‘Chilling silence’: Waves of Illinois’ international university students lose visas
sixth nationally in the size of its international student body at over 15,000.
Editor’s Note: This story was produced for Capitol News Illinois through the Saluki Local Reporting Lab, supported by grant funding from the Pulitzer Center, the Illinois Press Foundation and the SIU Foundation.
The federal government has revoked the visas of some international students studying at universities across Illinois, but college administrators are sharing few details, including how many students have been impacted.
A spokesperson for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign this week confirmed that some of its students are affected, but did not disclose a number. U of I ranks
“Out of student privacy concerns, we are not sharing specific information, but we are working directly with Caffected students to help them connect with appropriate resources and understand their options,” said Robin Kaler, a university spokesperson. Kaler declined to provide more details, though multiple sources familiar with the situation at U of I, who asked that their names not be used because they are not authorized to speak on the matter, say the number of students whose visas have been revoked is at least several dozen — and likely growing.
The revocations are part of a broader federal crackdown playing out on campuses across the country.
International students have faced abrupt visa cancellations in recent weeks, as the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration dragnet
ensnares college students, federal officials claim have violated visa rules, though the reasons for the
Radiant and recycled: SIU hosts sustainable fashion show with repurposed materials
Conservative group targets some SIU scholarships
lylee giBBs @lyleegiBBsphoto
Defending Education, a nonprofit organization critical of transgender inclusion and racial equity in education, has filed a civil rights complaint against Southern Illinois University Carbondale, alleging the university violates federal discrimination laws by giving scholarships to students of particular race and sex groups.
A Wednesday, April 9 press release from the group states that Defending Education is bringing a federal civil rights complaint against Southern Illinois University pursuant with the U.S Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights discriminations complaint resolution procedures.
The complaint is made regarding 33 federally funded scholarships that are issued to students on the basis of race and sex, which Defending Education claims violates Title VI, Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
As of Wednesday, a university spokesperson said they have not received any communication from the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education and was not providing any further comment.
Of the 33 listed scholarships, 11 come from the SIU’s Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Paul Frazier, eight from the Enrollment Management Department, six from the College of Education, three from the College of Health & Human Sciences, one from Graduate School, one from the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and three from the Student Affairs Department.
Some of these scholarships include the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois (DFI), which is awarded to a student who is a member of an unrepresented group, and the Inspiring Women Scholarship, which is awarded to a female student.
Defending Education, formerly Parents Defending Education, launched in April of 2021 and works to “reclaim
A student walks through the Faner Hall breezeway late in the evening April 9, 2025 at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.
Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto
VISAS 2
Laure Hippolite walks down a line to start off the fashion show April 11, 2025 in Carbondale, Illinois. Deangelo Handley | @_deevisuals4
SCHOLARSHIPS
our schools from activists imposing harmful agendas,” according to its website.
The organization states that through networking and investigation, they are fighting “indoctrination” in the classroom at the local, state and national level.
They have prior investigations on gender-inclusive policies including a recent investigation on transgender studies in Maine public schools that “direct staff to keep the gender identity of students hidden from parents” as well as investigations on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in schools.
A press release titled “Parents Defending
revocations are not always made clear. In many cases, students have also lost their status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, SEVIS, which allows them to legally stay in the U.S. while enrolled in school. Across its vast network of public and private colleges and universities, Illinois hosts one of the largest international student populations in the nation, ranking fifth, with more than 55,000 international students, according to a 2024 Open Doors report.
A spokesperson for Gov. JB Pritzker’s office said it has been in “close touch” with both public and private university leaders across the state but declined to share any information about how many students have been affected — or whether it even knows. The spokesperson said Pritzker’s office is deferring to the universities to provide data on what is “an incredibly fluid situation.”
Ed Yohnka, a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, said the lack of transparency from both federal officials and universities raises serious concerns about accountability and democratic oversight. It also makes it difficult for advocacy groups like his to provide a meaningful response to affected students.
“One of the things we often think about when we think about the First Amendment, or we think about free speech is that I can’t speak freely about what the government’s doing if I don’t know they’re doing it. I can’t actually exercise my constitutional right to participate, criticize and critique the government if, in fact, the government acts in such an opaque way that I can’t know what the heck they’re doing,” he said.
“And, so I think that’s why, if the federal government won’t share this information — if they’re trying to, sort of, just sneak one by here — this is where it gets incredibly important for universities to at least give some sort of number, some sort of range, to say that people in their community are being impacted and affected by these reckless and unlawful government policies.”
Many schools are citing privacy laws, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), as to why they cannot disclose information about student visas.
SIU professor William Freivogel said that while the FERPA bars university disclosure of a student’s visa status unless the student gives written permission, the university should release anonymized data — without student names or identifying information.
“If the university is concerned that a student is losing the(ir) visa without the government presenting adequate reasons, the university can ask the student if it can disclose the information,” said Freivogel, who specializes in media law. “Presumably the governor’s office, if concerned about the situation statewide, could try to collect information in the same way — asking students if they want to waive their FERPA rights so that people can get a better picture of what is happening statewide and nationwide.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in
Education goes to college as Defending Education” was also released on Wednesday, April 9 discussing the organization’s reach into higher education. Changing their name to Defending Education, the organization now focuses on both K-12 and higher education.
On Wednesday morning, an article by conservative media website the National Review was released regarding the complaint with comment from Defending Education President Nicki Neily.
“SIUC is one prime example of how American colleges and universities are in desperate need of reform, which is precisely why Defending Education (DE) is
late March that student visas are being revoked because select international students came to the U.S. to study, but instead engaged in “activist movements that are disruptive and undermine universities,” through protests on campus, specifically those that “are supportive of movements that run counter to the foreign policy of the United States.” That includes those calling for support of the Palestinian people and a ceasefire in Gaza, although it is unclear what the U.S. considers to be “movements that run counter to the foreign policy of the United States.”
On Wednesday, April 9, the U.S. said it will begin monitoring immigrants’ social media pages for antisemitism.
DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said, “Anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for antisemitic violence and terrorism — think again.”
Under this new directive, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will consider social media content that indicates an immigrant “endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests” — which may lead to visa revocation and the inability to be reinstated.
Happening on campuses across the state University officials in Illinois have not disclosed the reasons that their students have lost their visas, and in some cases said they don’t even know themselves.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale reported one student with a revoked visa in late March but has since declined to comment on whether additional students have been affected.
After the initial confirmation, an SIU spokesperson told a reporter it would “no longer confirm or share information” and is “devoting our resources and energies to supporting our international students.”
Meanwhile, SIU Edwardsville has confirmed that eight students, including three undergraduates and five graduate students, lost their visa status earlier this week.
A Northern Illinois University spokesperson confirmed Thursday that five international students there had lost their visas.
SIU Carbondale reported 875 international students for the fall of 2024, a 2.5% increase from the year prior, while NIU enrolled roughly 970 international students. As of spring 2025, SIU Edwardsville had 825 international students representing 69 countries.
The University of Chicago student newspaper, the Chicago Maroon, reported Wednesday that three current students and four recent graduates had lost their visas. International students at the University of Chicago make up nearly a quarter of its student body of roughly 16,000.
As university leaders try to balance student concerns, fears of retaliation in an increasingly fraught political climate, and growing demands for transparency, some say they feel left in the dark. And they worry the lack of transparency
expanding its efforts into higher education: to hold American colleges and universities accountable, especially those like SIUC, who are enacting discriminatory initiatives under the guise of ‘equity,’” Neily said in the article.
Other universities around the country, including places like Indiana University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, have received a similar complaint from the same group regarding scholarships.
UC Berkeley was flagged for offering a Environmentalists of Color Scholarship — a $10,000 recurring scholarship that is designed to build “radically inclusive social and environmental justice spaces on campus”
according to another Defending Education press release, awarded to students of color. It is unclear the number of other universities that have received a complaint.
SIU Board of Trustees Chair J. Phil Gilbert, Frazier and Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Director John Shaw were not available for comment on Wednesday. The Daily Egyptian has reached out to Defending Education and is awaiting comment, and will continue to report on this story as it expands.
Editor-in-chief Lylee Gibbs can be reached at lgibbs@dailyegyptian.com or on instagram @lyleegibbsphoto
The Pulliam Hall clocktower is illuminated in the evening April 9, 2025 at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto
Live Free Illinois speaks out on State Capitol lawn
Dominique martinez-Powell
enan CheDiak
lylee Gibbs
@D martinezPhoto
@enanCheDiak
@lyleeGibbsPhoto
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS — Individuals from around Illinois gathered at the Abraham Lincoln statue in the lawn of the Illinois State Capitol building April 10 in an attempt to call out and make a statement to their state legislators.
Participants held banners and stood side by side with one another on the granite next to the statue while speakers advocated for policies that would aim to reduce gun violence and mass incarceration, as well as legislation like House Bill 3189, which would require the Senate to appoint an interfaith council to collaborate with religious communities in the state. Others stood to listen to stories about how gun violence has affected their lives.
On April 4, 2006, Pam Bosley’s son Terrell was shot and killed by a 45-caliber on the grounds of a church at the age of 18 in Chicago, Illinois – and his case remains unsolved. Nearly 19 years later, she stood on the steps leading to the Lincoln statue and spoke out to the crowd about her story. She reflected back on her son, who was a gospel bass player, an athlete, and often participated in school theater.
“He was always in front, doing great things. He was good,” Bosley said. “Unfortunately, when his life was taken, instead of detectives trying to solve his case, they had tried to figure out his character. Instead of trying to solve his case, they wanted to find out ‘Was he in a gang? Was he selling drugs?’ instead of trying to solve his case.”
When Bosley stood on the steps and asked the crowd gathered around the steps – most of whom wore a Live Free Illinois shirt – to raise their hands if they had been impacted by gun violence, several hands raised into the air.
Live Free Illinois is a faith-based organization that advocates for the end of gun violence and mass incarceration, according to Bill Ellis, the pastor of APC Morgan Park and president of the board for Live Free Illinois. The organization has locations in Rockford, Chicago, Kankakee, Waukegan and East St. Louis.
Ellis said that around six to seven buses traveled to meet at Springfield, bringing people from around the state to be involved with the rally. Bosley boarded a bus to travel three hours south to Springfield that morning and he said planned to return home that same evening.
One of the matters of legislation that Live Free was advocating for was the Clean Slate Act, which would
could conceal the full scope of the federal government’s actions against international students nationwide.
“What is deeply distressing about the news — that an international student’s visa was revoked — is the chilling silence around it, which only adds to the sense that we are powerless in the face of multiple attacks on the very existence of universities as places of learning, questioning and nurturing the next generation,” said Jyotnsa Kapur, a professor in cinema and media studies and the director of the University Honors Program at SIU Carbondale.
Kapur said international students fear jeopardizing their education and citizenship status — and want the school to provide stronger backing.
“Students want the upper
offer relief to people with certain arrests or convictions on their record, making some inaccessible to the public, according to livefreeillinois.org.
“The clean slate initiative is one that we work (on) on a daily basis,” Ellis said. “To push proper clearance rates and accuracy and efficiency in clearance rates.”
Jerika Richardson, the senior vice president of equitable justice and strategic initiatives at the National Urban League, also came to Springfield advocating for the Clean Slate Act and other legislation.
“We are laser focused on expungement and record clearance. We launched our urban expungement program, a national program, and we are here in Illinois, supporting our local affiliates across the state,” Richardson said. “It’s already passed in 12 states across the country in a bipartisan way, and we want to make sure that Illinois is the 13th state.”
The states that have already passed the legislation include Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Virginia, Colorado, Minnesota, California, New York, Oklahoma and Utah, according to Andrew Wells, vice president of workforce development at the Chicago Urban League.
“New York is a very good example of how Clean Slate could operate,” Wells said. “It’s going to be automated. It’s going to be one of the most farreaching legislations in the whole country. But what we want in Illinois is (it) to be something that’s even grander and bigger than what’s happening in New York.”
The National Urban League is already involved with efforts to encourage lawmakers to pass this and other legislation. “We reached out to our affiliates who have been doing great work in re-entry, workforce, employment, entrepreneurship and the like in Illinois to alert them about what’s happening here,” Richardson said. “A number of our affiliates have already been involved in the fight and connected in the work on the ground and doing expungement involved in that process.”
Part of the work was done on April 10 at the Capitol after the rally took place. “We’ll be meeting with lawmakers today,” Richardson said as the rally was finishing.
Live Free Illinois and the other groups that came together at the state Capitol also came to support other issues like the Fully Free Campaign. “The fully free campaign is about recidivism and bringing those who have served their time to be able to be fully free from the consequences and from the residual consequences that do follow, having served their time and paid their debt to society,” Ellis said.
administration to show support for international students — not just send cautionary notes,” said Kapur, referring to the email sent out by the university to its international student body on March 28.
“I had a couple of students in my office — they don’t want their names to be known — but they told me that there is absolute alarm about what can happen. One student was taking an after-dinner walk and a car just sat there with its lights on for 15 minutes. The student was actually afraid they may be picked up by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) like the Tufts student,” Kapur said.
Questioning the legality of these actions
Illinois state Rep. Katie Stuart, chair of the House Higher Education Committee, said she’s heard “lots of stories of visas being revoked” but
also had no concrete numbers about the impact across Illinois.
“I think it would be helpful to put together a briefing for legislators to understand what the different institutions are doing to protect students because ultimately that’s our goal,” said Stuart, a Democrat whose district includes SIU Edwardsville.
“But the answer really is — right now — we don’t know for sure what’s going on.”
Illinois Sen. Dale Fowler, a Republican whose district includes SIU Carbondale, also said he did not have any sense of the scope of the situation. “I would love to know for sure,” he said.
Lawyers and legal scholars have begun to question the legality of these actions from the federal government, on international student visas.
These uncharted legal waters — coupled with the looming threat
of losing federal funding — have effectively pushed many U.S. colleges into a state of silence and compliance with the federal government.
Lauren Aronson, a clinical professor at the University of Illinois College of Law and director of its Immigration Law Clinic, said she is particularly worried about the university’s large population of students from China, who she believes are becoming a target.
“The purpose is xenophobia and racism — it’s about punishing countries that don’t fall in line,” she said.
Aronson said it’s her understanding that some of the students impacted haven’t participated in protests and don’t have criminal records.
“I’m hugely concerned,” she said. “The thing that is to me the most nefarious is the fear that is being instilled now into every international
student, as there isn’t necessarily rhyme or reason about who will be targeted.”
Some SIU students have started to raise concerns to not only their administrators, but to their peers as well.
At a student government meeting on April 2, SIU student Dustin Kinney asked what they are doing for the safety and protection of international students and other marginalized groups on campus.
“I just thought it was important to mention, because there are students on this campus who are deathly scared of legal and academic retaliation. Or, in the instance of international students, having their visas revoked,” said Kinney. “Friends of mine are too scared to even come to things like USG meetings because of the revocations happening nationwide and at SIU.”
Maritza Albarran (left) and Victoria Moses (right) stand on a granite structure by a Lincoln statue holding a sign during a Live Free Illinois rally April 10, 2025 in front of the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Enan Chediak | @enanchediak
Pam Bosley and her son Trevon Bosley sit on the steps to the Illinois State Capitol building as they advocate against gun violence April 10, 2025 in Springfield, Illinois. On April 4, 2006, Pam Bosley’s son Terrell was shot and killed by a 45-caliber on the grounds of a church at the age of 18 in Chicago, Illinois – and his case remains unsolved. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto
Phelps wins USG presidential election
Carly Gist @Gistofthestory
Lydia Phelps, a third-year student in agriculture business, will serve as the Undergraduate Student Government president for the 2025-26 school year.
“It feels amazing, honestly,” Phelps told the Daily Egyptian on Thursday, April 10. “It’s nice to know that not only did my team believe in me – because obviously they spent the last 10 days campaigning with me – but it’s nice to see that campus also felt like we really understood who they are and what they need enough to trust us with the whole year.”
Phelps ran against Phillip Hartke, a thirdyear student in engineering who served as USG president during the 2023-24 school year. Voting opened at 6 a.m. on D2L April 8 and closed at 4 p.m. on April 9. The results were announced at 4:30 that evening in the Student Center.
Phelps, who plans to go to law school after graduating next May, ran for president with a message of lifting people and leading progress. During her campaign, she highlighted three primary platform points: streamlining the USG funding process, expanding her late night food truck program and continuing renovations for the fourth floor of the student center.
She said her first step as president will be focusing on simplifying the funding process for registered student organizations (RSOs), which she and her team plan to work on over the summer.
“Our internal document is 35 pages. While that internal document is necessary for the Senate and the funding board, it’s very convoluted and honestly kind of confusing to RSOs,” she said. “So we’d like to condense it down to a one-page outline of the entire process (including) what the RSOs can expect from the very beginning of the process all the way through if they decide to appeal.”
She said her team is also going to work on creating a second document that operates like a rubric, ensuring that funding is distributed based on the merit of the request, rather than what a group is given traditionally.
“Each category that we can allocate money for, we’d like to break that down into the expectations, what we’re grading off of basically, and then how we’re evaluating that request, so students and RSOs have a better understanding of what that will look like and what they can expect,” she said. “So it’s probably the first thing we’ll work on, and we hope to have that completely nailed down before we come back,” she said.
Phelps served in USG as a senator-at-large for the past two years. She is involved in several organizations throughout campus, including Sigma Alpha Sorority, Ag Council Executive Board and the SIU Writing Center. She said her favorite part about SIU as a whole is the
atmosphere. She said she likes to visit SIU’s Thompson Woods and the nearby Shawnee National Forest, and she also speaks highly of the university’s students and administration.
“This entire campus was participating, communicating, advocating for 10 days straight for what they thought was important, who they thought would represent them adequately,” she said. “And seeing that community and just that absolute outreach — that creates such an amazing atmosphere and it’s nice to know that while it was just those 10 days that they were doing this, students do this year round.”
One thing she thinks SIU could improve on, however, is resource availability, which she spoke about throughout her campaign week.
“If we’re gonna touch on retention and enrollment, that has to be the first thing we improve upon,” she said. “Again, the prime example for this is aviation – working on getting more of their planes available and more resources out there just simply available to students, is not necessarily something that SIU does poorly on, it’s just something that we can maybe improve upon. So working on that is gonna be at the forefront of our entire year really.”
Joining Phelps on the USG executive board is Cameron McCullough as executive VP, Abby Tate as VP of student affairs, Alex Baughman as chief of staff and Nadia Ogiela as VP of finance.
Going into this term as president, Phelps said that she wants the student body to know she has a lot of gratitude for them.
“I think it’s really easy for me to say thank you on social media and students maybe not fully understand that, but I am so grateful to be here, to be on this campus, to have the opportunity to get an education here at Southern, but I’m even more grateful to have their support and to have their trust,” she said.
News editor Carly Gist can be reached through email at cgist@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram @gistofthestory.
Lydia Phelps
Photo provided by Lydia Phelps
Casten hosts town hall in Carterville, highlights alleged accessibility gaps in Bost’s District
AnnAlise schmidt Aschmidt@dAilyegyptiAn com
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, a Democrat from Illinois’ 6th District, on Sunday, April 13 hosted a town hall meeting at John A. Logan College in Carterville, allowing constituents to engage with the elected official and address pressing issues affecting not just their district, but also the nation as a whole. The event offered an opportunity for residents to voice their concerns and learn more about the legislative process.
Leslie Freels-Lloyd of Murphysboro said, “I thought he did a good job of explaining how Congress works. The average person may not understand what the House of Representatives or the Senate does and how they work collectively. He also explained the difference between the rule of law and legal activity, and made it clear. So I found that very helpful.”
She added that the event was important for the district.
“I think it was more than beneficial…the 12th Congressional District is very hungry and thirsty to interact with any representative that will listen to us, because we don’t have anybody. This is the first live town hall we’ve had in years…We need to find somebody like him in this area.”
Several attendees expressed frustration with their own elected representative, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, a Republican from Murphysboro who represents the 12th District. During the Q&A portion of the town hall, constituents spoke about a lack of accessibility, noting difficulty in contacting his office and engaging in meaningful dialogue with their elected representative—even among those with similar political views.
Bost has shifted to holding telephone town halls more recently, and many constituents expressed frustration with the change, arguing that the phone format limits transparency and accountability, and even supporters have reported difficulty reaching his office or getting responses.
Some residents have said that during these telephone town halls, they were either unable to get through or had their calls go unanswered, leaving them feeling disconnected from their representative.
The frustration surrounding Bost’s inaccessibility became especially evident during the meeting when a constituent, donning a red MAGA hat and a shirt reflecting her support of Trump, said, “Let me tell you, first of all, those people who are trying to get hold of Mike Bost, tell me someone who has been able to get hold of him, it just doesn’t exist.”
Casten himself acknowledged this struggle, noting that even voters in districts that align more conservatively were experiencing similar barriers. “Particularly, going to people who have districts that have not had, you know, as we heard…the woman in full MAGA regalia who couldn’t speak with Bost either, forget about who you’re voting for, those people need to understand what’s going on in Washington just as well as my constituents do,” Casten said.
Casten also shared insights about the challenges of representing rural America and the disconnect that exists between different regions of the country.
“The thing that’s going to stick with me coming back is…there’s just not a lot of electoral logic for Democrats to come down to this part of the state and it doesn’t matter that they’re Democrats, right? It’s just like, if we’re going to vote on things that affect every American, we shouldn’t have to only depend on, you know, people like Gabe Vasquez, who’s a Democrat, who represents rural New Mexico, you know, to tell us what life is like in rural America,” Casten said.
Freels-Lloyd also emphasized the importance of civic engagement.
“I would add anyone of any political persuasion
to please attend any town hall you can, because we’re all Americans, and Americans need to unite,” she said.
Judy Ashby from Carbondale, who founded the Positive Action Committee and has been working to organize protests in the local area about the actions of Bost, echoed similar sentiments. She praised Casten for staying focused and answering questions effectively.
“I thought he answered everybody’s questions quite well, and because he stayed on task. He answered theirs, their pleasure. They explained it really well and tried very hard to avoid letting his own personal opinions get in the way,” Ashby said.
Not all attendees were satisfied with the political system as a whole. Lee Ann Casey, a Carbondale resident, expressed frustration with empty political promises.
“That’s one of the things that just makes me sick, is all the platitudes, no real answers to anything from the media or the government,” she said.
Despite this, Casey acknowledged Casten’s willingness to engage with his constituents. “He’s a member of Congress that was at least listening to people, period. I mean, we have no sway on if he gets reelected, but he is coming down and listening to us.”, Casey Said.
The discussion turned to broader issues of fear and insecurity in America.
Casey said, “I’m glad that he admitted that there are a lot of people that are afraid of losing their family, their livelihood, but we can’t let that fear conquer.”
During the town hall, Casten spoke about rising authoritarianism and the role citizens play in either enabling or resisting it.
“The way that fascism succeeds is you tell people that all of your problems are caused by something that only I can solve,” Casten said. “What makes fascism work is that people respond to that with cowardice.”
He urged attendees not to let fear or complacency silence them.
“Look around at how many people in our society right now are saying, ‘I would like to stand up. I have too much to lose,’” he said.
Casten often spoke about the importance of democracy and the role of citizens in shaping the country’s future. Reflecting on his political journey, he shared a story that influenced his decision to enter public service.
“We sold our company in 2016, and I had been asked to go in by the people we sold the company to. They said, can you go meet with your local representative, because there’s just a whole bunch of rules that are making it harder for people like us who are trying to start small businesses,” Casten recalled. “I sat down, started making the case, and at some point, my representative at the time stood up, looked at his watch, and said, ‘Yeah, this
meeting’s over.’ And he walked out. I went home, and I said to my wife, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do next, but he’s going to be unemployed by the time I figure out what I’m doing next.”
Casten spoke about the significance of the work being done in Congress.
“What really struck me early on is that if we don’t, as members of Congress, go out and be present, especially on the hardest issues of the day, then we don’t believe in democracy,” he said.
While discussing his experiences, Casten also addressed crucial issues such as inflation, impeachment and crime.
Education was another key topic during the town hall, with Casten emphasizing its vital role in the future of the country.
“Education has always been a political idea,” Casten said, quoting civil rights activist James Baldwin. “The purpose of education is to teach people how to ask questions of themselves. What is up? What is down? What is black? What is white?”
Despite challenges facing public education, including orders that aim to eliminate the Department of Education, Casten remains a staunch advocate for it.
“We started to see a lot of those countries, like Korea, like Japan, like the Scandinavian countries, start to move ahead of us on a lot of those tables of education levels,” Casten said, explaining how their distribution of government funding has created more options for schooling with more resources. “And so we should now do what they do.”
Staff reporter Annalise Schmidt can be reached at aschmidt@dailyegyptian.com.
“We’ve done 87 or so (own halls) now,” he said. “We’ve always done them, especially on the hardest issues. The first Trump impeachment, we did a town hall on impeachment. There were a lot of people there who did not agree that we should impeach the president, but one of my proudest moments was at the end, a guy came up with a MAGA hat on, and he said, ‘I don’t agree with you, but I want to thank you for giving us a civics lesson, because we all think we understand what the impeachment process is, but you need to understand how that works.’”
Sean Casten speaks at his town hall meeting at John A. Logan College April 13, 2025 in Carterville, Illinois. Daylin Williams | @photosbydaylin
Repurpose the Runway fashion show
Contestants show off their outfit to the judges, giving a final look at their outfits.
Contestants walk down the runway in matching dresses for the Repurpose the Runway fashion show April 11, 2025 at the Student Center in Carbondale, Illinois. Deangelo Handley @_deevisual
First place contestant Amilia Estrada participates in the Fashion Show.
Amilia Estrada shows off her outfit.
Contestants walk down a line to give the judges a final look at their outfits.
The winning contestants from the Repurpose Sustainability Fashion pose for a photograph.
Contestants in the Sustainability Fashion Show pose for a photograph.
Deangelo Handley @_deevisual
Carefree Carder brings calm and coolness to Saluki softball
Ryan GRieseR @RGRieseR@dailyeGyptian com
If you’ve not been following Saluki softball for the last two years, it’d be natural to think, “Hey, this Anna Carder is really good,” assuming she’s been a dominant force on the team and one of the best catchers in the Missouri Valley Conference for years.
While she has been one of the best catchers in the MVC the past few years, especially in the 2025 campaign, her down season in 2024 while not catching very often may have led some to forget what the junior slugger is capable of.
One person who never forgot about her talent or about what she did for the team in 2024?
Head coach Jen Sewell.
“I don’t think many understand what a sacrifice that was for her team. Anna never took a step back in her skill set and abilities. She has an elite arm and an elite left-handed power bat. Period. But she sacrificed for the team,” Sewell said.
Carder started her career at SIU in spectacular fashion, batting .280 and starting 56 games, most as a catcher, as a freshman en route to being named to the All-MVC Second Team.
Her sophomore season featured a drop in both numbers and appearances behind the plate due to the presence of Rylinn Groff, who was the catcher in all of her twin sister Maddia’s games. While Carder was still playing in a designated hitter role, it was at times difficult for her to make the adjustment to only batting.
“I think it was because I got in my head a little bit and I did put so much pressure on, you know, the classic sophomore slump, where I just thought, ‘Oh, I need to one-up last year, yada yada yada,’” Carder said. “I was putting pressure on myself and that’s not how I play.”
To her credit, Carder has moved past last season after taking it as a learning experience.
“I learned a ton from last year. It was hard for me, but I think it made me even better, just maturity wise. Mentally I became tougher, so now I am really trying to use what I learned from last year and just take it into this year,” Carder said.
Shortstop, roommate and fellow junior Jackie Lis noticed how much catching on a daily basis again has meant to Carder.
“It’s meant a lot to her, kind of finally getting that catching spot back. Last year, she was OK splitting the catching time with Rylinn because Rylinn was a good catcher and she respected her, but I know that Anna just absolutely loves catching. She loves being back there, supportive, doing a job for her pitcher… and she just loves her effect on the game,” Lis said.
To Sewell, it is clear that Carder has a bit of a different mindset this year.
“The thing about Anna is that she’s going to go do or die to win a game, so it took her most of the season to adjust to being a DH and then go back to catching in the field,” Sewell said.
“This year, she knows she’s going out there. I think there’s something to be said about when a player knows she’s in the lineup. There is a preparedness and settled feeling that allows for her to be at the ready.”
Being on the field every day has certainly helped Carder, who says that she’s playing with more poise than ever.
“This year, I feel like even if I have a bad game I’m like, ‘It’s OK, this is how the game works,’” Carder said. “Now, I just have so much confidence in myself. I know I can do it because I’ve proven that to myself time and time again. Now that it’s more consistent, I am able to take in the games and I can be more consistent and perform better.”
For Carder, who Lis says is “genuinely one of the most unserious people I have ever met,” part of being ready to play revolves around keeping this unserious attitude at all times.
“The more serious she takes the game of softball, the more she thinks about it, the less she produces. She genuinely just does not even think, and I totally admire her for that, because I’m so jealous of that. When Anna’s in the box, she’s not thinking a single thing, and I’m so jealous I can’t do that,” Lis said.
“Not thinking” in the box appears to have really worked for Carder. Her batting average is over 100 points higher than during the 2024 season, and her .377 batting average and .575 slugging percentage are career highs and rank second and third, respectively, on the team. She is also on pace to shatter her career highs for hits, home runs and on base percentage.
“I mostly try to base my performance off just how I’m feeling, and I mostly try to base it off outcomes and not like, ‘Oh, what am I hitting statistic wise,’” Carder said. “But I’ve always been like that.”
Carder isn’t just a valuable bat and framer behind the plate, as Sewell outlines the role that she plays in the team’s culture.
“What outsiders don’t see is her comedic side. She’s witty and funny and she can take the pressure off for her team,” Sewell said. “Anna is highly intelligent too, and despite her screaming at the top of her lungs after ripping a double, she’s really kind and gentle.”
Lis echoes the same kind of thoughts.
“If you know Anna, it makes sense that she’s just kind of up there doing her thing, and you know, it’s probably going to work out for her most of the time too. It’s just funny to just watch her, cause even when she’s behind the
Junior catcher Anna Carder (19) jogs towards third base after a home run against Bradley University April 11, 2025 at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale, IL. Jason Isele | @ iselephotography
plate, if the music’s on, she’s just back there dancing,” Lis said. “I can’t just take her seriously, I’m always just laughing, and usually I’ll be laughing at Anna.”
Though she may be visible dancing in full catcher gear between batters, Carder still cares deeply about the job she performs on the field.
“I’m trying to work really hard for my pitchers behind the plate, just trying to get as many strikes as I can for them and work with them the best that I can to make them feel comfortable,” Carder said. “That’s my number one agenda when I’m catching.”
Softball has always been “incomparable”
among sports and the one Carder “loves the most.” But the reason she’s been playing this sport for so long, and continued to do so at the college level, is because of the “amazing” people she’s met and played with.
“I step on the field, and I’m not playing for myself… I want to play for my teammates, and I want to do the best that I can for them. It’s just a great feeling when you’re able to do that, and that’s really my favorite part,” Carder said.
Sports reporter Ryan Grieser can be reached at rgrieser@dailyegyptian.com.
On the fly and in the moment: SIU hosts media workshop
Will Elliott @camEramanWill06
A large laboratory room echoed with the sound of chatter from a dozen students moving lights, microphones and two state-of-the-art Sony cameras fresh from the box on April 12. The students didn’t converse about life or about the new Hollywood hit, they spoke about what they needed to do in order to get the shot right. When all was said and done, their chatter is quickly drowned by three words: “Quiet on set.”
Over the past three weeks, SIU helped host a series of Southern Illinois Film and Television workshops funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The program is designed to develop an industry workforce to participate in any sort of media production activity throughout the state.
The program was in the works for over a year and a half before it opened its applications up to the public.
The program was founded in 2024 by Vanessa Sneed, associate director of SIU Research Park; Karla Berry, director of SIU’s College of Arts and Media; and Nathan Colombo, founder of the Brand Advocacy Group. The three launched the program to help aid the state of Illinois’ objective to give film production training to people who are 18 years or older with a high school diploma or GED.
“The state of Illinois is seeking to show that Illinois is not all booked up for production,” Colombo said. “In fact, we do have a workforce that is ready and able to meet the production needs of any type of film, television, digital media production that comes through the state, not just in Chicago,
but also as far south as where we are here in Carbondale.”
DCEO first rejected their application for the grant due to minor clerical errors. After fixing the minor errors, the state accepted their application and started giving funding to the program.
Emails were soon sent out to SIU students and a website was created allowing for community members to join. Forty-five people were then selected for the program and sorted into three different cohorts. Each student has to hit 80 hours of training in order to get their certificate of completion. After training, they will be added to a database of crew members eligible for hire in the state of Illinois.
On the last Saturday of Cohort 1, the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center in the SIU Research Park was the hub for filming. Students rushed from one side of the building to another carrying bags of film equipment. Two productions were happening simultaneously, just a few feet away from each other.
The cohorts were both tasked in part to film a documentary. One cohort was working on a documentary about weight loss and another about the creator of Dip N Dots Kirk Jones and his latest enterprise, 40 Below Joe.
The rooms in which these productions ran were in deep silence. Every footstep, button press and conversation was quick and thoughtful. It was like the students were scared to make a single peep.
Each room also had SIU Radio, Television and Cinema graduates who Berry invited to the production. One alum was Jessica De-Jong, who has worked on TV shows like “Remastered” and “Unsolved Mysteries”. She offered
Sports Consultant: Ryan Grieser rgrieser@dailyegyptian.com
Digital Editor: Bhayva Sri-Billuri bsri-billuri@dailyegyptian.com
About Us
We distribute 7,000 printed copies every Wednesday across the SIU campus and surrounding communities, including Carbondale, Murphysboro, Carterville, and Marion. We have expanded with limited distribution to surrounding towns and in Springfield.
advice to the students in attendance.
“I have been working with them, giving them very practical knowledge and experience of how a typical set runs. It’s very much within my wheelhouse because I work in documentary production,” De-Jong said.
While De-Jong was in one of the rooms doing mock interviews with a previous cohort, Kimberly Butler, a student with the program, quietly watched the filming of her cohort’s documentary. Butler worked in the Department of Corrections for 25 years, and after she retired she picked up writing.
“It was really interesting to me to do the behind the camera, setting up the camera for the start to finish setup, take down, and learning the language that’s associated with the use of cameras and lighting and microphones and stuff like that,” Butler said
While there, Butler met Carl Ellsworth, an SIU alum who has written movies with Steven Speilberg. Ellsworth took a look at one of Butler’s screenplays, giving her words of encouragement about her script and motivation to continue with the writing process. Butler then shared advice to students who may be on the fence about joining the program.
“Don’t sit back and wait and then look back one day and think I wish I would have done it,” she said. “I’m not trying to start a second career, I’ve got some ideas in my head and I’m trying to get those out.”
Cohort 3 is starting next week while Cohort 2 finishes its final weekend.
Staff videographer Will Elliot can be reached at welliott@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram at @cameramanwill06.
Mission Statement
The Daily Egyptian, the student-run news organization of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is committed to being a trusted source of news, information, commentary and public discourse, while helping readers understand the issues affecting their lives.
Publishing Information
The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale and functions as a laboratory for the School of Journalism in exchange for the room and utilities in the Communications Building. The Daily Egyptian is a non-profit organization that survives primarily off of its advertising revenue. Offices are in the Communications Building, room 1259, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, Ill., 62901.
Copyright Information
@2025 The Daily Egyptian. All rights reserved. All content is property of the Daily Egyptian and may not be reproduced or transmitted without consent. The Daily Egyptian is a member of the Illinois College Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Advisers Inc. and the College Business and Advertising Managers Inc.
Submissions
Letters and guest columns must be submitted with author’s contact information, preferably via email. Phone numbers are required to verify authorship, but will not be published. Students must include their year and major. Faculty must include rank and department. Others include hometown. Submissions should be sent to editor@dailyegyptian.com
Lee Furnish operates a camera for a documentary about weight loss inside the Dunn-Richmond Economic development center at the SIU research park April 12, 2025, in Carbondale, Illinois. Daylin Williams | @photosbydaylin
WEDNESDAY (4/16)
PKs : Trivia Night, 8 p.m., 21+, Free Boobys: Open mic comedy night 8PM 21+, Free
Booby’s - 70’s Disco and Funk Night with DJ Messie Bessie and DJ 86 Pants, 21+, $5
Sunday (4/27)
Knights of Columbus - Glo Bingo, 4 p.m.
MONDAY (4/28)
PKs - Meg & The Wheelers (Chicago country western), 7 p.m., 21+, Free
WEDNESDAY (4/30)
PKs - Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy (Wichita), 8 p.m., 21+, Free Booby’s - Open Mic Comedy
Salukis can’t cut the Trees down; drop series to Indiana State
Nick PfaNNkuche NPfaNNkuche@dailyegyPtiaN com
Saluki Baseball headed east April 11-13 for a three-game set with the Sycamores of Indiana State University. SIU took only one of the three games for their second series loss in conference play.
For the Friday, April 11 opener, the Salukis gave the ball to Tyler Timmerman. Timmerman was chased in the second inning, having given up five runs. With the starter out early, the bullpen was asked to pick up the remaining work, giving up a combined four runs in the process. Cole Koonce took the brunt of it with 3 2/3 innings of relief and credited with two runs surrendered.
From down six early, Jaxon Holder led the bats with two runs driven in on a double in the sixth, and four other Salukis had one RBI each, but the comeback came up just short as the Dawgs fell 9-7 in the first game of the series.
Alec Nigut had the bump on April 12 looking to even the series in the second game and delivered a five-inning, threerun performance that earned him the win.
Gavan Wernsing, Matt Irvine and Dylan Petrey combined to get the last 12 outs to secure the Saluki’s 16-9 win.
John Lemm and Tim Simay led the scoring for the Dawgs, each plating four SIU runs. Lemm and Jordan Bach
each came around to score three times, Saturday afternoon, while Holder reached base in four of his five plate appearances and came across the plate all four of times.
With the series on the line, the Salukis looked to ride the arm of Meade Johnson for the third game on Sunday, April 13. Johnson was pulled before recording an out in what would become a five-run fifth for the hosting Sycamores, ending his day on the hook for six runs. Tanner Gerdes and Jackson Payne were able to slow the bleeding enough for the Dawgs to get back into it, only surrendering one run each in a combined two innings of work.
Sam Frizzi took the loss in the series finale, with four Sycamores coming across in the eighth.
Lemm had another productive performance, tallying two more RBIs and scoring three more times. Cade Nelis also brought in two baserunners, but there wasn’t enough production from the rest of the lineup as SIU dropped the finale by a score of 12-8.
The Salukis moved to a 24-11 overall record and a 7-5 conference record as a result of the weekend, moving them into a three-way tie for third with the Sycamores and Murray State.
Sports Reporter Nick Pfannkuche can be reached at npfankuche@dailyegyptian.com.
24-HOUR CRISIS HOTLINE
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, dial 1-800-334-2094 to be connected to a trained crisis intervention specialist
LEGAL ADVOCACY
Legal advocates offer support, resources, help with paperwork, and can accompany survivors to court while guiding them through legal options
MEDICAL ADVOCACY
Our trained crisis workers meet with survivors at local hospitals for a medical forensic exam and stay with them through the exam to provide support, if desired
COUNSELING
Free, confidential counseling helps survivors of sexual assault, along with their loved ones, heal, develop coping skills, and break the silence
Photo provided by Saluki Athletics
April showers bring spring drag show in Herrin
Dominique martinez-Powell @D martinezPhoto
The room was hot with attendees packed into the bar. Colored lights bounced off the brick walls dimly and Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” and other songs played during the show.
The Sanctuary Lounge in Herrin once again hosted a drag show April 12, 2025. This time, the show was packed with visitors and family and friends of
Jasmine Cavalli who came to support her performance for her birthday on April 3.
“I got to celebrate it with everybody today,” Cavalli said. “It was wonderful. It really made my night. My friends, everybody came out. It’s exciting.”
Cavalli’s mother and friends from St. Louis came to support her and celebrate with her. “My friends came from St. Louis,” Cavalli said. “It was his
birthday, too.”
“Every day is special cuz you don’t know,” Cavalli said. “Within this time of day and year and stuff, you really don’t know if you’re going to enjoy yourself or be yourself.”
Student managing editor Dominique Martinez-Powell can be reached at dmartinez-powell@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram at @d.martinezphoto
Blanche Dubois gets ready for the drag show April 12, 2025 at the back of the Sanctuary Lounge in Herrin, Illinois. Enan Chediak | @enanchediak
Jodie Santana performs during the drag show April 12, 2025 at the Sanctuary Lounge in Herrin, Illinois. Enan Chediak | @enanchediak
Darius Santana tips his hat to Cinnamon Dubois at the drag show April 12, 2025 at the sanctuary lounge in Herrin, Illinois. Dominique Martinez-Powell | @d.martinezphoto
Jodie Santana looks out the window of the Sanctuary Lounge to see what people are doing outside during her performance April 12, 2025 in Herrin, Illinois. Dominique Martinez-Powell | @d.martinezphoto
