Stories of Philanthropy
The George Bates Foundation continues tradition of philanthropy with $50K gift
The College of Engineering, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics received $50,000 from a longtime supporter of the university.
Dr. Mike Murray, trustee of the George A. Bates Memorial Foundation, presented Dean Xiaoqing “Frank” Liu with a check to go toward the George A. Bates Memorial Scholarship.
“Dr. Murray and the George Bates Memorial Foundation have been great supporters of our college,” Dean Liu said. “These scholarships are important to our college, and we are deeply grateful to the Bates Foundation for its history of partnering with SIU.”
Gift further strengthens alumna’s dedication to service, education
Teacher, counselor, scholar, pilot, philanthropist. Ruth-Marie Frances Chambers has excelled in a diverse range of careers and avocations. A common theme running through all these life experiences is a commitment to open doors of access and opportunity by fostering educational opportunities.
Chambers’ commitment to education was demonstrated when she established the Ruth-Marie Frances Chambers Endowed Scholarship through a $100,000 planned gift.
“The diversification of prospective students within the campus community who require affordable access to educational and financial support to enhance their collegiate experience is a challenge for many educational institutions,” she said.
Robinson establishes scholarship for East St. Louis High School students
Darius Robinson ’95 ’98 established an endowment at SIU for students graduating from East St. Louis High School. Robinson graduated from SIU with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology and a master’s degree in manufacturing systems.
Robinson said his father was a contributing factor in deciding to establish the scholarship.
“My father, Johnnie Robinson, was a big giver in terms of leadership, discipline, and being a role model. What is remarkable about my dad is that he … gave many hours to bridge the gap for so many young people,” Robinson said.
Family honors father’s legacy with accounting scholarship
Janice Kelly and her daughters, Pamela Hyde and Patricia Kelly, knew they wanted to honor their husband and father’s legacy.
Douglas Kelly graduated from SIU with a bachelor’s in accounting in 1957. He was one of the university’s first Black accounting students. The family donated $50,000 to establish the Douglas E. Kelly Memorial Scholarship to support African-American students who are studying accounting at SIU.
“The education my father received at SIU was the foundation of many of the opportunities my sister and I have been able to take advantage of,” Hyde said.
Shear invests in Center for Logistics and Supply Chain
The phrase “supply chain” wasn’t on everyone’s mind until COVID-19. SIU alumnus Herb Shear, on the other hand, was an expert on the subject well before the pandemic.
He knew it was imperative for SIU’s College of Business and Analytics and that’s why he chose to donate $200,000 to the Center for Logistics and Supply Chain Seed Fund.
“It was important before COVID, but it’s even more prevalent now,” he said. “This is how products get onto the shelves. You can’t have a modern business school without a supply chain program.”
Legence Bank donates $5K to the Saluki Food Pantry
During the 2023 SIU Day of Giving, Legence Bank donated $5,000 to the Saluki Food Pantry.
“This gift from Legence Bank makes an enormous impact,” said Tena Bennett, assistant vice chancellor for auxiliary enterprise and student affairs. “As a result, our students can come here and focus on the most important things – their education, growth, and wellbeing – instead of worrying about where their next meal will come from.”
Legence Bank’s gift was set up as a match, so that they could inspire others to give to the food pantry. In total, nearly $8,000 was raised.
Hodges plans a bright future for SIU students
Allan Hodges’ substantial estate gift will establish the Allan A. Hodges Graduate Scholarship in the School of Earth Systems and Sustainability Endowment Fund.
Hodges has taken notice of fundraising efforts that have exemplified how many people have been impacted by SIU.
“On the Day of Giving, SIU had more than 3,700 donors raising over $4 million. That’s impressive,” he said. “Then there was more than $600,000 raised in one night in Chicago at the Saluki Ball. Larger schools don’t see that level of support. I believe in the mission of the university.”
Ajala: Scholarship donations make SIU students’ dreams come true
Mercy Ajala graduated from SIU’s School of Aviation Management in May 2023, and she will forever be thankful for the donor support that helped her along the way.
“My family and I moved to the U.S. from Lagos, Nigeria, in pursuit of education,” she said. “I’m the first in my family to graduate college. With your donations, you help other students like me achieve their dreams.”
The inaugural Saluki Ball raised funds that help bridge the gap for students and support SIU’s focus on keeping students enrolled.
Paul & Virginia Society gets inside look at automotive, aviation programs
Members of the Paul & Virginia Society gathered Wednesday, May 24, for a tour of the Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center.
The Paul & Virginia Society, which is named for the Paul & Virginia statue that stands in front of the Stone Center, recognizes individuals who have included the SIU Foundation in their will or have made a planned gift to the institution.
“So many people were involved in bringing this building to fruition,” said Dr. Glenn Poshard. “It’s the grandest building we have on campus today, and our students receive marvelous training here.”
Brothers create scholarship to honor father, support international students
For years, brothers Samir and Sahir Khan’s only connection to SIU was the stories their parents shared about Carbondale and the university where they met.
“Our family started at SIU,” said Dr. Samir Khan. “It was always a bit of a mythical place.”
When their father, Chowdhry Rafiq Khan, passed away in February 2023, they decided to honor his legacy with a $50,000 donation to establish the C. Rafiq Khan Scholarship, which will benefit an international student in SIU’s School of Analytics, Finance, and Economics.
Pre-med student emphasizes the importance of scholarships
Being from Georgia, Suhas Dantuluri hadn’t considered SIU as a college option until he did some research about the university’s School of Medicine.
“I found out that SIUC placed a deep value on rural health care, which is something I place a deep value on as well,” he said. “Being able to come here and not worrying about keeping the lights on and being able to focus on keeping my grades up and making an impact is exceptionally valuable.”
The inaugural Saluki Ball raised funds that help bridge the gap for students and support SIU’s focus on keeping students enrolled.
Michaels donates $25K to COBA, naming Rehn Hall classroom
Harvey Michaels knew SIU was the perfect place for him to attend. Now, he has decided it’s the perfect place to leave a legacy.
“Southern Illinois was the best place for me,” he said. “The size of the classroom is conducive to being a part of the class and not feeling lost in the crowd. It’s why I was interested in naming a classroom.”
With a $25,000 gift to the College of Business and Analytics Technology Improvement Fund, Michaels did just that. His generosity will be honored with his name on a classroom in Rehn Hall.