Student Leaders
Mehak is a Ph.D. student in Population Health from Pakistan with a background in health administration, informatics, and library science. She is passionate about healthcare, research, and community service, serving in multiple campus leadership roles. Outside academics, she enjoys cooking, event planning, volunteering, and spending time with her son and cats.
Email: mehak.saeed@siu.edu
Samuel is an English Literature student from Nigeria who values kindness, community, and helping others. He enjoys creating positive experiences for the people around him and cares deeply about the well-being of children. Thoughtful and compassionate, he prefers expressing himself through actions rather than words and believes meaningful impact speaks for itself.
Email: samuel.idowu@siu.edu
Mahdi is a Ph.D. student in Political Science from Tehran, Iran, who enjoys learning, traveling, and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds. Passionate about languages and cultural exchange, he hopes to visit every country in the world someday. Outside academics, he enjoys watching soccer and volleyball and spending time with family and friends.
Email: mahdi.fadaeirayeni@siu.edu
Rohan is currently pursuing a Master’s in Accountancy and is passionate about bringing people together to exchange ideas, learn from different perspectives, and create meaningful impact. He enjoys creating digital contents, voiceover, fintech, and in outdoor activities. Through design thinking and structured problem-solving, he is aspired to help others turn ideas into clear, actionable plans before taking them into execution.
Email: rohan.makaishrestha@siu.edu
Alliah is a Computer Science student from the Philippines. Passionate about technology, leadership, and community engagement, she is an aspiring full-stack developer who enjoys building websites, creating digital content, and supporting international students. Outside academics, she loves learning languages, speaks English and Tagalog fluently, and has studied Japanese and Portuguese.
Email: alliah.bombais@siu.edu
Mayaas is a Business and Analytics student from Saudi Arabia who enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures and historical traditions. Curious and open-minded, she values opportunities to explore new perspectives and experiences. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games and discovering new places, ideas, and stories from around the world.
Email: mayaas.jastaniyah@siu.edu
Aisha is a student from Nigeria studying Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. She enjoys traveling, exploring nature, and capturing moments through photography. In her free time, she likes watching Asian television shows and discovering new places. She also has a passion for problem-solving and never gets tired of working through math challenges.
Email: aisha.muftau@siu.edu
Faculty & Staff
Mrs. Sickinger serves as the Interim Director of Student Engagement and Campus Life at SIU Carbondale. A longtime advocate for student success and involvement, she supports leadership development, campus engagement, and opportunities that help students build meaningful connections and thrive within the university community.
Email: tschiff@siu.edu
Dr. Conrad is the Community and Educational Programs Coordinator in the Center for International Education at SIU Carbondale. She works closely with international students through educational programs, cultural initiatives, and community engagement opportunities that promote intercultural understanding and student success.
Email: econrad@siu.edu
Mr. Stevens is the Program Director of International Student & Scholar Services at SIU Carbondale. He provides guidance and support to international students and scholars while fostering programs and resources that encourage academic achievement, cultural adjustment, and engagement within the global SIU community.
Email: aaron.stevens@siu.edu
