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The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center (ESLC) is home to many programs and services that provide opportunities for education, life skills and economic mobility for the entire family, and SIU System President Daniel Mahony was excited to personally meet staff when he toured the facility on Friday, Oct. 30. 

“I planned to come to the East St. Louis campus a while ago, but COVID changed those plans,” said Mahony, who began working March 1 as the SIU System president. “As much as you can read about things, it’s important to me to be physically there. You can talk to people one-on-one, and get a much better sense of what’s going on. The East St. Louis Center is a big part of what goes on at SIUE.” 

Mahony was accompanied by Gireesh Gupchup, PhD, SIU vice president for academic innovation, planning, and partnerships; John Charles, executive director for governmental and public affairs; SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook; SIUE Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD; Morris Taylor, PhD, SIUE vice chancellor for administration; Robin Hughes, PhD, dean of the SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior; Timothy Staples, EdD, ESLC executive director; and Augustin Bramwell, assistant director of East St. Louis and Alton facility management operations. 

The delegation visited the headquarters for ESLC programs, in addition to the health clinics on site: 

• ESLC Director’s Office
• SIUE Upward Bound Programs
• SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School
• SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start
• SIUE East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts
• SIUE Veterans Upward Bound
• East St. Louis Learning Resource Center
• SIUE School of Nursing’s WE CARE Clinic
• SIU School of Dental Medicine’s East St. Louis Clinic
• University of Missouri-St. Louis Eye Center 

“The administrators and staff are great people who are extremely enthusiastic about what they do,” noted Mahony. “They are also highly committed to serving the East St. Louis community. Their knowledge, skills and passion are impressive.” 

“I was pleased that President Mahony came to visit,” said Staples. “I know he has been hands-on within the System, and I am glad he took the time to tour the campus so early in his tenure. We wanted him to see that the East St. Louis campus is a community-based center, providing educational programming and support for not only K-12 students, but entire families in the Metro East.”

“I now better understand what a valuable resource the Center is for East St. Louis and the area,” concluded Mahony. “As the System goes through its strategic planning process and discusses goals, I can incorporate my knowledge of the East St. Louis Center when considering collaborative opportunities and ideas.” 

With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals—from pre-school through adult—in the Metro East region. The Center offers programs that give the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. It does so by providing comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts.  

Photos:
Pamela Saffore, East St. Louis Charter High School interim assistant director, talks about student learning during the pandemic. Listening are SIU System President Daniel Mahony (center) and CHS Director Gina Jeffries, EdD. 

Mahony listens to Carolyn Jason, SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start interim director in the Head Start/Early Head Start office suite. Also pictured left to right are Morris Taylor, PhD, SIUE vice chancellor for administration; Timothy Staples, EdD, ESLC executive director; Lisa Tate, SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start assistant program director/center operations; and Gireesh Gupchup, PhD, SIU vice president for academic innovation, planning, and partnerships.