Southern Exposure On The Side SIU Again Named Military-Friendly
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Josh Mech (right), an Aviation Management and Flight major, shows a prospective student one of the flight simulators at the center.
Chancellor Rita Cheng were joined that day by numerous state leaders, faculty, staff, and alumni for the grand opening at the center. Its completion marks the first time in the history of the campus that both programs are housed under one roof. And, as many speakers at the ceremony noted, it also marks the first time facilities would match the caliber of the programs, which are ranked among the top in the nation. Cheng says aside from the positive impact TEC is having on aviation and automotive students, the new and increased space has helped the aviation program expand into giving students an option to specialize in air
traffic control. In addition to helping students, Poshard says construction on the building helped the region’s economy, as so many local businesses served as contractors on the project, which was part of a capital construction bill Illinois approved in 2009. SIU Board of Trustees Chairman John Simmons describes TEC as a bright spot for the University. “This building will continue to be an example, long into the future, of our commitment to the success of our students and these programs,” he says. ■ — Caleb Hale is a 2002 graduate of SIU and a reporter for The Southern Illinoisan.
outhern Illinois University Carbondale’s long-standing commitment to providing outstanding educational opportunities to student military veterans and active-duty personnel is again earning national recognition. G.I. Jobs magazine named the University as a “Military Friendly School” for 2013. The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools “doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus. The University has earned “Military Friendly School” status in each of the four years the magazine has published the rankings. The recognition continues a string of national and state honors recognizing SIU Carbondale’s efforts to assist both student veterans and active-duty military personnel. In January, Military Advanced Education magazine recognized SIU Carbondale for a fifth consecutive year as being among the nation’s top military-friendly colleges and universities. In 2010, the University earned the inaugural Governor’s Award for Excellence in Veterans Education, recognizing SIU’s efforts to enhance the educational experiences of student military veterans. The University served approximately 650 student military veterans on the Carbondale campus this fall. More information about the rankings is available at militaryfriendlyschools.com/. More information on the University’s Veterans Center is available at http://veterans.siu.edu/ and the University’s Office of Military Programs is http://omp.siu.edu/. ■
Chancellor Announces High-Achievers Program
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IU Carbondale Chancellor Rita Cheng has announced a new highachievers program for out-of-state students beginning the fall 2013 semester. The Out-of-State Scholars Award is designed to attract more students from beyond the borders of Illinois. Qualifying students will pay in-state tuition. The program defines high achievers as those with an ACT composite score of 26 or higher and/or an equivalent SAT score. Students who receive the Out-of-State Scholar Award will save approximately $49,000 over four years compared to the non-resident tuition rate. ■
Mineralogical Society Honors Alumnus, Provides Scholarships
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The facility is part of a capital construction bill Illinois approved in 2009, allowing the programs to be housed under the same roof for the first time.
Southern Alumni
ohn ’68 and Judith Washburn of Rochester, Ill., members of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (a nonprofit group aimed at promoting interest and education in the various Earth Sciences), were recently honored for their active roles in the organization. They were given the opportunity to select two graduate students in Earth Science who would receive $4,000 scholarships. Jarek Trela and Zachary Chartrand, current graduate students in geology at SIU Carbondale, were chosen for the scholarships. Trela is involved in studies focused on helping to explain how oceanic crust is formed. Chartrand is working on experimentally investigating the compositions of magmas that can be produced from melting the Martian mantle. ■
Trela
Chartrand