” with 2022 “American Idol” winner Noah Thompson. While still writing for other artists, Sheroky has also been crafting songs for his own artist release.

Join us for a meet-and-greet reception with Sheroky prior to his concert. Tickets for the reception are $10 and include appetizers and a cash bar. The Alumni Association is also offering $10 tickets to Sheroky’s concert following the reception.

Tickets for both events are limited, so register today! Listen to Sheroky's work at hyperfollow.com/BrettSheroky. 

Homecoming Events

SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner and Ceremony

Friday, Sept. 23, 5:30 p.m.
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center

Join the SIUE Alumni Association for “A Night Among the Stars” as we celebrate the 2022 SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame honorees. The event will include a cocktail reception, dinner and awards presentation honoring 10 outstanding alumni for their professional accomplishments as well as community public service.

Tickets are $50 each. RSVP by Friday, Sept. 9, by clicking here. 

Cougars Unleashed Homecoming Run and Pancake Breakfast

Virtual: September 17-24
In-Person: Saturday, Sept. 24, 9 a.m.
B. Barnard Birger Hall, SIUE Campus

Join the SIUE Alumni Association for the seventh annual Cougars Unleashed Homecoming Run. This year's run offers both in-person and virtual 10K, 5K and one-mile runs. The in-person run will be followed by a pancake breakfast provided by Chris Cakes and post-run beer (for runners ages 21 and over) provided by Recess Brewing. The virtual run can be completed any time and anywhere between September 17-24. All run proceeds benefit scholarships for SIUE students.

SIUE Alumni and Friends Tent at Cougar Fan Zone

Saturday, Sept. 24, 4-7 p.m.
Ralph Korte Stadium

Bring your family to the SIUE Alumni and Friends Tent outside of Korte Stadium for the Cougar Fan Zone. The first 250 alumni who check in at the event will receive a $5 voucher to be used at any of the food trucks, a drink ticket to be used for any of the beer vendors and an exclusive gold mini-drink tumbler commemorating the Alumni Association’s 50th anniversary! The event will include live music, yard games, prize giveaways and a Family Fun Zone featuring a Bubble Bus, inflatables, face painting, balloon artists and more!

After the Cougar Fan Zone, stay and cheer on the SIUE men's soccer team as they face Belmont University at 7 p.m.

The event is free to attend, but registration is required. 

Fall into new opportunities with SIUE Online Services and Educational Outreach as we explore a variety of new personal and professional courses! We are excited to be launching new courses, as well as our new Fall 2022 catalog. Please visit our website at siue.edu/educational-outreach to peruse, stay updated, and register for all the Personal, Professional, Lifelong Learning, Educard and various other offerings OSEO is presenting!