For Sen. Richard Durbin, no trip to the Du Quoin State Fair is complete without a side visit to Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The five-term senator will be making his annual stop at the university’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 25 to meet with students.

“He reached out to our office again and said he’d just like to meet with students, explain what he’s working on and perhaps encourage students to consider careers in government,” John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute explained.

Shaw said he expects Durbin to be on campus for about 45 minutes, giving remarks and visiting with students.

“For students, many of them are just interested in the life of a lawmaker, wondering what it takes to represent a state as large and diverse as Illinois,” Shaw explained. He added that as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Durbin may be able to provide students with some insight on judicial appointments and some of the committee’s work on artificial intelligence regulation, and give students a better understanding of the government’s commitment to higher education.

The event is designed for and directed to SIU students.

Close Students pass through the breezeway at Faner Hall on the SIU campus as rain and strong winds passed through the area in February in Carbondale. Students walk along the Campus Lake Trail on a mild Tuesday afternoon on the SIU campus in Carbondale. Mild temperatures stick around the region on Wednesday, but rain is forecast for most of the day. A student uses an umbrella while riding his bike through the SIU campus on a rainy Wednesday morning in Carbondale. GOING UP A student goes up the steps at the Engineering Building on the SIU campus on a sunny afternoon on Monday in Carbondale. Don’t expect to see much sun the next few days as wintry weather is expected to arrive Tuesday evening. A small snowman adorns the outside of Morris Library on the SIU campus on Wednesday morning in Carbondale. Overnight snow canceled classes at many schools in the region, but only caused a delay in the start of classes at SIU. CHILLY RECEPTION Students pass by an icy holly tree near the Life Science Building on the SIU campus on a cold Monday afternoon in Carbondale. Overnight freezing rain made for slippery conditions in the morning and a mix of wintry precipitation late in the day created some slick spots on roads. Students walk by the partially frozen fountain in the plaza near Faner Hall on the SIU campus as the sun begins to thaw things out on Wednesday in Carbondale. A student is framed by blossoming cherry trees while walking along Lincoln Drive on the SIU campus on a mild, but windy, Monday morning in Carbondale. SIU student Rufayda Adam takes photos of a flowering magnolia tree on campus on Tuesday in Carbondale. Adam was sending the photos to her mother in Sudan where there aren’t flowering trees. A student walks through the SIU campus near Pulliam Hall during a rain shower on Tuesday in Carbondale. More rain is in the forecast each day through Friday. Students pass through the SIU campus past blooming redbuds and azaleas on a pleasant Thursday in Carbondale. A rainy and stormy day is forecast for Friday with highs in the 60s. A student passes through Thompson Woods on the SIU campus as showers pass through the region on Thursday in Carbondale. Cooler, but drier, weather is in the forecast the rest of the week with a gradual warming trend expected through the weekend. A student cruises on a scooter past a flowering dogwood near Browne Auditorium on the SIU campus on a pleasant Wednesday in Carbondale. The mild weather is forecast to continue through Friday before a chance of showers returns on Saturday. A young white-tailed deer buck eats leaves from a tree on the west side of the SIU campus on Tuesday morning in Carbondale. A bicyclist passes along Douglas Drive on the SIU campus on Wednesday in Carbondale. More pleasant weather is in store for the region through the weekend. A white-tailed deer peers out from behind foliage in Thompson Woods on the SIU campus on Wednesday in Carbondale. DANDY DAISIES A jogger passes by blooming daisies and catnip near Altgeld Hall on the SIU campus on Thursday in Carbondale. More pleasant weather is forecast into the weekend before rain is expected to return on Sunday. A walker passes by arrows on the Campus Lake Trail on Wednesday on the SIU campus in Carbondale. The arrows were used to direct competitors in the Saluki Triathlon last weekend. STROLLING ON WHEELS Anthony Fletcher skateboards through one of the breezeways at Faner Hall on the SIU campus on Monday afternoon in Carbondale. A worker cleans the exterior windows of one of the lounges at Neely Hall dormitory on the SIU campus on Tuesday in Carbondale. Campus Collection The best shots from the campus of Southern Illinois University during the first half of 2023 Students pass through the breezeway at Faner Hall on the SIU campus as rain and strong winds passed through the area in February in Carbondale. Students walk along the Campus Lake Trail on a mild Tuesday afternoon on the SIU campus in Carbondale. Mild temperatures stick around the region on Wednesday, but rain is forecast for most of the day. A student uses an umbrella while riding his bike through the SIU campus on a rainy Wednesday morning in Carbondale. GOING UP A student goes up the steps at the Engineering Building on the SIU campus on a sunny afternoon on Monday in Carbondale. Don’t expect to see much sun the next few days as wintry weather is expected to arrive Tuesday evening. A small snowman adorns the outside of Morris Library on the SIU campus on Wednesday morning in Carbondale. Overnight snow canceled classes at many schools in the region, but only caused a delay in the start of classes at SIU. CHILLY RECEPTION Students pass by an icy holly tree near the Life Science Building on the SIU campus on a cold Monday afternoon in Carbondale. Overnight freezing rain made for slippery conditions in the morning and a mix of wintry precipitation late in the day created some slick spots on roads. Students walk by the partially frozen fountain in the plaza near Faner Hall on the SIU campus as the sun begins to thaw things out on Wednesday in Carbondale. A student is framed by blossoming cherry trees while walking along Lincoln Drive on the SIU campus on a mild, but windy, Monday morning in Carbondale. SIU student Rufayda Adam takes photos of a flowering magnolia tree on campus on Tuesday in Carbondale. Adam was sending the photos to her mother in Sudan where there aren’t flowering trees. A student walks through the SIU campus near Pulliam Hall during a rain shower on Tuesday in Carbondale. More rain is in the forecast each day through Friday. Students pass through the SIU campus past blooming redbuds and azaleas on a pleasant Thursday in Carbondale. A rainy and stormy day is forecast for Friday with highs in the 60s. A student passes through Thompson Woods on the SIU campus as showers pass through the region on Thursday in Carbondale. Cooler, but drier, weather is in the forecast the rest of the week with a gradual warming trend expected through the weekend. A student cruises on a scooter past a flowering dogwood near Browne Auditorium on the SIU campus on a pleasant Wednesday in Carbondale. The mild weather is forecast to continue through Friday before a chance of showers returns on Saturday. A young white-tailed deer buck eats leaves from a tree on the west side of the SIU campus on Tuesday morning in Carbondale. A bicyclist passes along Douglas Drive on the SIU campus on Wednesday in Carbondale. More pleasant weather is in store for the region through the weekend. A white-tailed deer peers out from behind foliage in Thompson Woods on the SIU campus on Wednesday in Carbondale. DANDY DAISIES A jogger passes by blooming daisies and catnip near Altgeld Hall on the SIU campus on Thursday in Carbondale. More pleasant weather is forecast into the weekend before rain is expected to return on Sunday. A walker passes by arrows on the Campus Lake Trail on Wednesday on the SIU campus in Carbondale. The arrows were used to direct competitors in the Saluki Triathlon last weekend. STROLLING ON WHEELS Anthony Fletcher skateboards through one of the breezeways at Faner Hall on the SIU campus on Monday afternoon in Carbondale. A worker cleans the exterior windows of one of the lounges at Neely Hall dormitory on the SIU campus on Tuesday in Carbondale.