As Congressman John Shimkus transitions from a life of public service back into the private sector, he is announcing his next career move. Beginning in the spring, Shimkus will join the SIUE faculty as a member of the Political Science department. Shimkus is a graduate of the university, completing his Master's in Business Administration in 1997, just as he was starting his first term in the House of Representatives.

He served as Madison County Treasurer from 1990-1996 and was an educator at Metro East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville before that. He says this move feels like he has come full circle, saying he feels “very blessed to have served as a member of congress.”

Shimkus had already committed to providing to the university a sampling of his work while in office. A donation of records, correspondence, photos and more will soon be housed in the “Shimkus Collection” at the Elijah P. Lovejoy Library on campus.