SIUE Alumni News
The official publication of the Alumni Association, the eConnection provides in-depth coverage of our alumni, campus news and alumni events. In addition to an annual print magazine, the Alumni Association sends an electronic version of the eConnection two times per year.
"SIUE-Alumni" News
1 April 2025, 11:30 AM
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...
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27 March 2025, 3:00 PM
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 ...
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26 March 2025, 3:18 PM
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 ...
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24 March 2025, 10:35 AM
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 ...
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20 March 2025, 1:00 PM
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,...
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27 February 2025, 9:40 PM
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...
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26 February 2025, 12:41 PM
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 ...
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20 February 2025, 9:05 AM
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...
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14 February 2025, 3:31 PM
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 ...
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11 February 2025, 4:00 PM

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, ...
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28 January 2025, 3:18 PM

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, ...
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24 January 2025, 8:24 AM
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...
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22 January 2025, 1:10 PM
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- 57th District), on Friday, Jan. 17 at the Clyde C. Jordan Senior Citizen Center in the East ...
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22 January 2025, 1:00 PM

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...
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14 January 2025, 10:25 AM
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...
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13 January 2025, 5:42 PM

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 ...
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14 December 2024, 11:35 AM
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville honored its graduating students in style at the biannual Always a Cougar celebration on Thursday, Dec. 12. Held the day before commencement weekend, the festive event welcomed the newest cohort of fall graduates into the SIUE Alumni Association while providing a well-deserved break after final exams.
Hosted by the Office of Alumni and Donor Relations, Student Affairs and SIUE Credit Union as the presenting sponsor, the celebration featured live music fr...
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30 November 2024, 10:20 PM
This Native American/Indigenous Heritage Month, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville unveiled an encased display of indigenous art during the University’s presentation of its Land Acknowledgement. The art, created by alumna Susan Bostwick, MFA, and husband and wife artists Kilan Jacobs (Osage) and Mary Jacobs (Quapaw) is located at the north entrance of Morris University Center (MUC).
On display is Bostwick’s clay doll, a replica of an artifact found durin...
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22 November 2024, 4:35 PM
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, shared financial information that touted the University’s remarkable influence in the Southern Illinois region and St. Louis Metropolitan area, such as the more than $1.3 billion of economic impact that includes the benefits of 12,178 jobs, the generation of $144.4 million in taxes and the alumni power of $516.3 million.
View the story on SIUE's Economic Impact Report.
Minor released the University’s Ec...
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19 November 2024, 4:15 PM
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s very own alumna Kimberly Gray (‘94), a rising star in the grocery retail sector, has recently been hired as Chief Merchant at Schnucks. Gray brings more than 20 years of leadership and experience to the retail powerhouse. She has already begun leading efforts to improve customer experience.
Gray’s career began when she graduated from SIUE in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management. She has held leadersh...
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8 November 2024, 7:10 PM
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine and SIU Carbondale alumni and friends joined SIU System President Dan Mahony, PhD, and Chancellors Austin A. Lane, EdD, and James T. Minor, PhD, for an evening at Third Degree Glass Factory in St. Louis, Mo.
“It was a great evening of connection and creativity, bringing together alumni and friends from SIUE, SIUC, and the School of Medicine. More than just a reception, it showcased the stren...
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1 November 2024, 3:55 PM
SIUE Faculty Members Talk of Civil Rights Future Needs, Framing it by Former Deeds

The ebb and flow of political ramifications due to racial and economic equity gains following 1964 Landmark Civil Rights legislation, inform the need for ongoing, diligent work for civil liberties, as the country braces for the 2024 Presidential Election.
The above view was held by four Southern Illinois University Edwardsville faculty members who made up the panel during Southern Illinois University (SI...
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31 October 2024, 4:00 PM

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has announced the 2025 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees, honoring distinguished alumni who have made exceptional contributions in their careers, communities and to the University. This year’s Alumni Association honorees are Brian J. Henry, Charles O. Myer, Christopher Larsen, DMD, Jonathan Fowler, Jacquelyn Clement, PhD, FNP, RN, and posthumous inductee Karen Morris Watkins.
The Alumni Hall of Fame recognizes graduates who exemplify leadership, cha...
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29 October 2024, 4:24 PM
Madison County Transit (MCT) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony the morning of October 29 on the newly opened MCT Yellowhammer Connector, a picturesque bike path, bridging the gap between the scenic MCT Trails and the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Watch Chancellor James T. Minor bicycle the new pathway.
“Madison County is one of the most bikeable, walkable places in the Midwest,” said SJ Morrison, an alumnus ('02) and Managing Director of Madison County Tran...
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21 October 2024, 3:35 PM
SIUE Alumna Spent her Life Championing Diversity Efforts
Thelma Watershed Wair, one of the historical Little Rock Nine who integrated an Arkansas high school in 1957 amidst an angry mob of white separationist and who later graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has died. She was 83.
Wair’s sister, Grace Davis, confirmed to The Associated Press that Wair died Saturday at a hospital in Little Rock from complications of multiple sclerosis.
Wair’s histo...
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