Spring 2023 Newsletter

It is an exciting time to be at SIU Carbondale and in the College of Health and Human Sciences, and we are pleased to share with you just some of the events and developments occurring in the college.  I thank you for reading this spring 2023 edition of our newsletter, and I’m excited to share several updates with you. 

Joined by Chancellor Lane on Feb. 21, 2023, we had the ribbon cutting ceremony for our new, state-of-the-art crematory. Our SIU strategic plan is Imagine 2030, and in CHHS, we imagine big. We are the first public baccalaureate program in the country to have a crematory – our mortuary science and funeral director program sets the education standard.  

As we continue to imagine big things and provide transformative educational programming for students, we are grateful for the support from you, our alumni. Thanks to you, we just completed our Day of Giving with a college record of more than 118 gifts totaling approximately $90,000 – we thank all of you who supported the college.  

As you are aware, we have much to be proud of in CHHS, and with the end of the academic year upon us, we will be taking a moment to celebrate the incredible work of our faculty and staff. On April 27, we hosted the inaugural CHHS Celebration of Excellence. We followed that festive event with the Dean’s Advisory Council on April 28. If you would like to learn more about our council and council members, please visit the Dean’s Advisory Council webpage on the CHHS site. 

We are already planning for the fall as well. We will host a CHHS Alumni Tailgate for the Homecoming game on Oct. 21, 2023. Details are forthcoming, but please plan now to join us. Additional spring, summer and fall events where we hope to see you are listed below. 

• Commencement – May 13 
• School of Aviation Golf Scramble – June 26 (Boulder Ridge Country Club, Lake in the Hills, Illinois)
• Move In Day – Aug. 16
• First day of fall classes – Aug. 21
• Saluki football home game – Sept. 2 (Austin Peay)
• Family Weekend – Sept. 29-Oct. 1
• Saluki football home game – Sept. 30 (Missouri State)
• SIU Homecoming 2023 – Oct. 16-21
• CHHS Alumni and Faculty and Staff Appreciation Tailgate – Oct. 21
• 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) 

Best Wishes and Go Dawgs, 

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

Faculty and administration participating in the ribbon cutting for SIU’s new crematory were, left to right: Robert Broomfield, MSFS assistant instructor; Robert Morgan, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences; Chancellor Austin Lane; Anthony Fleege, mortuary science and funeral service program director and associate professor; Monica Gray, assistant professor of practice; Sam Perry, assistant lecturer; and Scott Collins, director of the School of Health Sciences. Photo provided.The only university-housed crematory in the U.S.

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — A love of science and the desire for a career that helps people drew Emily Bender toward a career in mortuary science. With the decision made, she knew her educational preparation “could only be Southern Illinois University Carbondale” as SIU offers the state’s only mortuary science and funeral services bachelor’s degree program and one of just six in the country. Now, Bender said, the program’s recent addition of the only university-housed crematory in the United States has made her even happier with her choice.

“The crematory really gives me, as well as other students, confidence. The practice we will get from having an on-site crematory reaffirms we are capable of providing this service to families and doing it correctly just as soon as we enter the workforce,” Bender, a sophomore in mortuary science and funeral service (MSFS) from Normal, Illinois, said. “This is another addition to SIU’s mortuary science program that allows students to be a step ahead.

“Mortuary science combines my favorite subjects, from anatomy to art, and it is really meaningful to know that I get the honor of taking care of someone’s loved one for the last time. The humanity of funeral service drew me to pick this major. Being able to obtain a bachelor’s degree in mortuary science is unique, as most programs are associate-only. A 4-year degree allows for a more open path to continuing education, and it makes students more competitive postgraduation. SIU also has a beautiful, accessible campus with opportunities for research and experience that made it an obvious yes. The experience we get from program components like the crematory, the embalming lab, and everything else reaffirms that I’m in the exact field I’m supposed to be in and training for it in the best place.”

SIU’s mortuary science program will also help address an anticipated shortage of funeral service industry workers in the next five years.

Crematory a decade in the making, offering rare experience

Anthony Fleege, mortuary science and funeral service program director and associate professor, said while attending a conference 10 years ago, a colleague from another school was taking a crematory operator’s course and commented that mortuary schools should teach the course on campus. Fleege agreed, noting the nationwide shift toward cremation.

The U.S. cremation rate was 57.4% in 2022, meaning more than half of all final dispositions end in cremation rather than burial, according to Fleege. While the Illinois cremation rate mirrors the national rate, some states are much higher, led by Nevada with 82%, so the need is great.

Fleege pitched the idea of adding a crematory and the option for a crematory operator’s license at SIU, and Scott Collins, director of the School of Health Sciences, helped carry the plan forward. Thanks largely to gifts from private donors, the SIU School of Medicine, the dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and generous support from the SIU Foundation, the unit from Crematory Systems of South Holland is now in place at SIU.

From now on, all SIU’s mortuary science and funeral service graduates will not only get hands-on training operating a crematory with the addition of a cremation class to the curriculum, but they will also complete school as a certified crematory operator as recognized by the Illinois comptroller’s office, Fleege said.

“This acquisition helps keep us at the forefront of mortuary science education,” Fleege said. “The primary goal for the crematory is to give students practical experience on campus with cremation of the cadavers used for medical education purposes. Our students will leave college with the necessary tools in their tool belt to get licensed in any state and be able to immediately make an impact as funeral directors, embalmers, or crematory operators. SIU is dedicated to student success, and our mortuary science and funeral service program strives to give students the complete education that will make them valuable assets to the funeral service profession. It will also ensure that the remains never leave the university’s possession.”

In addition, as a public service for local coroners who occasionally must find a resolution for abandoned bodies, SIU will provide the crematory service for a nominal maintenance fee. The crematory won’t offer services to the public or funeral homes.

Filling a growing need

Across the country, the need for funeral service industry workers is large and growing, according to studies. The National Funeral Directors Association has indicated that within the next five years, more than 60% of the country’s funeral home directors plan to retire, and there was already a decrease of more than 1,100 in the number of funeral homes between 2010 and 2021, according to government data, with just 18,000 homes left at that time. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median wages for starting positions such as morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers was about $49,000 in 2021, while for funeral home managers it was $74,000. Officials say that many get experience and/or an advanced education like the one offered at SIU and go on to become funeral home directors with even higher incomes.

SIU’s program is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. SIU graduates are eligible to become licensed in Illinois with reciprocal practice rights in all other states that offer a bachelor’s degree in the program, and they can also obtain a license from the Department of Professional Regulation to be a funeral director and embalmer.

One-hundred-ten students are currently enrolled in SIU’s program, with nearly 100 on campus and the rest enrolled as online learners in the bachelor’s degree completion program. SIU’s thorough program includes both science coursework and classes focusing on the “arts” involved, including business and psychology, according to Fleege. Students learn about every component involved in the business from embalming (SIU has an on-campus embalming facility and cadaver refrigeration unit) to handling merchandising and arrangements (with a model selection room featuring coffins and urns and a room where practice funerals are held). The new crematory, licensed by the Illinois Comptroller’s office and led by trained and certified crematory operator faculty, rounds out the comprehensive educational experience.

Extraordinary faculty make a difference

After graduation, Bender plans to become a funeral director and embalmer with dual licensure in Illinois and Indiana and said that in addition to the numerous unique components offered at SIU, the “mortuary science faculty is a big highlight of the program. The development of the crematory just shows how much our faculty, staff, and administration care about the education of their students. They send fully prepared funeral workers into the real world, making sure that we are the most capable we can be. Fortunately, that now includes being proficient in cremation. It’s really exciting to serve the community. Decedents from the Southern Illinois region and the donors who graciously give their bodies to provide educational opportunities have a place for a respectful, proper disposition, which makes this all the more meaningful to me and them.”

Fleege said the crematory project was a collaborative effort with support from Chancellor Austin A. Lane; Robert Morgan, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences; Scott Collins, School of Health Sciences director; Facilities and Energy Management, and others.

“Everyone came together to create an outstanding project that SIU can be proud of for years to come,” Fleege said.

Jamie Stephens, a master’s student in SIU’s criminology and criminal justice program, worked through a virtual reality scenario last fall of a call for service of a disorderly person at a residence with Kevin Cox, SIU Department of Public Safety, observing. The program uses the VR simulator to give students greater insight into law enforcement challenges and provide a research mechanism on attitudes toward police work. (Photo by Yenitza Melgoza)

Using virtual reality to better understand police work

By Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — A virtual reality simulator in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s criminology and criminal justice program will provide students greater insight into law enforcement challenges, while also providing a research mechanism to study aspects of police work. 

With the help of grants from the College of Health and Human Sciences’ DEVELOP (Developing, Elevating, and Leading Educational Opportunities and Programs) and the SIU Foundation Faculty Research programs, the APEX Officer system was installed last fall. Since then, Matthew Giblin, School of Justice and Public Safety director, and two criminology graduate assistants, Jamie Stephens and Samantha Barnhart, began enlisting students to gauge attitudes toward police work both before and after participating in the survey and exercise. By mid-March, 70 students participated in the study in the lab space in Faner Hall or in Mae Smith and Neely Halls.  

While most students in the program have an interest in policing careers, Giblin is quick to point out that the system is not used to teach police tactics.  

“What we are trying to demonstrate with our system is the challenges that law enforcement officers face in police decision-making,” he said. “How difficult split-second decision-making is; how difficult it is to fire a weapon; how difficult it is to fire a weapon accurately. Those are what we are trying to demonstrate. All that can be done without having to teach tactics and strategies.”  

Different scenarios, environments, and outcomes available 

Unlike screen-based simulators, the VR experience allows the operator to change scenarios — including traffic stops, city neighborhoods, streets, neighborhoods, and alleys. And the operator, or trainer, can also change how the VR people with the scenarios interact with students. Throughout the exercise, students wear about a 15-pound backpack featuring a high-end computer equipped with a realistic rifle, pistol, and taser. 

The system is completely responsive to whoever is being trained, and scenarios can extend as long as needed to accomplish the purpose of the exercise, Giblin said. 

“If we have you in the training module and you are saying to the citizen in the module, ‘put your hands up,’ we can make them comply or not. It’s not based on what has already been filmed,” he said.  “The idea behind it is that not everything should be a shoot/no shoot decision. The reality is that police use of force is rare so any training system should promote the type of interaction strategies making force unnecessary through say, effective communication, but also prepares officers for situations when force may have to be used.” 

The experiences can be eye-opening for students, said Giblin, noting the idea is to show students some of the decision-making involved. 

Faculty can take a class where they are talking about police decision-making and let students gain firsthand experiences, Giblin said. “We can have people comply with those kinds of communications. You can get people in our system to respond positively to respectful communication and promote that kind of behavior so it’s not just resorting to force. I think the idea is to take what we talk about in the classroom when we look at research evidence and apply that or give them to opportunity to experience that.” 

Used by police nationwide 

Some colleges have simulators connected to campus law enforcement agencies or, less commonly, criminal justice programs, Giblin said. The city of Carbondale Police Department also has an Apex Officer VR simulator that the officers train on regularly. Giblin said the program was able to bring back useful training information and scenarios after meeting with Carbondale officials in December.   

Benjamin Newman, director, of SIU Department of Public Safety, said police officers used the program’s system when it was originally acquired last year, and that VR systems “help build repetition and improve decision making.” 

“These systems allow trainees to experience service calls in a controlled environment,” he said. “Trainers are allowed to provide coaching in relational and tactical skills.” 

Myriad research possibilities 

Giblin sees numerous research possibilities across several educational areas and topics.  

“From a research perspective, the system will allow us to study topics like stress, procedural justice, and implicit biases,” he said.  

Another example, he said, could be utilizing the kinesiology program to monitor anticipatory stress levels as students or officers go through various scenarios. 

Stephens and Barnhart each said they believe the VR simulator will be useful for students and provide them with a hands-on approach. Barnhart, who is from Belleville, earned a law degree from the SIU School of Law in May 2022 and has bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and psychology from Greenville University. 

Stephens, who earned her bachelor’s degree in the program in May 2022, is from Schaumburg, Illinois, and is looking into going into the investigations area in law enforcement. 

“I think this will be a good tool and believe we will see attitudes change when we see the data,” she said. “It could be useful to helping people understand the realities of real-world situations.” 

Preliminary studies show a change in attitudes 

Giblin, Stephens, and Barnhart presented preliminary findings from their research at the annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in National Harbor, Maryland, on March 18.  The study examines student experiences with the VR simulation and its effects on attitudes toward the police. Students completed several tasks in a simulated shooting range, including hitting moving targets, and separately, quickly reacting to threatening individuals during pedestrian and traffic stop encounters.   

The preliminary findings showed that 75% or more of the student participants agreed or strongly agreed that the VR simulation was fun, educational, realistic, and a great training tool for police officers.  Students also expressed interest in participating in the VR simulation again and wished that the roughly 15-minute demonstration lasted longer, Giblin said. 

The preliminary results also showed students who participated in the VR had, on the whole, slightly more positive attitudes toward the police when compared to a randomly assigned group of students who completed the survey before participating in the VR simulation, according to Giblin. For example, VR participants were slightly more likely to agree or strongly agree with the statement, “When police officers use force, including deadly force, they are typically responding to a threat,” and, “In general, most police officers are well-trained to perform their work.”  

Can also enhance recruiting 

Giblin points to another benefit of the program — recruiting. In addition to participating in a mock class and student panel discussion, potential students and their parents can be involved.   

“We can actually walk somebody to our VR lab and say, ‘This is something we have here, and people are going to get to experience firsthand what it is like to be a police officer and encounter a certain situation,’” he said. “These are the different things that you can do, and the families really seem to like to participate in that.”

Occupational therapy doctoral students practicing their skills are, left to right: Heather Evans, Kae Edgcomb, Kayci Tanner, Mayci Doerflein, and Michelle Soto.

New, unique doctorate helps meet the need for occupational therapists

By Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Preparing occupational therapists for fulfilling careers of helping clients accomplish everyday tasks to optimize their health, well-being and quality of life is the focus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s new hybrid entry-level occupational therapy doctoral program, which features education and training in a state-of-the art lab with a full working kitchen, laundry area and more, along with collaborative experiences with students in related health care fields.   

“There’s a substantial need for occupational therapists across the country with a growing need in Illinois, especially in Southern Illinois,” said Danila Cepa, program director.  

Occupational therapists help people who have difficulty with routine tasks because of injuries or disabilities such survivors of strokes, patients with chronic, painful conditions or people who need assistive equipment and instruction. 

“Just think about the activities that occupy your day, from getting dressed and eating to writing, shopping, cooking, doing laundry and performing a wide assortment of other tasks. Those are the things occupational therapists help people learn or relearn to do,” Cepa said. “Our program provides the knowledge in how best to do that and gives students practical experience through the simulated learning lab. We simulate practice at all levels of care representing hospital in-patients to working with people in their own homes. We frame the environment just like those our clients will have.” 

Meeting the need in the region, SIU has already drawn interest not only from students in Illinois but also Missouri and other neighboring states. 

One of those students is Abriana Jones of St. Louis, who started the program in fall 2022 after completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her master’s degree in kinesiology from SIU. Jones said she’s very excited to be part of the first doctoral class where students and faculty are “able to implement new ideas. We really get the necessary one-on-one attention we need, and we are lucky to have professors who really care about our development and want nothing more than to see us succeed.” 

Mayci Doerflein practices range-of-motion measurements on Michelle Soto.

Jones has known since she was a sophomore that she wanted to become an occupational therapist and spoke with Julie Partridge, graduate program director and professor of sport and exercise psychology.  

“In talking with her, I realized that staying at SIU was the right option for me,” said Jones, who is a graduate assistant in the graduate school assistantships and fellowships office. “I like the way this format melds classroom and practical experience. It’s nice to be taking classes that give us real-world experience while allowing us to develop into the health care professionals we aspire to be.”  

She’s looking forward to her first summer fieldwork placement, and after completing the program in 2025, Jones will be seeking a position as a pediatric occupational therapist and eventually hopes to open her own pediatric therapy center and perhaps a cryotherapy (cold therapy) facility.  

“This program is unique because it’s one of the few doctoral level occupational therapy programs in the state of Illinois,” Cepa said. “Students enter with a bachelor’s degree, and in three years, can complete their doctorate.”  

Cepa and Kim Parr, assistant professor of practice and academic fieldwork coordinator for the program, said it also has a special format as students attend classes online during the week and in-person every other weekend for a total of eight to nine weekends. They also complete two full-time, 12-week internships during the summers along with a 14-week capstone featuring advanced practice the final summer.  

Students get practical experience in a diverse variety of locations. SIU has more than 60 sites in Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky for field work, and the university works with students to help them find a facility that best aligns with their interests for their final capstone experience and project.  

“Our program is unique in that the field work is split so students get extensive practical exposure with classroom time in between,” Parr said. “They begin with online classes and weekend classes and then serve a practicum, applying the theoretical to the real world. Then it’s back to class for more advanced learning. Unlike most programs, the SIU OTD program integrates fieldwork throughout the curriculum so academic work is integrated with practical learning.” 

The weekend in-person classes take place in an all-new, state-of-the art learning hub, specifically built for the program to provide faculty-guided, hands-on training in the Applied Sciences and Arts Building, also called the CASA building. The lab includes a full working kitchen and laundry area as well as an area where occupational therapy students can practice helping simulated clients with the wide array of daily living activities. The lab is used by other academic units as well. 

Kae Edgcomb measures Kayci Tanner in order to create a specialized upper extremity splint, which is used to help with daily activities, in the SIU lab’s orthotic fabrication area.

The lab includes an orthotic fabrication area so students can practice creating specialized upper extremity splints to support performance of daily activities. There’s also a mat table area for simulated practice of various treatment techniques, just like what is used in therapy clinics.  

Another bonus for SIU’s program is that the lab is equipped with cameras so students can record their simulated therapy sessions so they and faculty members can assess their performance. 

“It’s one thing to learn and practice skills, but it’s another to see yourself performing them and have the opportunity to receive input from peers and instructors,” Cepa said. “It allows them to debrief and reflect on their work and experience.” 

Holistic experience 

The students also collaborate with their peers in other SIU health-related programs to reflect the way they will handle cases in the working world. That includes working with students in the nursing, physical therapy assistant and communication disorders and sciences programs to provide an enhanced learning experience for all involved and better prepare students for the future. 

“The curriculum includes an interprofessional education and practice day, which we will repeat each spring, so these students can spend time learning how to communicate effectively with each other and complete interprofessional practice in an acute care setting such as a hospital,” Parr said.  “They explain their individual roles to one another and then participate in a lab session, working together to share practical skills.” 

SIU’s program includes research and innovation, patient advocacy, leadership skills development, career development, and practice and study to improve intervention outcomes.  

The national job outlook is good for therapists, with a projected employment rate growth of 14% in the 10-year period ending in 2031, much higher than the average job growth rate, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Moreover, a therapy career is rewarding in more ways than one, officials said, with a 2021 median annual salary of $85,570 and the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives.  

The program, which prepares graduates for entry-level careers as occupational therapists has been granted candidacy status for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association and will complete a pre-accreditation review and onsite evaluation to be granted accreditation after which students will be eligible to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Certification Examination. After successfully completing that exam, graduates will be registered occupational therapists. States require licensure, but licenses are typically based on the NBCOT certification examination.   

About half of the occupational therapists in the United States work in occupational therapy offices or hospitals while the rest find employment in outpatient services, schools, nursing homes and home health services.  

Paving the way toward leadership 

Program officials say they are also creating a program that paves the way to leadership roles and that meets the need of a variety of students, including those who already have associate degrees as occupational therapy assistants. 

“We are actively working with occupational therapy assistants who do not have their bachelor's degree,” Parr said. “These potential students can connect with an adviser from the health care management (HCM) program to possibly obtain their health care management bachelor's degree with their previous academic experiences potentially counting for some HCM coursework,” Parr said.  

Sandra Collins, health care management program director, professor and distinguished faculty member, noted that through numerous Saluki Step Ahead agreements, SIU is working to facilitate such transitions as this, which provide added value.  She said this option for the OTD degree is particularly attractive for working professionals since SIU offers a 100% online health care management bachelor’s degree option, as well as an on-campus option.  

Having the health care management background also helps pave the way toward enhanced career possibilities, officials said. 

“Our program is specifically designed to generate leaders within the profession,” Cepa said. 

Michelle Soto assists Mayci Doerflein with a simulated cooking activity. Doerflein, who is playing the part of a patient who had a stroke and is learning to safely cook again following her illness, is wearing a gait belt around her waist, which allows the therapist to help balance patients in case they start to fall.

Applications accepted now 

SIU’s inaugural class includes seven students, and in the future, officials anticipate a cohort of 30 students beginning the program each fall. Current students have a variety of academic backgrounds and degrees: occupational therapy assistant, physical therapy assistant, exercise science, psychology and other health-related majors.  

To apply, a student need only have a bachelor’s degree and 18 hours of prescribed prerequisites.  

Applications are now being accepted for fall 2023.   

Learn more at sah.siu.edu/graduate/otd or by emailing health.science@siu.edu or email the program director at danila.cepa@siu.edu.

Photos by Yenitza Melgoza.  

By Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Some folks see an automobile as four wheels and a means to an end. Southern Illinois University Carbondale senior Angelina Lopez sees a good time-solving problems. 

Lopez, an automotive technology major from Homewood, Illinois, will graduate this spring armed with one of the most marketable degrees in the country. A mother and nontraditional student, Lopez said SIU is a supportive environment that has made her entry into the traditionally male-dominated world of automotive technology seamless and natural. 

“I enjoy the family atmosphere, and the faculty and staff within the program are welcoming to all students,” she said. “I had my son, Nova, during my sophomore year, and all the faculty within the automotive program have been a support system for me.” 

Need for speed 

Lopez grew up in Steger, Illinois, before moving to Homewood in the seventh grade. Attending Homewood-Flossmoor High School, she began taking automotive classes and joined the Auto Club and the school’s Viking Racing Team.  

“I liked problem-solving. It’s a real-world scenario. Every time you incur a problem on a vehicle, it’s something new,” Lopez said. “Granted, lots of vehicles have similar issues, but that doesn't always mean they have the same fix.” 

A visit from Mike Behrmann, an adjunct associate professor in the School of Automotive at SIU, 

would set Lopez on a path that would turn her interests into a career. Lopez said Behrmann’s visit was key to her decision to head south for college. 

“He visited our high school and spoke to us about SIU and the automotive program, and how the auto program here at SIU was in the top three automotive schools in the country,” Lopez said. “When I applied, I was so confident in my application that I didn’t even apply anywhere else. I knew I wanted to go to SIU.” 

Behrmann said he could see Lopez had the drive and determination to excel.  

“She was taking various student leadership roles within her high school automotive classes, and she had the fortitude to help others,” Behrmann said. “She knew her passion was to help lead the vast automotive industry and that the best place to learn and be part of it was at SIU.” 

Even with that confidence, Lopez said making the decision to enter the auto tech industry as a woman could be daunting.  

“It can be hard to be a female in a male-dominated industry. Before coming to SIU, I had faced countless remarks about ‘being in the kitchen’ or not belonging in the auto industry. It’s just something you face as a minority in the industry.” 

There’s no doubt she’s been accepted now, however, after taking a job with a top automotive company after graduation in May.  

“Originally, I just wanted a stable job after graduation, but I received a couple of different offers and have accepted a job offer with Toyota Research and Development in Ann Arbor, Michigan,” she said. “I had an internship with them over this past summer – the first SIU student to ever intern in their R&D department – and will be continuing my employment with them. 

“I think my goal now is to graduate and build a life for my son and me.”  

Lopez credits SIU with helping her achieve her goals. She’s received scholarships and other support, and faculty are always there for her and helped her find opportunities, she said.  

“Mr. Eugene Talley, for example, is who makes information sessions possible. An information session is where companies come to the university and recruit SIU automotive technology students. He pushes for the best in students,” she said. “Ms. Cay Gerlock runs the school’s parts store, and she is like a mother to me. My son, Nova, loves to visit her farm. Mr. Rodney Collard, for example, is always understanding, and if you don't understand something, he tries to explain it in a different way, Mr. Andrew Croxell was my teacher for a couple of classes. He’s always there if you need advice. These are just a few of the supportive faculty and staff.” 

Behrmann said Lopez places a high importance on learning, not only for herself but also for others around her.  

“She sets challenging goals, identifies the content of knowledge to be learned, and maintains active pursuit until mastered,” Behrmann said. “She sets high expectations and feels comfortable pushing herself to excel. We are proud to have her as part of the SIU Automotive family.”

Media Contact

Tim Crosby
public information coordinator
618-534-3045

A primary factor in the success of SIU’s aviation program over six decades is the many relationships resulting in corporate donations, internships, scholarships and programs providing accelerated paths to the aviation industry. The Boeing Company recently donated funds for scholarships and funds to assist aviation-related registered student organizations. (Photo by Russell Bailey)

Partnerships help provide SIU Aviation with unlimited visibility

By Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The strength of Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s nationally recognized School of Aviation comes from myriad directions: faculty and staff, students, alumni and industry partnerships. All bond together to form one of the leading higher education aviation programs in the nation, which will help meet the growing need for pilots and other airline personnel. 

The mix of aviation career days with United Airlines and American Airlines; the Delta Air Lines Propel Pilot Career Path Program, United Airlines’ Aviate career development program, aviation technologies students’ direct path with Endeavor Air, coupled with recent corporate donations from The Boeing Company and an employee-match gift for tools from General Electric for the aviation technologies program, are just a few examples.  

“I couldn’t be any more thankful for the partnerships we have been able to develop over the course of over 25 years,” said José R. Ruiz, professor and interim director. “Being able to expose our students to opportunities within these organizations, receive support from these organizations and to be able to introduce young people to aviation sets us apart.”  

Ruiz was grateful for SIU Aviation alumni, who often return to campus to participate in mentoring programs, visit classrooms and participate in practice interviews with students. 

“Staying connected with our alumni is one of the reasons that we have such vibrant and robust aviation programs,” Ruiz said. “We are able to modify our programs to meet the needs of the industry because of these connections.” 

American Airlines First Officer Erin Jackson, a 2002 aviation management and flight graduate who was a full-time flight instructor at SIU from 2005 to 2011, proudly waves a Saluki flag from the cockpit after the Boeing 737 carrying dozens of SIU Aviation alumni and about 140 junior high, high school, and community college students from the Chicago area landed at Southern Illinois Airport for a career day event on April 15. (Photo by Brandon Macier) 

Program’s many strengths 

The program’s roots date back to December 1960 when the university purchased Midwestern Aero Services, the fixed base operator at Southern Illinois Airport for $56,000 and renamed it Air Institute and Service. Now, SIU Aviation houses one of the nation’s leading comprehensive programs with multiple degrees, a state-of-the-industry facility, and more than 600 students for aviation flight, aviation technologies, and aviation management, Ruiz said. The aviation flight program anticipates more than 400 applications for the spring 2024 semester, he said.  

“There is a lot that goes into this program. The faculty, and the staff, are crucial. They support our students and make them feel welcome and make them not only feel like they are part of an organization but of a family,” Ruiz noted. “We mentor them; we guide them. We do have tremendous partnerships with the aviation industry – the airlines, the airports, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.” 

Aviation career days are unique 

The impact of the aviation career days that fly out of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport cannot be understated, Ruiz said. What began as a request in the early 1990s for a decommissioned United Airlines Boeing 727 sparked a career day that started in 1994 with a goal of introducing minorities and other underrepresented groups to potential aviation careers. Playing a key role was William Norwood, a 1959 SIU Carbondale graduate who served six years in the U.S. Air Force followed by a 31-year career with United Airlines, becoming the company’s first Black pilot and the first to achieve the rank of captain. In October, United Airlines and the aviation program held United’s 22nd career day.  

American Airlines career day emerged as TWA career day ended, as the two airlines merged in 2003. The first American Airlines Career Day was held in 2005 with the assistance of Capt. Jay Rud, a 1983 graduate in technical careers and aviation technologies. American’s Career Day also brought more than 100 potential students to campus. 

In both instances, the airlines furnish the planes that are flown and staffed by airline personnel, the majority of whom are SIU Aviation alumni, who volunteer their own time to discuss their careers with prospective students as they visit the aviation facilities and tour the campus. The university, meanwhile, pays fuel costs. 

“Even now, whether it’s United Airlines Career Day or American Airlines Career Day, these are unique events throughout the nation. The overwhelming majority of collegiate aviation institutions in this country do not host these type of events,” Ruiz said. 

In September 2022, United Aviate and SIU entered into an agreement that gives SIU students an accelerated career path to become professional pilots. Perry Lewis, left, director of United Aviate and pilot strategy, and Chancellor Austin A. Lane sign the agreement during an event at the Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center. (Photo by Russell Bailey) 

Internships and scholarships 

The aviation flight and aviation technologies programs also have an assortment of companies that provide internships, monetary donations, scholarships and other materials to the programs. That includes Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins), Duncan Aviation, SkyWest Airlines, General Electric, Crucial MRO and Enhanced Aero, along with several flight operations internships with regional carriers including Air Wisconsin Airlines, Envoy Air and Republic Airways. 

“Our alumni are a huge component of our student success because they oftentimes assist in identifying employment opportunities for our students,” Ruiz said. “They look for SIU Aviation students. Their partnership and loyalty is extremely important.” 

The program’s advisory board is another strength, which serves both students and faculty. In addition, certified flight instructors who stay in the program after they graduate to help current students while also building their own flight time before going to airlines “play a critical role in the School’s success.”  

School of Aviation born 

The fall 2012 opening of the Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center allowed both the aviation and automotive programs to move into state-of-the-industry facilities. Because construction was under budget, remaining funds helped buy equipment, including flight simulators, aviation maintenance equipment, an aviation test cell and air traffic control simulator. Considered the premier transportation education center in the Midwest, the facilities and equipment are a pivotal recruiting element for students and their families, Ruiz said. 

The program has not just expanded in facilities but also in course offerings. In addition to extended campus offerings in several locations around the country, students can receive an online bachelor’s degree in aviation technologies and aviation management along with an online master’s degree in aviation management. 

In August 2021, Delta Airlines and SIU entered into Delta's Propel Pilot Career Path Program to supplement pilot hiring needs by offering an accelerated path to the flight deck for selected students and employees. (Photo provided)  

The industry continues to reach new heights 

Ruiz notes that the demand for pilots, maintenance technicians, and cabin crew members continues to grow. The 2022 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook notes that “effective training and an adequate supply of personnel remain critical to maintaining the health, safety, and prosperity of the aviation ecosystem.” That will include a projected demand for 602,000 new pilots, 610,000 new maintenance technicians, and 899,000 new cabin crew members over the next 20 years. 

“It appears that over the next 25 years, people will be entering the aviation industry and finding employment in whatever career field they want to pursue — whether it is as a pilot, airport manager, air traffic controller, etc,” Ruiz said. “The aviation industry is their oyster. They have their pick.”

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Pete Rosenbery
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618-453-1439