CALPS - Key Persons


Alesia Beanland

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor
  • Academic Advisor ( Sciences )
Alesia earned her B.A. in Economics and her M.S.Ed. in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University. She has worked for SIU since August of 2015.

Boyd Goodson

Job Titles:
  • Associate Dean
  • Interim Associate
Web Site Dr. Goodson is the Interim Associate Dean of the college and a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Carol Westerman-Jones

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor
  • Chief
Carol earned a B.F.A. in Art and M.F.A. in Photography from Southern Illinois University. She has been an academic advisor at SIU since 1997, joining the CALPS Advisement Team as Chief Academic Advisor in 2022.

Chris Vick

Job Titles:
  • Director of University Farms

Eric Brevik

Job Titles:
  • Dean
  • Dean of the College
Dr. Brevik is the Dean of the College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences. He is a Professor in the Schools of Agricultural Sciences and Earth Systems and Sustainability. His research interests include human impacts on the soil resource, the use of soils to address questions in geomorphology, science education, and soil science history.

Jacob Halter

Job Titles:
  • Account Technician

James Franklin Sharp

Job Titles:
  • Professor
With a $1 million gift, Professor James Franklin Sharp has chiseled his name into Southern Illinois University Carbondale's legacy. Now, the university will honor his generosity by renaming the University Museum as Sharp Museum.

Jean McPherson

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor
Jean earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biological Sciences from Michigan State University. She became an academic advisor at SIU upon completion of her Master's degree. She has advised Science students at SIU for more than 30 years.

Jim Garvey

Job Titles:
  • Research Murky on Danger of Asian Carp Invasion
Research murky on danger of Asian carp invasion: Jim Garvey, a reserach biologist in our Zoology program is working as part of a team looking into the march of Asian Carp into our waterways. "As scientists aboard a research boat activate an electric current, the calm Illinois River transforms into a roiling, silvery mass. Asian carp by the dozen hurtle from the water..." Read more about Dr. Garvey's research in this Associated Press article.

Jing Mo

Job Titles:
  • Accountant I

John Groninger

Job Titles:
  • Associate Dean

Julie Virgo

Job Titles:
  • Business Manager

Kaitlyn Kern

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor
  • Academic Advisor ( Agricultural Sciences )
Kaitlyn earned her B.S. in Management with a concentration in Management of Health Care Enterprises and a minor in Health Care Management along with a Master's in Business Administration at Southern Illinois University. Kaitlyn is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education (EdD) focusing on Higher Education. In total, Kaitlyn has been at SIU since 2014.

Kathy Elson

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor
  • Academic Advisor ( Agricultural Sciences )
Kathy earned her B.S. (Food & Nutrition) and M.S. (Plant, Soil & Agricultural Systems) degrees from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. As an undergraduate student, Kathy was a campus tour guide, and she has been an Academic Advisor since July 2014.

Liz Bland

Job Titles:
  • Coordinator of Student Transition & Success ( Ag Sciences )

Liz Saunders

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor ( Sciences )

Marianne Schoonover

Job Titles:
  • Assistant to the Dean ( Finance )

Sandra Meacham


Shane Bennett

Job Titles:
  • Director of Development

Susan Graham

Job Titles:
  • Manager ( Communication, Outreach & Recruitment

Terrance Bishop

Job Titles:
  • Coordinator for Student Success and Transition for the Life
  • Coordinator of Student Transition & Success ( Sciences )
  • Recruitment and Retention Specialist
Terrance is the Coordinator for Student Success and Transition for the Life and Physical Sciences. He is originally from Denver, Colorado. Terrance holds B.S. degrees in Chemical and Biomedical engineering and a M.S. in Bioengineering all from Colorado State University. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions about Science at SIU!

Yvonne Gramenz

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor
  • Academic Advisor ( Sciences )
Yvonne earned her B.S. (Elementary Education) and M.S.Ed. (Curriculum and Instruction) from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She worked for SIU for three years, mainly with Undergraduate Admissions, before joining the Science Advisement staff in December, 2014.