Events

ElectHer is a half-day, nonpartisan leadership and campaign training designed to encourage and prepare women to pursue elected office and become leaders in their communities. Hosted through Running Start, the program will provide participants with practical skills and strategies for running for student government, local office, and other elected positions.

During the workshop, participants will develop leadership and campaign skills through sessions focused on public speaking, networking, campaigning, and building confidence as a candidate. The program emphasizes the importance of engaging women early in their leadership journeys and helping them build the skills and connections necessary to seek elected office.

The event will take place from 12–4 p.m. on October 19 and up to 50 participants can attend. Light catering will be provided.

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Former Gander Mayor Claude Elliott to Share 9/11 Reflections at Special Hayward Lecture

The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute will partner with Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Department of Theater and Dance to welcome former Gander, Newfoundland, Mayor Claude Elliott for a special edition of the John and Muriel Hayward Lecture Series.

Elliott will speak at a noon luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Tedrick Welcome Center. His presentation, titled Lend a Hand, Do What You Can: Remembering the Generosity of Gander on 9/11, will offer a firsthand account of one of the most remarkable stories of compassion to emerge from the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Following the terrorist attacks in the United States, nearly 7,000 airline passengers were forced to land in Gander, a small community on the island of Newfoundland, after their flights were diverted. What began as an unexpected crisis quickly became an extraordinary demonstration of generosity and hospitality.

Residents of Gander opened their homes, schools and community spaces to the stranded travelers, providing food, shelter and support while they waited to learn when they could return home. Elliott, who served as the community's mayor at the time, was at the center of those historic events.

During the luncheon, Elliott will share his memories of those days and the people of Gander who responded to an unprecedented situation by simply asking what they could do to help. His stories will provide a personal perspective on the events that captured the attention of people around the world.

The lecture will also help set the stage for SIU’s production of Come From Away, the acclaimed Broadway musical inspired by the experiences of the stranded passengers and the people of Gander. The musical celebrates the unexpected connections, friendships and acts of kindness that emerged from one of the darkest moments in recent history.

Through Elliott’s firsthand reflections, the event will explore themes of leadership, community, generosity and the power of ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference.

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