Fall 2023 Newsletter

The fall is always an exciting time to be on a college campus, and that is especially true at beautiful Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Not only is the campus in peak beauty, but we are bustling with new and returning students.  

Enrollment at SIU grew by 2.3%, which represents the first overall enrollment increase since 2014. The College of Health and Human Sciences contributed significantly to this overall growth as we grew by a whopping 6.1%. Our 10-day count (the official day of enrollment count) is 3,943 students (approximately 35% of the SIU student body). A lot of recruiting and, equally important, retention work went into this growth, and I’m thankful to the entire CHHS team for their work and dedication. As we so often say, we are not only the biggest college at SIU, but also the best — our team proves it every day. 

Speaking of being the best, this past spring we held our first Celebration of Excellence. With thanks to Mid-America Transplant, we held an award presentation and reception for CHHS faculty and staff who received college and university level honors. We were very pleased to celebrate the following college level awards: 

• Maria Claudia Franca (School of Health Sciences) – Ernest J and Mary C Simon Distinguished Faculty Award 
• Tammy Kochel (School of Justice and Public Safety) – CHHS Female Faculty Scholar Excellence Award 
• Sujung Cho (School of Justice and Public Safety) – CHHS Minority Faculty Scholar Excellence Award 
• Justin McDaniel (School of Human Sciences) – CHHS Scholar of the Year 
• Jennifer Walker (School of Health Sciences) – Tenure-Track Teacher of the Year 
• Paul Echols (School of Justice and Public Safety) – Non-Tenure-Track Teacher of the Year 
• Patricia Martens (School of Human Sciences) – Service to the College Award 
• Breanne Pleggenkuhle (School of Justice and Public Safety) – Mike Behrmann Spirit Award 

Continuing with the theme of excellence, we had many successes since the last newsletter in May. To name just a few: 

• The Flying Aces (SAv) placed second at the 2023 Air Race Classic (ARC) flight competition among 41 entries. 
• Dr. Tammy Kochel (SJPS) received the 2023 American Society of Criminology, Division of Policing Outstanding Book Award for “Policing Unrest: On the Front Lines of the Ferguson Protests.”  
• Dr. Natalie Williams Awodeha (SJPS) was awarded the Dr. Temple S. Lovelace Research Award, which acknowledges notable research contributions conducted by a Black individual and/or research team within the field of applied behavior analysis, at the annual conference of the Black Applied Behavior Analysists, an organization that aims to promote, educate, empower and disseminate applied behavior analysis within the Black/African American community. 
• The 2023 SIU registered student organization in the School of Health Sciences, National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) received Gold Status recognition from the National NSSLHA. 
• Dr. Kelli D. Whittington (SHeS) participated in a roundtable discussion with Sen. Dick Durbin, Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) leaders, Shawnee Health and the Egyptian Health Department regarding rural health workforce development in Southern Illinois. Read the press release. 
• Drs. Denise Croft and Lesley Shawler (SPBS) attended the Autism Society of Southern Illinois visit with Gov. JB Pritzker in Carbondale. 
• Fifteen outstanding Korean students ages 14-16 visited SIU from July 17 through July 28 to participate in Passport to Professions ESL Camp (SHuS), conducted by Dr. Jun Kim, Kijoung Na, Tina Colson, and Dr. Taeho Yoh, with assistance from SIU student leaders. Students participated in conversational English classes, campus activities, such as open house and academic program tours, and were housed with local host families. 
• The criminology and criminal justice program hosted five scholars and 22 doctoral students from across North America as part of the Crime and Place Summer Institute from Monday, July 17, through Wednesday, July 19. The event, developed by CCJ professor Dr. Julie Hibdon and other crime and place scholars, exposed participants to theory and methods for studying crime and place topics. 

As we are into the fall semester, I am excited about some upcoming events: 

• SIU Homecoming 2023 – Oct. 16-21 
• CHHS Alumni and Faculty and Staff Appreciation Tailgate – Oct. 21 
• Flash Talks (learn about CHHS faculty research) – Oct. 26 (3 p.m., Guyon Auditorium, Morris Library) 
• Saluki football homecoming game – Oct. 21 (South Dakota State) 
• Saluki football home game – Nov. 4 (South Dakota) 
• Saluki football home game – Nov. 18 (Indiana State) 
• Commencement – Dec. 16 (10 a.m., Banterra Center) 

I close with an invitation. We will be hosting our annual CHHS Alumni, Faculty and Staff Appreciation Tailgate during Homecoming Weekend (Oct. 21). Please plan to join us and enjoy some good Southern Illinois BBQ and a cold beverage of your choosing before we beat South Dakota State.   

Best Wishes and Go Dawgs, 

Robert Morgan, Ph.D.
robert.d.morgan@siu.edu  

Jacqueline Crain, second from left, is the winner of the 2023 Elaine M. Vitello Ph.D. Leadership Award. Shown with her are the award namesake, Elaine Vitello, third from left, and Crain’s mentors, Julie Partridge, left, and Molly Hudgins, right. Photo by Russell Bailey.

SIU sport administration student receives Vitello Award to help her break the glass ceiling

By Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Jacqueline Crain is passionate about football but knows that breaking into a career in sport administration, especially in the NFL, isn’t going to be easy. That’s why the junior Southern Illinois University Carbondale student from Du Quoin, Illinois, is thrilled to receive the Elaine M. Vitello Ph.D. Leadership Award, named for a longtime SIU dean and educator who forged new pathways to success in the world of higher education.

“Dr. Vitello is very special and unique. In a very male-dominated world, she broke barriers and served under-represented students, faculty and staff,” Robert Morgan, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, said. “She was the first female academic dean at SIU and the first and only female dean for our college. Many of our programs wouldn’t be here without her.” 

Multi-faceted award 

Morgan said when he conceived an award to acknowledge exceptional leadership potential in a CHHS student, he approached Vitello and asked her to lend her name and support. She eventually agreed. 

“Dr. Vitello supports the award because she hopes that by letting us name it in her honor, it will generate interest and donations and ultimately benefit other young barrier-breaking women leaders of tomorrow,” Morgan said.  

The award recipient is chosen for their dedication to leadership as proven by service to the school, college, university, and/or community and career goals. In addition to a $500 scholarship, the award connects the student with a mentor within the college, who will work with the student throughout the year to help them grow, learn and enhance their leadership skills. The award also provides up to $2,000 for the student and mentor to attend a professional leadership conference together.  

When applying for the award, Crain a sport administration major with a minor in coaching, did some research about Vitello and was impressed with what she learned.  

“She is a trailblazer for sure,” Crain said. “In the field I’m going into, a very male-dominated field, it’s very important to be able to find a female mentor to be able to work with, hear from and learn from. I’m so grateful for the opportunities this award is giving me.” 

And that’s what it’s all about for Vitello. 

“Women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions in the workforce,” Vitello said. “It is critical and essential that opportunities are afforded to deserving young women to develop and enhance their leadership skills. The more opportunities that are made available, the greater the development of self-confidence and self-esteem, along with many other positive characteristics. Such was my case. My parents, teachers and advisers encouraged me to develop the ‘I can do this’ approach to succeed in whatever endeavor I encountered.” 

Vitello hopes to encourage that “I can do this” attitude in Crain and future generations of Salukis. 

Vitello paved the way for women leaders 

Vitello is an alumna of SIU, completing her doctorate in 1977. She also holds a master’s degree, completed in 1971 at The Ohio State University and a 1967 bachelor’s degree from Ohio Dominican University. 

Her career and impact at the university began in 1977 as a visiting assistant professor. Within five years, she was an associate professor and later a full professor and then director of the Division of Advanced Technical Studies. She was her college’s teacher of the year in 1986 and a distinguished professor in allied health and health education. Vitello was appointed dean of the College of Technical Careers on July 1, 1990.  

Not long after her appointment, the Illinois Board of Higher Education recommended that the college, which primarily offered associate degree programs, be eliminated as part of a statewide effort to shift most associate degree programs to community colleges. But with authorization from the SIU Board of Trustees, Vitello and her faculty and staff restructured the entire college and created new, relevant baccalaureate programs. The college was saved. To reflect those changes, it became the College of Applied Sciences and Arts. (Most CASA programs became part of the new College of Health and Human Sciences under a university-wide academic restructuring completed in 2021.) 

Even when she retired in 2002, Vitello continued to play an important role, working on a project involving tobacco prevention and control among college-age women for SIU’s Center for Rural Health, funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health.  

Big goals and making them happen  

Crain said just being nominated for the Vitello Award by Taeho Yoh, professor and director of the sport administration program, was incredible.  

“He’s been a phenomenal role model,” Crain said. “For him to think that highly of me is awesome and then for me to win for the entire college is such an honor. I just wasn’t expecting that. I am so happy and give thanks to God. My faith is very important to me, and God has placed the right people in my path to be great mentors to me. I give all the glory to God for all that I am and all that I have and want to give back to others.”   

Crain assisting with registration during the NubAbility summer camp at Du Quoin. Photo by Carson VanBusbirk.

Crain anticipates that eventually getting to the NFL will likely involve spending some time with nonprofit or college sports organizations, which she is already doing.  

During her time on campus, she was previously employed in the bursar’s office and this fall marks her third year working alongside Saluki football head coach Nick Hill and his support staff in Saluki Athletics.  

“I’ve discovered so much, and it’s been a great introduction into working in the world of sports,” Crain said.  

Crain said she has also gotten valuable experience in the university’s sports management club and with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, recently helping with the FCA’s camps. During summer 2023, she had a hands-on sport management internship with NubAbility Athletics Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in her hometown that hosts sport camps for limb-different youth athletes from around the world.  

She arranged flights and shuttles from St. Louis to Du Quoin for numerous coaches, made camping and hotel arrangements, arranged detailed scheduling for outdoors days, focus sports and more, coordinated a fundraising campaign and handled various other projects. 

“It was really fun, and I learned a lot of things,” Crain said. “I enjoyed the camp and getting to know the team and the campers. They left me speechless. It’s hard to describe the impact those kids had on me.”  

This fall, Crain is working with her new Vitello Award mentors, Julie Partridge, professor of sport and exercise psychology and NCAA faculty athletics representative in the School of Human Sciences, and Molly Hudgins, deputy athletic director for administration and student services.   

“I have been fortunate to have several strong female mentors in my career, and they have all emphasized the importance of continuing to pay it forward with respect to mentoring the next generation of leaders. This is a perfect opportunity to do so with an outstanding student like Jacqueline,” Partridge said. “It is an honor to be able to participate in this mentoring experience that honors a legend like Dr. Vitello with such an exceptional student as Jacqueline, as well as a wonderful colleague like Molly Hudgins. I believe this dynamic is going to generate so many opportunities for all of us to grow and learn from one another.” 

Hudgins said she’s proud to be a native of Southern Illinois, an SIU alumna and former Saluki student-athlete and that her time in the College of Business and Administration (now College of Business and Analytics) as well as athletics helped shape her as a leader, administrator and person. 

“I was very fortunate to formulate long-lasting relationships with strong female leaders such as Charlotte West, Cindy Scott and Diane Daugherty. These individuals made a lasting impact on my life and career,” Hudgins said. “I hope that I can have the same influence and impact on Jacqueline. She is an outstanding young woman from Southern Illinois whose future is extremely bright. It is important to help shape and lead young women, like Jacqueline, so that they have the opportunity to find their passion and make a difference in future generations. Dr. Vitello was an amazing female leader and administrator at SIU. I am extremely honored and humbled to have the opportunity to be a part of her legacy at SIU, and I am excited to work with Jacqueline and help mentor the next generation of outstanding Southern Illinois female leaders.” 

This is the second year for the Vitello Award. Last year’s inaugural winner was Arianna Goss, a first-generation college student and May health care management graduate from Saint Marie, Illinois.  

To make a donation to the Elaine M. Vitello Ph.D. Leadership Award, visit salukifunder.siu.edu/vitello or contact Steph Taylor at 618-453-4975. 

Clarence Copping, center, with his two daughters, Samantha, a flight attendant with United Airlines, and Courtney, a captain with Delta Air Lines. (Photo provided)

Father-daughter pilots credit SIU with turning a passion for aviation into a lifelong career

By Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Their family has a deep-rooted, three-generation involvement with aviation, yet the passion that both recently retired United Airlines Capt. Clarence Copping and his daughter Delta Air Lines Capt. Courtney (Copping) Soderberg each was never forced but allowed to develop.

Soderberg, a 2013 graduate from SIU Aviation’s aviation management program, said that while “flying has always been a part of my life,” the initial passion for aviation came in high school while flying in an aerobatic plane upside down. Riding on a “trackless rollercoaster that you could control” got Soderberg hooked, and she began working on her private pilot certificate.

“I’m extremely grateful that my dad and my mom didn’t push me into aviation and let me discover the love of the career for myself — not that they weren’t thrilled,” she said. The summer before Soderberg’s sophomore year in high school she attended a Summer Wings Aviation Camp at SIU — an accelerated course on the basics of becoming a pilot.

“I had such a wonderful time learning the fundamentals at that camp that I knew I wanted to try and make flying into a career in some way,” she said, noting it was then that SIU “started feeling like a second home to me.”

Family’s aviation heritage

Both of Soderberg’s grandfathers were military pilots; her mother, Donna, was a flight attendant and her sister, Samantha, is a flight attendant for United Airlines.

Clarence Copping, a 1977 graduate of the SIU Aviation program, believes it was his father’s World War II photos and stories that first made an impression on him. An open house at O’Hare International Airport when Copping was 7 years old started his “fascination with flight and the technology that supports aviation.” He later became involved with an Aviation Explorer Post where aviation professionals introduced young adults to flight and other professions. When another student chose to attend SIU’s aviation technology and flight program, Copping visited the campus and discussed his desire to attend SIU with his parents.

“I had no clue at that time of the many opportunities and experiences that SIU would provide me to learn my chosen profession,” he said.

“What is most rewarding for me is both of our daughters express fulfillment in their work,” Copping said. “Growing up, I advised them to find a profession that they enjoyed as not all days would be pleasant. At least liking their work would give them encouragement for dealing with the adverse days.”

Soderberg said her father is an inspiration — but not only to her.

“I love aviation and consider myself quite passionate, but my dad lives and breathes this profession,” she said. “He has been such an inspiration to me and countless others in the field of aviation. The most valuable lessons I learned from my father are dedication and mentorship.”

Friends, colleagues, and mentors

Copping and Soderberg each point to the influence SIU Aviation had on their careers. Copping began with United Airlines in 1978 and finished his career after 42½ years. He also worked as an instructor at SIU —both before being hired by United and again for two years starting in 1981 after industrywide layoffs.

“After having a great college experience as an undergraduate, returning to a place and people I very much enjoyed working with was a nice way of making the best of a job loss,” he said. “I was able to meet and work with another group of students who became lifelong friends and industry coworkers.”

Copping now works part-time with United representing flight operations in the airline’s Station Operations Center at O’Hare. A 2012 SIU Distinguished Alumni winner, Copping was among those who were instrumental in starting the United Airlines-SIU Aviation Career Day which dates to 1994. SIU aviation alumni employed at United have brought more than 2,700 Chicago-area high school students to campus to learn more about SIU’s aviation programs and the airline industry. This year’s United Airlines-SIU Aviation Career Day is set for Saturday, Oct. 14.

SIU was at the top of Soderberg’s list when it came to applying for college. She chose to major in aviation management because she wanted an in-depth understanding of how the industry operated.

“The one-on-one flight lessons with an instructor made me feel like I was part of a small community even though the school itself was huge,” she said. “I wasn’t just a number to the school; my professors truly cared about my success in my education and my career.”

Soderberg’s time at SIU included the Flying Salukis, where she earned Top Female Pilot honors in the nation in 2012 and 2013 at National Intercollegiate Flying Association competitions. She credits the guidance she received from her instructors and teammates and hard work to lessons that continue 10 years later.

“In a way, being a part of the team was being a part of a mentorship program,” she said. “We all had our strengths, and we came together to help each other improve.”

Many lessons learned

Learning a new skill like flying is a challenge and “requires serious dedication,” and even for someone who grew up in an aviation family, the feeling can be overwhelming at times. She said it’s important to seek help from instructors and peers.

“The biggest lesson I learned from the SIU Aviation program is that I had an easier time learning and improving my skills when I started mentoring others,” she said.

After graduating from SIU, Soderberg began an internship with Cape Air, flying from Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois (then Marion Airport) to St. Louis Lambert International Airport six days a week. From there, she flew jets for ExpressJet Airlines operating for United Express. After building valuable turbine jet time to qualify for working for the legacy carriers, she was hired as a first officer for Delta Air Lines in 2016 and was promoted this year to captain on the brand new A220 out of Seattle.

“I plan on flying for them until I am required by federal law to retire at age 65,” Soderberg said. “Getting hired by Delta was like a dream come true, and graduating from SIU was a big reason why I was hired.”

Delta Air Lines and SIU Aviation also have a relationship that offers an accelerated career path for aviation students interested in becoming professional pilots with Delta’s Propel Collegiate Pilot Career Path Program that began in fall of 2021. 

In looking back 10 years since his daughter completed her degree, Copping is grateful for his daughter’s SIU experience.

“What is most apparent to me is that while her experiences were different in many ways from my own, what was common is that we each acquired the education and skill sets needed to succeed moving forward in our chosen profession,” Copping said, noting the importance of Soderberg’s Flying Saluki experiences.

“The instruction and knowledge acquired for competition flying given to her and fellow teammates gave them sharper flying skills. A good example would be more precise flight path control and energy management which would normally be learned later in post-graduate flight experience. I had multiple pilots who had flown with Courtney at her regional airline tell me she was a very good pilot. I attribute her success because of the flight training she received attending SIU.”

Media Contact

Pete Rosenbery
assistant director for communications and marketing
618-453-1439

From the Dean: A Season of Celebration at CHHS 

The fall is always an exciting time to be on a college campus, and that is especially true at the beautiful Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Not only is the campus in peak beauty, but we are bustling with new and returning students.  Enrollment at SIU grew by 2.3%, which represents the first overall enrollment increase since 2014. The College of Health and Human Sciences contributed significantly to this overall growth as we grew by a whopping 6.1%. Our 10-day count (the official day of enrollment count) is 3,943 students (approximately 35% of the SIU student body). A lot of recruiting and, equally important, retention work went into this growth, and I’m thankful to the entire CHHS team for their work and dedication. As we so often say, we are not only the biggest college at SIU but also the best — our team proves it every day. Speaking of being the best, this past spring we held our first Celebration of Excellence. With thanks to Mid-America Transplant, we held an award presentation and reception for CHHS faculty and staff who received college and university-level honors. We were very pleased to celebrate the following college-level awards:

• Maria Claudia Franca (School of Health Sciences) – Ernest J and Mary C Simon Distinguished Faculty Award 
• Tammy Kochel (School of Justice and Public Safety) – CHHS Female Faculty Scholar Excellence Award 
• Sujung Cho (School of Justice and Public Safety) – CHHS Minority Faculty Scholar Excellence Award 
• Justin McDaniel (School of Human Sciences) – CHHS Scholar of the Year 
• Jennifer Walker (School of Health Sciences) – Tenure-Track Teacher of the Year 
• Paul Echols (School of Justice and Public Safety) – Non-Tenure-Track Teacher of the Year 
• Patricia Martens (School of Human Sciences) – Service to the College Award 
• Breanne Pleggenkuhle (School of Justice and Public Safety) – Mike Behrmann Spirit Award 

Continuing with the theme of excellence, we had many successes since the last newsletter in May. To name just a few: 

• The Flying Aces (SAv) placed second at the 2023 Air Race Classic (ARC) flight competition among 41 entries. 
• Dr. Tammy Kochel (SJPS) received the 2023 American Society of Criminology, Division of Policing Outstanding Book Award for “Policing Unrest: On the Front Lines of the Ferguson Protests.”  
• Dr. Natalie Williams Awodeha (SJPS) was awarded the Dr. Temple S. Lovelace Research Award, which acknowledges notable research contributions conducted by a Black individual and/or research team within the field of applied behavior analysis, at the annual conference of the Black Applied Behavior Analysts, an organization that aims to promote, educate, empower and disseminate applied behavior analysis within the Black/African American community. 
• The 2023 SIU registered student organization in the School of Health Sciences, the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) received Gold Status recognition from the National NSSLHA. 
• Dr. Kelli D. Whittington (SHeS) participated in a roundtable discussion with Sen. Dick Durbin, Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) leaders, Shawnee Health, and the Egyptian Health Department regarding rural health workforce development in Southern Illinois. Read the press release. 
• Drs. Denise Croft and Lesley Shawler (SPBS) attended the Autism Society of Southern Illinois visit with Gov. JB Pritzker in Carbondale. 
• Fifteen outstanding Korean students ages 14-16 visited SIU from July 17 through July 28 to participate in Passport to Professions ESL Camp (SHuS), conducted by Dr. Jun Kim, Kijoung Na, Tina Colson, and Dr. Taeho Yoh, with assistance from SIU student leaders. Students participated in conversational English classes, campus activities, such as open house and academic program tours, and were housed with local host families. 
• The criminology and criminal justice program hosted five scholars and 22 doctoral students from across North America as part of the Crime and Place Summer Institute from Monday, July 17, through Wednesday, July 19. The event, developed by CCJ professor Dr. Julie Hibdon and other crime and place scholars, exposed participants to theory and methods for studying crime and place topics. 

As we are into the fall semester, I am excited about some upcoming events: 

• SIU Homecoming 2023 – Oct. 16-21 
• CHHS Alumni and Faculty and Staff Appreciation Tailgate – Oct. 21 
• Flash Talks (learn about CHHS faculty research) – Oct. 26 (3 p.m., Guyon Auditorium, Morris Library) 
• Saluki football homecoming game – Oct. 21 (South Dakota State) 
• Saluki football home game – Nov. 4 (South Dakota) 
• Saluki football home game – Nov. 18 (Indiana State) 
• Commencement – Dec. 16 (10 a.m., Banterra Center) 

I close with an invitation. We will be hosting our annual CHHS Alumni, Faculty, and Staff Appreciation Tailgate during Homecoming Weekend (Oct. 21). Please plan to join us and enjoy some good Southern Illinois BBQ and a cold beverage of your choosing before we beat South Dakota State.   

Best Wishes and Go Dawgs, 

Robert Morgan, Ph.D.
robert.d.morgan@siu.edu  

October 13, 2023

SIU sport administration student receives Vitello Award to help her break the glass ceiling

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Jacqueline Crain is passionate about football but knows that breaking into a career in sports administration, especially in the NFL, isn’t going to be easy. That’s why the junior Southern Illinois University Carbondale student from Du Quoin, Illinois, is thrilled to receive the Elaine M. Vitello Ph.D. Leadership Award, named for a longtime SIU dean and educator who forged new pathways to success in higher education.

“Dr. Vitello is very special and unique. In a very male-dominated world, she broke barriers and served under-represented students, faculty, and staff,” Robert Morgan, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, said. “She was the first female academic dean at SIU and the first and only female dean for our college. Many of our programs wouldn’t be here without her.”

Multi-faceted award

Morgan said when he conceived an award to acknowledge exceptional leadership potential in a CHHS student, he approached Vitello and asked her to lend her name and support. She eventually agreed.

“Dr. Vitello supports the award because she hopes that by letting us name it in her honor, it will generate interest and donations and ultimately benefit other young barrier-breaking women leaders of tomorrow,” Morgan said.

The award recipient is chosen for their dedication to leadership as proven by service to the school, college, university, and/or community and career goals. In addition to a $500 scholarship, the award connects the student with a mentor within the college, who will work with the student throughout the year to help them grow, learn, and enhance their leadership skills. The award also provides up to $2,000 for the student and mentor to attend a professional leadership conference together.

When applying for the award, Crain a sports administration major with a minor in coaching, did some research about Vitello and was impressed with what she learned.

“She is a trailblazer for sure,” Crain said. “In the field, I’m going into, a very male-dominated field, it’s very important to be able to find a female mentor to be able to work with, hear from, and learn from. I’m so grateful for the opportunities this award is giving me.”

And that’s what it’s all about for Vitello.

“Women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions in the workforce,” Vitello said. “It is critical and essential that opportunities are afforded to deserving young women to develop and enhance their leadership skills. The more opportunities that are made available, the greater the development of self-confidence and self-esteem, along with many other positive characteristics. Such was my case. My parents, teachers, and advisers encouraged me to develop the ‘I can do this’ approach to succeed in whatever endeavor I encountered.”

Vitello hopes to encourage that “I can do this” attitude in Crain and future generations of Salukis.

Vitello paved the way for women leaders

Vitello is an alumna of SIU, completing her doctorate in 1977. She also holds a master’s degree, completed in 1971 at Ohio State University, and a 1967 bachelor’s degree from Ohio Dominican University.

Her career and impact at the university began in 1977 as a visiting assistant professor. Within five years, she was an associate professor and later a full professor and then director of the Division of Advanced Technical Studies. She was her college’s teacher of the year in 1986 and a distinguished professor in allied health and health education. Vitello was appointed dean of the College of Technical Careers on July 1, 1990.

Not long after her appointment, the Illinois Board of Higher Education recommended that the college, which primarily offered associate degree programs, be eliminated as part of a statewide effort to shift most associate degree programs to community colleges. However with authorization from the SIU Board of Trustees, Vitello and her faculty and staff restructured the entire college and created new, relevant baccalaureate programs. The college was saved. To reflect those changes, it became the College of Applied Sciences and Arts. (Most CASA programs became part of the new College of Health and Human Sciences under a university-wide academic restructuring completed in 2021.)

Even when she retired in 2002, Vitello continued to play an important role, working on a project involving tobacco prevention and control among college-age women for SIU’s Center for Rural Health, funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Big goals and making them happen

Crain said just being nominated for the Vitello Award by Taeho Yoh, professor, and director of the sports administration program, was incredible.

“He’s been a phenomenal role model,” Crain said. “For him to think that highly of me is awesome and then for me to win for the entire college is such an honor. I just wasn’t expecting that. I am so happy and give thanks to God. My faith is very important to me, and God has placed the right people in my path to be great mentors to me. I give all the glory to God for all that I am and all that I have and want to give back to others.” 

Crain anticipates that eventually getting to the NFL will likely involve spending some time with nonprofit or college sports organizations, which she is already doing.

During her time on campus, she was previously employed in the bursar’s office and this fall marks her third year working alongside Saluki football head coach Nick Hill and his support staff in Saluki Athletics.

“I’ve discovered so much, and it’s been a great introduction into working in the world of sports,” Crain said.

Crain said she has also gotten valuable experience in the university’s sports management club and with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, recently helping with the FCA’s camps. During the summer 2023, she had a hands-on sport management internship with NubAbility Athletics Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in her hometown that hosts sports camps for limb-different youth athletes from around the world.

She arranged flights and shuttles from St. Louis to Du Quoin for numerous coaches, made camping and hotel arrangements, arranged detailed scheduling for outdoor days, focused sports, and more, coordinated a fundraising campaign, and handled various other projects.

“It was really fun, and I learned a lot of things,” Crain said. “I enjoyed the camp and getting to know the team and the campers. They left me speechless. It’s hard to describe the impact those kids had on me.”

This fall, Crain is working with her new Vitello Award mentors, Julie Partridge, professor of sport and exercise psychology and NCAA faculty athletics representative in the School of Human Sciences, and Molly Hudgins, deputy athletic director for administration and student services.  

“I have been fortunate to have several strong female mentors in my career, and they have all emphasized the importance of continuing to pay it forward with respect to mentoring the next generation of leaders. This is a perfect opportunity to do so with an outstanding student like Jacqueline,” Partridge said. “It is an honor to be able to participate in this mentoring experience that honors a legend like Dr. Vitello with such an exceptional student as Jacqueline, as well as a wonderful colleague like Molly Hudgins. I believe this dynamic is going to generate so many opportunities for all of us to grow and learn from one another.”

Hudgins said she’s proud to be a native of Southern Illinois, an SIU alumna, and a former Saluki student-athlete and that her time in the College of Business and Administration (now College of Business and Analytics), as well as athletics, helped shape her as a leader, administrator, and person.

“I was very fortunate to formulate long-lasting relationships with strong female leaders such as Charlotte West, Cindy Scott, and Diane Daugherty. These individuals made a lasting impact on my life and career,” Hudgins said. “I hope that I can have the same influence and impact on Jacqueline. She is an outstanding young woman from Southern Illinois whose future is extremely bright. It is important to help shape and lead young women, like Jacqueline, so that they have the opportunity to find their passion and make a difference in future generations. Dr. Vitello was an amazing female leader and administrator at SIU. I am extremely honored and humbled to have the opportunity to be a part of her legacy at SIU, and I am excited to work with Jacqueline and help mentor the next generation of outstanding Southern Illinois female leaders.”

This is the second year for the Vitello Award. Last year’s inaugural winner was Arianna Goss, a first-generation college student and May healthcare management graduate from Saint Marie, Illinois.

To donate to the Elaine M. Vitello Ph.D. Leadership Award, visit salukifunder.siu.edu/vitello or contact Steph Taylor at 618-453-4975.