Meet Your Admissions Coordinator | Undergraduate Admissions | SIU

Territory: Central Illinois

Email: josh.anderson@siu.edu
Phone: 630/866-6312

Education: Eastern Illinois University, Bachelor of Art, History, 2007.

Hobbies: Lifting weights / working out, watching sports, and trivia.

Best of SIU: The faculty and staff are extremely friendly and makes for a welcoming environment. There are tons of opportunities for involvement.

Advice for choosing a college: Visit as many schools as possible. It's hard to know if a school is the right fit without seeing it firsthand.

Territory: Texas

Email: tream.charvis@siu.edu
Phone: 281/858-3542

Education: Abilene Christian University, Master of Arts, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, 2017.  Stephen F. Austin State University, Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies, 2010.

Hobbies: Spending time with her son and family, worshipping at church, cooking with soul, traveling, organizing, and exercising.

Best of SIU: SIU embodies the notion of beauty on the inside and beauty on the outside. The people make the place and place supports the people.

Advice for choosing a college: Consider the following two questions: 1) "How can this institution best serve me?" 2) "How can I best serve this institution?" Your answers of these questions (or lack thereof) could provide the added clarity you need when making such an important decision.

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Territory: Northern Illinois

Email: rdiaz@siu.edu
Phone: 773/481-6659

Education: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bachelor of Science, Speech Communication, 1992.

Hobbies: Fishing, hiking, biking, and hunting.

Best of SIU: The people, the school spirit, and the weather.

Advice for choosing a college: A campus visit is so important in the process of selecting the right college or university for yourself; please be sure to visit your top schools. 

Email: raeghan.goins@siu.edu
Phone: 618/453-2957

Education: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bachelor of Science, University Studies – 2017, and English Education, 2020.

Hobbies: Reading Fantasy or Thriller Fiction, Spending time with Friends & Family, Watching Musicals & Plays.

Best of SIU: The Absolute beauty of campus and surrounding Southern Illinois.

Advice for choosing a college: Choose a college that you are excited to become involved with! Be an active student and participate in the many social and academic events on campus. This is how you make lifelong friends and build important relationships for your future. 

Territory: Metro East IL

Email: frank.heiligenstein@siu.edu
Phone: 618/719-1599

Education: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Bachelor of Science, Political Science. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Master of Science, Education. 

Hobbies: Traveling, working out, concerts, watching sports, movies, quality time with my family

Best of SIU: With the beautiful landscape of the campus and Southern Illinois as a backdrop, SIU represents where tradition, innovation, and Saluki pride come together in a complete package for students, faculty, and staff.

Advice for choosing a college: Ask questions – when comparing your options, make sure you ask the same things at each visit so you can compare and create a pros and cons list. Remember that there is your end goal (after college plans). You don’t have to know exactly what it is you want to do because plans can change but know where your passions and dreams lie. What are your strengths? How can you use those strengths to create a career you love. 

Email: krystal.hudson@siu.edu
Phone: 618/453- 5814

Education: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Bachelor of Arts, Radio-Television, 2012.

Hobbies: Traveling, hiking, trying new foods, concerts, spending time with family.

Best of SIU: The beautiful campus trails and architecture, making life -long connections with professors and students, diverse cultures, countless activities, and career-focused academic opportunities.

Advice for choosing a college: Choose a college that has your interests at its core. Take time to discover all the opportunities for activities, academic programs, and possible resources. Be active in your quest for success!

Territory: Southern Illinois

Email: hannah.lunon@siu.edu
Phone: 618/453-2990

Education: Southern  Illinois University Carbondale, Bachelor of Science, University Studies, 2020.

Hobbies: Shopping, exercising, golfing, and hanging out with friends and family.

Best of SIU: When walking through campus, it really makes you feel at home! The students and staff are so friendly and the campus is beautiful too! SIU offers many opportunities to get involved as well.

Advice for choosing a college: Take time to visit your top schools in person and make sure to ask questions! see what the surrounding areas outside of campus have to offer and choose the college that makes you feel at home!

Territory: Southern Illinois

Email: jason.nugent@siu.edu
Phone: 618/453-1008

Education:  Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Master of Arts in History, 2001. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bachelor of Arts, History, 1997.

Hobbies:  Reading and writing.

Best of SIU:  I love the atmosphere and the natural beauty of the campus.

Advice for choosing a college: Visit the colleges you're interested in. Get a good feel for the quality of education and campus life. Reach out and ask questions.

Territory: Chicago

Email: mia.porter@siu.edu
Phone: 708/669-9584

Education: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Master of Science in Higher Education, 2021. Southern Illinois University Carbondale,  Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, Sociology minor, 2019.

Hobbies: Working out, spending time with friends and family, trying new food, and watering plants.

Best of SIU: The diversity and many different student organizations.

Advice for choosing a college: Choose the college that YOU feel is best for you and your sense of belonging as well as where you see yourself succeeding both academically and personally.

Territory: Chicago

Email: william.renshaw@siu.edu
Phone: 773/245-3419

Education: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Master of Arts, History, 2022. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bachelor of Arts, History, 2020.

Hobbies: Reading, writing, watching/playing sports, cooking, hiking, and listening to music and podcasts.

Best of SIU: The library with its immense amount of literature and how nature coalesces with campus.

Advice for choosing a college: Cast your net wide, take campus visits to your most desired institutions, and then choose the one that not only makes sense financially, but makes you feel welcomed and wanted as a student.

Territory: Chicago North

Email: mckynze.rogers@siu.edu
Phone: 636/266-2138

Education: University of Washington Tacoma, Master of Education, 2021.  University of Washington Tacoma, Bachelor of Arts, Ethnic, Gender, & Labor Studies, 2017.

Hobbies: Exploring cities and nature, discovering new music, watercolor painting, and traveling.

Best of SIU: The beauty of the campus and the variety of opportunities for every person here.

Advice for choosing a college: Get to know the community on campus by asking to speak to current students about their experiences. Don't hesitate to connect with folks in your major of interest. Go where you instantly feel at home and safe to be yourself.

Email: julie.strauss@siu.edu
Phone: 618/453-7137

Education: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bachelor of Science, Curriculum & Instruction, 1991.

Hobbies: Dog showing, fishing, boating, kayaking, camping, and spending time with my dogs.

Best of SIU: I love our beautiful campus, surrounding area and how the educators care about your success. You are not a number at SIU, rather an individual masterpiece just waiting to experience a challenging, exciting, and completely unique experience.

Advice for choosing a college: I highly recommend visiting the colleges you are interested in to see if you can see yourself in the environment. Do not be afraid to ask questions, and above all, step off the curb and get the ball rolling. The faster you get that ball rolling, the more successful you will be. There is no such thing as failure, only learning experiences.

Territory: Chicago Suburbs

Email: jdt24@siu.edu
Phone: 618/453-1302

Education: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bachelor of Science, Sports Administration, 2018.

Hobbies: Traveling, trying new types of food, experiencing different cultures, watching movies with friends, and sporting events.

Best of SIU: My favorite thing about SIU and Carbondale is the diversity of people, thoughts, and opinions that you are faced with every day. It challenges you to look within and become the best version of yourself.

Advice for choosing a college: Start putting together a list of schools that you’re interested in early on. Visit your top schools, figure out where you are most comfortable, and see what it would cost for each. Once you have it narrowed down, figure out which one offers you the best mix of opportunity, experience, and education.

Territory: St. Louis

Email: shannon.warnecke@siu.edu
Phone: 224/634-6633

Education: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, 2000.

Hobbies: Spending time with family, traveling, cooking, DIY projects, reading and shopping for bargains.

Best of SIU: Our beautiful campus, wide range of majors, and student organizations. Plus, our AMAZING alumni!

Advice for choosing a college: I know it sounds redundant, but visit the colleges you are considering. Step foot on campus and ask yourself "Can I see myself as a student here?". Additionally, speak with current students while on campus and ask them to share their experience. Current student perspective sealed the deal for me when I chose to attend SIU.

Territory: Kentucky & Tennessee

Email: asia.watson@siu.edu
Phone: 618/453-2184

Education: Illinois College, Bachelor of Arts, Business Management, Communication & Rhetorical Studies, and Interfaith Studies, 2021.

Hobbies: Dancing, cooking, going to concerts, and spending time with her family, friends & dogs.

Best of SIU: The beautiful campus and the array of students and staff that come near and far to makeup the Saluki Family.

Advice for choosing a college: Take multiple visits to universities of various sizes. See what the surrounding areas have to offer. Ask many questions and talk to students and hear their experiences. Pick the place that feels most comfortable.

Email: thomas.willhoit@siu.edu
Phone: 618/453-2984

Education: Spanish Fort Lewis College, Bachelor of Arts. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Master of Music, Music Theory/Composition.

Hobbies: Cooking, reading, playing and listening to music, exercise.

Best of SIU: Campus lake after it rains.

Advice for choosing a college: Trust your gut.