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The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois will honor Southern Illinois University Edwardsville among five higher educational institutions at its 2015 Salute to Southwestern Illinois Awards Dinner. Set for Thursday, April 2, at the Four Points by Sheraton in Fairview Heights, the celebration will pay tribute to the universities and colleges for their collective impact on the workforce and the economy along with their exceptional growth during the past decade.

The annual awards program salutes those individuals and organizations that have displayed outstanding leadership and have positively impacted southwestern Illinois. With the theme “Growth Fueled by Educational Excellence,” the event will recognize the following as co-recipients of the 2015 Salute to Southwestern Illinois Award:

• Lewis and Clark Community College, Dr. Dale Chapman
• Lindenwood University-Belleville, Dr. Jerry M. Bladdick
• McKendree University, Dr. James Dennis
• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Dr. Julie Furst-Bowe
• Southwestern Illinois College, Dr. Georgia Costello

Dr. Ed Hightower, superintendent of Edwardsville School District #7 and former Southern Illinois University board of trustees member, will also be honored for his years of service.

As an added highlight, the event will also spotlight Southwestern Illinois primary and secondary level teachers, administrators, support staff and school board members who have received recognition awards during 2014.

FOX 2 News/News 11 Reporter Betsey Bruce will serve as emcee.

The cost is $100 per person. A limited number of table sponsorships are available for $1,000, which includes seating for eight, signage at the table and special recognition as an event sponsor.

Reservations are required. For more details about the event or to make a reservation, please call the Leadership Council at (618) 692-9745.

The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois is a member-based, economic development corporation representing Madison and St. Clair counties. The Council works to unite business, industry, government, education and labor for economic growth in Southwestern Illinois. These effective partnerships serve as a driving force behind successful economic development efforts throughout the Metro East region.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 14,000.