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Southern Illinois University Carbondale

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Southern Illinois University Carbondale is located in Carbondale in the U.S. state of Illinois. With its sister institution, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), SIUC is part of the Southern Illinois University system. Outside of the St. Louis area "SIU" refers to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. In the metro-east (Illinois side of St. Louis) "SIU-E" is the Edwardsville campus. Carbondale is the main campus.

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History

SIU was founded as Illinois Normal University in 1869 with twelve academic departments. It had 143 students in its first class. Southern Illinois University now ranks among Illinois’ most comprehensive public universities.

Each year, some 21,500 students enroll in the 175 academic programs seeking an Associate's, Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral and professional degrees in ether law or medicine. Academic programs include agriculture, art, aviation, automotive technology, anthropology, business, cinema-photography, computer science, dental hygiene, education, engineering, foreign language study, forestry, history, information systems technology, journalism, music, political science, radio-television, social work, recreation, and rehabilitation.

SIU's campus comprises roughly 1,100 acres (4.6 km²) with an additional 2,250 acres (9.1 km²) of nearby agricultural fields and about 3,000 acres (12 km²) within an outdoor environmental learning center.

SIU was the first major university in the United States to be handicap accessible in the early 1960s. It also has the #1 CESL (Center for English as a Second Language) and Automotive Technology programs in the nation.

Former university president Delyte W. Morris added a law school, medical school and dental school during his 22 year tenure as SIU's president. When he accepted his position SIU was known as a teacher's school.

President Glenn Poshard is the current President of Southern Illinois University.
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President Glenn Poshard is the current President of Southern Illinois University.

Presidential note

On November 18, 2005, the SIU Board of Trustees unanimously selected former congressman and three-degree SIU alumnus Glenn Poshard to serve as the new President of Southern Illinois University. Poshard took office in January 2006.

Campus Information

Buildings:

Trivia about athletics

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Five Consecutive NCAA appearances (2001-2006). Only 16 College basketball teams in the nation hold this distinction.

The Saluki men's basketball team garnered national attention for the school by advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in 2002. The next two years, the team was eliminated in the NCAA Tournament first round, each time by one point. In the aftermath of each loss, the incumbent basketball coach left for a Big Ten school. Bruce Weber left to take the head coaching job at Illinois in 2003; Matt Painter left to become the top assistant and designated successor to Gene Keady at Purdue the following year.

Part of the SIU Saluki men's basketball team's 2005 season is chronicled in MTV's True Stories: I Am A College Baller.

Basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazier led the Salukis to the 1967 National Invitation Tournament title. His number is one of two retired by the men's basketball team.

The Saluki baseball team has also been successful, reaching the championship game of the College World Series twice.

The actor Richard Roundtree attended SIU on a football scholarship.

The NFL's Brandon Jacobs was drafted by the New York Giants after his graduation from SIU in 2004.

Trivia about the school

Buckminster Fuller taught at SIU for many years. Several of the original geodesic domes can be found around the campus and city, including the so-called [Bucky's Dome], which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

John Belushi made the sweater labeled "College" at SIU. His younger brother Jim graduated from SIU.

The first boss enemy for a video game was created at SIU in 1974 by two students, Gary Whisenhunt and Ray Wood, for dnd.

The actress and Playmate of the year, Jenny McCarthy, was studying nursing at SIU when she submitted her photo to Playboy magazine.

Notable alumni

Other alumni athletes

External links

 

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