IUPUI
UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
NEWS
Vol. 1, No. 4, 2014
Innovate Inspire Invigorate Click to Read
DEAN’S PERSPECTIVE I distinctly remember a faculty meeting very early in my career in which a colleague spoke eloquently about academic advising as an important form of teaching that ideally should engage all faculty. I eagerly signed up for training and proudly began to self-identify as an academic advisor, rationalizing that my training as a psychologist and my fairly good attention to detail would help ensure that my advisees would soon meet with dizzying levels of success. Within about five minutes of my first appointment, I realized that my Ph.D. meant absolutely nothing in this arena and that my five-year-old could probably out advise me even on a good day! Which test scores were needed to place into calculus and which psychology course was apt to be considered equivalent to that interdisciplinary seminar on substance abuse taken at Ball State? Who knew? Even worse were those meetings in which students sought advice on how to become a social worker, or how to get an internship, or heaven forbid . . . how to request more work-study funding or solve a problem with financial aid. I cultivated an extensive referral network as a coping strategy, lest I commit the unpardonable sin of dispensing inaccurate information. It turns out that if students wanted to do just what I did—that is, go to graduate school to become a cognitive developmental psychologist in order to do research and teach college classes—it was smooth sailing. How often did I encounter such students? Maybe once every five years, and I even managed to scare some of them away after they’d slogged miserably through the process of conceptualizing and writing up a capstone research project. So I’ve since become a champion of the professionalization of advising. Faculty make terrific mentors, and once in a while (when we’re pitched softball questions about courses that we actually teach), we do okay. But professional staff advisors are increasingly critical, if not absolutely essential, to IUPUI’s mission of helping students to navigate to a major aligned with their personal and career goals and to graduate on time. In University College, academic advisors have adopted an appreciative advising model that evolved from the organizational development theory of appreciative inquiry. It’s a strengthsbased approach that considers advising to be a variant of teaching. Advisors are trained to build rapport with students in order to discover their strengths, skills, and abilities, and then they work with students to design (and later support) a plan that fulfills their aspirational goals. From observing this approach in practice, I’m most struck by how dedicated our academic advisors are to the transformative impact that education can have on students’ lives. Even in the blizzard of activity that comprises the summer and fall months in University College, my colleagues take the time to learn about students’ strengths and interests as they work with them to co-construct a plan that will enable the students’ dreams to be realized. In the past several months, the advising role has become even more complicated as new technologies have become available to support the work. While I’m grateful for these new tools and am eager to take full advantage of them, I’m mindful that there is a humanistic element to academic advising that simply cannot be replaced by dashboards and other tools. Advisors are able to motivate, inspire, support, teach, and guide—typically while displaying amazing levels of patience, warmth, and humor. Our next pressing challenge is to develop ways of integrating aspects of appreciative advising with these new advising technologies in order to magnify the impact that we can have on students that might otherwise have left IUPUI. Ideally, the tools will create efficiencies that will maximize advisors’ opportunities to do what they do best—help students to envision and become their best selves through the transformative power of education.
KATHY E. JOHNSON, PH.D. DEAN, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
University College News is a monthly e-publication that brings readers in-depth stories about academic programs and successes of IUPUI University College. Its par tnerships with other IUPUI schools and depar tments help University College build stronger learning outcomes. The News is sent to the IUPUI campus community, friends of University College, and Indiana businesses. University College is the academic unit at IUPUI that provides a common gateway to the academic programs available to entering students. University College coordinates existing university resources and develops new initiatives to promote academic excellence and enhance student persistence. It provides a setting where faculty, staff, and students share in the responsibility for making IUPUI a suppor tive and challenging environment for learning. Hermes Creative Awards are given for projects that possess creative concepts, exceptional writing and design, and emerging technology.
CONTACT Email hbennett@iupui.edu Address IUPUI University College 815 West Michigan Street Suite 3140E Indianapolis, IN 46202 Telephone 317-274-5036
CONTENTS 02 – 31 WHAT MAKES AN ADVISOR, AN ADVISOR? 04–05 Overview 06–11 Mike Starr: Adapting & Advising 12–17
Yvonne Fitzgerald: Harmonizing the Details
18–23 Sean Winningham: Back to the Basics 24–29 Adam Siurek: Cooking Up Comfort 30–31 Closing Statement
32 BEING HEART HEALTHY IS MORE THAN PHYSICAL 33 INDIANA MEMBERS CREDIT UNION 34 - 35 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE NEW EMPLOYEES + SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES 36 INDIANA COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS NETWORK SUMMIT 37 THANK YOU MEIJER
IUPUI
UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
NEWS
Vol. 1, No. 4, 2014
DEAN, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE: KATHY E. JOHNSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: HARRIETT BENNETT COPY EDITOR: LYNN TRAPP WRITERS: HOPE MCGOWEN, JEREMY PRATHER, ADAM STATEN DESIGNERS: DEREK DALTON, ABIGAIL GODWIN PHOTOGRAPHERS: DEREK DALTON, ABIGAIL GODWIN, JEREMY PRATHER CONTRIBUTORS: YVONNE FITZGERALD, KAYLA GEIS, ELIZABETH VALENCIA-GUTIERREZ, ADAM SIUREK, MIKE STARR, SEAN WINNINGHAM
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WH
AN AN
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HAT MAKES
N ADVISOR, ADVISOR?
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The Pride of University College The pride of University College is its advisors. These stalwart warriors work diligently to help students create successful academic career paths as well as grow personally—a balancing act that is often challenging for many new college students. Of course, each advisor is unique, but is there some unifying element that brings such a diverse group together? To find out, the writers of University College News have interviewed four of over thirty advisors within University College. We have used these four advisors as springboards to get to know on a deeper level the essence of advising in general and what draws a person into advising. We delved into these advisors’ backgrounds, getting to know them individually, and joining each in a special activity of their choice – hockey, singing, improvisational comedy, and cooking – as we endeavored to shed some light on what makes an advisor, an advisor? Is it adaptability? A caring spirit? Encouraging attitude? A comforting demeanor? Join us as we explore the answer to this question in this issue.ue of UC News.
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Mike Starr
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ADAPTING & BY JEREMY PRATHER & HOPE MCGOWEN It begins in darkness. Quiet murmurs echo across the void like spirits whispering ancient secrets. Dark shadows move across the foreground, barely perceptible, but impossible to ignore as one ghastly visage appears, illuminated by a single iridescent stage light. As the face begins to speak, bright lights suddenly flip on showing a stage with six chairs lined in a row occupied by young adults teeming with a palpable excitement. “Hi! We’re ‘Buddy-Buddy,’” speaks the face. The audience cheers and the laughter begins. One of these six individuals is Mike Starr – University College advisor by day, improvisational comedy maven by night. We join Starr at his improv comedy group’s show, “Buddy-Buddy,” one hot summer’s night to better understand the connection between advising and comedy. While on stage, Starr takes the form of different characters, interacting in spontaneous scenes alongside his troupe-mates. To do this, he has developed his ability to react in new situations. According to Starr, it works the same way with advising. “Whatever is said to you, you need to be able to respond and keep the ‘show’ going forward,” he says. “Pretty much every time a student comes into the office, you never really know exactly what you’re going to be talking about.” This flexibility also lends itself to connecting with students and being able to help them through the potentially confusing process of figuring out life. Starr says, “Even if a student just comes in to drop a class, which is a fairly easy process, you’re talking about why they’re dropping a class or how to drop a class, and all of a sudden, they drop some kind of bomb about something in their personal life – maybe some major medical issue or family issue or personal issue – and that changes the conversation a lot.” Starr continues, “It’s naïve to think that you can have a conversation with a student about only their classes when there’s something huge like that in their personal life.” He is no stranger to how much of a process life can be. As an undergraduate, Starr decided he wanted to make higher education his career and pursued his interest
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by securing a position in student affairs. His extensive experiences include working in student activities, orientation, university housing, and now advising. Eventually, Starr hopes to leverage all his collegiate employment experiences into a higher education career that will allow him to combine his desire to help students with his desire to spend time with his familyto-be. According to Starr, “You have to want to help people. You don’t do this for the money. You have to care about college kids and the impact that college can have on a person. That’s why I do it; I don’t think that’s why everybody does it. But for me, that is first and foremost.” As we watch Starr imitate a sentient clock tower on the stage before us, it is clear that he has the ability to listen closely to his fellow improvisers and react creatively. In improvisation, it is a paramount skill to take what someone says and build upon it. Advising utilizes the same principle. Starr says, “Being a good listener is a very important skill.” “When students come in to see you, you need to be able to listen to the questions that they have and to be perceptive of not just what they ask, but how they ask it,” he explains. “That tone tells you a lot about a student and where they’re coming from.” Building on this framework helps Starr react in a way that most effectively helps the student. When asked his favorite part of being an advisor, he responds, “Feeling like you’ve helped people. College is confusing. If you give students good service, then they’ll remember that.” “I love being on a college campus, too,” Starr says. “Even the little things – like staying current on the newest cat video on YouTube that’s gone viral or new music or movies or shows or expressions that people say these days . . . There’s just so much energy here! I love the environment – it keeps me young.” The show comes to an end, the audience cheers, and with one last bow, the fresh-faced advisor shows that no matter his age, both advising and improvisation will be keeping him very young indeed.
& ADVISING
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Yvonne Fitzgeral
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ld
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HARMONIZIN
BY HOPE MCGOWEN
According to Yvonne Fitzgerald, director of academic advising in University College, advising is an art form. It’s just like music.
To appreciate these differences in people and to be flexible in dealing with them is Fitzgerald’s favorite part of being an advisor.
“In m usic, th ere are a lot of n ote s, words, an d messages brought together and then people come together to deliver all of that in a way that hopefully is meaningful to somebody,” she explains. “And I think that’s what academic advising is as well. It’s taking those individual pieces of the puzzle, bringing them together, and creating something that is beautiful and meaningful to somebody.”
“I enjoy getting to meet different people from different places who have different ideas about getting to a destination,” she says. “The fun of advising is hearing what a student wants to do and figuring out the best way for that particular person to do it.”
Fitzgerald admits that when advising, sometimes the puzzle pieces you work with fit together perfectly and sometimes they do not. Advisors must make the best outcome they can from every student situation to help all students achieve their goals. Singing with her family and in her church choir from a very young age, Fitzgerald has been involved with music all of her life. And she finds that many of the qualities required to be a good choir member also apply to being a good advisor. “Advisors need to be very caring,” Fitzgerald says. “They need to be people who care about people. Who are interested in people. Who want to help people achieve the goals they set for themselves. Most of us come into this profession because we want to help people, and I think that’s something that’s important.” An advisor c ann ot simply c are ab ou t s tudent s, however. Caring alone doesn’t get students where they need to be academically. In order for students to reach their objectives, to crescendo to their highest, best academic note, an advisor must also be able to handle a lot of detail and information. The work itself is very tedious. Fitzgerald points out, “An advisor is someone who can organize details and information in a way that helps them quickly find it in order to then relay it to students and give them advice when they need it.” If advisors do not consider every detailed note, then a harmonious outcome cannot be reached. Flexibility is also important, according to Fitzgerald. T h e a b ili t y to wo r k w i th p e o p l e f ro m d i f fe re n t backgrounds and different abilities is an essential trait needed in working with students in higher education.
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Seeing Fitzgerald sing in her church choir reinforces this idea. Members in a choir come together with dif ferent musical back grounds and sing dif ferent parts. Singing a solo part or being in a lead role, much like she is as the advising director in University College, Fitzgerald has to listen to the different sections of the choir as she figures out the best way to enhance the choral selection based on her musical experience and expertise. Fitzgerald reveals, “I love hearing the students’ stories and hearing all about what they want to do and where they want to go. Hearing their dreams and seeing their eyes light up when they get excited about something and being a part of all that is such a great experience.” Fitzgerald has been listening to dreams and composing plans of study to help students reach their visions since 2002, and she has no plans of stopping. While there are certainly some challenges to advising, it is all worth those special moments with students and their big dreams. “I love my job, I love what I do right now, and I don’t have any plans of doing anything different,” she says. The unit of advisors at University College is much like the church choir Fitzgerald has been a part of for many years. Advisors and choir members alike work together to find harmony in the details they are given— whether student backgrounds, classes, and degree objectives or notes, lyrics, and emotions—to produce an artful outcome that is beneficial to students and congregations alike. Fitzgerald sums up the work of advising nicely, stating, “As advisors, we always want students to feel like they can do what they want to do in life. We want to increase their abilities to dream and to realize those dreams.” That, truly, is an art form.
NG THE DETAILS
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“IN MUSIC,THERE ARE A LOT OF NOTES, WORDS, AND MESSAGES BROUGHT TOGETHER AND THEN PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO DELIVER ALL OF THAT IN A WAY THAT HOPEFULLY IS MEANINGFUL TO SOMEBODY… 16
…AND I THINK THAT’S WHAT ACADEMIC ADVISING IS AS WELL.” —YVONNE FITZGERALD 17
Sean Winning 18
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BACK TO TH BY ADAM STATEN
Spor ts. Anyone who has ever par ticipated in an organized sports team activity knows that there are foundational building blocks and fundamentals that one must understand and master in order to achieve success in that sport. Additionally, most people realize that sports can serve as an excellent metaphor and/ or teaching mechanism for how to function in everyday society and be successful in life. For those who had the pleasure of spending their formative years in the Hoosier state, basketball was more than likely the sport of choice. Learning the basic structural components of shooting, passing, dribbling, and playing sound defense was necessary to succeed. However, for lifelong Hoosier and University College student success advisor Sean Winningham, playing hockey and learning the fundamentals that comprise the cold weather sport was how he spent a healthy amount of his childhood. “Hockey was a big part of my life growing up,” says Winningham. “I can remember waking up early on Saturday mornings just to play. Growing up, my life revolved around hockey. I was always thinking about who we’d be playing that weekend or what kind of drills I wanted to work on.” Winningham graduate d from Marian Universit y, Indianapolis, with plans of being a religion teacher, but after three years of high school teaching he came to the conclusion that this was not the best professional niche for him. From his experiences in education, however, he did determine that he enjoyed working with students. So he went back to the fundamentals and reassessed his interests, mapped out a different professional path, and then set out on his quest for career fulfillment. Af te r s eve r a l ot h e r s to p s i n h i g h e r e d u c a ti o n , Winningham finally found what he calls his “favorite job by far” as a student success advisor at University College. As an advisor, Winningham brings with him those principles and fundamentals originally discovered on the ice. Winningham coaches students for success in the classroom and beyond using the same techniques he uses when coaching hockey. He starts students with
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the fundamentals: discovering one’s interests and mapping out a path to a college degree. Additionally, he’s always there to answer questions and provide crucial support and enthusiasm to help students see their plans through to the end. Winningham says, “Students will come in and have situations where they just need a little bit of guidance. They may want to change majors, or they may be struggling with time management, or they’re not quite sure what to do with a particular class. I always enjoy working with students to help them on their path to graduation. ” I had the pleasure of joining Winningham in a crash course on hockey at the Carmel Ice Skadium. As I uneasily made my way out onto the frozen playing field, Winningham began teaching me the fundamentals of the game – how to shoot correctly, pass, and skate – all of the indispensable skills required to play and to succeed in hockey. Much like he does with every student that comes by his office requesting assistance, Winningham exerted the effort and energy to impart the ground level hockey skills I needed to be successful. He was there every step of the way to help alleviate my apprehension and uneasiness with this newly found activity. He answered questions, stepped in and displayed the proper technique, and lent a word of encouragement when it was needed. The time spent with Winningham on the ice was the perfect demonstration of what makes him an effective advisor. One of the best aspects of being an advisor, according to Winningham, is having students leave his office with a renewed sense of excitement and exhilaration about the plan they were able to work out together. “Receiving an email from a recently mentored student detailing their triumphs and accomplishments makes all of the time, energy spent, and questions answered worth it,” Winningham says. For most Hoosiers, hockey is a foreign concept— confusing, hard to follow, and not easily understood. But for Winningham, hockey serves as an effective blueprint and valuable instrument as he coaches, teaches, and encourages students toward academic and professional success.
HE BASICS
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Advisor’s Goal
GOAL!
Change Majors
Advisor Help
STUDE PROB
Success in the Classroom
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Advisor Help
GOAL!
ENT’S LEMS
Time Management
Path to Graduation
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Adam Siurek
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UP COOKING BY JEREMY PRATHER
With academic advising, it is tempting to bring a student in and just get down to the business of their schoolwork without considering the emotions of the student. But, as in cooking, it is important to set up the environment before getting straight to work. In cooking this is called mise en place – organizing and arranging ingredients before cooking. In advising, it’s what Adam Siurek does on a daily basis. As I walk up the 43 steep steps to his ar tistically f u r n i s h e d d ow n tow n a p a r t m e n t , I i m m e d i a te l y understand the amount of ef for t Siurek takes in creating a welcoming atmosphere. After a quick tour, I am already sitting happily in front of a bowl of fresh pico de gallo while a gentle breeze blows through the window and the soft, dulcet tones of a radio hum in the background. It is this sort of comfort that Siurek brings to his advising. His approach is, “Step back. Tell me something about yourself. The first ten minutes is just getting to know the student.” It is due to this intentionally unhurried, pleasant environment and his dedication that Siurek is able to find success as both an advisor and a pastry chef. Siurek has risen through the ranks and witnessed v ir tu a ll y eve r y l eve l of h i g h e r e d u c a ti o n . Af te r g r a d u a t i n g f ro m P u rd u e i n te c h n i c a l g r a p h i c s communication, he held appointments as a graphic designer, teacher, advisor, and director of computer graphics. As life became busier, he turned to a cooking class in Indianapolis as a source of solidarity and relaxation. Quickly devouring the lessons, Siurek chose to leave his appointment at the Art Institute of Indianapolis to pursue culinary school. A succession of restaurants spanning across the country became his life until he decided to get back into advising, translating his talent for creating foods that comfort people into creating a comfortable environment for students. My goal was to discover how this merger takes place and simultaneously to learn how to make fresh pico de gallo of my own! While Siurek teaches me the correct way to chop an onion, he explains how cooking and advising are connected. “People want comfor t. I’ve done some pretty amazing desserts, but at the end of the day,
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one of my best sellers is just a brownie. People want comfort.” By allowing students to express themselves and getting to know them, Siurek becomes a much more ef fective advisor and gains their trust in his ability to help them make the best choices for their future. Advising is not, however, just about making students feel good. Advisors, like chefs, sometimes encounter difficult situations, and it’s their passion that gets them through. Throwing the onions in the bowl, he begins to dismantle the tomatoes and jalapenos while explaining, “You can go into a restaurant, and they can cook the greatest thing ever and make it taste good because the cooks love what they’re doing. I’ve been with chefs that are jaded, and they hate what they do. . .and you can taste it in their food. You’ve got to love what you do. There’s a lot of correlation,” he says, between this cooking analogy and not only advising, but between cooking and everything. “You know, in life, if you don’t love what you’re doing, and you’re not passionate about it, why do it?” It is this caliber of dedication, Siurek believes, that makes University College advisors so good at what they do. Creating a comfortable, pleasant place where students can find the answers they need as well as the guidance to make the best life choices is, in Siurek’s estimation, what sets University College advisors apart. The scent of freshly chopped cilantro waf ts by on the breeze as Siurek tastes and adjusts the balance of the dish. According to Siurek, “You’ve got to cook with only the finest ingredients. If you don’t cook with fine ingredients, the dish isn’t going to turn out good. And, you know what—University College at IUPUI is one of the best. . . .So regardless of whether students understand that or not, there are a lot of pieces and parts in place here, [and] you’re starting with some of the best “ingredients,” so the students are going to be successful.” The last ingredients are in the bowl: a spritz of lime juice and a dash of salt. The final outcome? Delicious!
P COMFORT
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So, What Does Make an Advisor, an Advisor? Through our experiences with these four unique advisors, we have gained valuable insight into what makes an advisor, an advisor. It is not solely a capability to adapt and improvise, to listen well and be organized, to encourage and coach, or to provide comfort. Being an advisor requires all of these special qualities, and so much more. Trying to discover who an advisor is has been reminiscent of the kids in The Breakfast Club trying to figure out who they are. We have realized that while we can see them “in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions,� what we discovered is that each advisor is an improviser, a listener, a coach, and a comfort provider. While each advisor brings a different style and aspect to their work, they all share these common characteristics as well as perceptiveness, energy, flexibility, attention to detail, a welcoming demeanor, extra effort, enthusiasm, and passion. The most important quality shared by these advisors, however, is a caring spirit. They truly care about students and their futures. And that is why IUPUI University College has one of the best academic advising teams. Our academic advisors provide students with a strong, caring, supportive guidance system. Together, they help students reach their dreams.
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Being heart healthy is more than physical. It is also Emotional. Psychological. Intentional.
Please consider contributing to a scholarship for University College students. Many undergraduates
Scott E. Evenbeck Emergency Fund I38P021033 — Gifts will be used to support undergraduate students. The recipients are students in University College
de p e n d on scholar ships to ke e p their ac a de mic
who have demonstrated an unexpected financial hardship
journey thriving and healthy. They are counting on the
during the course of an academic year in which he or she is
generosity of donors like you to help them succeed in their pursuit of a higher education degree. Below is a list of the scholarships available to University College
enrolled in classes at IUPUI.
Emerging Generations Scholarship I38P021025 — This scholarship is for first-generation students in either their first or second year when they are first selected to receive the scholarship, have at least a 2.3
students to which you may contribute:
GPA, and write an essay as part of the application process.
Yale Pratt Mentoring Fund
After receiving the scholarship, students must participate
I37P021019 — This fund supports scholarships to freshman
in Universit y College–sanctioned retention ef for ts and
s tu de nt s e n rolle d in U nive r sit y C olle ge w h o a re of a
maintain a 2.7 GPA.
nontraditional age (25–35). Preference is given to recipients
The University College Moving Forward Scholarship
with an incurred handicap such as blindness, deafness, or
I32P021119 — This scholarship is open only to University
cerebral palsy, and who are African-American.
College students in good academic standing (cumulative
Wi l l ia m M. Plater a nd Pa r t ner s P r i nt i ng
GPA above 2.0) with 12–48 credit hours earned by the end of
International Scholars
the spring semester at IUPUI. Each applicant must submit a
I3 7P 02 10 3 5 — This fund suppor ts undergraduate
letter of recommendation, transcript, and completion of the
s ch o la r ships . T h e s ch o la r ship w ill b e give n to IU P UI
essay question (describe a substantial problem or adversity
students who are studying abroad. The use of this gift will
you have overcome).
be authorized by University College for the reasonable and customary requirements of authorized expenditures.
Please consider helping a University College student today! Giving is available through the University College donor website: http://uc.iupui.edu/Donors.aspx
Healthy Heart = Giving Heart = Happy Heart
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IMCU Winners’ Commentss Although the Campus Campaign builds scholarship awards to help students realize their dreams and ambitions, so do major business donors such as the Indiana Members Credit Union. For several years, this business has offered annual scholarship support to two deserving students. This year’s winners of the 2014 Indiana Members Credit Union scholarships are Elizabeth Valencia-Gutierrez and Kayla Geis. Read how receipt of this scholarship is changing their lives. You, too, can be part of making an exciting and heartfelt impact on IUPUI’s students. Join with others who are donating to student success through IUPUI scholarships (www.campuscampaign.iupui.edu). It is an honor to be the recipient of an Indiana Members
To receive this scholarship award from Indiana Members
Credit Union (IMCU) scholarship at IUPUI for fall 2014. This
Credit Union (IMCU) means more to me than words can say.
scholarship award will benefit my life in very practical ways
As a first generation college student, I am paying a large
that will help get me through school. This fall, I will be one
percentage of my college education and the expenses that
year away from finishing at IUPUI, and this money may help
come along with it. Receiving this scholarship will allow me
pay for a class that my FAFSA may not cover. My family falls
to better focus on my studies in order to receive a bachelor’s
below the poverty income level at the moment, and it isn’t
degree in clinical laboratory science.
easy going to school and paying for books, gas, and other expenses, especially since I homeschool my children.
This scholarship award has already impacted my life by relieving some of the stress of financing my post-secondary
I am excited to be the first in my Mexican family to obtain
education. This award will also drastically lower the amount
a bachelor’s degree, and I am joyous to be immersed in
of student loans I will have to repay upon graduation, which
topics that enliven my spirit and that are ultimately about
will also be a large stress reliever. It is an honor to be named
understanding and helping other people. At the age of 27,
a recipient of this award from IMCU, and I am extremely
I believe more than ever that what inspires and unites us
thankful.
all comes from a place of sincerity and compassion. Having silenced my voice for most of my life out of fear, I value self-
—K ayla Geis
expression today more than ever. Regaining my voice has been what has allowed me to connect to others genuinely and to be of service that is deeply rooted in kindness. Thank you, IMCU, so much for honoring me not only with financial assistance but also for the opportunity to reflect on service toward others from a place of love – a beautiful gift – in a meaningful essay that has reconnected me to gratitude and love. This award will serve as a reminder to me of the importance of sincere and humble service. —Elizabeth Valencia-Gutierrez
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UNIVERSITY COLLEGE NEW EMPLOYEES + SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES
KELSEY COX
Student Success Avisor joint with P E T M a n d AC D H e a l t h a n d L i f e Sciences Advising Center Academic and Career Development
SARAH ELTZROTH A s s i s t a n t D i r e c t o r , Tr a i n i n g and Professional Development Academic and Career Development
DIANE HARRISON Part-time Temporary Employee Administrative Assistant Upward Bound
MICHELLE SMITH
Student Success Advisor Academic and Career Development
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ERIC WILLIAMS
Director Diversity Enrichment and Achievement Program (DEAP)
HEATHER BOWMAN (15 YEARS) Director First-Year Programs
AMANDA BUCK (10 YEARS) Se n i o r S t u d e n t S u ccess Ad v i so r joint with Nursing Academic and Career Development
JENNIFER SCHOTT (10 YEARS) Director of Career Planning Academic and Career Development
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Univeristy College would like to thank Meijer Southport for their donation in supporting the annual IUPUI Campus Campaign. 37