February 02, 2015

SIU Carbondale to host top students, families

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University and the Carbondale community will welcome nearly 460 high-achieving high school seniors and their family members on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6 and 7, for the Chancellor’s and University Excellence Scholarship Interview Weekend. 

In addition to interviewing for the university’s top scholarships, students will tour campus, visit their future colleges, participate in mini-classes, attend informational sessions, and explore services and student organizations. About 160 of the students will stay overnight in campus residence halls.  

The students and families, together totaling 1,200 visitors, are coming from 20 states. 

“SIU Carbondale continues to attract exceptional students from across Illinois and beyond,” said SIU President Randy Dunn, who will participate on a panel of campus leaders during a Friday evening dinner with parents and other family members. 

“Our goal is to give each of these students a taste of the outstanding academic, cultural and leadership opportunities they will find here in addition to a beautiful, welcoming campus and region,” he added. 

Students unable to attend the weekend event interviewed for scholarships on an alternate date, bringing the total number of candidates for fall 2015 scholarships to 475. All of the candidates have been admitted to SIU and were invited to the interview weekend based on their ACT scores, academic credentials and high school activities.  

SIU will award 25 Chancellor’s Scholarships, which cover tuition, fees and room and board for four years, and a larger number of University Excellence Scholarships, which cover tuition for four years.