Cindy Buys, a professor at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) Simmons Law School, received the 2026 Lindell W. Sturgis Award during the SIU Board of Trustees meeting on April 16. The award recognizes SIU Carbondale employees for their public service outside of their official job duties.
The recognition highlights Buys’ long-standing commitment to serving her community and helping others, rooted in her deep sense of faith developed during her upbringing. “I think sometimes when we are young, we think we are going to change the world,” Buys said. “But what I’ve learned is what is important to me is to make my corner of the world a better place.”
Buys joined SIU in 2001 and has become known as an expert in constitutional, immigration, and international law. She has served as interim dean and acting associate dean for academic affairs at the law school and founded its pro bono immigration projects that also offer externship opportunities for students. Her volunteer work includes co-founding Carbondale Area Interfaith Refugee Support (CAIRS), assisting with refugee resettlement in Southern Illinois, supporting immigrant rights through various organizations such as the Southern Illinois Immigrant Rights Project, participating in local Rotary Club activities, and engaging with church outreach efforts.
Hannah Brenner Johnson, dean of SIU Simmons Law School, wrote that Buys’ work “extends locally, nationally and internationally” and serves as “a model for public service to her community.” Angela Upchurch, associate dean for academic affairs at the law school, described Buys’ impact as visible “in the real lives of immigrants in our state and local community — families who have found stability, dignity, and opportunity because of her tireless advocacy.”
Buys began focusing on asylum law after handling a case involving two men from the Soviet Union persecuted for being gay while working as a summer associate during law school. She noted that asylum cases can be life-saving: “With asylum law… you are truly saving someone’s life,” she said.
She emphasized that most immigrants seek better lives due to hardships at home rather than favorable conditions abroad. Studies show immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than average; however, she said all individuals deserve compassion and human rights protections regardless of circumstances. Regarding U.S. immigration policy reform efforts she said: “There’s plenty of blame to go around on both sides… But I really do wish that we could come together as a country and create a policy that worked better both for people wanting to come to the United States and our society.”
