Extended Campus Scholarship

On the field, it was money well spent. Brown finished his Saluki career with nearly 300 tackles and has been a major factor in some of the program’s biggest wins. During the team’s first-round playoff victory over South Dakota, Brown had two interceptions. In front of more than 10,000 fans at the 2021 Homecoming win against North Dakota, he notched 11 tackles.

“That giant crowd at Homecoming was humbling and inspiring,” he said. “It as a great feeling, especially coming off the COVIDaffected season.”

Brown was also impressed by the dozens of former Saluki football players who returned to SIU for the that day’s festivities.

“When I saw one of their national championship rings, I was like ‘Dang, I want one of those,’” Brown said.

Recently, SIU has become known for producing NFL talent, especially at defensive back. Most famously, Jeremy Chinn was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers and finished second in the NFC Rookie of the Year voting.

“There is NFL talent all over our league (the Missouri Valley Football Conference), and you understand what it takes to come from a smaller school,” Brown said.

Shortly after signing with the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2022 NFL Draft, Brown announced on Twitter that he’s moving on from football to pursue other ventures.

“I’m forever thankful for the people, friends, experiences, and life lessons obtained from the game of football,” he wrote in the post.

EXTENDED CAMPUS OFFERS MULTITUDE OF OPPORTUNITIES

Jamie Newton, a senior majoring in elementary education, has always been a good student. Now, she’s nearly ready to transition from student to teacher, and she says SIU’s Extended Campus program has had a lot to do with her preparation.

“I am very grateful to be in the elementary education program at the SIU Rend Lake Extended Campus,” she said. “I have had the chance to get to know my professors on a personal level. It is very apparent that these professors are invested in our success in the program.”

Newton, a recipient of the Lida Lisenby Taylor Future Educator Scholarship, looks forward to teaching first or second grade after she graduates.

“I’ve always had a love of school and learning. SIU has provided me with the tools and confidence so I can be a good educator,” she said. “Spending time at my clinical sites has reinforced my belief that teaching is what I was meant to do.”

EXPANSIVE OFFERINGS, LASTING CONNECTIONS

Featuring countless online courses and off-campus locations across Illinois, in nine other states, and at numerous military sites, SIU’s Extended Campus brings the Saluki experience to the student.

“We help bridge the physical gap between Carbondale and students around the globe,” said Julie Dunston, former interim executive director of Extended Campus. “There are Salukis everywhere, and that doesn’t only refer to alumni. We have SIU students taking classes from coast to coast.”

Having students on campus is an important factor in the college experience, but modern universities have put an emphasis on maintaining a strong off-campus reputation. That connection is something that has struck Newton about her experience.

“There are 18 students in the program including myself. This program has given me an opportunity to create lifelong friendships with my peers,” she said.