SIU Board approves honorary degrees, Distinguished Service Awards
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Pete Rosenbery
SIU News Service
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Senior U.S. District Court Judge J. Phil Gilbert and Southern Illinois University Carbondale Saluki men’s basketball Hall of Famer Mike Glenn will receive honorary degrees, following approval by the SIU Board of Trustees Thursday, Dec. 4. They are two of five individuals recommended by SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane for honorary degrees and Distinguished Service Awards.
The board also approved an honorary degree for three-degree alumnus James J. Miller, founding director of the National Spaced-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board appointed by NASA, and granted Distinguished Service Awards to Kathleen Pericak-Spector, retired SIU Carbondale professor of mathematics, and posthumously to alumna Cheryl F. Green, whose more than 30 years in higher education included serving as Governors State University president.
All five honorees will be recognized at SIU Carbondale’s commencement in May 2026 or at a future ceremony.
J. Phil Gilbert, honorary Doctor of Law
With more than five decades of legal experience as a private attorney, state and federal judge, and higher education leader, Gilbert “has devoted his life to the pursuit of justice, exemplifying integrity, fairness, and an unwavering commitment to public service,” the recommendation states.
Appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois in 1992, Gilbert, a lifelong resident of Carbondale, served as chief judge from 1993 to 2000, and he continues as a senior judge, where he maintains a substantial caseload.
The nomination notes that Gilbert’s judicial career “has been marked by fairness, accessibility, and a deep respect for the law.” Through his work on the Judicial Conference Committees on Criminal Law and Judicial Security, he has influenced national judicial policy and advanced the integrity and safety of the federal judiciary. Before joining the federal bench, Gilbert served as a circuit judge in Illinois’ First Judicial Circuit and chair of the Illinois State Board of Elections.
In 2009, Gilbert received the Founders’ Medal for Distinguished Service from the SIU Simmons Law School for his “enduring support of legal education and mentorship of students.” Other honors include the Silver Gavel Award for dedication to justice and Loyola University School of Law’s Distinguished Jurist Award.
Gilbert has served on the SIU Board of Trustees since 2015, including seven consecutive terms as chairman. Gilbert abstained from the vote for this particular honorary degree.
Michael “Mike” Glenn, honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
A scholar-athlete and one of SIU’s most celebrated players, Glenn, who graduated in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, was twice named an Academic All-American, played 10 years in the NBA and is still SIU’s fourth-leading scorer. But Glenn’s devotion to excellence, education and service as a respected broadcaster, educator and humanitarian, is also well known.
In 1980, while still playing in the NBA, Glenn founded the nation’s first and only free basketball camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes — a program that continues more than 40 years later. The Mike Glenn All-Star Basketball Camp for the Deaf has transformed the lives of thousands of young athletes by fostering confidence, leadership and inclusion. Glenn’s vision bridged the worlds of athletics and accessibility, ensuring that every participant — regardless of hearing ability — has the opportunity to learn, compete and succeed.
Glenn is an accomplished author, historian and curator whose exhibitions and lectures illuminate the contributions of Blacks to sports, civil rights and culture. He has written five books, including “My Next Shot Goes In: Ten Sacred Characteristics of NBA Players That Lead to Success.”
James J. Miller, honorary Doctor of Science
A three-degree SIU Carbondale alumnus, Miller is senior program manager to the chief executive of General Atomics Global Corp. in San Diego. He is an internationally recognized leader in aviation, aerospace and navigation policy and “has devoted his career to advancing the systems that guide, connect, and protect people around the world,” his recommendation states.
Over more than three decades in government, industry and academia, Miller has played a central role in developing and strengthening GPS for civil, commercial and space applications. Before his current position, Miller’s work included being selected by the NASA administrator to serve as chief designated federal officer of the National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group, providing independent guidance to the U.S. government on GPS modernization, resilience and international cooperation. He also held senior leadership positions with NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Navigation and Spectrum Policy. Earlier in his career, he helped pioneer GPS integration into commercial airline operations as program manager at United Airlines.
Miller also remains deeply connected to SIU, facilitating the sponsorship of a NASA Wings program through SIU Aviation, which introduced underrepresented students to aviation and aerospace careers. Miller earned his associate degree in aviation flight, bachelor’s degree in aviation management and Master of Public Administration in aviation administration from SIU Carbondale.
Cheryl F. Green, Distinguished Service Award
A two-degree SIU Carbondale alumna, Green served as Governors State University’s sixth president and “devoted her more that 30-year career in higher education to advancing access, equity and student success,” the nomination states.
Green earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees in counseling psychology from SIU Carbondale. She served as GSU president from July 2020 until her retirement in March 2025, one month before her death following a lengthy illness. Prior to Governors State, Green held key leadership roles at the University of Michigan, Chicago State University, Tennessee State University and the University of Wisconsin System, where she served as UW-Whitewater interim chancellor.
While at Governors State University, Green established the Social Justice Initiative, created the Latinx Resource Center and appointed the institution’s first chief diversity officer — all hallmarks of her commitment to equity and inclusion. In 2022, Governors State University and SIU Carbondale entered a unique 3+3 partnership to allow students to earn both bachelor’s and juris doctor (JD) degrees in six years.
Green received numerous awards recognizing her leadership, including honors from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, Crain’s Chicago Business and The History Makers.
Kathleen Pericak-Spector, Distinguished Service Award
Over nearly four decades at SIU Carbondale, Pericak-Spector “demonstrated extraordinary dedication to education, outreach, and service throughout her distinguished career and into retirement,” the nomination states.
Pericak-Spector, who retired from SIU in 2017, “advanced mathematics education through inspired teaching, leadership, and sustained community engagement that continues to enrich both the university and the broader Southern Illinois region.” Her commitment to STEM education extended beyond her classroom through successful collaborations with the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the National Science Foundation and the Illinois State Board of Education for grants that provided hands-on science and mathematics learning for teachers and students across the region.
Now living in Michigan, Pericak-Spector has returned to SIU repeatedly — entirely at her own expense — to support key SIU and regional outreach initiatives, including Southern Illinois Regional Science Fair, Math Field Day, Expanding Your Horizons and the Science in the South Conference. She remains deeply involved with the Illinois Junior Academy of Science, serving as state chair, president and adviser to fairs hosted at SIU, fostering the next generation of scientists and educators.
Pericak-Spector’s enduring commitment “exemplifies the spirit of distinguished service — selfless, sustained, and profoundly impactful. Her lifelong devotion to SIU and Southern Illinois continues to inspire students, colleagues and educators statewide.”