Yesterday a building at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale was named for my friend. Glenn Poshard is a friend to so many people of Southern Illinois and indeed all of Illinois. I first met Glenn when MJ and I saw him at a Glenn Miller Concert with our friends Faye and
Steve…sometime in the 1980s. The Concert was in Christopher, Illinois and Glenn greeted Steve by his name and told him that he did not realize Steve was a fan of Glen Miller. Years later, then Chancellor Argersinger asked me to take Glenn on a tour of Campus to meet the various directors of departments who would be reporting to him if he was chosen for the role of Vice Chancellor of Administration. Glenn was simply a delight to talk with and to hear his many stories of Little Egypt.

Throughout Glenn’s tenure at SIUC and as both the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and finally the President of the entire system he sought my advice on occasion…and I freely offered it at other times…although it was unsolicited. Glenn always had time for me. He began his career at the University in the 1960s working as a civil servant in the Physical Plant…Glenn loves working people…that was magnified by the standing-room-only crowd yesterday to see their friend receive his honor…

Glenn has a heart for the forgotten and the marginalized and for those who have no voice. He is a humble servant/leader and the only parallel I see to Glenn in Southern Illinois Univerity’s history is former University President Delyte Morris.

Those of us who know Glenn…have seen greatness clothed in humility…and the likes of him will not pass our way again…

Photos Courtesy SIU Foundation