CARBONDALE – A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Tedrick Welcome Center at SIU Carbondale will be held Friday at 2:30 p.m. inside the construction fencing at 1255 Lincoln Drive.

According to a SIU Foundation blog post, the center will be named for Roger and Sally Tedrick, whose $6 million leadership gift was instrumental in helping fund the project. The state-of-the-art welcome center will be the first stop for prospective students. Open houses, campus tours, orientations, and other events will begin at the welcome center.

The building, scheduled to be completed in May of 2026, will include a visitor center capable of hosting conferences, lectures, seminars and catered events for up to 300 people, and the philanthropy center, which will be the new home of the SIU Foundation. It will also serve as a hub for donor visits, alumni activities and campus and community events.