"One Day, One SIUE" Celebrates Community Connection and Donations with Fun Event

EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) will host their annual “One Day, One SIUE” celebration and fundraising campaign.

On Thursday, April 23, 2026, community members are invited to SIUE’s new Health Sciences Complex for the fifth annual event. Starting at 6 p.m., attendees can enjoy food, drinks, hot air balloons, and live music by the Charles Glenn Band. Julie Babington, Senior Director of Annual Giving, explained that the event is a fun way to engage with the university and support their work in the community.

“Every dollar makes a meaningful impact,” Babington said. “‘One Day, One SIUE’ is about coming together to support our faculty, staff, and most importantly our students, who are at the center of everything we do.”

From 5:30–6:30 p.m. on April 23, attendees can browse eight VIP Unit Tent Receptions, hosted by academic units, the John Martinson Honors Program, and the Athletics Department. This allows current students, faculty and staff to connect with alumni, donors and friends.

At 6 p.m., three hot air balloons will inflate and glow, weather-permitting. The experience is made possible through the support of the SIUE Foundation, with SIUE alumnus Dr. Kendall Spicer and his father, Todd Spicer, bringing their balloons for the celebration.

There will be remarks at 6:30 p.m. by emcee Joe Pott, Chancellor James T. Minor, School of Pharmacy Dean Mark Luer, and SIUE alumna Lisa Spencer, the president of Anderson Hospital.

Attendees can then enjoy music by the Charles Glenn Band, featuring Charles Glenn, who performed the National Anthem at the St. Louis Blues games for 19 years. There will be plenty of food, beverages, and networking opportunities throughout the evening for all to enjoy.

“I think it's just a great opportunity for our community folks to strengthen their partnership and relationships with the university,” Babington said. “We’ll have SIUE’s top leadership in attendance, making it a great opportunity for alumni and friends to reconnect, build strategic partnerships, and elevate their brand by showing their support.”

Babington explained that most universities have an online donor campaign in spring, but few will actually hold an event. She is proud that SIUE can offer the “One Day, One SIUE” celebration as a way to encourage donations and bring the campus and Edwardsville community together.

She thanked SIUE’s entire campus for their collaborative effort to make this event possible, adding that “it’s really taken a village” to make “One Day, One SIUE” possible. She emphasized that the goal is for everyone to have a fun evening while raising money for SIUE’s programs and scholarships.

"Every gift makes a meaningful impact,” she said. “It directly supports our students, strengthens our programs, and helps us prepare the next generation of professionals to enter the workforce and make a difference.”

For more information about “One Day, One SIUE,” visit the official Facebook event page or click here. For more information about how to donate to SIUE to support the university's work, visit the official webpage.

This Featured Article is sponsored by SIUE Annual Giving. To get your business or organization featured on www.Riverbender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.

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