[MUSIC] >> Hello and welcome to the Impact Report Unplugged.

I'm Anna Twomey.

>> I'm Matt Kupec CEO of the SIU Foundation.

And welcome to our live unplugged broadcast of the Impact Report.

[APPLAUSE] >> Well, Matt, it's such a treat to have this crowd here with us today.

And we're doing a little bit of a different type of show, the impact report unplugged.

We get to kind of relax a little bit.

And we're going to recap our first full season of the impact report and talk about some of the major stories we covered in the last year.

And in order to help us do that, we're going to bring on some special guests.

So without further ado, Matt, you want to introduce our first guest.

>> It's a really honor to bring.

Our first guest today is the Chancellor of SIU, Chancellor Austin Lane.

The great chancellor [APPLAUSE] Thank you.

>> Oh, yeah.

Chancellor Good to have you on.

Please have a seat with us.

This is.

This is real.

>> It is so real, right?

>> It's a little hot.

>> Yeah.

>> It's warm up here.

Well, thanks for coming on today.

>> Chancellor Lane to talk about some of the big stories we've covered on the impact report.

There's a lot of amazing things, as you well know, that are happening at S-I-U.

I want to talk to you first about some of the biggest news this year, which was the grand opening of the Tedrick Welcome Center.

Big news, not only for the foundation, but for the entire campus.

This is the first new construction on campus in more than ten years.

Can you talk to us about your vision for the Welcome Center and how it's going to benefit campus and benefit students?

>> Um, you know, how exciting is that?

Uh, for an institution like ours to be able to have something that's going to welcome future Salukis right to our campus, uh, and be able to, to come in and be engaged with our history.

Uh, all of the, what do we call now?

Vending hologram machine?

I don't know what we call it.

Uh, but our students are, they're giving, uh, messages to other students.

Uh, it's exactly what you need if you're going to be competitive with other institutions.

It's just like in the athletic arena, when athletes go to these big schools, they're going into facilities and they're looking to find out, okay, is this where I can live for the next four years?

So as those students come in, uh, it's just that Tedrick welcome center pops.

>> But to answer your talk, there's the energy we had nsos do student orientations.

You were there, you know, and the energy in the building.

But I think it exemplifies the energy and excitement on our campus.

>> It does.

You know, we ran into two Salukis alums that, uh, brought their daughter in.

They came from northern Illinois.

And luckily they're not going to northern Illinois.

but the dad was brown dog and he said, you know, it was out of us.

And another institution that I won't mention.

But, um, and what caught me and Matt, you were there.

Uh, the mother chimed right in.

She said, I feel like something really special is happening here at my alma mater.

>> Another big story we covered on the show this year is the Saluki Takeover Tour.

So just focusing on this past spring we were in Florida, Saint Louis, Central Illinois, Southern Illinois, and I actually tallied up the attendance numbers and we were able to welcome more than 1800 Salukis at events just this spring.

Can you talk to us about and you're at every single one of those Chancellor.

What impact are these events having and how do they help your mission for the university?

>> Yeah.

They're amazing.

Um, Matt and I were talking about this five years ago maybe.

And how do we take the institution on the road to engage our alums, our donors, and most importantly, our students or prospective students?

We got to stop apologizing.

You remember that conversation?

We had to stop apologizing and we had to step up and and we're not being we're not bragging, but we are bragging a little bit with what we have.

That's really special here.

So when we get out on the road, it's very strategic.

We make sure that we hit our high schools with those students who have applied.

That's helped our enrollment numbers and a number of different areas.

Think of Texas.

A couple of years ago, Texas was number 15 in the number of states with applications and number two now.

So think about those connections that we have and the Texas takeover and Houston, Dallas and and those areas.

So it's working.

>> Well.

We want to wrap you up with a question about voices of impact.

This was a fantastic event that we held for Black History Month back in February.

More than 200 people attended, and we got to honor some amazing Salukis at that event.

Alumni who are creating legacies all over the country in the name of Salukis.

What?

Why was that event important.

>> You think about, uh, folks that we had honored for that event.

Uh, it's just an incredible the incredible journeys that they've been on.

And for us to be able to put them in places like our Tedrick welcome center or to educate our students about the history that was here.

We name dropped them a lot when we were on the road recruiting.

Right?

Because they want to know, is this a place that I can come to that's going to be welcoming?

Is it a place that I can come to that values diversity of opinion or of of race, you name it.

This is the place we tell them for you.

And so to have that honor, again, the foundation put that event on, I think it was our inaugural event.

And so hopefully we do that every year.

Uh, and I see one of the winners out there in the audience, one of our hardest working folks out there.

So I hope you get her on camera as well as a superstar.

I always say.

>> One of the recipients.

>> She's sitting down, right?

>> Yeah.

[APPLAUSE] Hey, uh, we've also got our vice chancellor for.

>> Anti-Racism, diversity, Equity and Inclusion with us.

Paul Frazier.

>> Paul was idea to come up with some thoughts.

>> Well, I appreciate the opportunity to engage alums.

And we were just back in Atlanta and, uh, met with, uh, some of the alumni that came for the Voice of Impact.

There's still a buzz.

Uh, and they're looking forward to enjoying it again next year.

Uh, one of the biggest things I think we try to focus on and we do a good job on is bringing the lungs back.

And they, they come back and see how different and see the projects that we're trying to make.

>> Great job.

Congratulations.

Good job.

>> Great job.

[APPLAUSE] Amazing things happening at SIU.

>> Chancellor, thank you so much for coming on today to help us recap those stories.

And this show will be back for season two.

And we'll be seeing a lot more of you on it.

>> Thank you to the chair.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Alright.

So.

[APPLAUSE] It's.

[APPLAUSE] >> The next.

>> The next topic we're going to talk about is something that I've found incredibly inspiring.

And it's been fun to see how it's brought people together.

And that's a partnership called Salukis Build here.

Matt.

And the Foundation was one of a few organizations that came together to make that possible.

And it's a partnership that encourages alumni, business owners to build here, relocate here.

Matt, tell us more about the purpose of it and why the foundation was part of it.

>> Yeah, I think, again, partnership is a big part of the university's strategic plan.

So this was a vision with alumni association, the foundation, and with a group called See Now, who are led by an incredible leader, Deb Barnett.

Uh, Deb also is a trustee now, the SIU system.

[APPLAUSE] And, and the idea was to, as we look to create and showcase the many wonderful things going on in our region.

How could we come together and try to encourage alumni to come back, live back here?

Maybe start a business.

Bring a business here.

We see a great lift here in southern Illinois, and this, I think, was an extension of trying to encourage that.

So we're excited about it.

We had a great launch.

>> Yeah, fantastic launch event.

We had one on campus, one at hangar nine.

And to talk to us more about it is going to be our Chief Marketing Officer, Britni Bateman and Doctor Deb Barnett.

[APPLAUSE] >> Hello hello hello.

[APPLAUSE] >> All right.

Well, hello.

We are so.

>> Excited to have Doctor.

>> Deb Barnett here.

And as they were talking, Deb is an SIU board of trustee member and the executive director of Southern Illinois Now.

And we had this amazing opportunity to partner with Southern Illinois Now and the Alumni Association on Salukis build here.

Deb, will you give us a little bit of information about the mission of that?

So Salukis build here really is an initiative to help celebrate our Saluki owned and Saluki connected businesses right here in Carbondale and in southern Illinois.

But it's also an invitation to other Salukis who might be decision makers in their company, or they might be an entrepreneur that's looking to start a business, to consider Carbondale and consider Southern Illinois.

Absolutely.

Well, I'll tell you what, right here we have some film and footage rolling of those awesome events that happened back in the fall.

You know, hangar nine, just that launch event, all of that Salukis are so passionate, especially Saluki business owners.

Would you like to tell us a little bit more about the Saluki business owners in Southern Illinois?

They are a large group, so the alumni association, Molly and her team pulled some data for us and we were surprised, a little surprised to maybe not surprised that there are more than 1000 Saluki owned or Salukis connected businesses in southern Illinois.

And when you look specifically at Carbondale, there are more than 150.

So those are your iconic businesses like Quatros and hangar nine and the cellar and boobys and all of those places, and then manufacturing companies around the region as well.

Absolutely.

Well, we appreciate all the work that Southern Illinois now does and those opportunities for us to get to partner with Southern Illinois now and be able to share these stories and put a spotlight on the great things here at Southern Illinois.

So with that being said, thank you so much for joining us.

And back to you, Anna and Matt on stage.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

>> Thank you.

Thank you.

[APPLAUSE] Well, we're going to.

>> Gear up next to bring on our next on set interview, which is a college that has been a treat to cover the College of Agricultural Life and Physical Sciences.

We've had many stories from that college on the impact report in season one.

There's always some.

It's quite a large college, too.

Usually when you think of that college, you're thinking of agriculture.

But they do a lot of different things.

We've focused on agricultural agriculture recently, but for now, we want to bring on the dean of the College of Agriculture, Life and Physical Sciences, Dr.

Kristina Boone.

>> Yeah, yeah.

[APPLAUSE] You're welcome.

Thank you.

Matt, good to see you.

>> Please have a seat with us.

Again, a treat to have you on because we've showcased you guys quite a bit on this show.

And before we start recapping some of the stories we have covered with you, you guys have gotten some good news recently involving some greenhouses on campus.

And I'll tell you what about these greenhouses?

There's a whole story to go with that you guys have been working toward it.

Can you tell us more about what I'm talking about, Dr.

Boone and what's happening?

>> Absolutely.

So, um, first we have the only comprehensive horticulture program in the state of Illinois, which is a huge area to cover because the green industry is very robust.

And so getting these greenhouses is really important.

So we are launching this greenhouse program funded by the Capital Development Board, and we're so grateful for that support.

So it's in the design phase right now.

Um, we have folks going out for Bid and the Capital Development Board is ushering that through.

We believe the design phase will start in December.

We're really excited about this.

>> You know, we earlier we mentioned about the the equipment out at the farm.

We did.

And but here with the greenhouse, same thing.

Our students and faculty have the.

In their laboratory, the best equipment you can find to work with.

Pretty cool.

>> It's very cool to see that production aspect is just.

It's really wonderful.

And especially because it meets that workforce demand.

And that's really what we need to be doing is meeting workforce demand.

>> Now, you've been here a couple of years, a couple of years.

How long.

>> A.

>> Year?

It's only a year.

>> It may.

>> Feel like longer, in a good way or a good way because.

>> You've done so much.

So great stuff.

Tell us about the year, what you've learned, and what's going on in the future.

>> It's been great.

I have so loved this.

Um, first off, it's been great working with folks like you guys.

It has just been so much fun.

Um, and then our faculty are just rock stars.

Um, I have loved talking to our new student orientation folks.

Um, this year we've had an undergraduate and graduate students and a high school student involved with discovering a new mineral.

And they're.

Yes.

And they're involved with the documentation of that right now.

Um, we had a graduate student and a faculty member discover three new frog species.

Wow.

Um, we have one of the things that the Gower Center, um, one of our faculty members published in a very high end journal in biotechnology with undergraduate graduate students in a high school student from Carbondale.

>> You brought up the translational.

[APPLAUSE] CEO.

Dawgs.

>> Gower Translational Research Center, and I want to make sure we hit on that because that was one of the first stories we ever covered in this show.

Was a wonderful gift from Bob and Bev Gower.

Yes, more than 2 million to 2 invested in research and producing the amazing results you just discussed.

Can you tell us more about this center and what's ahead for it?

What's the future?

>> Yeah.

Um, Bob and Bev Gower are absolutely visionary.

Right.

Um, not only the research focus, which is, is tremendous, but also the fact that it ties in with some of those goals from s I now of entrepreneurship and economic development.

Um, and, and bringing that research engine to bear into that.

So, um, right now, what you would walk out and see, you're going to see some great things with fermentation science, you're going to see some great Biotechnology things out there.

With bio launch, you're going to see fisheries, uh, some wonderful things.

We have, we have marine biologists here.

Uh, we grow corals.

>> You forget about that.

How much you guys.

>> I know it's crazy.

Um, but then what we're also building out again, because of the Capital Development Board and the Illinois Innovation Network, we're building out a biotechnology wet lab that's complementary to the things that we've already invested in.

And then we're building out a commercial grade kitchen and sensory analysis lab.

Those will probably be operational in January or February.

>> I mean, the amount of amazing things happening at College of Agricultural Life.

>> And Physical Sciences, I know we will be back to talk to you more in season two.

So thank you so much again for joining us.

>> Always a pleasure.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

[APPLAUSE] >> Matt.

Up next, we're going to talk about a group on campus that I treasure.

I know any Saluki fan treasures them.

The marching Salukis which at every game, even if you're not a sports fan, you show up and they just get you into the spirit like no other.

Dozens, maybe even hundreds.

A little less than 200 students every year get to participate in the Marching Salukis, and it's an opportunity to put on fantastic halftime shows.

And like I said, they get me in the spirit every single time.

>> There's not a better sound than hearing the sound of the marching Salukis.

>> They're fantastic.

Well, it's been a true we've gotten to cover them on the show, and this is one of.

Jeff Gleims in the lab segments where he actually suited up and got in there to spend a day in the life of a marching Saluki.

So please, Jeff Gleim, let's go ahead and welcome him to the stage and Dr.

Ricky Spears.

>> Woo-Hoo!

[APPLAUSE] Take it away, Jeff.

>> All right.

Well, with me is Dr.

Ricky Spears, the head of the director of the Marching Salukis.

And Ricky, thank you for taking a couple of minutes to be here with us today.

I sit back in the early part of the season.

We were invited to come to band camp.

I wasn't quite sure what band camp was by their their by their terms.

So Dr.

Spears, tell us, tell our audience what band camp really is.

>> So band camp for marching Salukis is where the magic of the marching Salukis take place.

It's where you see future Salukis become marching Salukis and are returning Salukis come together to form the marching Salukis.

>> Uh, I just want you guys to take a look at this.

Now I'm going to learn how to march.

Okay, so I'm assuming there's a correct way and a wrong way.

>> It's all about the posture.

You want to stand.

You want to stand straight.

You want to stand straight up with your heels together and your toes apart.

And for the first step, you want to push off your right foot and put your heel on the ground with your toe way high up, you're going to roll your heel down until your full foot on the ground.

Then you're going to take your back foot and you're going to swing it through while keeping the leg straight.

>> So am I ready for an instrument?

>> I think you're ready to try one.

Um.

Oh, that one looks interesting.

[MUSIC] >> Oh my gosh.

Oh, are you kidding me?

So not only do I have to carry this, keep my posture.

Think about my feet.

I've got two things in my hand and I got to do the routine.

Yeah.

>> Yeah.

Five.

678 and one.

[MUSIC] >> Five.

Six.

Seven.

[MUSIC] >> Got it.

This was a fun one.

Uh, I'll never forget this opportunity.

>> So you're next.

Dr.

Spears.

>> Is.

>> He a candidate for the marching Salukis.

Yes or no?

>> Uh, we'll have to try again.

>> Back to you guys.

>> Thank you.

[APPLAUSE] Oh.

>> And speaking of student centered activities, I want to tee up our next interview where we're going to talk about some of the latest happening in student affairs.

Let's welcome our Vice Chancellor for student affairs, Dr.

Jeffery Burgin.

>> All right.

Hey.

Hey, doctor.

Thank you doctor.

[APPLAUSE] >> It's incredible.

All the activities we have for students going on at this campus.

The campus life is unmatched.

I want to ask you first, Dr.

Burgin, about a story we covered about the student center lounge on the fourth floor that just underwent a complete renovation, thanks to a donation.

And now it's become a wonderful spot for students to hang out, gather, watch games, and so much more.

Can you tell us a little bit about that renovation and what it means to students?

>> Well, you know, it's a wonderful opportunity for students to come together and really enjoy the spirit of what the student center is.

We have a student center that's almost been here 70 years, and you can talk to several alumni about the reality of them first meeting each other and what those experiences were.

And while our student center needs some love, there were some alumni who said, you know what we want to give to this initiative started by designed by students.

And that's very important.

>> That was Bob and Pat England, who are two incredible Salukis.

You got to meet them at the dedication event.

I mean, what better couple to re totally redo that fourth floor, right?

>> And Pat is a student affairs practitioner so works out very well.

>> There we.

>> Go.

>> Jeff earlier the Chancellor mentioned you and in a glowing way.

>> I heard.

>> That you heard that.

But he talked about how you often say student affairs is the heart of the university.

Give us some more on that.

>> So student affairs is the institutional heartbeat.

And really what we try to do and what we talk about in the division of Student Affairs is how we must truly embody the mission of the institution.

We shape future leaders, we impact communities, and most importantly, we transform lives.

And so we try to live that every live that out every day when we're interacting with students, when we're talking to them about what our expectations are of them, so that when they have this experience here, they can then leave this institution and become great alums.

And since I've been here for five years, the one thing and we have many sayings that are very true about S-I-U, but the one that I really love is when they say, if it's been done and it's been done well, a Saluki probably did it.

>> Yeah.

[APPLAUSE] Dr.

Burgin, you mentioned Touch.

>> Of Nature, which is a gem on campus.

And we actually have a special audience member here, Brian Croft, executive director of the Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center.

Brian, you have a ton of things going on at Touch of Nature, new construction, new projects you're hoping to take on.

Can you give us the overview?

Start with what.

Touch of nature is and then tell us about what's coming.

>> Wow.

What it's really what touch of nature isn't.

And you know, so touch of nature.

Actually, we are the only outdoor center that is owned and operated by a university in the state of Illinois.

And so you look at what makes SIU special, like Touch of Nature is one of those places.

And this is nothing.

But most universities have a student center or rec center, like not every university, in fact, none have a touch of nature.

>> I guess it would be safe to say that Touch of Nature is the nation's premier outdoor education center.

>> I think we're we're we're getting there.

And and I will say this, I think it is it's to the testament of you all, the foundation.

Honestly, I'm not just saying this because he's my boss.

Like to have the support that I have from my boss, the Chancellor and everyone else.

To see Touch of Nature as a value added to this university is huge.

And I think now that we have the support, both financially but also just from the administration, get out of the way because there's going to be some cool stuff coming.

>> Thank you.

So congratulations.

[APPLAUSE] Dr.

Burgin, any final thoughts.

>> That you want to share before we wrap up?

>> Continue to invest in Southern Illinois University.

We have the very best students and there are some Salukis we do not yet know of who are going to come here and are going to change the world.

>> Change the world.

>> That's they'll say, yeah, thanks for coming on.

[APPLAUSE] Thank you.

[APPLAUSE] >> As we wrap up the show, I want to recognize Matt, a very special member of our team who is always behind the camera.

And you don't see him often in front of it.

And that is our cinematographer at the foundation, Prescott Doll, who is incredible.

So let's go ahead and bring Prescott Doll.

>> Up on that.

Let's go.

Here we go.

[APPLAUSE] Here we go.

Here we go.

Prescott.

>> Prescott have a seat with us.

>> And and he's got the camera.

I love that Matt Prescott always ready to go.

>> He has to bring his camera.

And we're like you.

>> You have got to Prescott.

You do incredible work.

Can you talk to us about how you approach the filming, the stories you do, and what your secret is in the field?

>> I mean, I go out there and usually we got a pretty tight deadline, so I always get my main shots like they're gonna tell the story.

But then I always look at what's something unique that I can get.

And like, as you saw in the video, you probably saw some really unique shots in the of the tractor.

And I'm hanging out of a gator.

I'm like, if I'm not endangering like anyone else, like it's free game in my opinion.

>> Pushes the limits.

>> I mean, I want to have fun and I do every day.

Like I love everything that I do about my job.

>> Could I ask Prescott to do and everybody gets to see Prescott with the camera.

How you do?

Could you go across the stage with the old Prescott?

>> So here we go, here we go.

And the band director.

>> Will appreciate this.

This is from five years of high school marching band, but.

>> There.

>> It goes.

All right.

I. Yeah, yeah.

[APPLAUSE] The moonwalk.

>> Like I said, a lot harder than it looks.

Right, Prescott?

>> Yeah.

My my calves are probably in good shape.

>> Prescott.

Thanks so much for coming out.

Thanks for coming up.

>> Great job.

Great job.

[APPLAUSE] Thank you.

>> All right.

We're getting ready to wrap up the show.

And for that, we want to bring on a very special guest, our director of the Foundation board, Dan Korte.

>> Yep.

Dan is the president of the Foundation.

Uh, this is the foundation serves as an accelerator, uh, assets now of $256 million.

Endowment manages almost 300 million in assets.

And you need a visionary leader.

So let's bring on our president of the foundation, Dan Korte.

[APPLAUSE] >> Thanks for coming on.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] >> Well, Dan, what an introduction there.

And I know something I really appreciate about you is that you've been such a champion for this show, watching these episodes, encouraging us.

Can you tell us what you have liked about the Impact Report and why you think this is a good thing to be doing for SIU?

>> You know, the way I look at it, there's just so many incredible things going on in this campus from the students that are walking through this campus today.

Right now, as we speak to the fundraising success that Matt has talked about, the great things happening at Touch of Nature and Campus Lake, and I would really love to sit down with each and every alumni and talk to them about all the great things happening.

Now.

There's 270,000 living alumni.

I'd like to spend at least an hour or two with each to really give them a good overview.

I just it's hard to find that much time, but the impact report brings all those stories home.

>> The passion and the energy you have is truly amazing.

Tell us the Dan Korte SIU story.

>> It's a good one.

>> Well, I came down here my.

It's pretty simple.

My father was a farmer and a construction worker, and I assumed I was going to follow in his footsteps in the family trades, I guess, as they were.

And one day we were out together and.

My father was a wonderful man, but he was a man of very few words.

And he said to me one day he said, son, what are you going to do with your life?

I was just about to finish high school, and I said, well, I thought I'd be, you know, construction and farming like the rest of the business.

And he pauses for a minute and he says, you don't have the back for it.

You better think of another plan.

Now, that was the end of the motivational speech.

>> From.

>> My father right there.

And we continued on with our day, but it stuck in my head.

So literally the day before fall classes started, I was not enrolled in the university.

I packed up my car with my belongings.

I drove two hours to campus.

I walked into Woody Hall and I said, I'd like to start school tomorrow.

>> And then you went on, got your degree and became a giant in industry now.

And now you're back here leading your your alma mater and running the foundation.

>> Do us proud.

>> Do us proud.

>> Dan, thanks so much for coming on today.

It's fantastic.

And thank you all for joining us for this episode of the Impact Report Unplugged.

It's been a pleasure, like Dan said, to have all these wonderful guests on stage today, all here to celebrate Saluki Pride.

So Matt, with that, we're going to see everybody again next month in August for season two.

>> All right.

>> But before that go dawgs.

>> That's right.

There we go.

[APPLAUSE] All right.

[MUSIC]