Robert Glover: An Involved Alumnus
In 2000, Political Science alumnus Robert Glover (1982) established the Robert Glover Student Government Scholarship based on his belief that his own student leadership experiences had played an important role in the corporate world. While a student at Eastern, Bob put his political science into action and was successful in being elected to the position of Student Government President—a position also held over the years by a number of other Political Science alumni. He notes that “My student leadership post helped me land my first position, and laid a platform for my entire life of developing extensive teamwork and networking skills.”
Now a vice president for a major health care supplies corporation (Cardinal Health), Mr. Glover has a number of goals related to starting the scholarship. He observes: “I hope the scholarship can bridge the gap for students who need the extra money, and will also get more students involved in student government/student leadership. It may also produce positive PR to other student government/Political Science/student leader alumni to endow their own scholarships/giving program to EIU. It rewards students to really think beyond the classroom/academic experience, and expand their campus life by taking on more responsibility to complete their higher education learning.”
To be eligible for the award, applicants must be a Political Science major at Eastern with an overall g.p.a. of 3.0 or higher, along with being very active in student government. Beyond this, the department also requires applicants to secure letters of reference and submit a one-page statement on how participation in student government has benefited them as students of Political Science. Indeed, the growing list of recipients represents a “Who’s Who” of recent Political Science alumni—starting with our first recipient, Kathleen (Katie Cox) Anselment and on through Joseph Robbins, Amy Leonard, George Lesica, Amanda Sartore, Ryan Berger, Jill David, and most recently Jeffrey Melanson as the 2006 recipient.
Bob’s involved with his alma mater, however, goes well beyond creating this important scholarship. In recent years, he has served as a valued member of the College of Sciences Dean ’s Advisory Board, for which he returns to campus once each semester. On this important service, he notes: “Staying involved with Eastern is very important to me and many fellow alumni. It provides a strong and solid tie with EIU to play a role on the Advisory Board, which is value for both Cardinal Health and Eastern. Being able to provide ideas, new concepts and an open line of communication is an asset provided by my membership on the Dean’s Advisory Board. The Board also assists me in keeping current with campus events, activities and Foundation/Alumni Association opportunities.”
Equally impressive is his ongoing commitment to passing on his knowledge of the private sector to current generations of EIU students. In Fall 2005, Mr. Glover was brought to campus by the Political Science Association to provide some pointers to Political Science majors seeking careers in the business world, and the students greatly appreciated and benefited from his insights. In addition, he has been coming to campus once each semester to review student resumes and provide insights on the job application process. Says Bob: “I really enjoy my time on campus, especially as it relates to bringing career value to the students at EIU. Being able to assist junior and senior students with their resume structure and interviewing strategy is very impactful. When I was searching for a position, talking and interfacing with key contacts in the private and public sectors were very valuable points of reference for me.”
With the above points in mind, from his professional achievements on through his commitment to Eastern, it is not surprising that Bob was awarded an Outstanding Alumnus Award by the EIU Alumni Association in October 2005. Of course, it must be emphasized that he is but one example of many outstanding Political Science alumni!
Please look in the future for additional profiles of our alumni. We hope that this profile is just the beginning.
