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Longtime SIU educator establishes scholarship

By Rebecca Renshaw

Todd Headrick, an emeritus faculty member of the SIU School of Education, has donated $50,000 to establish the Todd Headrick Endowed Scholarship for Graduate Studies in Education.

The endowed gift will fund scholarships for graduate students in education who maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA.

Headrick began his career at SIU in 1999 and has held several positions in the College of Education and Human Services, including a full professorship, chair of his department, the appointment of associate dean of research and his time as a fellow in the provost office. Headrick retired from SIU in January 2020 and now attends law school at Arizona State University Law School.

For Headrick, the importance of giving back was instilled in him at a young age.

“My grandfather would lend a helping hand to others around him, and he was always giving donations for causes he believed in. My mother and her husband are also generous to others, so it seems natural for me to lend a helping hand to students at SIU who are trying to get an education,” he said. “SIU has been good to me, so I want to pay it forward for students who could use the help.”

Between the recent reorganization process and the current COVID-19 situation, the way SIU educates future teachers has changed quite a bit.

“With the reorganization of colleges and schools, the School of Education is now much more focused on education, and it has streamlined the process of educating teachers,” Headrick said. “And, COVID-19 has really pushed the university to pivot into an online learning experience. I am hopeful SIU will continue to gain strength in providing a top-notch online learning environment.”

School of Education Dean M Cecil Smith thanked Headrick for the gift and shared his excitement about the future.

“First, it is a wonderful capstone to his career at SIU. Second, it clearly demonstrates his dedication to ensuring the success of students in the School of Education,” Smith said. “We will be able to provide anywhere from one to four new scholarships in the next academic year as a result of Dr. Headrick’s generosity.”

If you would like to learn how to donate to the School of Education, please click here.

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