They did not live in Carbondale. They were not even associated with SIUC. But the SIUC Area Services director said Irene and Joe Dell’Era will have a long lasting impact on many students for years to come.

J.C. Garavalia, a native Herrin resident and director of area services for SIUC, said the Dell’Eras, although not alumni and having no official connections to the University, willed a $379,000 portion of their estate to the SIU School of Law and the School of Medicine when they died.

After Joe Dell’Era died in 1974 and Irene Dell’Era died in 1983, their estate stayed intact and interest from it went to Joe Dell’Era’s brother and sister until his siblings died last year.

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Garavalia said the Dell’Eras believed both schools were still in building stages when they died, and they wanted to see SIU become a valuable asset to the community.

I think the Dell’Era couple wanted to see the law and medical schools grow at the University, Garavalia said. They also saw the schools making great accomplishments in the near future.

Garavalia said the Dell’Eras owned commercial property and rented it out to other businesses in Herrin. He said they also owned the Dell’Era Insurance Agency, working as insurance brokers.

Joe was a businessman and had a great deal of interest of what was going on in the region, Garavalia said. I think Joe was a serious person but a considerable person.

Carl Getto, dean of the SIU School of Medicine, said the University will invest its five-sixths share of the Dell’Era estate for endowed scholarships.

Getto said the estate will be divided by the law and medical schools, and, depending on what interest rates the schools will get, they expect a return of about five to ten percent.

He said the schools will not distribute any money to the scholarship recipients until it is earned through the interest rates, which will probably be around the 1998 fiscal year.

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Getto said he has yet to determine who will receive the scholarship funds, but overall, the gift is a pleasant surprise.

I think it’s really a statement that SIU is important to the people of Southern Illinois, Getto said.

Thomas Britton, acting dean of the SIU School of Law, said the two schools intend to make this program an ongoing fund.

We won’t spend all of the money at once, Britton said. Instead, we’ll invest the money and then spend the interest from that money.

Garavalia said the Dell’Era couple saw SIU as a landmark for education in the fields of medicine and law.

They recognized the need for the University to become more diversified in an academic offering, he said. Our students will now benefit as a result of their concern.

Britton said he is pleased and honored with this special gift because the School of Law has a real need to financially aid its students, particularly incoming students.

Most scholarships are targeted to students who already have a good track record, which include juniors and seniors, Britton said. But this gift will make awards to first-year students who promise to have good track records.

Britton said he will set up a strategy later, but he already has a vision of the group that would be eligible for the scholarship.

My initial thought was to give this award to special students living in Southern Illinois, especially since the couple was from Southern Illinois, he said.