Carbondale Calendars and Events
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East St. Louis Calendars and Events

SIUE’s School of Business has been ranked as a Best 290 Business School in the 2008 edition of the Princeton Review.  Results are based on student surveys and institutional data from 2007.  The Review stated students surveyed indicated they were drawn to the SIUE School of Business because of its reputation and its accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)-International.  Students also said they were attracted to “the convenience of night and weekend courses” and the school’s affordability — being the most affordable tuition in Metropolitan St. Louis.  The SIUE School of Business is among an elite 10 percent of business schools worldwide that have earned the prestigious seal of approval from the AACSB.  Only 30 percent of all business schools in the United States are accredited.

SIU, in conjunction with Rend Lake College, has opened another SIU System Service Center aimed at helping students achieve their higher education goals.  The center, operating on the RLC campus in Ina, will better integrate and expand education opportunities for area students by streamlining cooperation between RLC and the SIU system.  The RLC site is the fourth of seven planned for various local colleges in Southern Illinois.  This summer the University also opened centers at the Southeastern Illinois College campus near Harrisburg.  John A. Logan College in Carterville, Southwestern Illinois College's Red Bud campus, and at Olney Central College.  Workers at the service center will advocate for the University, RLC and students.  They will broker student services and act as ombudsmen and liaisons between the schools for both students and faculty.  They also will create innovative new approaches to help students and the schools work together for common good.  The service center also will assist with the existing "2 plus 2" program, designed to help students make efficient use of their community college education so that credits easily transfer to SIU.  Under the program, SIU counselors monitor such students and provide ongoing feedback on their transcripts to facilitate their continuing education at the University.

Two SIUE Department of Theater and Dance faculty members visited Cuba earlier this year and came back with stories to tell and, of course, visions of spirited music and salsa dance.  Professors C. Otis Sweezey and J. Calvin Jarrell traveled to Cuba to soak in some culture and also bring back a flavor of the island to students.  The results of their efforts will be seen in Fusión de Carnaval en Santiago de Cuba, a vibrant dance with nearly 20 dancers moving to the salsa beat, but also with African influences and a contemporary dance flavor.  Fusión will appear in Dance In Concert 2007, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 7-10, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, all in the theater at SIUE’s Katherine Dunham Hall.  The concert also features works by Mikey Thomas and Kerry Shaul, also members of the SIUE dance faculty.

For the 16th year straight, SIUC's Forestry Club took the trophy at the Midwest Foresters Conclave, held this year Oct. 6 in Madrid, Iowa.  The annual competition features such events as match splitting, chain throwing and tobacco spitting as well as the more standard forestry skills of speed chopping, tree identification and not getting lost in the woods.  Hosted by Iowa State University, the conclave also drew teams from Michigan Technological University, Purdue University, the University of Minnesota and the University of Missouri.  SIUC's 28-member team scored 159 points, followed by Iowa with 105 and Mizzou with 102.  The team swept the one-man bucksaw event and took two of the three places in the men's log roll, the women's bucksaw and the men's underhand chop events.  It ended the competition with a total of eight first-place finishes.

SIUE Assistant Historical Studies Professor Laura Milsk Fowler, director of the Museum Studies Program in the Department of Historical Studies, will speak about All Roads Lead to Chicago: Chicago’s Downtown Railroad Terminals and Modern Public Space, 1871-1925 as part of the Focus on Faculty Research series at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, in the conference room on the third floor of Lovejoy Library.  The series presents informal lectures about methodologies and resources for scholarly research.  The presentation is open to SIUE employees and students; refreshments will be served.  The series is co-sponsored by the Projects and Development Committee of Library and Information Services and by the SIUE Graduate School.

Morris Dees, the Alabama attorney who has spent more than 35 years battling hate groups throughout the nation, will bring his message to SIUC next week.  A co-founder and chief trial counsel of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Dees will discuss "With Justice For All," at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 6, in the Student Center Ballroom D.  He is presenting the Bill and Molly Norwood Fellowship Lecture for the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.  Doors open at 6 p.m., and admission is free.  Because of enhanced security measures, backpacks and other similar items - excluding women's purses - will not be allowed.  Metal detectors will also be in use.  Organizers encourage early arrival.  According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Dees' lecture will address how "our commitment to justice for all will determine our nation's success in the next century as America becomes more diverse and economic disparity widens."  Dees will also talk about how and why he became an attorney, founded the SPLC, and touch on some of the center's more prominent cases.  He is also expected to discuss some of the organization's latest cases, touch on hate crime, and discuss the need to teach tolerance, love and respect for one another, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Because of renovations to SIUE’s Vadalabene Center during summer 2008, summer commencement exercises originally slated for August 2008, have been cancelled.  Students preparing to graduate in the summer can walk at commencement exercises during fall 2008 ceremonies, scheduled for Dec. 20, 2008, in the newly remodeled gymnasium.  Degrees still will be conferred upon students at the completion of summer term.

Prospective SIUC students who attend an open house on Saturday, Nov. 3, can learn all about being a Saluki, including how to apply, where to live, what their prospective majors require and options for paying for it all.  The open house, one of several held throughout the year, gives high school and transfer students a chance to learn about the University with campus tours, information tables and seminars.  Specialized seminars address specific needs for students transferring from community colleges or other institutions, for students who are early in their higher education selection process and for students who are considered "high potential."  This open house has the Student Recreation Center as home base.  Check-in begins at 7:45 a.m. and welcoming activities commence at 9 a.m. Registration is available on-site.  More information about the day's activities and undergraduate admissions information generally is available at www.admissions.siu.edu.  Call the undergraduate admissions office at (618)536-4405 with questions.  Future open house dates this academic year are set for Feb. 18 and March 29.  An open house also will take place on July 18.

Lacey Heflin (BS 2007) won the Illinois Archaeological Survey (IAS) Student Paper Award.  She recently received the award at the IAS annual meeting.  Earlier this month, it also was announced at the Midwest Archaeological Conference (MAC) that Heflin had won the 2007 MAC Student Paper Award.  She tied with a student from Indiana for that honor.

Mark your calendars now for can't-miss activities at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2008.  Saluki Family Weekend will be Sept. 27, 2008.  The football Salukis will face Northern Iowa in their third home game of the season, six weeks into the fall semester.  Homecoming 2008 is set for Oct. 11.  It will be the fourth home football game of the season for the Salukis, as they'll take on Indiana State.  Homecoming festivities will include Maroon Madness, the pre-season showcase for the Saluki men's basketball team, on Oct. 10.

Twelve-year-old Ahmah Gladney, an A-average scholar at Steger Sixth Grade Center in St. Louis and a dedicated student at the East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts, was listed in the recent 5th and 6th Grade Edition of Who’s Who Among Outstanding Students of America 2006-2007.  Virginia Walker, Ahmah’s fifth grade teacher, nominated her for the national recognition.  According to Who’s Who, Ahmah’s accolades and involvements include: Distinguished Honor Roll, Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, Math Award, Battle of the Books, Principal’s Award, Science Fair Award, State Scholar, Class Representative, Peer Tutor, Community Volunteer and participant in ballet, jazz and modern dance, drama and school musicals, most of which she studied at the SIUE East St. Louis Center for Performing Arts.

Students who want to spend Spring Break gaining professional experience in their chosen career fields can look to the SIU Alumni Association Extern Program for help.  The association is taking applications for the program now.  Forms are available online at www.siualumni.com/extern.  Applicants should submit completed forms to the SIU Alumni Association on the second floor of the SIUC Student Center.  Deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 16.  The program is open to undergraduates with at least 56 credit hours or a second year associate degree.  During the externship, students work Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  They will participate in meetings and employee-training sessions and must complete a project.  Sponsors review transcripts to provide guidance on classes needed to obtain jobs within the industry, provide career advice and examine resumes.  Nearly 160 SIUC students served as externs last year.  The program simulates a "real world" job search and presents students with the opportunity to make valuable career contacts.  In 2007, 58 percent of the externs were offered future opportunities with their sponsoring companies or organizations.  For more information, call (618)453-2417.

The men of Sigma Phi Epsilon Illinois Eta Chapter at SIUE recently held its Greek Goddess pageant on campus, raising $4,000 for the national YouthAIDS’ prevention education program.  Nationally, Sigma Phi Epsilon is the largest fraternal organization partnered with YouthAIDS, creating campaigns to educate students on the awareness and severity of the global fight against AIDS.  Last year, Sig Ep nationally raised more than $200,000 for YouthAIDS.  Greek Goddess is a beauty pageant in which each SIUE Greek Life organization has one female representative.

A research scientist at SIU's School of Medicine in Springfield has been awarded a shared instrumentation grant from the National Institutes of Health.  The total grant award is $203,405.  This money is being used to purchase a bioluminescence imaging system that will allow researchers to study the development, growth and spread of cancers, infections and other diseases.  The equipment is expected to fuel greater opportunities for research at SIU in conjunction with the ongoing expansion of the research efforts of the SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute.  Robert Helfert, associate professor of surgery and pharmacology, is the principal investigator for the project.  He also directs SIU's Research Imaging Facility, which will oversee use of the BLI equipment.

Those who have ideas for businesses or want to discuss their ideas with a group of experienced business owners and potential investors are invited to attend IdeaBounce from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, in Goshen Lounge, on the first floor of SIUE’s Morris University Center.  Ideas may be submitted at www.ideabounce.com.  Once ideas are submitted, individuals will have a chance to present them during the hour-long event and possibly win prizes.

The SIUC women's basketball team, the defending Missouri Valley Conference Champions, put five players in double-figures and held Harris-Stowe scoreless for the final 10 minutes and 29 seconds of the game to open exhibition play with a 104-31 victory over the Hornets Nov. 1 at the SIU Arena.  Meanwhile, the SIUC men's basketball team opens exhibition play Saturday, Nov. 3 against King at the SIU Arena.  Game time is 2:05 p.m.

Michael Schultz, director of university housing at SIUE, has been elected vice president of the Association of College and University Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I).  ACUHO-I, of which Schultz has been a member for more than 25 years, is comprised of more than 5,800 members representing 800 colleges and universities from several countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, South Africa,  Australia, New Zealand and more.  Members represent institutions that provide services to 1.8 million students and 205 companies around the globe.

The No. 6 football Salukis (7-1) travel to Macomb Nov 3. to take on the Leathernecks of Western Illinois University.  Kick-off is at 1:05.  The Dawgs return to McAndrew Stadium on Nov. 10 to take on Illinois State.  The match up is the final regularly scheduled game of the season.  For ticket information, contact the Saluki Ticket Office at (618)453-2000.

Six SIUE Men's Soccer players were named All-Great Lakes Valley Conference, including four on the first team.  The league’s voting results recently were announced.  Dustin Attarian (St. Louis), Randy Roy (St. Louis), Zach Bauer (St. Charles, Mo.), and Greg Crook (Columbia) were named to the first team.  Kevin Bielicki (St. Louis) and Mike Jones (St. Peters, Mo.) were selected to the third team.  The selections were made by a vote of the league's 14 coaches.