SIUE Celebrates Tenth Annual Golden Graduates Reunion

SIUE Celebrates Tenth Annual Golden Graduates Reunion

In its tenth-year celebration of alumni who earned their degree 50 or more years ago, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosted the 1976 class of Golden Graduates return to campus spring commencement weekend May 8-9. The annual reunion is a milestone that offers alumni an opportunity to reflect on how far they have come, some of whom say due to their time at SIUE.

The celebration kicked off with a luncheon where Golden Graduates reconnected with former classmates, followed by the highlight of the day-the commencement ceremony, where the alumni group donned gold regalia while seated alongside the Class of 2026 and received a commemorative medallion during the ceremony. The special day closed with a guided bus tour, which departed the Vadalabene Center, with the graduates reminiscing about their favorite spots on campus now among a number of new buildings and landmarks developed during the past 50 years.

"This reunion is a powerful reminder that the SIUE experience doesn't end at graduation but instead becomes part of who our alumni are for a lifetime. Welcoming 50 Golden Graduates back to campus from nine states to celebrate their achievements alongside today's graduates truly reflects the lasting impact and pride of the Cougar community. Through their leadership, service, and professional accomplishments over the past 50 years, these alumni have helped strengthen the reputation and value of an SIUE degree for current and future students alike," said Cathy Taylor, Associate Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and executive director of Alumni and Donor Relations.

Debra Pitts '75 and '83, originally from Chicago, was drawn to the University partly due to the recruitment of minority students to the theater and dance department. After her sophomore year, a friend of hers suggested she try out a different path-one she felt with more professional prospects. Pitts then switched to special education and later earned her master's degree in education.

"I love theater and dance, but I love money as well and I like to live, so I had to change my major," she shared candidly.

Over the years, Pitts worked as an assistant principal of Alton High School until 2000 and later as a principal at Civic Memorial High School in Bethalto-a district that was, at the time, predominantly white and had never had a Black administrator leading its high school.

Pitts credits SIUE with instilling the values she carried throughout her career. She remembered her then professor-the late Marcus Ahmed, PhD, in the education department, who left a lasting impression on her, as did the tight-knit culture of the guidance program, where she formed friendships that have endured for more than 40 years.

"SIUE is full of interesting people and responsible people. Once you make friends with some of the staff there, they're lifetime friends."

Another Golden Graduate, SIUE Professor Emeritus Prince Wells III '76, from Brooklyn, Ill., reflected how SIUE's music education program gave him both an education and a community.

Wells lived in the 500s section of what was then known as Tower Lake, now Cougar Village during his degree, refereeing intramural basketball games at the Alton campus gym on weekends during the early 70's.

"The campus was very different back then. There was something called the Mississippi River Festival that they had there, a gigantic tent. My commencement ceremony was conducted in that big tent and the highlight was that I got to meet Benny Goodman aka the King of Swing, who received an honorary doctorate there."

Wells went on to teach for several years before deciding to pursue graduate study and later earned certification in the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization.

In 1989 Wells joined SIUE as adjunct faculty in the Department of Music and was appointed full-time lecturer in 1994 and assistant professor in 1996. During his tenure, he served as director of the Music Business Program, director of the Black Studies Program, chair of the Music Department, and president of the SIUE Black Faculty and Staff Association.

In 2022, Wells was honored with the Clark Terry Jazz Ambassador Award. He attributes time on campus for his professional achievement. "It provided an opportunity. Unless you're born rich, education definitely provides opportunity-and campus was a good opportunity for me to gain other better opportunities."

Joseph Norris '76, who was a major in Business Administration with a minor in Statistics, traveled from Texas with his grandson to be a part of the celebration.

"I didn't have much time to build friendships on campus, as I was working throughout the weeks, and was married with a young son, but if it wasn't for SIUE, I would not have got to where I am today. I have a very successful career. I have a great retirement life. That's all because I went to school, got the degree, and kept going," said Norris.

He recalled commuting to SIUE from Cahokia, roughly 20 miles south of campus, for all four years. Two years after his graduation, Norris joined the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in 1978 and spent the next 42 years working in bank viability and related processes for the federal government and later retired in 2020.

Earlier in March, Norris had the chance to reconnect with SIUE professors and alumni at the Cougars on the Move, St. Louis Cardinals spring training in Florida, organized through the SIUE Alumni Association. "These encounters are among the connections that I look most forward to," he shared.

Patrick Horne '76, flew all the way from New York to attend the ceremony. Originally from the Caribbean, Horne moved to New York City at the age of 15, with a goal to make it big in soccer. "I had a scholarship for Ottawa University in Kansas, which was at NAIA, but I always wanted to play NCCA Division I and SIUE was one of the top teams you played that time, which is why I transferred here. It was sports that drew me here," he recalled.

Horne further reminisced his senior year as the best year at the University. "We hosted the NCAA Division I championship. We beat Howard University and Brown University in the semifinals before falling to the University of San Francisco. But at that time, it was the widest margin of victory. It was a great experience for the team, for all of us. The entire squad was named to the SIUE Athletics Hall of Fame 2025."

Horne also reflected on how his academics ran parallel to the sport throughout. A major in mass communications with a minor in theater, Horne is currently working as a sports journalist for a newspaper in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

"When I say I went to SIUE, people respect you. They know you came from a good foundation, and a good background in sports. The University had good baseball, tennis and basketball. Sports helped me build the character, and I always wanted to be a writer. If I played sports, I was going to write about sports after-and that's what I do today." Horne has also published a book entitled "Black Pioneers in the North American League" and he is all set to cover the FIFA World Cup this summer.

Next year's Golden Graduation Reunion will take place during the week of May 2027. More information about past and future Golden Graduation Reunions is available at https://www.siue.edu/alumni/get-involved/golden-graduates.

Photos: SIUE Golden Graduates celebrated a 50-year milestone during commencement weekend, May 8-9

Debra Pitts '75 and '83 being honored during the SIUE commencement ceremony.

SIUE Professor Emeritus Prince Wells III '76 smiles broadly during the SIUE commencement ceremony.

Joseph Norris '75 with his grandson Clifton Kralewski

Patrick Horne '76 being honored during the SIUE commencement ceremony.