CMYK
The Official student newspaper of the University of Indianapolis
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reflector.uindy.edu
APRIL 25, 2012
Irby J. Good Gene Sease
1915
One of two persons in the first graduating class from Indiana Central University
1970 Responsible for changing “Indiana Central” to “University of Indianapolis”
1998
The interfaith service award was named after him
UINDY PRESIDENTS 1909
Conducted the largest publicity and recruiting campaign in the school’s history
1945
Found out about the open president’s position from The Reflector
1988
The “campus jewel” he envisioned became Christel DeHaan
2012
Pushed for the nickname “UIndy”
His family may get a greyhound as a pet
Beverley Pitts
2005
G. Benjamin Lantz Jr.
Jerry Israel
Led the effort to create Indiana Central University
Isaiah Lynd Esch
Robert Manuel
1905
Lewis Bonebrake
J. T. Roberts
UINDY MEETS ITS NEW PRESIDENT
Graphic by Laura Fellows
This graphic shares unique facts about the history of the University of Indianapolis presidents.
By Stephanie Snay EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Robert Manuel, associate provost and dean of the School of Continuing Studies at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., will join the University of Indianapolis as its ninth president this July. He was introduced to the campus community on April 18 at 10:30 a.m. in Ransburg Auditorium. Manuel received a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Allegheny College. After that, he had planned to go to law school but said he did not have a real reason for why he wanted to go into law. “The people I was speaking with at Allegheny [College] had made a career out of working in colleges and universities,” Manuel said. “I realized that I loved my undergrad experience, and I enjoyed interacting with those professionals and maybe I could make a career out of that.” Manuel went on to earn a master’s degree in higher education administration from Syracuse University and a doctorate in higher education from New York University. He held various positions at NYU before going to work at Georgetown University. Pitts announced her plans to retire after a seven-year tenure in a campus-wide email. In the email, she recalled her time at UIndy as one of the most rewarding experiences in her life, but said that the time for new leadership had come.The announcement prompted a national search for the new president by a search committee of university trustees and faculty and staff representatives, with the help of executive recruiting firm Korn/Ferry International. Board of Trustees Member Deborah Daniels served as the chair of the search committee. “The things we were looking for [in a new president] had to do with vision
UIndy announces speakers
for the future, strategic planning, collaborative work with others at the school, a student focus, naturally and a very strong focus on how to prepare UIndy students for their future in the 21st century,” Daniels said. Daniels said they had to narrow down a significant number of candidates before conducting interviews. After the interviews, they chose four finalists, one of whom ended up accepting a position at a university closer to where she and her husband lived. The finalists came to campus to speak with the administration, faculty, staff and students. “We went through that process, and then the search committee simply sat down and talked through what we were looking for in a candidate, and we settled on Dr. Manuel who we think is just going to be a really transformative leader for UIndy,” Daniels said. Daniels cited a number of reasons why Manuel was chosen for the position. “We saw that he was extremely student focused and at the same time has a great external vision,” Daniels said Daniels said that Manuel has established partnerships with major corporations and works well outside the university, which is what she thinks UIndy’s future holds. Manuel had his own reasons about why he was interested in UIndy. “I’m drawn to mission-based education,” Manuel said. “UIndy has this mission of service, this tradition of connecting education and service, and I could see very quickly by my interviews with students and faculty that that is a fundamental connection that they have.” Manuel said the sense of community at UIndy was a big draw. “Just the sheer community and the passion shown by the faculty, staff members and students showed that they really cared about each other, cared about each other’s future and that they will be interested in collectively finding a way to continue to
connect to UIndy,” Manuel said. Manuel said that he and his family are incredibly excited about moving in July. “When we [he and his family] toured campus I thought, ‘What a tremendous opportunity for my kids to learn the important things in life from an entire community,’” Manuel said. “Professionally, I’m looking forward to being part of that community and personally, I’m excited to have my family grow up inside of those values and those traditions that the university holds.” Daniels praised Manuel’s knowledge of the future of higher education. “He recognizes that higher education has changed over the years and institutes of higher learning really need to make sure that they are relevant to the lives of students,” Daniels said. Manuel sees UIndy as a cultural fit for himself. “The things that I saw in UIndy resonated with me as being core to my own approach,” Manuel said. “I think I do my best work when we have a community. The students, faculty and staff are all aligned with regards to what the purpose of UIndy is.” Manuel said that his first step at UIndy will be to listen and understand the community, so that he can become part of it. “From there, collectively, we’ll find the next steps for UIndy,” Manuel said. “But I want to make sure that I’m respectful and understanding of those traditions first.” Manuel also has his eye on the future. “Through Beverley’s leadership, there have been a lot of interesting, new, meaningful, relevant programs created. And I think we should continue that and use them in global conversations about higher education, about how we become relevant and impactful and how we deal with the challenges of our time,” Manuel said. “And I can’t imagine a better place to have those conversations or to lead them from [than UIndy].”
Lilly CEO and former governor to speak at commencement ceremonies By Anna Wieseman NEWS EDITOR
CEO and President of Eli Lilly and Company John Lechleiter and former Indiana Governor Joseph Kernan will speak at this year’s commencement ceremonies. Kernan will speak to the graduate students and Lechleiter to the undergraduates. University of Indianapolis President Beverley Pitts was able to choose this year’s speakers but sought advice from faculty and other sources. “There are two different processes. One is the selection of a commencement speaker, the other is who will get the honorary degrees,” Pitts said. “And the president is really responsible for the commencement speaker, seeking advice from a lot of people and getting nomination names and then just [deciding] who is a good person that fits the institution that year.” Kernan will receive an honorary degree from UIndy. Pitts said that she looks for people who have a connection to the university and Indianapolis. “We look for people that in their own right are prestigious and have accomplished something that we would consider exemplary,” Pitts said. “We look for people who have a connection to our university either because they are a part of the community the university is in, or they are a part of our state or because they [have] had connection to the institution in some way.” Lechleiter began his work at Lilly as an organic chemist in 1993. He then worked his way up to become president and CEO of the company. Pitts believes that this work ethic will speak to the undergraduates. “He is a wonderful example of ‘[how] you can rise to the highest levels in your own community,’” Pitts said. “He’s just been a person of balance. He’s really kind of everything. He’s a scientist of the high-
OPINION 2
est sort, he’s a business leader and he’s a civic leader. And he’s a great example that you can be all of those things, and he’s a kind and gentle and accessible man, too.” Lechleiter is on the Indiana Central Board for the United Way and was a member of the host committee for the 2012 Super Bowl. Pitts believes that this civic leadership is what makes him a perfect speaker for the ceremony. “I think his spirit of engagement in the community and his spirit of the sense in which a company should give back to its community fits the UIndy story perfectly,” Pitts said. “We say education for ser vice, and they [Eli Lilly PITTS and Company] could say education for service just as easily. So I think that’s one of the reasons he’s considered to be such a successful CEO.” Senior theatre major Kylie Welker will hear Lechleiter’s speech at the undergraduate ceremony this year and said that she is impressed with how he balances his job while still giving back to the city of Indianapolis. “I like how he continues to stay involved in community building,” Welker said. “He’s not consumed by his job all the time. It’s impressive.” Kernan was Indiana’s 48th governor. He became the governor after Gov. Frank O’Bannon, for whom he served as lieutenant governor, died of a massive stroke. Before entering the political sphere, Kernan served in the Navy as a flight officer. During his time in Vietnam, he was held as a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down. He was released after 11 months and went back to active
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entertainment 6
duty service in the Navy. “I think his [Kernan’s] story a lot of people have forgotten, the story of his heroism,” Pitts said. “This is a highly dedicated war hero. That alone makes him [Kernan] someone special.” After O’Bannon’s death, Kernan served for two years as governor. Welker said she admires Kernan’s ability to push through difficulties to become a respected politician. “[Even] though he was in a negative situation, he was able to turn it around to make himself better,” Welker said. Pitts also admires that Kernan was able to take on the governor’s position and succeed under the pressure that the position entails. “With John Lechleiter, we have a wonderful success story of hard work and dedication. But with Joe Kernan, we have somebody who went through what we would never want anybody to go through,” Pitts said. “[Kernan] gave something to his country far beyond what any of the rest of us will ever be asked to give and came out of it to go on to civic leadership.” Pitts worked closely with the speakers to help them form their speeches to the graduating students. Pitts also said that she hopes students, faculty and others will read the biographies on the speakers to learn about their accomplishments. “One of things I do with the commencement speakers is spend a lot of time talking to them about where the university is and where the class is and who they are and what majors they’re graduating from. I mean, they know us generally, but they might not know those questions specifically. So that they can shape the speech that is appropriate to the class,” Pitts said. “And I was pleased about that because both of them were very interested in shaping their speech to have a very strong message to the class.” The graduate commencement will be on May 4 and the undergraduate commencement will be held May 5.
FEATURE 8
Photo by Victoria Jenkins
(Left) Madison Atkinson and (right) Greta Farlow weed a garden at the University Heights United Methodist Church on Hanna Ave. as part of the Great UIndy Clean-Up.
Students volunteer in annual clean up project By Abby Ropes STAFF WRITER
Students, faculty and staff volunteered their time to help clean up the University of Indianapolis campus and surrounding area in the annual Great UIndy Clean-Up from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 14. The Great UIndy Clean-Up, which started in 2007, is now in its sixth year. Teams worked together to clean up the surrounding community by removing trash and other debris from campus and other buildings associated with the university. “My group was in charge of cleaning up the Wheeler Arts Center,” said freshman English major Jordan Cox. “We did a lot of painting on the outside of the building as well as picking up trash on the outside.” More than 100 volunteers were present for the event. “The clean-up was really fun,” Cox said. “I really enjoy helping people and volunteering for different community projects. It just really makes me feel good to help out the community.” The Campus Program Board and Community Programs Center worked together to put this event together for the campus and community. Sites that were cleaned up included Campus Apartments, Hanna House, University Heights United Methodist Church, Wheeler Arts Center and many more. Volunteers pulled weeds, picked up trash, groomed yards and completed beautification projects such as painting. Teams were created from the volunteers present and sent to specific sites to do the designated work. Some were sent out by bus, while others stayed closer to the university and walked to their sites.
New Honors College director
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Alumni games
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