SIUE Honors Golden Graduates in Annual Celebration, Held Virtually
They graduated some time ago but keep coming back to reminisce about good times, reestablish connections, and rally behind the mission and vision of their alma mater. SIUE welcomed its 2021 Golden Graduates during the fourth annual reception and commencement ceremonies held virtually on May 6-7.
“We were pleased to honor and celebrate all SIUE alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago,” said Cathy Taylor, director of constituent relations and special projects in the Office of Alumni Affairs. “This year, we welcomed more than 80 Golden Graduates from 17 states, including Hawaii. They have a collective lifetime giving of more than $600,000 to SIUE. Their commitment to SIUE is remarkable.”
The reception featured remarks from SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook, who originated the idea of the Golden Graduates ceremonies. “Welcome, and it’s wonderful to see all of our Golden Graduates, even in this virtual environment,” said Pembrook, a three-time SIUE alumnus. “I look forward to achieving Golden Graduate status in seven years.”
“There are other things we share besides vocabulary and memories,” he added. “Speaking from the bottom of my heart, SIUE changed my life. I’m guessing a lot of you can make that same statement, that you are a different person because you were at SIUE.”
“Knowing how much SIUE has grown and prospered over the last 60 years has left me nothing short of inspired,” said SIU System President Dan Mahony, PhD. “After visiting the Carbondale campus last fall, I have had the distinct pleasure of working from the Edwardsville campus for the past few months, before I make my permanent home in Springfield. This experience has allowed me to see firsthand all of the campus’s strengths, including the incredibly dedicated faculty, the exceptional professional programs and being so close to the SIUE East St. Louis Center and St. Louis, which provide countless opportunities to learn, conduct outreach projects and have a direct impact on the community.”
During the reception, Golden Graduates opened boxes they previously received and celebrated with streamers. The box also contained Golden Graduate regalia, including a commemorative medallion pin and more.
The reception program included a video with SIUE facts, memories and fun. It featured several University administrators and directors:
- Vice Chancellor for Administration Morris Taylor, PhD, led graduates through a virtual campus tour of the Edwardsville campus from 50 years ago to today.
“Our campus experienced so much growth in the 1970s. It was then when the initial phase of the first on-campus student housing at Tower Lake, which is now called Cougar Village, was dedicated. Today, Cougar Village has nearly 500 student apartments and 62 buildings that house single students, graduate students and family residence.
Other additions during the 1970s include the Religious Center, Athletic Fields, and Buildings Two and Three, which are now known as Founders and Alumni Halls. Today, Founders and Alumni are home to the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior; the School of Nursing and the School of Business.
In 1970, the WSIE Radio Station began broadcasting national public radio programming, like classical music and even live sports broadcasts. Today, WSIE The Sound brings listeners a rich blend of jazz, blues and R&B music.
1972 marked the beginning of classes at the SIU School of Dental Medicine on the Alton campus, where students today manage approximately 35,000 patients who visit clinics in Alton and East St. Louis each year.”
- Director of Undergraduate Admissions Todd Burrell shared how SIUE students have changed over the past 50 years.
“In SIUE’s early years, we attracted students from the immediate surrounding areas. We were known as a commuter campus. Over the past 50 years, we have seen significant enrollment increases from students living throughout the state and across the country. We now have admissions team members located in the Chicago region to accommodate interest there. We also have many students who come from Missouri to take advantage of our proximity to the St. Louis metropolitan areas.
Thanks in part to our international admissions team, SIUE has become a global campus, attracting students from around the world. We also have alumni serving as ambassadors by connecting us with even more prospective students. Nearly 3,000 of our current students now live on campus.
Overall, SIUE has grown not only in total students, but also in the diversity of these students. We are committed to serving both traditional and nontraditional students, and are proud to offer a much wider variety of degree programs than ever before. Classes are offered on campus, online or through a combination of the two.”
“Over the last 150 years, SIU has grown from a small University in Carbondale,” said Mahony, “to a large multi-campus system with five locations and a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. Without a doubt, one of the key aspects of that growth was starting a campus here in Edwardsville. You played a key role in our history as one of the first generations of SIUE graduates. SIUE would not be the extraordinary University it is today, had it not been for you and your choice to make SIUE your college home.”
Memories, accomplishments and advice that Golden Graduates shared prior to the reception included:
- Kirk Davis, ‘69, of McKinney, Texas, retired creative director at Stanford Financial Group, Creative Communications – “I’m proud of working in the commercial field, and having the opportunity to apply those skills and see my art used in projects displayed around the world.”
- Bessie Bennett Peabody, ‘63, ‘67, ‘71, of East St. Louis, retired lead education advisor at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb – “Know your purpose. Set your goals and implement! Don’t quit. Success is the key!”
- John Goodwin, ‘70, of Millstadt, circuit judge in the 20th Judicial Circuit, State of Illinois – “Look forward to 2071. It will be here faster than you think!”
