February 03, 2026
SIU Carbondale faculty, staff are on Illinois Humanities speaker roster
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Four current or retired Southern Illinois University Carbondale faculty and staff are available to share their expertise with audiences throughout the state as part of the Illinois Humanities 2026-27 Road Scholars Speakers Bureau.
Road Scholars speakers “travel across Illinois to bring art, culture, history, and contemporary social issues to life.” There is no cost to an organization as the speakers “share their passion and expertise” in areas, including literature, philosophy, theater, local history, film, music, politics and more.
There are 40 speakers on this year’s roster. Speakers with SIU connections are:
- Elizabeth Donahue, assistant director, University Honors Program — “Fuller Visionaries: From Illinois to the World.”
- Daniel Overturf, professor emeritus, School of Art and Design — “Illinois Trails and Traces: Portraits and Stories Along the State’s Historic Routes.”
- Julia Rendleman, assistant professor, Charlotte Thompson Suhler School of Journalism and Advertising — “Illinois’ Growing News Deserts and Why We Should Care.”
- Robert “Bob” Swenson, associate professor emeritus, School of Architecture — “River Confluences — The Four Rivers Reach of the Lower Ohio.”
Information on how to schedule a speaker is available on the Illinois Humanities website. Speakers receive an honorarium and reimbursement for travel expenses.
For more information, email speakers@ilhumanities.org or call 312-374-1558.