SIUE Spring Commencement Celebrates Notable Academic Milestones and Personal Triumph

SIUE Spring Commencement Celebrates Notable Academic Milestones and Personal Triumph

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, conferred degrees upon 1,997 eligible graduates during May 2026 commencement ceremonies, held Friday and Saturday, May 8-9 in the First Community Arena at Vadalabene Center. This particular weekend of ceremonies celebrated both individual and university milestones.

SIU President Dan Mahony, PhD, and Gireesh Gupchup, PhD, FAPhA, SIU System Vice President for Academic Innovation, Planning and Partnerships, and professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the SIUE School of Pharmacy, shared the duties of giving introductory remarks from the SIU System. Each noted the significance of this accomplishment with the support of family, friends, faculty and staff as well as the System's economic impact, as represented by the more than 45,000 jobs generated in the region.

Denise Cobb, PhD, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and academic deans led the program filled with traditions, additional award recognitions, a golden graduation and a farewell to Cem Karacal, PhD, Dean of Engineering, who is set to retire this summer.

Chancellor Minor set the tone of SIUE's 138th commencement by reminding attendees of the history of educational systems, and the origins of pedagogy and community. The essence of it all, he stated, is the question of "How do we help people live better lives?"

"All of the disciplines represented here today are absolutely critical for advancing our society," said Minor, who addressed graduates of the schools of Pharmacy, Nursing, Graduate Studies, Education, Health and Human Behavior, Business, Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Watch highlights from SIUE spring commencement on YouTube.

The celebration of students and their personal triumphs provided the weekend's most memorable moments.

As graduates entered the auditorium during the ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, Tamia and Tamya Goodlow, who received their Bachelor of Nursing degrees, received a surprise visit from their eldest brother, A1C Bobby Edwards currently stationed at Laughlin AFB located in Del Rio, Texas. As the reunion unfolded, the audience inside the stadium and viewers of the livestream witnessed this special moment.

When graduate Alexander Robert Patrick, Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, crossed the stage during the ceremony where degrees were conferred upon both College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior undergraduates at 10 a.m. on Saturday, SIUE officially conferred its 150,000 degree. Incidentally, Patrick's grandmother graduated from SIUE in 1984 with a nursing degree.

"I am proud to share this achievement with all of the other 2026 graduates," said Patrick. "SIUE has given me a comprehensive and meaningful education in biological sciences, largely due to the professors I have had along the way. All of my biology and chemistry professors were student-driven in their teaching and have helped me build the knowledge and confidence I need to transition into dental school."

Patrick added, "When I reflect on my time here, I feel so grateful I had the opportunity to have my college experience be at SIUE. College has been the best four years of my life, and that is because of the people I have met, the friendships I have built, and the memories they have given me. SIUE has played a major role in shaping who I am today, both academically and personally."

Interdisciplinary major Kayla Thole found herself fortunate to have focused her studies on psychology and sociology at a time when she needed it most. Thole returned to school after being laid off by her job. While in her first semester she experienced a high-risk pregnancy that ended tragically. She withdrew from classes to heal, then woke up one day unable to walk. She continued her education while bedridden. As Thole states, "classes were my insight into the outside world."

Due to a medical implant in her spine, Thole was able to walk across the commencement stage to accept her bachelor's degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and in Alpha Kappa Delta Honor society for Sociology.

"I almost gave up. I don't want any student to feel that way and will continue to support students any way I can," said Thole, who has donated financially to student support services. "I am also a part of Phi Theta Kappa carried over from Kaskaskia College. I am excited to show off my stole and cords. It's the little achievements that seem to mean the most. I received most of my cords and stole this past month and I don't think I have stopped smiling."

Stay tuned to SIUE socials for inspiring speeches from SIUE student speakers.

"I would say to you, graduates, a college degree is not a credential that simply says you have absorbed existing knowledge in a particular discipline. It is a credential that says that you are also able to build upon it and deploy it to achieve an outcome that only a brilliant human being can," said Minor.

"SIUE is proud of what you have accomplished, and we are deeply confident in what you will do."

PHOTOS: Graduate celebrating during SIUE spring 2026 commencement; Cem Karacal, PhD, retiring Dean of the School of Engineering; Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD; USAF A1C Bobby Edwards surprises his sisters Tamia and Tamya Goodlow, who received their Bachelor of Nursing degrees; Alexander Robert Patrick, Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences; Interdisciplinary major Kayla Thole received her bachelor's from the College of Arts and Sciences