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.

 

Molly

Letter from Incoming President Molly B. Holmes

Dear Members of the Western Illinois University Alumni Community,

I’m Molly B. Holmes (she/her) and proud double alum ’01 ’04. It is an honor to be your next Alumni Council President. After serving on the council since 2020, and as secretary for the last two years, serving in this role is an exciting opportunity at critical time for WIU.

When I became a member of this council, I was motivated to do so because of the impact my years at Western had on my life and career. From the academic and practical experiences, to being involved as a student leader, to attending Leatherneck (and Westerwind!) athletic events, to the friendships and connections that came from succeeding and being challenged in and outside of the classroom, I felt motivated to give back. Further, I wanted to contribute this energy as an alum for future students and future alumni. One of my goals as president is to support the council and all alumni in becoming the best ambassadors for WIU as it is, and where it can go in the years ahead.

Western has had challenges, is tackling the impact of challenges, and continues to be challenged by a variety of forces. As alumni, we have strength in our voices and in how we can make a positive and supportive impact on what the future of Western will be. I hope that members of our Alumni community will consider engaging with the council—joining us at the many upcoming Alumni events, including Homecoming, consider assisting with recruitment events, and consider seeing yourself as a future member of this council. 

My fellow 140,000 alumni—thank you for this opportunity to serve, and I look forward to working with the council and for you in support of this wonderful institution. Go Western!

Marching on for Western,

molly

Molly B. Holmes `01 `04

President, WIU Alumni Council

Letter from Outgoing President Eldon Brown

 

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.

2025-2026 Alumni Council Meetings

  • Saturday, July 19
  • Friday, October 17
  • Saturday, January 17, 2026

2025 - 2026 Council Members

Alumni Council Featured Member

shelvisShelvis Lewis 1986

Degree: BS, Law Enforcement Administration

Business Information:  Director of Service Delivery, Red River Technology

Advice for Freshmen: Think about what you will enjoy doing as a career and utilize all the resources available to make it happen. Seek advice from faculty, counselors, alumni, etc. Ask questions, they’re free! College is one of the largest investments of time and money you have ever made, so make it count. Select a major that allows you the best chance to get a return on your investment and then have fun making it happen!

Favorite WIU Memory: The people! So many have become lifelong friends that I stay in contact with to this day. The laughs, adventures, loves and even the tragedies of life have been shared mostly with people I've met at WIU.

Family Information/Special Interests and Hobbies: Imani and I live in Austin, TX and my favorite hobby is golf. Currently, I proudly serve as President of two organizations, the Epsilon Beta Foundation and the WIU Black Alumni Council. Both satisfyingly generate scholarship dollars for underserved youth so donations are always appreciated (hint, hint). I also enjoy working on cars with my son, cherishing the memory of my late daughter, loving my two grandchildren, and spending priceless time with family, friends and my fraternity brothers of Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Inc.!