EDWARDSVILLE - Students, alumni and community members are invited to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) for their “One Day, One SIUE” celebration.
At 6 p.m. on April 24, 2025, the SIUE community will come together to mark the fourth annual giving campaign with a barbecue, live music and more. The event is completely free to attendees, though donations and sponsorships are encouraged, with all proceeds benefiting SIUE’s programs, scholarships and student organizations.
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“It’s basically a big celebration where we bring everybody together,” said Julie Babington, SIUE’s Senior Director of Annual Giving. “It just has a really special vibe.”
The One Day, One SIUE celebration will take place on Stratton Quad on the SIUE campus. The fun starts at 6 p.m., with music by The Red Jackets Band beginning at 7 p.m.
This year’s celebration will honor Curtis Francois, owner and president of World Wide Technology Raceway. There will be a World Wide Technology Raceway INDYCAR onsite available for viewing. SIUE’s School of Engineering will also have a solar car, baja car and Formula SAE car for guests to interact with.
Chancellor James T. Minor will make remarks at 6:30 p.m., followed by check presentations. Babington noted that SIUE’s work would not be possible without their donors.
“We call it One Day, but let’s face it, it all doesn’t happen just in one day,” she said. “There’s a lot of hands that go into it. We have a number of major gift fundraisers that are involved and have been working super hard all year to help us make this day happen. So we’ll have some check presentations recognizing some of those big gifts, and then once those remarks are done, it’s all about the fun.”
New this year, student organizations have been encouraged to fundraise. The student organization and fraternity or sorority that raises the most money will receive a $250 bonus gift from the university. Babington believes this student involvement is “one of the coolest parts” of the campaign.
Everyone in the community is invited to come out and “let your hair down” during the One Day, One SIUE event, Babington added. She encourages people to register online if they plan to attend so SIUE can get an accurate headcount for food. They expect over 500 attendees from the campus and the community.
For more information about One Day, One SIUE, including how to participate as a sponsor or a student organization, visit https://connect.siue.edu/g/one-day-one-siue.
“Honestly, we’re grateful,” Babington added. “It’s just a way that alumni, donors, friends, students can just kind of pay it forward to the next generation. But there’s lots to be excited about. There's lots to celebrate, for sure.”
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