Alumni
General Information • Application • Current Members
Alumni Council
Made up of 24 alumni appointed to three-year terms and the president of the Student Alumni Association, this board meets four times a year. Members represent the interests of alumni and serve as liaisons to 25 University areas. The council assists in the recruitment of students, selects Alumni Award recipients, and was instrumental in establishing the Student Alumni Association.
WIU Alumni Association Survey - Alumni Council President Eldon Brown '96
Dear WIU Alumni-
The WIU Board of Trustees is seeking input on an important decision regarding the University's leadership. Since April 1 of this year, Dr. Kristi Mindrup has been serving as the interim president. The Board will decide in December whether to name Dr. Mindrup as the permanent president or to conduct a nationwide search.
We, along with other University stakeholders, have been asked to provide input on this decision. I have worked closely with the Executive Committee of the WIU Alumni Council to create a survey to collect your feedback. We will send the results of the survey to the Board of Trustees to inform their decision.
Please complete this survey by November 12. At that time, we will send the total counts for each option to the BOT for their decision in December. Additional details are contained in the survey itself.
Click here to complete the survey.
Your feedback is important in helping shape the future of our alma mater. With over 140,000 alumni, our collective voice is vital in this conversation.
Don't hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions or comments at eldonbrown@gmail.com.
Go Necks!
Eldon Brown `96
President, WIU Alumni Council
Interested in joining the Alumni Council?
The WIU Alumni Association is looking for dedicated leaders of all ages, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, career fields, etc. to serve on the WIU Alumni Council. The Alumni Council strives to include a broad range of members that accurately reflects our student body and alumni community. Applicants are evaluated based on a number of factors, including engagement since graduating (e.g. attendance, giving back to WIU financially, referring students, returning to campus to speak to classes, offering career mentorship, etc.) and general Leatherneck Pride. If you or someone you know is an active alumnus that would be a good candidate, please fill out our online application form. The deadline is April 1.
2024-2025 Alumni Council Meetings
- Saturday, January 18, 2025
- Saturday, April 12, 2025
2023 - 2024 Council Members
- Roy Albiani 1984 - Valencia, CA
- Lori Bilbrey 1990, 1996, 2008 - Macomb, IL
- Eldon Brown 1996 - President - Vancouver, WA
- Scott Clarke 1981 - Springfield, IL
- Thom Cornelis 1971 - Moline, IL
- Darryl Hollimon 1983, 1993 - Country Club Hills, IL
- Molly Holmes 2001, 2004 - Secretary - Huntley, IL
- Victoria Kappel 2016, 2018 - Orland Park, IL
- Bob Klannukarn 1990 - Herndon, VA
- Conrad "Connie" Kowal 1974 - Libertyville, IL
- Leslie T. Jefferson 1981,1995 - Macomb, IL
- Shelvis Lewis 1986 - Austin, TX
- Emily Manley 2017 Jefferson City, MO
- Caleb Markey 2014 - Macomb, IL
- Jose Marroquin 2008 - Berwyn, IL
- Deb Miller 1984, 1986 - Bowen, IL
- Denver Murphy 2010 - USAF Academy, CO
- Charleston Owensby 2017 - Chicago, IL
- Gayle Spencer 1987 - Vice President - Savoy, IL
- Matthew Toland 2005, 2010 - Past President - Hoffman Estates, IL
- Byron Williams 1986 - Homewood, IL
- Wayne Whipps 1977 - Cedar Falls, IA
- Justin Wilson 2012 - Westfield, NJ
- Mike Woodrum 2009 - Macomb, IL
Alumni Council Featured Member
Justin Wilson 2012
Degree: Bachelors in Financial Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia; Masters in Sport Management from Western Illinois University in 2012
Business Information: Vice President Global Markets at Goldman Sachs Inc. New York, NY
Advice for Freshmen: Take advantage of all of the resources (Rec Center, Student Interest Groups/Orgs, Tutoring Services, Etc.) that WIU has to offer. When I arrived on campus I didn’t realize all of the different resources I had at my disposal.
Favorite WIU Memory: Presenting my essay at the International Sport Management Conference in Porto, Portugal
Family Information/Special Interests and Hobbies: In my free time, I enjoy traveling with my wife Sabrina, exploring New York City, exercising and socialing with friends and family.
Connect with the Alumni Association: