August 09, 2021
SIU Alumni Association awards student scholarships
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The SIU Alumni Association has awarded $74,347 to 68 new and returning Southern Illinois University Carbondale students for the 2021-22 academic year.
Funded by association members and donors throughout the year, the scholarships range from $225 to $4,000 and are given to students throughout Illinois and other states, such as Missouri and Virginia. The association oversees more than a dozen scholarship funds, with a goal of helping students fill critical gaps in their financial aid to attend SIU Carbondale. The money awarded goes to expenses, such as tuition and fees, as well as textbook rental or purchase costs.
The association is awarding 44 various scholarships along with 25 textbook awards. The textbook awards, for $1,000, cover the fall 2021 and spring 2022 semesters.
Michelle Rust, the association’s director of student and member relations, says a number of alumni have contributed to the success of these scholarship funds over the years.
“Our alumni are pretty passionate about creating opportunities for new and current students,” Rust said. “These scholarships make it possible for them to keep studying at SIU, and we enjoy hearing about a success a student is having thanks to receiving the financial aid necessary for them to keep going.”
Francesca Burkett of Carterville, a senior in geology who received the Roscoe Pulliam Memorial Scholarship, said she’s honored to continue her Saluki legacy with the award.
“Being a Saluki has meant developing dedication to academics, research and service to others. It is such an inspiration to follow in the footsteps of SIU alumni who have gone before me,” she said.
Marissa Ivory of Carbondale, a junior studying exercise science, received the Jackson County Family YMCA Scholarship and said it’s a relief to know she’ll be able to afford starting her journey at SIU Carbondale.
“As a proud alumna of Carbondale Community High School, I plan to continue to exceed expectations, pursue academic excellence and blaze a trail for future Salukis,” she said. “I am grateful for the alumni who have made this scholarship possible; I will make you all proud!”
Jeff Gleim, SIU Alumni Association executive director, said he’s thankful but not surprised the organization’s scholarship funds are doing so well.
“What can I say? Salukis are a generous bunch, and they will do anything to help bring more students into the family,” Gleim said. “I can’t say enough about the generosity of our alumni and our members. They truly make this possible, and I hope they feel good about that when they hear the stories of some of our students.”
For more information about association scholarship funds available to students, visit siualumni.com.
The list of scholarship recipients by hometown, scholarship and amount, are:
ILLINOIS
- Anna: Lexie Lingle, Union County Chapter Scholarship, $1,000.
- Bolingbrook: Jayla Glass, Christopher Columbus Jones (C.C.) Scholarship, $2,000.
- Bolingbrook: Kyle Groe, Chicagoland Chapter Scholarship, $1,500.
- Carbondale: Caroline Chwalisz, Roscoe Pulliam Memorial Scholarship, $2,000.
- Carbondale: Abigail Frankel, Legacy Scholarship, $1,500.
- Carbondale: Leah Hall, Elizabeth Lewis Memorial Scholarship, $4,000; Support Black Undergraduate Education Endowed Scholarship, $1,000.
- Carbondale: Marissa Ivory, Jackson County Family YMCA Scholarship, $1,000.
- Carbondale: Destini James-Bryant, Black Alumni Group Book Stipend Grant, $250.
- Carbondale: Emma Lagerhausen: Roscoe Pulliam Memorial Scholarship, $2,000.
- Carbondale: Holliday Maxwell, Black Alumni Group Book Stipend Grant, $250.
- Carbondale: Jodie Meredith, Jackson County Chapter Scholarship, $1,000.
- Carbondale: Skylar Miller, Jackson County Family YMCA Scholarship, $1,000.
- Carbondale: Chinedu Onuoha, Support Black Undergraduate Education Endowed Scholarship, $1,000.
- Carbondale: Amber Toussaint, Black Alumni Group Book Stipend Grant, $250.
- Carterville: Francesca Burkett, Roscoe Pulliam Memorial Scholarship, $2,000.
- Carterville: Gabriella Burkett, Legacy Scholarship, $1,500.
- Chester: Zachary Zappa, Randolph County Chapter Scholarship, $275.
- Chicago Heights: Jermaine Gunn, Support Black Undergraduate Education Endowed Scholarship, $1,000.
- Cobden: Andrew Hawkins, Union County Chapter Scholarship, $1,000.
- Coulterville: Cheyenne Lynch, Perry County Chapter Scholarship, $425.
- Decatur: Blair Corrington, Legacy Scholarship, $1,500.
- De Soto: Conor Gleason, Jackson County Chapter Scholarship, $1,000.
- Du Quoin: Jacqueline Crain, Perry County Chapter Scholarship, $425.
- Du Quoin: Ethan Zettler, Alongi Legacy Scholarship, $1,500.
- Harrisburg: Maya Robinson, Saline County Chapter Scholarship, $225.
- Herrin: Ivie Morris, Williamson County Chapter Scholarship, $350.
- Lansing: Arnold Ukagwu, Black Alumni Group Book Stipend Grant, $250.
- Makanda: Chloe Calhoun, Jackson County Family YMCA Scholarship, $1,000.
- Makanda: Dallas Douthett, Jackson County Chapter Scholarship, $1,000.
- Marion: Isaiah Deiters, Roscoe Pulliam Memorial Scholarship, $2,000.
- Marion: Da’Ziya Faust, Support Black Undergraduate Education Endowed Scholarship, $1,000.
- Metropolis: Kaitlyn May, Rebecca and Jerry Kill SIU Alumni Association Scholarship, $850.
- Mundelein: Matthew Pawlowski, Chicagoland Chapter Scholarship, $1,500.
- Murphysboro: Natalie Cutler, Jackson County Family YMCA Scholarship, $1,000.
- Murphysboro: Mallory Troue, Jackson County Chapter Scholarship, $1,000.
- Panola: Olivia Tipler, Peoria Tri-County Chapter Scholarship, $760.
- Shobonier: Case Goldsmith, Legacy Scholarship, $1,500.
- Springfield: Joseph Eddington, Prairie Capitol Chapter Scholarship, $1,500.
- Springfield: Hannah Karl, Rebecca and Jerry Kill SIU Alumni Association Scholarship, $850.
- West Frankfort: Gabriel Kosco, Williamson County Chapter Scholarship, $350.
MISSOURI
- Louis: Olivia Wolff, St. Louis County Scholarship, $1,387.81.
- Peters: Friederich Owen, St. Louis Chapter Scholarship, $2,000.
VIRGINIA
- Ashburn: Christopher Castrogiovanni, Washington, D.C., Chapter Scholarship, $450.
The list of $1,000 textbook award recipients by hometown are:
ILLINOIS
- Alton: Bailey Tweedy.
- Carbondale: Stephanie Hernandez.
- Carterville: Clay Webb.
- Carterville: Madison Webb.
- Charleston: Isabella Kieffer.
- Chester: Jasmine Anaya.
- Chester: Kailey Hall.
- Cobden: Anthony Stanczak-Rajcok.
- Creal Springs: Chloe Wolaver.
- Des Plaines: Ava Steffens.
- Du Quoin: Addison Carver.
- Equality: Morgan Schmitt.
- Godfrey: Shiann Johnson.
- Johnston City: Hannah Woolard.
- Kell: Lyric Juday.
- Marion: Megan Holmes.
- Marion: Jayda Smith.
- Milledgeville: Ashlyn Hendrick.
- Murphysboro: Elana Qasem.
ARKANSAS
- Little Rock: Ka’Tara Robinson.
KENTUCKY
- Paducah: Ashten Hicks.
MISSOURI
- Chaffee: Emily Landewee.
- Florissant: Gabrielle Synclare.
- Jackson: Mattison Bowyer.
- O’Fallon: Grace Knobbe.