Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Faith Miller, Harold Bardo honored at inaugural Black History Month Celebration
02/26/2019 | 2:05:00 | General
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Making your own traditions. Cementing your own legacy. Becoming a pioneer. That is something that we all thrive to do in our lives, careers, and most importantly in our own families. In keeping with this theme of celebrating our history, Saluki Athletics hosted its inaugural Black History Month Celebration event on Feb. 9.
The celebration dinner was held at the Saluki Stadium Club and featured the presentation of the Saluki Pioneer's Award to Faith Miller and Dr. Harold Bardo. The Saluki Pioneer's Award was developed to recognize African American individuals who have thrived in the Southern Illinois community. These individuals have been strong supporters of Saluki Athletics and continue to pave the way for others.
Miller is an Associate Professor and Director of the Dental Hygiene Program at SIU. A supporter of SIU athletics since 1986 – Miller is a three-time alumnus of SIU (Associate in Applied Science: Dental Hygiene, 1988, Bachelor of Science: Health Care Management, 1991, Master of Science in Education, 1999). Miller, an Army veteran, won the Army Achievement Medal for meritorious service while reaching the rank of staff sergeant. She became a clinical instructor in the dental hygiene program at SIU in 1999, and later promoted to assistant professor in 2000 and associate professor in 2006.
Miller has been the centerpiece for volunteer efforts in the Carbondale community – as a volunteer for her church (New Zion Missionary Baptist Church) and sorority (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated). Faith, though she was not a student-athlete at SIU, has been a leader for volunteering for SIU Athletics and the true definition of Salukis Supporting Salukis.
"Thanks to Saluki Athletics for hosting this event and allowing it to become a regular occasion during Black History Month," said Miller. "Black History Month is about being yourself and not forgetting where you came from."
Bardo, a native of Sparta, Ill., is also a three-time alumnus of the SIU system (Bachelor's in History from SIU, 1962, Master's in Education from SIUE, 1969, Doctorate in Education from SIU, 1972). He is a former student-athlete, competing in both basketball and track and field.
Bardo was director of the SIU School of Medicine's Medical/Dental Education Preparatory Program (MEDPREP) from 1984 to 1999 and from 2001 until his retirement in 2014. For athletics, he served as Interim Athletics Director twice, faculty representative for 15 years, on the NCAA Amateurism Cabinet, Division I Leadership Council and was a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) finance committee member. In 2016, Bardo was inducted into both the Missouri Valley Conference and SIU Hall of Fame.
"I accept this award for other Pioneers like Harvey Welch and Seymour Bryson," said Bardo. "As we continue to build on programs like this in athletics, I want to see more people from my generation come back to be celebrated as well."
