Legacy: A magazine for alumni and friends of Indiana University Kokomo Winter 2023 issue
Front cover
Indiana University Kokomo
Legacy
Winter 2023
A Magazine for Alumni and Friends
Celebrating 12 Years of Cougar Athletics
Alt Text:
IU Bottom tail
Heather Hayes sitting in chair in the middle of the Cougar gym
Page 2:
Legacy
A magazine for Alumni and Friends
of Indiana University Kokomo
iuaa kokomo region board
President
Martha Warner, A.A. ’04, B.A. ’06, M.A.L.S. ‘12
Board Members
Rebecca Anspach, A.A. ’07, B.G.S. ’09, M.P.M. ‘21
Hannah Bourne, B.S. ‘20
A.J. Edwards, B.S. ‘21
Sharmaine Ellison, A.S. ’87, B.S.N. ’00, M.P.M. ‘19
Deljere Hall, B.S. ‘05
Bob Hayes, B.G.S. ‘95
Anika Hutchinson, B.A. ‘97
Gabby Mora, B.S. ’20, M.P.M. ‘23
Cole Radel, B.S. ‘21
Jenny Sheets, B.S. ‘23
Lissa Stranahan, B.S. ‘03
Troy Zerbe, A.A.S. ‘86
indiana university kokomo office for university advancement
Vice Chancellor for
University Advancement
Crystal Jones, CFRE
Director of Alumni Relations
Benjamin Liechty
Media and Marketing
Director of Media and Marketing
Erin Witt
Creative Services Manager
Krista Edmonds
Communications Specialist
Danielle Rush
Videographer/Photographer
Mike Glassburn
Writing/Editing Assistant
Shea Lazanzky
For media inquiries contact:
mrktng@iuk.edu
In this issue
In this issue, we take a look back on the history of Cougar athletics, and celebrate the legacy and impact of our many former student-athletes.
We’ll walk through a timeline of IU Kokomo sports from the very beginning, sharing fun facts and memories from the archives, as well as “then and now” profiles of Cougar alumni who once graced the court or field.
Our new interim athletics director, Heather Hayes, will discuss the remarkable evolution and growth of IU Kokomo athletics over the past 12 years, and share her thoughts on the powerful blend of vision, unwavering determination, and commitment to excellence that led the program to its current success.
We’ll highlight past Cougar athletes who have returned as coaches – like Grant Gaylor, a member of IU Kokomo’s first track and field throwing team. Grant won the campus’s first NAIA championship in shot put in 2021, and today, he’s coaching the next generation of Cougar track and field competitors.
And of course, an issue celebrating all things athletics wouldn’t be complete without a rundown on our successful fall seasons – including our first-ever national championship win in women’s cross country by IU Kokomo junior, Hannah Wells.
Featured on the front cover
Heather Hayes, IU Kokomo Volleyball Coach and Interim Athletic Director
Table of Contents
Winter 2023
Athletics Update 5
Homecoming 6-7
Athletics Timeline 8-9
Coaching Legend Reflects on IU Kokomo Athletics 10-11
Looking Back, Moving Forward:
Where are Our Athletes Now? 12-16
KEY Unlocks New Opportunities 17
Former Athletes Return as Coaches 18-20
Brothers to Teammates 21-22
Alt Text:
Iu tab
Iu social media icons
Page 3:
Athletics Enhances IU Kokomo Student Experience
College is more than a diploma. It’s also an experience – ideally a transformative one. That’s how I hope you view the Indiana University degree you earned on our campus.
An important part of the IU Kokomo experience is our athletics program. Sports brings people together (as you surely have seen if you have attended one of our volleyball or basketball games in our fine Student Activities and Events Center). Good things happen when IU Kokomo students, alumni, staff, and faculty come together – camaraderie, yes, but also support, brainstorming, and collaborations.
Athletics also enhance the college experience by unifying people around a common goal and inspiring them with demonstrations of ability, hard work, and teamwork. Excellence, after all, is an inspiring thing, and our teams have achieved excellence both on and off the court, from numerous conference championships and tournament appearances to Champions of Character recognition and beyond.
In both respects, our outstanding athletics program contributes to the spirit that makes IU Kokomo an outstanding public liberal arts college – that is, the spirit of excellence, belonging, personal relationships, and commitment to one another.
By the way, in case you have not seen the news, IU Kokomo recently became the only permanent member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. This membership provides important external validation of our status as a public liberal arts institution.
Now, it’s time to see for yourself! Come attend one of our games on campus and, while you’re here, soak up some of the COPLAC atmosphere by visiting the art gallery, attending a lecture, or joining a friend or favorite faculty or staff member at the Ground Up Café. I hope to see you soon!
Mark Canada, Ph.D.
Chancellor
Alt Text:
Mark Canada Signature
Page 4:
Homecoming Festivities
Scholarships make a difference and benefit students in so many ways. They are even more meaningful when they come from IU Kokomo alumni who have been in the same place and are providing the next generation a chance to succeed.
On September 30, we celebrated Kokomo Region Alumni scholarship recipients. Those recognized were Mary Dada, Alexis Pier, John Wasmuth, and Kaylee Weeks. Previous alumni scholarship recipients were also in attendance, along with donors who have supported the Kokomo Region Alumni scholarship and the Indiana University Alumni Association Kokomo Region Board of Directors.
Kokomo Region Board President Genie LaLonde provided opening remarks, recognizing current and former alumni board members. Chancellor Mark Canada welcomed alumni, donors, recipients, and their guests to campus, providing campus updates, stressing the importance
of alumni, and how they can continue to step forward and serve the university. Alumnus and previous Indiana University Alumni Association scholarship recipient Brian Arwood talked about the impact of receiving scholarships and the countless ways they help students. He also touched on how to give back as an alumnus when that time comes.
It was an honor for me to recognize the recipients in attendance, reading the many accolades they were given from their recommendation letters, as well as information that each recipient provided in their scholarship application. Dada, Pier, Wasmuth, and Weeks discussed their goals and dreams after they graduate, which was inspiring and exciting. Each one of them is
a dedicated, driven, and successful student. It will be wonderful to see what they will do and accomplish as alumni.
Benjamin Liechty, B.A. ‘06
Director of Alumni Relations
Alt Text:
Portrait of Ben Liechty
Benjamin Liechty signature
Page 5:
Women’s Soccer The IU Kokomo women's soccer team defeated Rio Grande at home with a score of 2-0 to clinch the River States Conference regular season title, and finish its season with a record of 10-3-5 with a 8-0-2 mark in conference play. The team’s first-ever RSC championship gave the Cougars home-field advantage in the conference tournament.
Women’s Volleyball The IU Kokomo volleyball team swept Brescia in its final home game of the season to go undefeated in the conference. The game marked the team’s 10th sweep in a row. The Cougars were ranked #14 in the NAIA.
Women’s Cross Country The Cougar’s second-place finish at the Midway University Cross Country Invitational was a highlight of the season. Junior Hannah Wells placed second individually and was named RSC women’s cross country athlete of the week.
Men’s Cross Country The Cougars set a program record in total team time and average time at the NAIA Great Lakes Cross County Challenge. Sophomore Bryce Stateler led the way with a personal record time of 26:24:80, making him the third-fastest individual in IU Kokomo history.
Women’s Tennis The Cougars picked up a 5-2 win over Trine University in the home opener of its short fall season.
Co-ed eSports The Cougars had a strong start to its first season, with a 13-7 record as of November 1. Our newest team defeated opponents including Anna Maria College, University of Missouri, Robert Morris University, University of North Dakota, Stevenson University, and Missouri State.
Women’s Golf The women’s golf team tied for fourth at the RSC conference fall preview tournament. Senior Sarah Williams led the team to a second-place finish at the Brescia Bearcat Invitational by winning individual medalist honors. She was also named the RSC Golfer of the Week after winning the tournament.
Men’s Golf Sophomore Hayden Williamson won the RSC Preview in West Virginia, leading the Cougars to a fourth place finish at the tournament. He was honored as RSC Golfer of the Week for his accomplishment.
Stay up to date on all things athletics at iukcougars.com
Alt Text:
IUK Cougar script tail
Women’s cross country image
Men's cross country image
Woman's soccer image
Woman's golf image
Woman's tennis image
Men's golf image
Women's 2023 volleyball team
cougar head logo
Page 6 and 7:
IU Kokomo celebrated Homecoming 2023 in late October. The theme of “Linked by Legacy” honored the relationship between the campus and alumni.
Events included a swag giveaway event for students, faculty, and staff that featured yard games like cornhole, Jenga, and Connect Four; a movie night in Kresge Auditorium; and participation in Make a Difference Day, a nationally recognized day of service.
Students, faculty, staff, and the Kokomo community also participated in the annual Angel Walk, raising approximately $15,000 for the Family Service Association (FSA) of Howard County’s domestic violence shelter.
Homecoming also featured a performance by the IU Soul Revue, a vocal and instrumental group famous for dynamic performances of R&B, soul, funk, and contemporary Black popular music.
We also saw exceptional performances from the women’s volleyball team, which swept its three sets against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Oakland City University, and Brescia University, cementing a 22-game winning streak.
IU Kokomo’s new eSports team also took home a victory against Illinois State University in “Overwatch” play.
FOR MORE HOMECOMING PHOTOS SEARCH @IUKOKOMO ON FLICKR
Alt Text:
Linked by Legacy, Homecoming 2023 logo
Brown sunburst background with frame
Student holding up IUK tshirt
Miss Heart Queen wearing tiara
Students playing a game of floor connect four
Students donating time at the Kokomo Humanes Society
IU Kokom women's volleyball game
IU Soul Review performance
Students clapping at Angel Walk event
Students at Make a Difference Day
Students shoveling dirt for make a difference day
IU Kokomo volleyball game
Volleyball player hitting ball at volleyball game
IU Kokomo volleyball players on the sideline
Two female students with dog for make a difference day at the humane's society
Angel walk, students walking on sidewalk
IU Kokomo student doing elderly person's nails for make a difference day
Page 8 and 9:
12 YEARS OF COUGAR ATHLETICS
2011
2011 • First intercollegiate sports teams, Introduction of men’s basketball and women’s volleyball
2011 • First interim director of athletics, jack tharp
2011 • First Women's volleyball coach, kristen snoddy
2011 • First athlete signs intent, jake robertson
2012
2012 • naia approves
IU KOKOMO membership
2012 • first naia women's volleyball team
2012 • first naia men's basketball team
2012 • first naia men's cross country team
2012 • first naia women's cross country team
2013
2013 • Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony For Cougar Gym
2014
2014 • first naia women's basketball team
2015
2015 • first naia men's golf team
2015 • first naia women's golf team
2015 • women's VOLLEYBALL wins RSC -
REGULAR SEASON
2015 • women's volleyball wins
RSC TOURNAMENT
2015 • women's volleyball QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2016
2016 • women's volleyball wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2016 • women's volleyball QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2016 • women's volleyball advances to final round of national tournament
2016 • women's basketball advances to naia national tournament
2017
2017 • first naia men's baseball team
2017 • first naia women's tennis team
2017 • women's VOLLEYBALL wins RSC -
REGULAR SEASON
2017 • women's volleyball QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2018
2018 • groundbreaking of new student activities and events center
2018 • women's VOLLEYBALL wins RSC - REGULAR SEASON
2018 • women's volleyball QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2018 • women's volleyball wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2018 • Men's basketball QUALIFIES for naia national tournament
2018 • women's cross country brittany sloan and lexi jackson represents IU KOKOMO at naia nationals
2019
2019 • first naia men's track team
2019 • first naia women's track team
2019 • first naia women's soccer team
2019 • women's volleyball wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2019 • women's volleyball QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2019 • women's volleyball advances to final round of national tournament
2019 • Men's basketball QUALIFIES for naia national tournament
2019 • Men's basketball sweet 16 finish in national tournament
2019 • women's cross country
lexi jackson represents
IU KOKOMO at naia nationals
2020
2020 • new student activities and events center opens
2020 • women's VOLLEYBALL wins RSC - REGULAR SEASON
2020 • women's volleyball wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2020 • women's volleyball QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2020 • women's volleyball advances to final round of national tournament
2020 • women's volleyball sweet 16 finish in national tournament
2020 • Men's basketball sweet 16 finish in national tournament
2021
2021 • women's VOLLEYBALL wins RSC - REGULAR SEASON
2021 • women's volleyball wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2021 • women's volleyball QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2021 • Men's basketball qualified for naia national tournament
2021 • Men's basketball wins RSC tournament
2021 • men's track and field grant gaylor wins school's first national championship in shot put at outdoor nationals
2021 • women's golf brandi jones wins rsc fall preview
2021 • men's cross country
luis saldana represents
IU KOKOMO at naia nationals
2021 • women's cross country
lexi jackson represents
IU KOKOMO at naia nationals
2022
2022 • men's basketball wins RSC - regular season
2022 • women's volleyball wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2022 • women's SOCCER wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2022 • women's SOCCER QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2022 • Men's basketball QUALIFIES for naia national tournament
2022 • Men's basketball sweet 16 finish in national tournament
2022 • women's golf brandi jones wins RSC championship, advances to naia tournament
2022 • women's cross country casy pfefferkorn represents IU KOKOMO at naia nationals
2022 • men's cross country luis saldana represents IU KOKOMO at naia nationals
2023
2023 • first nECC co-ed esports team
2023 • women's VOLLEYBALL wins RSC - REGULAR SEASON
2023 • women's volleyball wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2023 • women's volleyball QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2023 • women's volleyball advances to final round of national tournament
2023 • women's SOCCER wins RSC - REGULAR SEASON
2023 • women's SOCCER wins RSC TOURNAMENT
2023 • women's SOCCER QUALIFIES FOR NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2023 • women's track and field makala pfefferkorn named all-american with 4th place finish in long jump at outdoor nationals
2023 • women's cross country hannah wells wins programs first team or individual conference title winning the rsc sx meet
2023 • women's cross country hannah wells wins represents IU KOKOMO at naia nationals
2023 • men's track and field drew caldwell represents IU KOKOMO at naia indoor nationals
2023 • women's track and field makala pfefferkorn, lanie packock, and casy pfefferkorn represent IU KOKOMO at naia indoor nationals
2023 • women's track and field emma byrum and makala pfefferkorn represent
IU KOKOMO at naia outdoor nationals
2023 • women's golf brandi jones wins RSC, advances to naia tournament
2023 • Men's Golf - Hayden Williamson wins RSC Fall Preview
Alt Text:
First women's volleyball home game at the Student Activities and Event Centers, 2020
Student Activities and Events Center dedication, 2021
Women's soccer team RSC champions, 2022
Background image of volleyball team
Page 10 and 11:
Coaching Legend Reflects on IU Kokomo Athletics
Heather Hayes is a Cougar athletics legend.
She made an almost immediate impact when she joined the program in its third year as volleyball coach, leading the team to a third-place finish in conference and its first winning season. Entering her 11th season with the Cougars, she held a 291-86 record, including a 131-16 conference mark.
Under her leadership, the volleyball team has won seven of the last eight River States Conference tournament championships, including the last six in a row. They’ve qualified for nine straight NAIA National Tournament appearances, making it to the final site in 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2023. She’s been River States Conference Coach of the Year six times, and scored her 300th career win this season.
Because she’s been here for most of IU Kokomo’s athletic history, we asked her to reflect on the evolution of the program from its beginnings.
Written by — Heather Hayes
During my tenure as the volleyball coach for the past 11 seasons, and my current role as the interim athletic director, I have had the privilege to witness the remarkable evolution and growth of IU Kokomo athletics over the past 13 years. This transformation stands as a testament to the powerful blend of vision, unwavering determination, and a commitment to excellence exhibited not only by our university, but by all those who have played a role in our journey. Today, our athletic programs stand as a beacon of inspiration and a source of immense pride for both our campus and the wider community.
IU Kokomo athletics established its first intercollegiate sports teams in 2011 with the introduction of men’s basketball and women’s volleyball, giving birth to the IU Kokomo Cougars. Those initial seasons were no walk in the park, marked by formidable challenges as we often competed against more established programs. Nevertheless, the sheer determination to succeed and the unyielding resilience displayed by our athletes, coaches, and supporters fueled our progress.
As time has marched forward, IU Kokomo athletics has continued to undergo significant developments and now proudly embraces 15 varsity sports, nurturing and supporting a total of 273 student-athletes. Our campus now stands united in its support of the following programs: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, coed eSports, men’s and women’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, and women’s volleyball. Each new addition has enriched our athletic program, infusing it with both strength and depth, and has drawn talented athletes and dedicated coaches who understand the immense potential that lies within IU Kokomo athletics.
A defining moment in the evolution of IU Kokomo athletics materialized in 2020 with the grand opening of the Student Activities and Events Center. This state-of-the-art facility now serves as the proud new home court for basketball and volleyball, symbolizing the unwavering commitment of our university to the pursuit of athletic excellence.
In our brief 13-year history, our teams have achieved considerable success. We've clinched an impressive 14 team conference championships, and proudly celebrated numerous individual conference champions. On the national stage, our teams and individuals have consistently graced the national tournaments, with two of our teams achieving top 16 finishes nationwide. Notably, we've also had the distinct honor of crowning a national champion in shot put.
While these athletic achievements serve as a powerful source of inspiration, we have remained steadfast in our dedication to academic excellence. Our student-athletes skillfully juggle the demands of their sports with the rigors of their studies, embodying the essence of the student-athlete. This firm commitment to both academics and athletics has cultivated a culture of well-rounded excellence that truly sets IU Kokomo apart.
The journey of IU Kokomo Athletics is a narrative that continues to be written with every game, every practice, and every student-athlete who proudly wears the Cougar uniform. It is a story that reminds us all that with vision, hard work, and a sense of purpose, the possibilities are limitless, and the future is bright.
Alt Text:
Heather Hayes standing in the middle of cougar court
Student Activities and Events Center
Page 12:
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Where are our athletes now?
Alt Text:
Lela (Crawford) Gillman, 2015
Gabbie Orlando, 2020
Javier Vasquez, 2014
Pages 13:
When IU Kokomo hosted its first-ever women’s volleyball game, Lael (Burrus) Larrick was part of that moment in history.
“It’s wild to even think about it now,” said Larrick, who graduated in 2015 with a degree in communication. She played four years for the Cougars, helping build the foundation for a team that has now won six straight conference championships and made nine straight NAIA tournaments.
It’s a far cry from that first 9-28 season, with practices at Northwestern High School and games at Maple Crest Middle School, before IU Kokomo’s Cougar Gym opened downtown.
Larrick, who came to IU Kokomo from North Miami High School, is among hundreds of student athletes who have competed for the Cougars in the nearly 15 years since its intercollegiate athletic program began.
Join us as we highlight her story, and share updates on several other former Cougar athletes who have played a role in growing the program.
From the Beginning
Larrick, who now lives near Brownsburg, returned to campus last spring for the volleyball alumni game, played in the Student Activities and Events Center, which opened several years after she graduated.
“It’s amazing to see that not only did IU Kokomo start athletic programs, but it’s also continued to grow with other teams and other sports,” she said. “I love seeing how amazing the volleyball program is, and just continues to be.”
She married Brandon Larrick, a Western High School graduate who was on IU Kokomo’s first men’s basketball team, and they have sons Banner, 4; and Boden, 1.
After completing her degree, Lael Larrick earned a master’s degree in school counseling, and worked in that field until Banner’s birth.
“I felt led to stay home with him and be with him as a baby,” she said. “That was a big shift in what we had pictured. I had always pictured myself being a working mom.”
About three months after she left her school counseling career, her grandmother passed away. A desire to do something to honor her grandmother led to a new business venture named after her, June Ellen Clothing.
“My brand mission is to show grace, give hope, and express love,” she said. “We do that through our donation commitment on one shirt for every 10 pieces sold,” she said, noting that donated clothing goes to children in foster care and in public schools.
For now, she hosts booths at area markets, with hopes of opening a storefront. She has a supplier for her pieces but hopes to design her own work in the future.
“It’s just a lot of dreaming and planning and taking it one step at a time,” Larrick said. “I’m learning a lot from mistakes and gaining wisdom from those mistakes. It’s very challenging, especially being a stay-at-home mom, but it gives me the best of both worlds. I can stay home with my boys and work on this at the same time.”
Playing volleyball at IU Kokomo played a role in how she developed her brand.
“At the start of the program, I remember there was a tailgate, and people were so excited,” she said. “Not only were we the start of athletics, but we were also the first sport to start their season. There was so much excitement from everyone,
Alt Text:
LAEL (BURRUS) LARRICK now
LAEL (BURRUS) LARRICK 2014
Page 14:
campus leaders, faculty, staff, and students, and it made me feel
so special.
“Then my junior year we started winning, and that was such an amazing feeling, and it made me feel like it was something I wanted to be part of,” she continued. “It made me want to encourage others and do something more. That really helped me as I was building my business. Anytime someone comes in contact with June Ellen, I want them to feel encouraged, I want them to feel loved.”
First Athletic Program Graduate
Jacob Faust made his mark in IU Kokomo athletics, even with only one year on the men’s basketball team.
He transferred to IU Kokomo after playing a few seasons at the College of Mount St. Joseph (now Mount St. Joseph University) in Cincinnati, where he could live at home and work at a factory between classes to earn his degree at a more affordable cost.
“There were rumors that they were going to develop an athletics program,” he recalled. “I wanted to see if I might play another year before I was done. That’s what kept me at IU Kokomo.”
After playing the additional season he hoped for, Faust became the first campus athletic department graduate, earning his accounting degree in 2013.
He enjoyed the opportunity to be part of a developing team and change the atmosphere on campus.
“What was really cool to me was the change in culture,” he said. “You heard a lot about IU Kokomo as a second choice, and then they developed athletics and student life, and it became more attractive to someone coming out of high school. To have that extra experience makes it a lot of fun.”
While his team’s practices and games were spread among a few gyms throughout Kokomo, Faust was part of meetings with Kokomo’s mayor and other representatives from IU Kokomo to develop IU Kokomo’s first gym, in the Kokomo Memorial Gym complex.
He appreciated the opportunity to be a student worker in the facilities department, which allowed him to play basketball. More importantly, it connected him with Dave Hawkins, who started as his supervisor and became a mentor and friend.
“One of the big things that got me to be able to play basketball was, there was a little bit of scholarship money, and my coach worked it out for me to get a job on campus,” he said. “Most of the time I worked with Dave. We had a pretty good friendship over those years, and we’ve stayed in touch.”
He especially recalled that Hawkins, who performs with barbershop ensembles, used to practice singing during drives to take vehicles for service or pick up furniture.
His career goal since high school had been to become a CPA, because, “I’ve always been a big math person,” and he was interested in business. After graduation, Faust took additional credits at IUPUI for his CPA exam, and completed an internship at BGBC Partners, an accounting firm in downtown Indianapolis. He accepted a full-time job with the firm after the internship, and currently is an assurance manager there.
“I enjoy the people and the clients,” he said. “There’s definitely some interesting, complex work that’s fun, and a lot of good people there. I enjoy being part of that team.”
Faust lives in Franklin Township on the south side of Indianapolis with his wife and three children, ages 8, 6, and 2, and anticipates a return to basketball next year — this time as a coach.
“My oldest is interested in playing in a league, and they need some volunteers,” he said.
How did we become the cougars?
Before the advent of intercollegiate NAIA sports at IU Kokomo, previous club sports teams were first known as Little Red, then the IU Kokomo Knights.
In 2003, the Office of Student Activities invited students, faculty, and staff to submit ideas for a new mascot, with prizes offered for the winner. Pamela Richard, director of the campus day care, submitted the winning idea of the Cougars. An interesting note: Richard is the daughter of Cliff Hunt, who started the Knights men’s basketball team as a club sport, and coached from 1981 to 1991.
Alt Text:
JACOB FAUST now
JACOB FAUST 2012
Cougar icon
Page 15:
First National Qualifier
When Javier Vasquez came to IU Kokomo from Frankfort High School, he assumed his cross country days were behind him, since the campus didn’t have a team.
“I had wanted to continue, but IU Kokomo was close to all the people I love, my family members,” he said. “I went there without any athletic pursuits my first year, and it was a surprising bonus when they started the cross country team my sophomore year. I joined immediately.”
He made a big impact, qualifying for the NAIA national championships his junior year (2013) and senior year (2014) — and earned his place in campus athletic history as the first national qualifier.
Even more important than his success on the field was what being part of the team added to his student experience.
“It took away some sleep,” he said with a laugh. “But it gave me quite a few friends I still talk to, friends who came to see me when I lived in Reno and now in Austin. I learned a lot of time management skills. I feel over prepared when it comes to time management skills, because I had a job, I had school, and I had cross country.
I think a lot of my success came from the work ethic that was instilled by having those three priorities all at the same time.”
Vasquez graduated in 2016 with a degree in business management and a dream to work for Tesla. Soon after, he drove to California for an interview with the electric car maker, “and I planned on staying there until I got a job.”
He got the first job he interviewed for, and worked first in California, then in Reno, Nevada, and now is in logistics at the Gigafactory — a very large factory that produces Tesla vehicles — in Austin, Texas.
“I was impressed with Elon Musk (Tesla’s owner) at a fairly early age. I thought he had impactful goals and wanted to be part of it,” Vasquez said. “It’s been all I hoped and more. I didn’t think it would all come so quickly. All the time management I learned at IU Kokomo helped tremendously.”
His career goal is to continue working for Tesla and become a director of supply chain management. He’s not tied to a specific location, noting that Tesla has giga factories in Reno, Austin, Shanghai, and Berlin, with another planned in Monterey, Mexico.
He admits, though, that he sometimes misses the Hoosier state, where his family still lives.
“I was born a Texan, and I’m back in Texas, but I miss low heat and low humidity,” he said. “I feel very much like I have two homes, because I feel at home here in Texas, but every time I go back to Indiana, I can’t say it feels less homey than Texas.”
A Two-Sport Athlete Returns Home to Teach, Coach
Basketball was an important part of Lela (Crawford) Gillman’s life growing up in Tipton.
Her elementary education degree from IU Kokomo allowed her to return home to teach and coach, giving back to the next generation.
“It’s an awesome experience that I get to teach at the school I went to,” she said. “Being in my community and sharing my love of basketball is huge for me. It shaped me into the person I am, and now I get to shape some girls into the people they are going to become.”
Kingston
Our mascot, initially referred to as “the cougar,” became Kingston in September 2011, the result of a naming contest for students. Kourtney Cox suggested the name as a reference to IU Kokomo history, as inventor George Kingston owned the Seiberling Mansion before it became the first IU Kokomo campus in 1946. George Kingston was known for inventing the Kingston carburetor.
Alt Text:
LELA (CRAWFORD) GILLMAN now
LELA (CRAWFORD) GILLMAN 2015
JAVIER VASQUEZ now
JAVIER VASQUEZ 2014
Kingston standing with arms out
Page 16:
Gillman played on IU Kokomo’s first women’s basketball team, starting in 2014, and then, in 2016, joined its first women’s golf team as well. She played both sports one year before transitioning into just playing golf.
“That was an interesting year,” she recalled. “Golf was fall and spring, and basketball was a winter sport. Our last golf tournament for the fall was a Monday and Tuesday, and then we had a basketball game the next Thursday. I went from one sport to the next, but it was something I loved so much.”
Her best memories from college athletics are the road trips, visiting different parts of the country with her teams. She says her experiences as a student-athlete have impacted the way she coaches and teaches.
After graduating in 2018 with degrees in elementary education and special education, she began teaching second graders at Tipton Elementary.
“I love that the kids are mature enough that you can start seeing them become independent, but they are still little kids who are fun-loving and learning to read,” she said. “That’s the big thing for me – when they are finally able to read. That gets me every time. I love that part of my job.”
She’s coached multiple sports through the years and is in her second season as the Tipton High School girls’ varsity basketball coach. She also leads middle school co-ed golf.
“My own experience taught me perseverance and time management and things like that,” she said. “I feel like when you are an athlete, you really learn how you would like to be coached. Just keeping in perspective how I learned and how I play basketball, I understand what these athletes are going through now.”
Gillman enjoys teaching second-graders and has been successful, receiving the Early Career Award from the School of Education in 2022. This honor is granted to alumni who have shown outstanding work and effort in the first four years of their careers.
“That really put it all together for me that this was something I should be doing,” she said. “I’ve always known I wanted to be a teacher, but that was the cherry on top that I’m doing the right thing, I’m doing what I love, and I’m doing it really well.”
Gillman’s future goals include continuing to learn and grow as a teacher, and to not get stagnant as a teacher. She also hopes to soon start a family with her husband, Austin Gillman, after getting married in October 2022.
“I just want to learn and grow every day,” she said.
Continuing to Play After IU Kokomo
May 2023 graduate Gabbie Orlando is continuing her tennis career after four seasons at IU Kokomo, using her extra year of COVID eligibility to play for IUPUI while earning a Master of Public Affairs.
It’s been a jump going from NAIA to NCAA play, but she’s enjoyed the opportunity to play one more year collegiately, at the suggestion of IU Kokomo Coach Kristine Miller.
“She knew I was going to graduate school there and encouraged me to reach out to the coach,” Orlando said. “We played them last spring, and I was able to contact the coach beforehand. He watched me play and it all worked out.”
It’s a different experience coming to a new team as a veteran, she said.
“I feel old sometimes because it’s a young team and I’m a graduate student, but they’ve been really great,” she said.
Her team only plays two tournaments in the fall, giving her time to acclimate to graduate school and begin the prestigious Peterson Fellowship she, along with two other graduate students, was selected to complete. The three-semester fellowship provides financial support for talented graduate students to gain experience with city government.
The fellowship allows her to work a semester each at IndyGo, the Indianapolis mayor’s office, and the Indianapolis International Airport, working on projects that address a specific challenge in Indianapolis, while supporting the City’s strategic plan and vision.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn in several public sectors, and to meet people,” she said, adding that her career goal is to work in sustainability policy development for a local government.
Orlando said she was happily surprised to be chosen for the tennis team and the fellowship.
“While I was applying for graduate school and applying for the Peterson fellowship and emailing the tennis coach, I thought, I’d be so happy if one of those things happened. For all of them to happen, it makes me very busy, but very happy. I’m very thankful.”
Her IU Kokomo experience, both on the tennis court and in the classroom, prepared her for what she’s doing now.
“My undergraduate work, especially in science and humanities, prepared me for the discussions and the difficult questions we discuss in graduate school,” she said. “My four years of tennis made me the player I am today. The small class sizes were beneficial. It gave me the confidence to talk in my class and speak up, because I had a connection with the people in the room. It made it a lot easier when I was applying to grad school and I could easily think of five professors I could ask for a letter of recommendation, because I had that personal relationship with them.”
Alt Text:
GABBIE ORLANDO now
GABBIE ORLANDO 2020
Page 17:
KEY Unclocks New Opportunities
When you participate in Kokomo Experience and You (KEY), the world is your classroom!
The Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) program opens up a world of new experiences for our students!
This year, Cougars have traveled to present at conferences across Indiana and the Midwest, have been exposed to treasured works of art at The LUME, explored the battlefields and sites of World War II, met with Kokomo-area business leaders, and interacted with Native groups from across the country at the National Pow Wow XVIII.
IU Kokomo also continues to expand the KEY Academy, inviting area residents and alumni to take part in lifelong learning opportunities.
Alt Text:
School of Business KEY trip to Cincinnati - September 2023
Groups Scholars explore downtown Kokomo - July 2023
KEY takes IU Kokomo students to Denmark - June 2023
A visit to Newfields in Indianapolis for the LUME exhibit and a raptor demonstration in the gardens - August 2023
Groups Scholars KEY trip to the National Pow Wow XVIII - July 2023
Page 18:
Former athletes return as coaches
As a student athlete, Grant Gaylor earned his place in IU Kokomo history.
Part of the first track and field throwing team in 2021, he won the campus’s first NAIA championship in shot put.
After he graduated with his nursing degree, he returned first as a volunteer throwing coach, and now is an assistant coach, enjoying the opportunity to help students become better people.
“It’s really rewarding to see people improve, and to see them maturing and growing up,” he said. “Athletics is about learning life lessons, not just how to be a better thrower or better athlete.
“I feel like the most important thing about college athletics is not whether you’re an all-time leading scorer in basketball, or have the most recognition,” he said. “It’s about being a champion in your own right. It’s about doing what you need to do every day consistently to become better. That’s something a lot of people miss and don’t apply to life. If you give what you have and do what you need to do, at the end of it you will know and understand you are a champion in your own right.”
Gaylor, BSN ’21, is in good company as a Cougar alumnus returning to coach.
Brandi Jones, BS ’21, MBA ’23, is in her first season as head women’s golf coach. Other alumni coaches include assistant coaches Andrea Saylor, BS ’23, tennis; Tre’Quan Spivey, BS ’21, basketball; Jordan Fivecoate, BS ‘19, track and cross country; Erinn Adam, BS ‘21, volleyball; and Justin Reed, BS ’21, MBA ’23, baseball (pitching).
Alt Text:
Grant Gaylor
Page 19:
Gaylor’s senior year was the first year that the team included throwing, and as the most experienced athlete in that area, he’d already been informally coaching his teammates.
“Naturally, I wanted to help the other athletes,” he said. “I’d give them pointers and cues as we were practicing. It was something I wanted to continue doing after I was done competing.”
He enjoys coaching because it gives him an opportunity to help students become better people.
a natural transition
When Andrea Saylor joined IU Kokomo’s tennis team, she immediately found a mentor in Coach Kristine Miller.
“I always had a leadership role, even from my first year on the team,” said Saylor. “I felt like becoming a coach was a natural transition, especially because I already had a few experiences when she allowed me to step in and coach when I was injured.”
She had worried about making the transition from player to coach, but having a young tennis team helped. Now, she thinks her recent experience makes her relatable to her athletes.
“The only girls I spent significant time with were two of our current 10,” she said. “It would be more challenging if they were older, and I’d spent a lot of time with them as a teammate. It’s been easier to take this role and run with it. They see me and know I was in their position just a few years ago. Sometimes when you’re going through the stress of school and balancing the rest of your life and athletics, you need someone who understands. They know I was in their shoes not even a year or two ago.”
Saylor said the possibility of coaching has always been on the horizon for her, growing up as the daughter of Mike Saylor, a well-known basketball coach in Terre Haute.
Alt Text:
Andrea Saylor
More IU Kokomo alumni coaches
Alt Text:
Erinn Adam,
BS ‘21, volleyball,
assistant coach
BRANDI JONES,
BS ‘21, MBA '23,
women's golf,
head coach
Jordan
fivecoate,
BS ‘19, men's and
women's cross county
and track & field,
associate head coach
JUSTIN REED,
BS ‘21, MBA '23,
baseball, pitching coach
Alt Text:
script logo reading cougars
Women's volleyball players on court
Women's cross country runners
Men's soccer team putting arms together in huddle
Two soccer players kicking ball at women's soccer game
Inside of The Milt and Jean Cole Family Wellness and Fitness Center
Page 20:
“Because of his influence, I’ve had a natural coaching instinct,” she said. “My freshman year roommate also was a coach’s daughter. We had a lot of conversations about how we thought our fathers’ coaching influenced us and how we showed up on the court. We both had a seriousness about us, and a knowing of what we needed to do. Coaching has always been in the background, but I never knew if there would be an opportunity. I’m glad there has been one here.”
coaching aspirations
As an IU Kokomo basketball player, Tre’Quan Spivey first considered trying to play pro ball, or managing an athletic facility. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he found himself training younger teammates, and discovered a love of coaching.
Now, he’s learning on the job, returning to the Cougar bench as an assistant to Coach Eric Echelbarger — an opportunity he couldn’t let pass.
“When I considered coaching, I didn’t think it would be where I graduated,” said Spivey, from Indianapolis. “I thought I’d have to go to a middle school or high school and work my way up. This puts me in a faster framework on learning.”
He found the leap from teammate to coach easier than he thought it might be.
“It was a smoother transition than I expected,” he said. “I tell people I was a little hesitant due to how recently I had played with these guys. Running with you and making you run are two different things. I think the guys took in my coaching style pretty well.”
He’s learned that while playing basketball is a physical challenge, coaching is more of a mental challenge, handling recruitment, budgets for travel, managing the right balance of players on a roster, and being able to discuss tuition and financial aid with athletes.
Spivey’s goal is to coach someplace like Butler University, or a Big 10 or SEC school, and feels like IU Kokomo is a good place to start, noting that the last assistant coach is now at University of Evansville, a Division 1 school.
“I see myself coaching for the long haul,” he said. “I’m learning from an outstanding example.”
Alt Text:
Tre'Quan Spivey
Tre'Quan Spivey coaching on sideline
Page 21-22:
Brothers to Teammates
As brothers growing up near Toronto, Dalton and Brandon Clarke liked to compete with one another.
“Whether it was baseball or Monopoly, we were always seeking a win,” said younger brother Brandon Clarke. “As we grew up, we definitely learned the boundaries. There’s a time to be competitive and a time to relax and just enjoy yourself. Growing up, it was always competitive. We always wanted to get the edge over each other.”
They followed one another’s baseball careers, from youth leagues through high school, and were glad to finally play for the same team at Indiana University Kokomo — though not at the same time.
“IU Kokomo for Brandon and me is where we both grew up and took the final steps into adulthood,” said Dalton Clarke. “On the field and academically, I put everything together while I was here. I did my best in the classroom, I had my best baseball seasons, and I learned how to grow up and be more mature. Brandon started planning for his career here, and he was killing it on the field. We both grew up a lot here.”
As a member of the first Cougar baseball team in 2018, Dalton was pleased when his brother joined him in Kokomo in 2022, knowing he would hold the same high standards he and his teammates set.
“Being on the first team, we weren’t going to let this fail,” he said. “We wanted to hit the ground running. It was cool to build something. There’s a lot of pride in the fact that we had success, and that those who followed us were going to keep building on it. A lot of our alumni were involved or communicating with the guys who were on the team after us. It felt like our baby, and we wanted to be sure it was taken care of.”
For Brandon Clarke, playing where his brother played gave him an idea of what to expect at IU Kokomo.
“He set me up for success,” he said. “Dalton gave me the ins and outs of the daily process at IU Kokomo, so I would be prepared. I also had him as a resource not only to know what to expect, but to have someone to go to with questions or when I needed support. Without a doubt, it enriched my experience. It would have been difficult without his prior experience for sure.”
It was also a family reunion for them, as Dalton had married and stayed in Kokomo after graduating.
“We’d been apart for three years, so it was nice to have family gatherings again,” Dalton said. “Brandon had a lot more offers than I did. It was huge to know he would stay with the same host family I did, and he’d be in the same community with me, and we’d look after each other.”
Brandon agreed.
“Kokomo is almost 1,000 miles from home. When you’re that far away, it’s nice to have family so conveniently located,” he said. “Knowing he and his new family would be here, it was a no-brainer to go away to school but have him close.”
Their parents also appreciated that they were together.
“It was nice for our parents to know we had each other. It gave them a lot of peace of mind,” Dalton said. “They would both say we need to be better at calling them. I’ll take most of that blame. Brandon’s much better at that.”
While both played baseball, each chose a different path through the sport and in college.
Dalton, an infielder, played two years at an Illinois junior college after high school before transferring to IU Kokomo, where he earned a degree in history and political science in 2019. He got married soon after graduating and worked as a middle school teacher for a short time
before accepting his current job as a salesman at Button Dodge in Kokomo.
He chose college in the U.S. because of the baseball opportunities. Canadian universities have baseball, but they play a short fall season, rather than the long spring seasons played in the states.
“There are a ton of talented players there, but if you want to push yourself to be the best, you have to go to the U.S.,” he said. “To have any chance of continuing to play past college, you have to play at an American university.”
Brandon said his brother’s college career inspired his own.
“I remember when he first went away to school, “ he said. “I hadn’t even been thinking about going to the U.S. and playing. That sparked it for me. He showed me this other world of possibilities and motivated me to want to be the best I could. I saw how much success he had at IU Kokomo. I wanted to follow in his footsteps but try my best to grow in those footsteps.”
Brandon, a pitcher and outfielder, played at a Texas community college before transferring to IU Kokomo. He earned a degree in exercise science in 2023 and completed the honors program. He’s currently working as a kinesiologist at a physiotherapy clinic in Ontario and applying to graduate schools. He plans to study kinesiology and exercise physiology, most likely at a Canadian university.
Dalton said Brandon was always a good student, so he wasn’t surprised by his success, “but it still makes you proud."
“He’s always going to be my little brother.”
Alt Text:
Dalton Clarke
Brandon Clarke
Dalton Clarke in the hitting position
Brandon Clarke walking the sideline
Brandon Clarke and Dalton Clarke as kids
Page 23:
Support the Next Generation of Cougar Athletes
Want to support the dreams of more IU Kokomo student-athletes?
Join the Cougar Club –a new giving community dedicated to supporting the Cougar legacy of athletic leadership, tournament success, and winning records.
The Cougar Club provides a direct way for our alumni and fans to make a positive impact on our athlete experience, supporting travel, equipment, and activities for Cougars across IU Kokomo’s 15 varsity sports.
Contribution Levels
SEIBERLING SCORERS ($5,000 and above)
- Tax-deductible gift
- Cougar Club Newsletter
- Invitations to chancellor’s events
and other special events
CHANCELLOR'S CHAMPIONS ($1,000 - $4,999)
- Tax-deductible gift
- Cougar Club Newsletter
- Invitations to chancellor’s events
and other special events
PHOENIX ATHLETE ($400 - $999)
- Tax-deductible gift
- Cougar Club Newsletter
- Invitations to an end-of-year event with
IU Kokomo Cougar athletic coaches
COUGAR CLUB ($100 - $400)
- Tax-deductible gift
- Cougar Club Newsletter
- Invitations to an end-of-year event with
IU Kokomo Cougar athletic coaches
Sign up to join the Cougar Club today!
Alt Text:
Woman's volleyball player serving
Men's basketball player dribbling
Women's golfer
QR code to https://give.myiu.org/iu-kokomo/I380016193.html
IU Cougar Cupboard Kokomo icon
Back cover:
Honoring Excellence
Nominate outstanding alumni who go beyond, give back and make a difference in their professions!
The IUAA Kokomo Region partners with the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions this spring to recognize their own who exemplify the best in what they do. Please consider submitting a nomination and saving the date for this special event!
Nurses of Distinction
Allied Health Professionals of Distinction
Friends of the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions
Recognition ceremony
March 5, 2024
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Alumni Hall
IU Kokomo
These awards honor alumni and friends who have shown a commitment to the values and support of these professions. More criteria and information can be found on the online nomination form.
Alt text:
Indiana University Alumni Association Kokomo Region Logo
2300 South Washington Street
P.O. Box 9003
Kokomo, IN 46904-9003
Visit us on the web at
kokomo.iu.edu/alumni
social media icons
indicia
QR code to https://go.iu.edu/4QVq
SNAHP Kokomo icon
Legacy: A magazine for alumni and friends of Indiana University Kokomo
Summer 2023 issue
Page 1: Cover
Indiana University Kokomo
Legacy
Summer 2023
A Magazine for Alumni and Friends
Lead from where you are
Nikki Giovanni
In Her Own Words
Poet. Teacher.Activist
ALT Text:
IU Bottom tail
Nikki Giovanni
Page 2:
iuaa kokomo region board
Interim President
Martha Warner, B.A. ’06, M.A. ’12
Board Members
Rebecca Anspach, B.G.S. '09, M.P.M. '21
Brianne Boles, B.G.S. '03, M.P.M. '09
Gabriela Mora Cervantes, B.S. '20
Sharmaine Ellison, B.S.N. '00, M.P.M. '19
Deljere Hall, B.S. '05
Robert Hayes, B.G.S. ‘95
Cameron Huffman, B.A. ‘11, J.D. ‘14
Brayton Mendenhall, B.S. '11
Cole Radel, B.S. '21
Elissa Stranahan, B.S. '03
indiana university kokomo office FOR UNIVERSITY advancement
Vice Chancellor for
University Advancement
Crystal Jones, CFRE
Director of Alumni Relations
Benjamin Liechty
Director of Development
Cathy Clearwaters
Media and Marketing
Director of Media and Marketing
Erin Witt
Creative Services Manager
Krista Edmonds
Graphic Specialist
Terri Hellmann
Communications Specialist
Danielle Rush
Videographer/Photographer
Mike Glassburn
Writing/Editing Assistant
Shea Lazanzky
For media inquiries contact:
A snapshot of our spring semester
In this issue, we highlight our long-time friend and colleague, American poet Nikki Giovanni, and her return to campus this spring. Read on for details about her emotional and insightful presentation to the community, her reflections on her life and work, and a behind-the-scenes look at the master class she hosted for the next generation of creative writers at IU Kokomo.
In addition, we’ll explore the newest co-ed varsity sport to debut at IU Kokomo – eSports – and learn about the program and its potential impact from our first eSports coach, Nick Liegey. We’ll also share highlights from the Cougars’ successful spring athletics seasons – from golf, to track and field, and everything in between.
A deep dive into our Multicultural Center and its programming will showcase how IU Kokomo is building community for all on campus, and an overview of the Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) will highlight the program’s success this semester, and its starring role in our recent Chancellor’s Guild Dinner.
And of course, we can’t overlook our 54th Commencement: We’ll share details about this beautiful, celebratory day on campus, the Chancellor’s charge to make a difference. and the impact the class of 2023 is already making on our community and our world!
Table of Contents
Commencement Spotlight 6
eSports Arrives at IUK. 8
Athletics Update 9
Davis Leads Campus Diversity Efforts 10
Nikki Giovanni Inspires. 12
Multicultural Center - Programming Creates Connections. 18
KEY Unlocks New Opportunities The Chancellor's Guild Dinner. 20
Recognizing a World of Impact. 21
ALT Text:
Iu tab
IU social media icons
Page 3:
Gearing up for what's next
My installation as IU Kokomo's eighth chancellor took place in October, and I will be wrapping up my first year as chancellor in August. You might think I'm settling into this new role, but we don't settle here at IU Kokomo. It's not in our nature.
Instead of settling in, we are gearing up, launching initiative after initiative, setting our sights on becoming a destination campus for students and employees – or, as I put it in my last column, turning this hidden gem of a campus into a famous gem, known around Indiana and around the Midwest.
To kick things off last fall, we launched an ambitious campaign in which we set out to improve IU Kokomo in "100 Ways in 100 Days," and we succeeded, adding student scholarships, a campus fiesta during Hispanic Heritage Month, "Pedagogical Partnerships" and podcasts on pedagogy to improve the student experience, free yoga classes for employees, and much more.
Those 100 days are over, but the improvements are not. To paraphrase Al Pacino's famous line – we're just getting
warmed up!
What's next for IU Kokomo?
Our first eSports team will take to the (virtual) court in the fall. eSports is the fastest growing sport in the world, and a new batch of Cougar athletes will be part of the wave.
Innovation Hall, scheduled for completion in December, will be home to an arena for this eSports team, as well as a Tech Innovation Studio, Business Intelligence Lab, and the KEY Center for Innovation. It will be located in the west wing of the Kelley Student Center.
New lifelong learning initiatives, including AIM (Achieve. Improve. Master.) and the KEY Academy, will be in full force this year.
Finally (well, for now), we will be engaging all of you – our valued alumni – with invitations to concerts, plays, athletic events, sky watching opportunities, and more, as well as private events in our beautiful Kelley House.
I look forward to collaborating with you as we continue to take IU Kokomo to new heights.
Mark Canada, Ph.D.
Chancellor
Alt Text:
Mark Canada Signature
Recognition of faculty and staff who submitted ideas to the 100 Ways in 100 Days initiative, February 2023.
Page 4:
Alumni Day
On February 18, more than 50 alumni attended Alumni Day at the final women’s and men’s home basketball games. This was not only a great way to show the student-athletes celebrating Senior Day the power of the IU alumni network but also to demonstrate how much alumni support each other and current students. Alumni were recognized during the men’s game and were encouraged to remain connected to IU Kokomo. It was incredible to visit with so many alumni who attended.
Many of us did not have the opportunity to support student-athletes when we were students at IU Kokomo. As IU Kokomo continues to transform and progress, it is important that we as alumni show our support for these individuals and for our growing athletic programs. Next year, we will have several opportunities to attend athletic events, be that for Homecoming (October 2023), Alumni Days at games, or even coming to see our alumni athletes return to campus to scrimmage against current players. These opportunities and other events geared toward alumni help contribute to the rich lifelong experience that makes IU Kokomo a destination campus. And with your help, we can continue to make that connection even deeper.
Benjamin Liechty, B.A. ‘06
Director of Alumni Relations
Alt Text:
Portrait of Ben Liechty
Benjamin Liechty signature
Group image of Kokomo Region Alumni scholarship recipients
Page 5:
Thanks to our outgoing board members
The Indiana University Alumni Association Kokomo Region Board of Directors has the privilege of working with incredibly talented alumni from all IU campuses. These alumni leaders give their time, their talents, and their treasure to help move Indiana University forward. They also help attract other alumni to serve on the alumni board, increase funds for the Kokomo Region Alumni scholarship, and create experiences alumni value.
Three alumni have served in various capacities on the alumni board for four or more years and achieved great things during their years of service.
Become more involved
If you are interested in learning how you can become more involved with the IUAA Kokomo Region board of directors, reach out to alumni director, Ben Liechty, at alumni@iuk.edu.
Brianne Boles (B.G.S. ’03, M.P.M. ’09) led recruitment efforts to achieve the largest new member cohort in 2022, while also serving as this committee’s chairperson in 2021-22. She assisted in IU Day fundraising efforts to reach a goal of $2,100 in 2020. At the end of 2022, Brianne was appointed to serve on the IU Alumni Association’s Executive Council, where she currently serves as a member of the finance committee. Brianne is the president of Developmental Services, Inc.
Cameron Huffman (B.A. ’11, J.D. ’14) has served as chair of the fundraising committee since 2021. His leadership on this committee helped elevate student and donor awareness of the Kokomo Region Alumni scholarship, which increased donations to the scholarship and the number of students applying for the scholarship. Cameron is an associate attorney at Kopka Pinkus Dolin, PC in Carmel.
Genie Mason LaLonde (B.S. ’70) has been in the IU family for more than 40 years. To say she bleeds cream and crimson is an understatement. She served on the Kokomo Region Alumni Board since 2018, serving as secretary, vice president, and president. She helped plan, participated in, and supported many alumni activities on and off the Kokomo campus with pride. Genie was instrumental in assisting with the creation of a board mentoring program in collaboration with Martha Warner, and participating in IU Kokomo history at the installation of Chancellor Mark Canada.
The results are in!
In 2022, Indiana University Kokomo asked our alumni to share their thoughts on the value and quality of their education. We’re proud to see the IUK experience has made a positive impact on the lives of so many of our fellow Cougars!
If you would like to participate in future surveys, please verify your contact information is up to date by emailing alumni@iuk.edu.
My education from IU Kokomo was worth the cost.
90.7% Agree
9.3% Disagree
IU Kokomo prepared me well to obtain work soon
after graduating.
83.1% Agree
16.9% Disagree
IU Kokomo prepared me well for my current career.
82.1% Agree
17.9% Disagree
If I had to do it all over again, I would choose
IU Kokomo.
90.2% Agree
9.8% Disagree
Alt Text:
Portrait of Brianne Boles
Portrait of Cameron Huffman
Portrait of Genie Mason Lalonde
Page 6 and 7:
2023 Commencement
Under perfect sunny blue skies, Indiana University Kokomo celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2023 at its 54th Commencement on Wednesday, May 10. President Pamela Whitten and Chancellor Mark Canada welcomed more than 400 graduates, their families, and friends to “a glorious day for graduation.” Andrea Saylor, Terre Haute, was the student speaker. Molly Lewis, Kokomo, led singing of the National Anthem and the alma mater, while Trisha Norfleet, Kokomo, represented the class during the induction into the IU Alumni Association.
About the Class of 2023
653 Graduates
40 Indiana counties
13 States
14 Countries
33.6% First generation
571 Bachelor’s degrees
66 Master’s degrees
16 Associate degrees
for more commencement photos search @IUKokomo on Flickr
Alt Text:
Graduate holding diploma
Graduates walking across campus
Graduates walking
President Pamela Whitten and Chancellor Mark Canada walking with group of graduate
Female graduate walking
Female graduate holding up diploma
Group of graduates smiling
Group of females smiling in front of tree
Group of female graduates smiling
Female graduate holding her hand up
Male graduate hugging another person
President Pamela Whitten smiling
Male graduate posing in front of a tree
Male graduate holding up his diploma
Congratulations graduates! graphic
Flickr graphic
Graduate cap graphic
Page 8:
Esports arrives at IUK
Game On:
Get to Know
IU Kokomo’s first
eSports coach, Nick Liegey
This fall, Indiana University Kokomo will debut its 15th varsity sport -- coed eSports.
Cougar eSports student-athletes will compete against opposing teams online in games such as NBA 2K, Rocket League, Smash Bros, and NFL Madden. IU Kokomo plans to build an eSports arena and will host tournaments and compete on campus, but the program will not be governed by the NAIA, allowing the Cougars to compete against institutions of all sizes and divisions.
eSports took a big step forward this spring with the hiring of its first coach, Nick Liegey. Liegey comes to IU Kokomo from Western High School in Kokomo.
Get to know Coach Leigey in this Q&A!
Q: How did you become involved in eSports?
A: I first got involved in eSports while working as a high school business teacher for Western High School. I came to the job with a passion for video games, but had never coached them prior to that position. That opportunity allowed me to make some great relationships with my students, being able to improve their game and hopefully their life, as well as having fun along the way.
I grew up playing Spyro the Dragon as a 4-year-old and took off from there. As I aged, and competitive gaming started to grow, I found myself really enjoying FPS games like Call of Duty as well as being a huge fan of NBA2K. 2K was always my competitive go-to game, as I have always been a giant NBA fan growing up. Outside of my personal playing, I also am a huge gaming nerd when it comes to studying a game. I will spend countless hours watching videos and reading articles just to better my own game.
Q: What is one thing you wish more people knew or understood about eSports?
A: I think the biggest “one thing” I wish more people knew about eSports is that it is more than just playing a video game. It is competitive, like any other sport you can play or watch. eSports players practice and train just like any other athlete. They have to develop skills that are not easily obtained, work together to outplay their opponent, and offer the opportunity for more and more people to actually compete. Watching eSports players can really be an eye-opening experience, as you can see the hard work these players have put in, and the results of that effort.
Q: What has been your most memorable moment coaching eSports?
A: As head coach for Western, my most memorable moment was our Rocket League Championship. I thoroughly enjoyed working with every single player that was part of that team, and we were able to take our game to another level by the end of the season. We had a super close championship where my team ended up on top in the final match after countless overtime games in that series. Watching my team communicate, have each other’s backs, adjust their game on the fly, and then fight through the adversity to pull through in the end was a really a special moment for all of us.
Indiana University Kokomo
Summer Basketball Camps
July 17-20
Skills Camp: 9 a.m. - noon
Competitive Edge Camp: 1 - 4 p.m.
for boys in grades 5-9
Skills Camp: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
for boys in grades 1 - 4
July 24-27
Guard Camp: 9 a.m. - noon
Shooting Camp: 1 - 4 p.m. for boys in grades 5 - 9
Cost per camp: $85
Camps will be held at the Student Activities and Events Center at IU Kokomo.
2300 S. Washington Street, Kokomo, IN.
Questions? Email Coach Eric Echelbarger at eechelba@iu.edu
Alt Text:
Portrait of Nick Liegey
Page 9:
Cougars
Alt Text:
STANDOUT STUDENT-ATHLETE ACHIEVEMENTS MARK A WINNING SPRING SEASON
On April 1, IU Kokomo Men’s and Women’s golf teams hosted the IUK Spring Invite at the Wildcat Creek Golf Course in Kokomo. Both Cougar teams took the top spot, with the men placing first of seven participants, and the women first out of four teams. Notably, IU Kokomo grad student Brandi Jones earned individual medalist honors – her third consecutive tournament win. Brandi finished first in the Woods Invitational, the Klash in Kentucky, and the IUK Spring Invite. To date, Jones has also won two RSC Conference Player of the Week awards. The women’s team placed third at the 2023 River States Conference Championship in late April, while Jones earned individual medalist honors for the second straight year. Jones placed 19th in the 2023 NAIA Women’s Golf Championship May 23-26 in Silvis, Illinois.
The men’s team went from their home event to the Golden Bear Spring Classic in West Virginia, where they also came in first place. Three Cougars finished in the top five at the GBC, including Drew Wagner (2nd place), Daniel Kasten (3rd place), and Hayden Williamson (tied for 4th place). Corbin Robison also finished ninth, making him the fourth Cougar to land in the top 10. The team’s final round score of 293 was the lowest tournament round for IU Kokomo in almost two years. The men’s team finished in 2nd place at the 2023 River States Conference Championship in late April, improving on last year’s third place finish! Robinson, Wagner, and Harley Pugh finished in the top 10, earning All-River States Conference honors and joining the All-RSC Second-Team.
The outdoor track and field teams recently participated in the Pacesetter Sports Invitational, hosted by Indiana State University. The women’s team finished in 6th place out of 11 teams, while the men finished in 7th place among 10 teams. At the 2023 River States Conference Championship, both teams finished in fourth place, bringing back several top five, top eight, and event finishes.
Stay up to date on all things athletics at iukcougars.com
Alt Text:
IU Kokomo Cougar script logo
Picture of girls golf team
Picture of boys golf team
Three girls track and field medalist on podium
Track and field coach receiving coach of the year award
Female golfer holding up golf ball
IU Kokomo Cougar logo
Page 10 and 11:
Davis leads campus diversity efforts
As a daughter of an Air Force member, Rosalyn Davis thought everyone grew up in diverse communities like those her family lived in during her father’s service.
“I didn’t understand that all communities aren’t diverse until my dad retired from the military,” she said.
After graduating from Fisk University, a historically Black university, she chose her graduate school because of its active diversity program, “because in my mind, the country was diversifying, and if I wasn’t equipped to work with a lot of different people, I wasn’t going to be the best counselor I could be.”
Now, as clinical associate professor of psychology at Indiana University Kokomo, she’s a campus leader for diversity efforts for students, faculty, and staff. Her goal is to make the campus a welcoming place for everyone.
“Diversity does not make things better for some while making it worse for the others,” she said.
“When we can better serve one group, we can take those things and expand them to everyone.
We figure out how to share it with the larger community. When people are happy, everyone around them gets happier too.”
Initially, the work started with conversation.
“Our initial goal was just to get us talking more,” said Davis, who serves as faculty diversity liaison and is director of the Master of Arts in Mental Health program.
“We don’t have robust conversation about diversity,” she continued. “We talk about things we should be doing, but not about what the roadblocks are to doing more. We’re hoping to talk more and be more honest with each other.”
One of the most successful programs has been safe zone training, which provides opportunities to learn about LGBTQ+ identities, gender, and sexuality, and to create powerful, effective allies.
“People’s reaction to it has been among the most pronounced,” she said. “Participants have said they learned a lot they hadn’t thought about. They were able to see the LGBTQ+ community in a way they hadn’t before.
She has also led activities like Privilege for Sale, which examines what privileges the participant finds important, and leading book clubs to read and discuss volumes like Do the Work: An Antiracist Activity Book, that gives people the chance to consider heavy concepts with others.
More recent efforts include providing self-paced diversity training modules that faculty and staff can complete on their own schedules.
Davis has been pleased with how the campus has responded, adding that making time available has been the biggest challenge.
“People are invested, and they want to learn more,” she said.
Getting students with busy class and activities schedules, to attend programs can be challenging, she said, but she finds they are receptive to considering new ideas.
During the 2020 election, students in her introduction to psychology classes started asking questions related to that event. Because it was a critical thinking course, she offered to connect the concepts they were questioning to the class and let them decide if they wanted to move forward.
“We spent the whole semester talking about what they didn’t understand, like police brutality and LGBTQ+ issues,” she said. “We had very rich conversations, and the students did way more heavy lifting than I had to do. It was neat to see the students experience the world and look for content. We have to meet students where they are, as opposed to, ‘this is how I was taught.’”
In her graduate classes, students participate in an experiential activity in which they are a minority — like being the only woman somewhere, or the only Christian in a Mosque. For many, it’s their first experience of minority life.
“We are more diverse than some places, but we’re not super diverse,” Davis said. “We need to encourage people to step out of their comfort zone and experience other cultures. A lot of times, people won’t unless they are softly prodded. This allows them to talk to people and notice things they don’t see when they are in the majority. Once they get the prodding, they become global citizens well before we need them to.”
Experiencing new cultures makes people more empathetic.
“Learning about other communities and cultures tends to get that back to you,” Davis said. “You can appreciate what you’ve done in your community, but you can also see what others have done as well.”
In addition to Davis’s diversity work on campus, she has also provided diversity training in the community, helping area businesses and organizations cultivate diversity, and learn how to prepare their environment for the changes that need to be made.
She’s also assisted in development of the Multicultural Center, which provides a place for minority and international students to find community and support with one another.
Davis said while the campus has made great strides, there is still more work to be done.
“There’s never a point where we’re done working,” she said, even though at times the work is exhausting. But it’s worth the effort when she sees minority graduates she’s mentored completing doctoral dissertations, being admitted to doctoral programs, and passing licensing exams.
“We have all of our students doing these amazing things, and that’s what keeps me going,” Davis said.
She added that diversity isn’t a job just for one person — everyone can get involved, even in very small ways.
“It doesn’t have to be this massive thing,” she said. “You don’t have to start a book club. You think about what you want to give to other people and start doing that every day. We can take our own energy and be a little better to everyone every day.”
Alt Text:
Image of Rosalyn Davis in background
Faculty and staff members participate in the Do the Work book club, which focuses on anti-racism.
Davis leads an anti-racism book club for faculty and staff.
Pages 12 and 13:
Nikki Giovanni
Inspires
“Nikki Giovanni has been good friend to our campus.”
How often do you get to take a creative writing class taught by a nationally recognized poet?
Students at Indiana University Kokomo have had that opportunity multiple times over nearly three decades courtesy of author and activist Nikki Giovanni. From a keynote speech at the 1994 Enhancing Minority Attainment conference, to a master class and public reading in March 2023, Giovanni has made her mark on the campus.
And even though she’s not returned in an official teaching capacity, her influence remains.
“Nikki has been a good friend to our campus,” said Karla Stouse, teaching professor in English and humanities. “She loves IU Kokomo. I think this opportunity came at a good time for her. She was warmly received, and people were grateful to have her here. She has always appreciated the fact that our students are interested, respectful, and keen on meeting her.”
Alt Text:
Nikki Giovanni on stage speaking to the audience
Page 14 and 15:
Learning from the master
About a dozen students, mostly English majors, participated in a master class with Giovanni during her March 21 campus visit. They talked about writing and reading, but also college basketball, Appalachia, space, evolution, her childhood in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the importance of speaking up for your convictions.
“If you’re interested in writing, the one thing you have to be excited about is reading,” she said. “What makes me a good poet is that I read good poetry. What makes my poetry good is that I know the difference between good poetry and bad poetry.”
She reminded them that as writers, they are also their own first readers.
“As young writers, you have to ask yourself what kind of sense does it make, and how can I respond in a way that makes sense to me. It has to delight you. It has to make sense to you. It has to be something you say, ‘I’m interested in that.’ From there, you can send it out, or you can share it, or do whatever you want with it, but you are your first reader. As you are reading your book, or you are reading your poem, the first thing it has to do is make sense to you.”
She told them writing is a lonely business, and as writers, they have to write about what they care about.
“Do you really think Anne Frank knew her diary would define what happened in World War II? She didn’t know, she just kept a diary,” Giovanni said. “When her father found it, he didn’t know. He published it because it was all he had left of his family. He didn’t know, and into infinity, we’ll be reading Anne Frank’s diary. You have to keep that in mind, that you can’t let what someone else will think of what you’re doing influence you.
“Writers, we’re lonely, but we’re also courageous,” she said. “You have to be courageous, or you wouldn’t be an artist. The word is the most important thing human beings on earth have created. You remember words. Words are powerful. That’s what we deal in, the most powerful entity on earth. We write courageously. Some of it’s funny. Some of it’s sad. We do what we believe.”
English major Taylor O’Banion said attending the class was inspiring.
“This is not an opportunity I could pass up,” he said. “She told us she’s a storyteller, and I can see that by the way she talks. It was so entertaining, story after story, and every question answered with a story.”
The presentation gave him a lot to think about, he added.
“Just seeing the way she looks at things is very different from most people you meet,” he said. “You get a different point of view from artists and poets, and that’s important, especially with our major, where you are studying poetry and art. It opens you up to thinking outside the box, which is what poetry is supposed to do.”
Words matter
Giovanni also spoke in Havens Auditorium during her campus visit, receiving a standing ovation as she approached the microphone.
Along with reading her poems “Rosa Parks,” and “A Poem for My Librarian,” Giovanni talked about topics ranging from appreciation for Black women, prejudice in Hollywood, her pride in being a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Civil Rights history, women’s reproductive rights, book bans, the Fisk University Jubilee Singers, college basketball, and meeting Queen Elizabeth II. She also shared stories of growing up at her grandparents’ home on Mulvaney Avenue in Knoxville, Tennessee, and visiting the Carnegie Library near that home.
“Of all the things I pay taxes for, I think libraries are my favorite,” she said, expressing concern about current pushes to ban books, including hers.
“We have to continue to fight,” Giovanni said. “Whenever anyone wants to shut you up or control you, the first thing they do is take away books. They don’t want you to think for yourself. Words are the most important things people do.”
Chancellor Mark Canada said as an English professor, was happy to see an auditorium full of people eager to hear poetry.
“We’re pleased to have one of the leading poets of the last half century here in Kokomo, Indiana, because we value the arts, poetry, and diverse voices,” he said.
Her early days at IU Kokomo
Giovanni first came to campus at the invitation of Chancellor Emerita Emita Hill, to be the keynote speaker at the Enhancing Minority Attainment conference. That led to an appointment as a visiting faculty member during the 1995 and 1996 summer sessions.
Stouse recalled that Giovanni was recovering from lung cancer treatment when she first arrived, and a dean told other faculty members not to bother her. She met the poet at their mailboxes, and Giovanni asked her why nobody was talking to her. Stouse invited her for a cup of tea, and a friendship was born from there.
Student remembrances
When Jane Adcock signed up for one of Giovanni’s summer classes in the mid-90s, she didn’t know anything about the poet. She just needed a class to renew her teaching license, and thought the topic, children’s literature, was the right thing.
“It was probably one of the best classes I ever took,” said Adcock, who now lives in Plainfield. “I expected it to be a typical writing class. It was atypical, and wonderful. It was one of those life-changing experiences you don’t expect.”
Adcock said all these years later, she still has the papers she wrote for Giovanni’s class, with her notes and grade on them.
“She talked to us a lot about using our own childhood history in our writing,” Adcock said, adding that now that she’s retired, she’s returned to her own writing.
Alt Text:
Nikki Giovanni with hand raised
Nikki Giovanni at book signing
Stack of her books on a table
Nikki Giovanni at the podium
The importance of words, and of remembering the legacy of those who came before, were among many topics of discussion during a presentation by award-winning poet and activist Nikki Giovanni on March 21 at Indiana University Kokomo.
Page 16 and 17:
“I love to write,” she said. “I write about what’s real in my life, and what’s important to me, and that’s what she told us to write about all those years ago.”
She applied what she learned from Giovanni’s class in her work running a tutoring program for people over 50.
“The tutors were matched with a child and spent one day a week working with them to understand the connection between reading, writing, and speaking,” Adcock said. “Nikki’s ideas came back to me, so I dug out the papers I had written and added poetry to our curriculum. She was a big influence in that program while I was there.”
Adcock wrote to Giovanni for a time after the class, and regrets losing touch with her over the years. Knowing her former teacher was on faculty at Virginia Tech, she looked for news of her after the shooting on that campus in April 2007. She made a point to listen to the remarks Giovanni wrote and read at a memorial service for the victims.
“As usual, in her own way, it was poetry, and it was beautifully done,” Adcock said.
Like Adcock, JoAnn Kaiser took classes with Giovanni for her teaching license. Now a teaching professor in communication arts at IU Kokomo, she was an English teacher at Marion High School, and the two classes in creative writing and African American literature counted toward her teaching license.
“I had heard about Nikki when I was a student in an oral interpretation class, and we performed her poetry,” Kaiser said. “I was excited to say the least.”
She recalled Giovanni’s stream-of-conscious teaching style, and how she would suddenly stop after a thought and say, “that’s what I want you to write about for the next class.” They wrote for every class, and Kaiser still has her papers.
“She would read it and write a few comments on it and give you a letter grade,” she said. “It was just fascinating; it was like being at the feet of the scholar. She was very gracious. She wanted to inspire us to be the writers we wanted to be, and there wasn’t a lot of harsh evaluation, just solid feedback.”
She warned them not to get ahead of themselves, though, Kaiser recalled.
“Someone asked her how we get published, and she was like, ‘We’re not there yet.’,” Kaiser said, laughing.
Most students did not realize the public profile their professor had.
“I don’t think people appreciated what IU Kokomo was bringing to us,” Kaiser said. “I’m not sure people took the class because of who she was, but as we took the class, we realized how amazing the opportunity had been.”
For Kaiser, it was an eye-opening look into another culture as well.
“For me, as a middle-class white woman, my perception and understanding through her eyes was amazing. Being open to that type of literature and her experience as a Black woman, as a Black academic, was interesting. It was fun to hear her talk about other people we knew as published authors.”
She’s used Giovanni’s works in her own classes, including her response to the Virginia Tech shootings, as an example of commemorative speeches and speaking from a manuscript.
“I hope people understand her significance as a scholar and a writer,” Kaiser said. “She’s just a good person.”
Giovanni’s continued influence
After her visiting faculty stints at IU Kokomo, Giovanni returned to her appointment as University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech, but kept in touch as a resource back in Indiana.
Stouse leaned on her friend’s insight when developing an ethnic literature class. Giovanni insisted she had to include Isabel Wilkerson’s The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration, about the time from the 1910s to the 1970s when approximately six million Black people moved from the rural American South to urban northern, midwestern, and western states, to escape racial violence and Jim Crow laws, and seek economic and educational opportunities.
“Having her as a resource to give ideas of things that should resonate set the tone for the whole class,” Stouse said “She’s always been helpful.”
Stouse added that whenever she’s asked, Giovanni has met with IU Kokomo creative writing classes via phone or video conferencing, and she also helped Stouse access advance copies of a novel she wanted to teach.
Stouse was teaching a masterpieces class that usually included Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved. She knew Morrison, a friend of Giovanni’s, was about to publish a new book, God Bless the Child, and asked her to see if Morrison would allow them to read it before it was published.
“Nikki called Toni, Toni called a publisher, and we got a galley proof and permission to make as many copies as we needed,” Stouse said, adding that Morrison’s only stipulation was to give her feedback on the novel.
“When I call and say, ‘could you?’ Nikki always says yes,” she said. “She has always gone out of her way for our students.”
Later, Giovanni hosted “Sheer Good Fortune,” a celebration of Morrison, and invited IU Kokomo students and faculty to attend the event at Virginia Tech, which included a Who’s Who of Black literary figures such as Maya Angelou, Rita Dove, Sonia Sanchez, Edwidge Danticat, and Yusef Komunyakaa.
“The benefit of what she does is, they see someone making a life with their writing,” Stouse said. “It’s not just making money; it’s using the platform to share a message. They see the empowerment of that. People tend to listen to celebrities. Having your writing out there makes you some kind of celebrity. It gives everyone an opportunity to make positive changes. That’s the point of writing — to influence, to inspire, to make positive changes.
“Creative writing classes require you to use your voice to change the world. This may be the first time they realize they have that empowerment.”
Giovanni’s honors and accomplishments
Giovanni has published multiple books for adults and children, including essays and poetry, as well as audio recordings. Her poetry collections include her first self-published book, Black Feelings Black Talk, and her most recent, Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose.
Her poetry, essays, and recordings have covered topics including gender, race, and social issues, and she is known as a champion for civil rights and social justice. She was a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech for more than 30 years, and won the 2022 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the inaugural Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award, the American Book Award, the Langston Hughes Award, and seven NAACP Image Awards.
Alt Text:
Nikki Giovanni, Enhancing Minority Attainment Conference, 1994
Enhancing Minority Conference; at Kelley House, 1994.
Nikki Giovanni with Women's Studies, September 1994.
Nikki Giovanni, September 1994.
Jane Adcock in pink (top row, fourth from left), Joann Kaiser (bottom far right), Mid90s.
Nikki Giovanni speaks in the Main Building courtyard, Spring 1995.
Nikki Giovanni's Summer Class, 1996.
Karla Stouse with Nikki Giovanni, March 2023.
Page 18-19:
Multicultural Center – Programming creates connections
The Multicultural Center (MCC) opened in October 2020 in the west wing of the Kelley Student Center. The MCC was established to promote a welcoming and positive campus climate and to cultivate a diverse, inclusive environment that supports equal access, participation, and representation on campus. Kokomo was the first regional campus to have a Multicultural Center to help replace obstacles with opportunities, so minority and underrepresented students, faculty, and staff find a sense of belonging and support. In the past two years, the MCC has established a meaningful presence on campus and has already made a significant impact on the campus community.
Written by —Tess Barker
MCC: One Location, Many Units
The MCC suite is home to three identity-based units: the Black Student Center, the LGBTQ+ Center, and Latinos Unidos: Hispanic Center (which was established a year prior to the MCC). It also houses three offices with connected and complimentary purposes: International Student Services; the coordinator for student life and campus diversity; and since May 2021, a part-time CAPS therapist. The co-location of the CAPS therapist creates an opportunity to better serve students from minority or underrepresented backgrounds.
The co-location of these centers and offices ensures that programs and services support not only certain groups of students, but the entire IUK community, and moves us toward more fully realizing our goals surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. Programmatically, the MCC develops events that recognize the intersectionality of our multiple identities; connects the classroom with the co-curricular; and acknowledges and begins to address the impact of the past on our present and our future. Some programs are offered through the Center units, and the MCC also offers its own programming.
LGBTQ+ Center
The LGBTQ+ Center promotes a community of care and support for LGBTQ+ students and allies. It works toward creating and maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for the equitable treatment of all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. The Center enables LGBTQ+ visibility by fostering and enriching awareness, understanding, and acceptance, and hosting LGBTQ+ trainings and informative programs .
The LGBTQ+ Center partners with several campus units to extend its reach. Notable programming is its partnership with the Diversity Committee to promote Safe Zone Training, a free training for any student, faculty, or staff member. It also supports an LGBTQ+ Lending Library, started in 2022 by a grant from the IU Queer Philanthropy Circle. The lending library supplements the holdings of the IU Kokomo library with about 70 titles focused on the voices and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. Books are available to check out by request from the Multicultural Center during normal business hours.
Black Student Center
The Black Student Center (BSC) serves Black and African American students by providing a place to belong, both on campus and in the community. It facilitates opportunities for academic and social support and programming in a safe and welcoming environment to help students achieve their educational goals. The BSC works in partnership with other diversity efforts on campus to center the voices, experiences, and dynamic lives of the members of our Black community, empowering students in their endeavors in and out of the classroom.
BSC has developed regular programming to foster student connection and self-expression. A popular program is Music Monday, where a DJ plays hits while students have access to art supplies. This work is connected to a Black Art Expo, held each semester to amplify the work of Black artists that may not be part of the mainstream. A signature program of the BSC is the Freshman Pinning Ceremony. Started in 2022, this event welcomes new students who identify as Black or African American to the IUK campus with a community-minded dinner and pinning ceremony.
Latinos Unidos: Hispanic Center
The Latinos Unidos: Hispanic Center (LUHC) brings together students and their families to provide resources and support to address the unique challenges Hispanic students may face. Finding a community and support system is important to each student’s success, including our Hispanic/Latinx students. LUHC supports students as they navigate the transition into college life. Here, students find a safe space, regardless of immigration status, to meet new friends, find resources for academic and personal support, and celebrate Latino culture.
LUHC provides programming to support Latino students, but also to share Hispanic culture with the campus. The Spanish Club is open to any student, whether they already speak Spanish or are a novice learner. Eventually, with successful performance in classes, students may be invited to join Sigma Delta Pi, the national honor society for students studying Spanish. Other LUHC events have included bilingual movie screenings, Latin dance instruction, and theater performances. LUHC also connects alumni with students through recognition events. The Fall Family Fiesta was a popular event during Hispanic Heritage Month – a celebration of food, family, and culture!
International Student Services
International Student Services (ISS) supports, serves, advises, and assists all international students, from recruitment through graduation and beyond. ISS strives to ensure international students have the best experience while achieving their educational goals by assisting with cultural adjustment: offering events and programming, providing regulatory guidance, connecting students to available resources and academic support, and walking beside them on their academic journey.
ISS also provides programming at IU Kokomo to help students share their cultures and experiences with the broader community. For example, International Education Week highlights each of our international students with food, educational materials, and social gatherings. A new feature on the MCC social media platforms is Snack Swap, where students from two or more countries share favorite tastes from home, engaging in a cultural exchange using all the senses.
MCC Programming
The MCC coordinates events and services that support the work of the units above, but also enhances campus support and understanding of DEI issues. Because learning is never done, in March 2021, the MCC piloted a week-long Equity Challenge. Hosted on Canvas as a self-paced learning opportunity, 55 IU Kokomo community members voluntarily engaged in this week-long exploration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. The week concluded with an in-person lunch and learn to allow participants to connect and have conversation.
The MCC Equity Ambassadors are a group of students who advocate for DEI and social justice. They provide peer-led programming designed to appeal broadly to IU Kokomo students. For example, each Ambassador is responsible for at least one Lunch and Learn annually, giving them an opportunity to engage in self-reflection and growth while sharing their knowledge with campus. In 2022, they piloted a program called Pedagogical Partners to provide student-centered feedback on how faculty can support and promote an inclusive learning environment in their classrooms. Faculty, identified through IU Kokomo’s Center for Learning, Teaching and Assessment, became the students as Ambassadors helped them develop their teaching in ways that promoted inclusion in the classroom.
The Social Justice Speaker Series is a signature MCC event. The Series provides opportunities for students to attend lectures and programs that enhance classroom content. Speakers are selected to intentionally connect to the curriculum. Topics included the use of Native imagery in sports mascots and the role of art in social justice movements.
to LEARN MORE ABOUT the multicultural center, visit
iuk.edu/diversity/multicultural-center
Alt Text:
Portrait of Tess Barker
People of the LGBT+ Center posing in front of a book shelf
People from the black student center talking around a table
Two people working at the Latinos Unidos: Hispanic Center booth
People from the international student services talking
Page 20:
KEY unlocks new opportunities
When you participate in Kokomo Experience and You (KEY), the world is
your classroom!
This year, students have learned by experiencing places like the Kurt Vonnegut Museum, the Benton County Wind Farm, the CANDLES Holocaust Museum, the Indiana Statehouse, and Eli Lilly.
KEY students have also grown by doing, participating in a Model U.N. program, developing a community garden as an ethical community service project, and presenting at the undergraduate research conference.
The campus also launched the KEY Academy, inviting area residents and alumni to experience lifelong learning opportunities.
Alt Text:
KEY Summer Institute, August 2022
Lucas Oil Stadium, November 2022
Ainadamar Performance, February 2023
Ornithology and Bird Banding, August 2022
Opalescent Glass, November 2022
Benton County Wind Farm, April 2023
Page 21:
The Chancellor’s Guild Dinner
Recognizing a world of impact
The campus celebrated donors at the annual Chancellor’s Guild dinner April 13. The event honors those who have given $1,000 or more to IU Kokomo in the calendar year.
This year’s dinner was focused on the Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) program, with food stations representing KEY trips to destinations including Walt Disney World Resort, Nashville, Tennessee, Wrigley Field, and European sites significant to World War II. Faculty and students who participated in those programs were on hand to talk about the impact of those experiences.
The Smith Fuqua Foundation and the Tipton County Foundation were inducted into the Remarkable Legacy Society, honoring those who have given $75,000 or more to the IU Foundation for any IU Kokomo fund.
Forty-one donors were also honored as members of the Seiberling Society, for giving more than $5,000 during the year.
Alt Text:
Group picture of the donors
Jeff (center) and Lisa (left) Smeltzer, Judy Golitko (right)
Todd Moser (left), Judge Bill Menges (right)
Dana Scruggs (front), Barb Conner (back)
Lisa Canada (left), Dr. Robert Christensen (center), Chancellor Mark Canada (right)
Page 22 and 23:
Thank you to our generous 2022 donors
Remarkable legacy Society
$75,000 lifetime
Sita Amba-Rao
Linda Anderson
Aptiv PLC - Kokomo
Ascension St. Vincent Kokomo
Erv and Priscilla Boschmann
Glenna Brown
City of Kokomo
Jean Cole
Randy and Candy Cole
Keith and Carmella Cole
Community First Bank of Indiana
Community Foundation
of Howard County
Community Howard Regional Health
FCA Foundation
Thomas and Kathleen Fingleton
Randy and Esther Fishman
General Motors Foundation
Michael and Judy Golitko
Tom and Kristen Grayson
Susie Grayson
Herrick Foundation
Howard County Government
William and Nancy Hunt
Lawrence Kam
Harold and Sherry King
Philip Kintzele
Kokomo Grain Company, Inc.
The Kresge Foundation
William and Barbara Lambert
Richard and Betty Lasbury
Lilly Endowment, Inc.
Herbert Miller
NIPSCO
Pete Rosenau and Kathleen Ligocki
Dana Scruggs
Chuck and Alice Simons
Jeffrey and Lisa Smeltzer
Craig and Susan Smith -
Smith-Fuqua Foundation
Solidarity Community
Federal Credit Union
Thrush-Thompson Foundation
Tipton County Foundation, Inc.
Anonymous
Seiberling Society
$5000 and Above
Donald and Gail Beaton
Raymond and Mary Bonhomme
Beth Brooke
Bucheri McCarty & Metz, LLP
Robert and Deborah Christensen
Community First Bank of Indiana
Community Foundation of Howard County, Inc.
Community Howard Regional Health
Steve and Barb Conner
Encompass Credit Union
Thomas and Kathleen Fingleton
Robert Ford, II
Susan Sciame-Giesecke and Dan Giesecke
Michael and Judy Golitko
David Gossman
Joseph and Susan Hendricks
William and Virginia Hingst
Robert and Mary Hingst
Howard County UAW CAP Council
William and Nancy Hunt
J&J Electric of Indiana, Inc.
KeyBank Foundation
Harold and Sherry King
Philip Kintzele
Kathleen Ligocki and Pete Rosenau
Pat and Sue McGavic
William and Marty Menges, Jr.
Herbert Miller
Allen Safianow
Brian and Angela Shockney
Security Federal Savings Bank
Jeffrey and Lisa Smeltzer
Craig and Susan Smith -
Smith-Fuqua Foundation
Rick and Diane Smith
Paul Stanley
Susan Szep
Jack and Pam Tharp
Joe and KatieThatcher
Stuart and Kim Thompson
Tipton County Foundation, Inc.
Anonymous
Elwood Haynes Society
Planned and Estate Gifts
Donald J. Almquist
Linda C. Anderson
Donald and Gail Beaton
Robert and Betty Blossey
Raymond and Mary Bonhomme
Beth Brooke
Robert and Deborah Christensen
Betty Das
Robert Mullen and Dianna Delgado
Kelly Goad
Marc and Tonya Goodier
Mary Ellen Harnish
- William and Nancy Hunt
Philip L. Kintzele
William and Barbara Lambert
Pete Rosenau and Kathleen Ligocki
James Pellerite
Ruth J. Person, Ph.D.
Allan and Ann Reeves
Glenn E. Rodgers, Jr.
Allen Safianow
Dana Scruggs
Marilyn Skinner
Jeffrey and Lisa Smeltzer
Patricia Williams
Chancellor’sGuild Society
$1000 - $4999
Gem Allen-McKinney
Andy and Mary Baker
William and Marilyn Bersbach
Bona Vista Programs, Inc.
William and Michelle Bosworth
Walter and Teresa Brown
Jim and Judy Buck
Mark and Lisa Canada
City of Kokomo
Karl and Cathy Clearwaters
Cole Family
John and Gina Curl
Steve and Cheryl Currens
Rosalyn Davis
Joseph Fagan and Trish Davis
Kevin and Amy Deardorff
Chad and Christina Downey
Jim and Janetta Duffy
Eric and Ericka Echelbarger
Elevation Golf, LLC
Melissa Ellis
Michael and Sharmaine Ellison
Randall and Esther Fishman
Helen Fortner
William and Sylvia Friend
Meg Galasso
Marc and Tonya Goodier
Florence Goodyear
Stuart and Janine Green
Mary Ellen Harnish
Dan and Ann Harrigan
Doug Eglen and Lynette Hazelbaker
Steve and Lisa Hearn
Susan Mann-Hitchcock
Terry and Diane Holtz
Sara Holtz
Clifford Hunt
IUK Staff Council
Curtis and Crystal Jones
Thomas and Gail Jones
Kosciusko County
Community Foundation
Betty Lasbury
Randall McKinney
Thomas and Karen McKinney
Merrell Brothers, Inc.
Tyler and Ann Moore
Sonnie Neal
NIPSCO
N U Insulation
Richard and Marla O’Dell
Vijaya Pendse
Douglas and Gloria Preece
Quality Plumbing & Heating
Larry and Irene Rolland
Christina Romero-Ivanova
Stephen and Julie Saam
Heidi Sebastian
Doug and Tracy Stout
Willie Stroman
Michael and Lorna Tulley
Terry and Mary Unger
Court and Dawnya French
Dan and Cathy Valcke
Paul and Julie Wagner
David and Linda Wallace
Phoenix Society
$400 - $999
Alpha Delta Kappa Tau Chapter
Sita C. Amba-Rao, Ph.D.
Applied Engineering Services, Inc.
Richard and Susan Ardrey
William and Tess Barker
Nicholas and Carrie Baxter
Berry It
David and Donna Brownfield
Bruno's Pizza
Michael Scheidler and Sharon Calhoon
Bruce and Ann Cameron
Cass County Community Foundation
CGH Steel, Inc.
Thomas and Lori Collins
Crimson Media
Cubicle Sweet Cubicle LLC
Joel and Peggy Detchon
Frank and Peggy Faulkner
John and Cheryl Fell
Financial Builders
Four County Counseling Center
William and Margot Fox
Leon and Patricia Gerber
Susan E. Grayson
Ben Liechty and Stevan Guy
Dave and Jeanne Hamernik
Loren and Nancy Henry
Matthew and Anne Henry
Betty Hershberger
Jack and Charlotte Higgins
John and Karen Holman
Horizon Bank - Kokomo
John and Karen Hughey
IER Group, LLC
IUK Professional Staff Council
Ivy Tech Foundation
Johnathan E. Grant
Rachel C. Holy
Marie M. Johnson
Joseph and Jennifer Jones
Joe and Kelli Keener
King's Heating & Plumbing, Inc.
Kokomo Grain Company, Inc.
Kokomo New Car
Dealers Association
Alan Krabbenhoft and Kathleen Klute
Bart and Rebecca Lefler
Mark and Diane Malson
Kyle T. McAninch
Steve Daily and Michelle Martin
Greg and Peggy McCarty
Eugene and Nancy McGarvey
Rodney Padfield
Patterson Riegel Advertising
Ruth J. Person, Ph.D.
David and Tamy Ralstin
Kyle and Lisa Rayl
Realtors Association of Central Indiana Inc
Susan Reul
Ralph and Victoria Rhees
Robert and Francoise Roales
Allan and Dianne Roden
Ruoff Mortgage Kokomo
John and Sarah Sarber
SDG Enterprise Inc.
Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union
Matthew and Juli Spielman
Stewarts Auto Options, LLC
William and Carolyn Stifle
TCC
Flora M Tenbrook
Matthew and Stacey Thomas
Anthony and Lisa Weaver
Dirk and Mara Webster
Phil and Melissa Williams
Gary L. Zirkle
Page 24:
Stay connected
IU Kokomo wants to keep you connected to our news and stories! Please scan the QR code to participate in a brief survey to help us assess how you’d like to hear from us!
Scan here
QR code
go.iu.edu/4O2x
Alt Text:
Indiana University Alumni Association Kokomo Region Logo
2300 South Washington Street
P.O. Box 9003
Kokomo, IN 46904-9003
Visit us on the web at
iuk.edu/alumni
social media icons
indicia
QR code
Image of students walking on campus in the background
Legacy: A magazine for alumni and friends of Indiana University Kokomo
Winter 2022 issue
Page 1: Cover
New chancellor, new chapter
Collaboration is KEY to Canada’s leadership
Alt Text:
Chancellor Canada with students, professors, and staff.
Page 2:
New Chancellor
We’re taking this opportunity to introduce Chancellor Mark Canada. He’s familiar to many on campus and throughout the region, as he’s served as deputy chancellor for the last year and was executive vice chancellor for academic affairs since 2015.
You’ll learn more about why he’s dedicated his career to higher education — including his focus on success for first-generation students, his emphasis on creating a more sustainable campus environment, and the impact of the KEY program, developed under his leadership.
Canada leads collaboratively, inviting faculty, staff, and students to participate. He launched his tenure as chancellor with "100 Ways in 100 Days," asking the campus community to suggest ideas they could lead to improve the campus.
During his installation ceremony on October 21, IU President Pamela Whitten noted that Canada understands the mission of regional campuses, and has been a champion for student engagement.
“Under the leadership of Chancellor Mark Canada, I am confident that the IU Kokomo campus, and the entire region, can look forward to even bigger, better, and brighter days ahead,” she said.
Read more about Chancellor Canada starting on page 7.
Featured on the front cover
FRONT ROW Tina Robinson (Welcome Center Associate, Office of Admissions), Kelly Fisher, M.S. Senior Lecturer in Criminal Justice and Homeland Security, Crime Lab Director), Mary Hogsett (Student Government Association President), Chancellor Mark Canada, Ph.D., Shiloh Pullen (Resource Navigator, Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management), JC Barnett III (Financial Aid Counselor and VA Certifying Official), Reese Johnson (Business student & Womens Tennis)
BACK ROW Andrea Mendez-Rodriguez (Student Government Association Vice-President), Mark Meng (Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism), Mary Dada (Nursing student), Julien Wallace (Education student & Men's Indoor Track), and Andy Tuholski, Ph.D. (Director of the Office of Sustainability and Assistant Professor of Political Science)
Table of Contents
Winter 2022
Teachers of Distinction 5
Meet Mark Canada 6
First-Generation Success 10
Campus Sustainability Efforts 14
KEY Program: Changing Lives & Sparking Dreams 16
Homecoming 20
Athletics Update 22
Thank a Donor Day 23
Page 3:
A Hidden Gem
If you agree with me that IU Kokomo is a gem, perhaps you also agree that it’s a hidden gem.
The hidden part is the part I want to change, and you can help.
Too often, regional campuses such as IU Kokomo are not fully appreciated. Yes, they are affordable, and close to home, but they can be so much more.
IU Kokomo is a perfect example.
Because our class sizes are small, students can develop strong relationships with their professors (as I hope you did). These professors, in turn, can help connect them with opportunities on and off campus that stretch their abilities, broaden their horizons, and connect them with people and more opportunities.
Opportunities are among the most valuable parts of the IU Kokomo experience. We don’t have hundreds or thousands of students competing for the same part in a play, the same position on a team or a publication staff, or the same spot in a research lab. Our students can do just about anything they want — and enjoy all the benefits that come with it: experience, relationships, and fun.
We are particularly proud of the opportunities we provide through the Kokomo Experience and You (KEY), our signature experiential-learning initiative. No matter their major, our students can participate in dozens of transformative learning experiences, from on-campus simulations and research projects, to internships and community projects, to long-distance trips to educational destinations in Chicago, New York, Disney World, and Yellowstone National Park.
Many of these KEY experiences are free or very affordable, as they should be. Our annual tuition of less than $8,000 is affordable, too. In fact, the IU regional campuses are among the least expensive four-year colleges and universities in the entire state.
Ironically, our affordability may be working against us. Some students may mistakenly believe that because they pay less, students get less. The reality is that IU Kokomo, as a public institution, receives very generous financial support from the state of Indiana and private donors. For this reason, we can offer as much as (or more than) private schools and charge much less. The result is amazing value for every student.
Since I became chancellor, I have been out in our 14-county region spreading the word about IU Kokomo. Can you help? Share your positive experiences. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to check us out at a VIP event for prospective students or one of our many community events. If you need free athletic tickets, please email iukchanc@iuk.edu.
Help me turn our hidden gem into a visible, even famous gem!
Mark Canada, Ph.D.
Chancellor
Alt Text:
Group image of KEY trip at Yellowstone National Park
Mark Canada Signature
Page 4:
Alumni scholarship Recipients
Scholarships make a difference and benefit students in so many ways. They are even more meaningful when they come from IU Kokomo alumni who have been in the same place and are providing the next generation a chance to succeed.
On September 30, we celebrated Kokomo Region Alumni scholarship recipients. Those recognized were Mary Dada, Alexis Pier, John Wasmuth, and Kaylee Weeks. Previous alumni scholarship recipients were also in attendance, along with donors who have supported the Kokomo Region Alumni scholarship and the Indiana University Alumni Association Kokomo Region Board of Directors.
Kokomo Region Board President Genie LaLonde provided opening remarks, recognizing current and former alumni board members. Chancellor Mark Canada welcomed alumni, donors, recipients, and their guests to campus, providing campus updates, stressing the importance
of alumni, and how they can continue to step forward and serve the university. Alumnus and previous Indiana University Alumni Association scholarship recipient Brian Arwood talked about the impact of receiving scholarships and the countless ways they help students. He also touched on how to give back as an alumnus when that time comes.
It was an honor for me to recognize the recipients in attendance, reading the many accolades they were given from their recommendation letters, as well as information that each recipient provided in their scholarship application. Dada, Pier, Wasmuth, and Weeks discussed their goals and dreams after they graduate, which was inspiring and exciting. Each one of them is
a dedicated, driven, and successful student. It will be wonderful to see what they will do and accomplish as alumni.
Benjamin Liechty, B.A. ‘06
Director of Alumni Relations
Alt Text:
Portrait of Ben Liechty
Benjamin Liechty signature
Group image of Kokomo Region Alumni scholarship recipients
Page 5:
TEACHERS of DISTINCTION
THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ALONG WITH THE IU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION KOKOMO
REGION, RECOGNIZED SIX EXCEPTIONAL TEACHERS.
Teachers of Distinction are recognized every other year, with nominations from the community, campus, or local schools. Teachers of Distinction and Early Career recipients are selected by a committee of School of Education faculty and staff. The Lifetime Achievement recipient was selected by faculty and staff, alumni, and distinguished educators from the community.
Those recognized with the Early Career Award were Lela Crawford, B.S. ’18, Tipton Elementary School; Angel McCord, B.S. ’15, Bon Air Middle School; Catherine Murphy, B.S. ’18, Pettit Park Elementary; and Tayler Sampson, B.S. ’21, Green Meadows Elementary.
Vincente Lorenz, B.S., ’21, was honored with the Teacher of Distinction award. Lorenz teaches science at Kokomo High School and is an adjunct instructor for the School of Sciences.
Ann Millikan, B.S., ’59, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, teaching in the Kokomo School Corporation for 42 years after earning her degree from Indiana University Bloomington. She taught first grade at Bon Air Middle School for 18 years before serving as a program administrator for various programs including Title IV guidance program, the Kokomo Enrichment of Youth (KEY) through Kokomo School Corporation, and Title I.
She continues to contribute to the IU community as a mentor in the School of Education’s Emerging Educator Mentor Network.
Alt Text:
Teachers of Distinction celebration
Portrai of Lela Crawford
Portrait of Angel McCord
Portrai of Catherine Murphy
Portait of Tayler Sampson
Portrait of Vincente Lorenz
Portrait of Ann Millikan
Page 6 and 7:
Meet Mark Canada
INDIANA UNIVERSITY KOKOMO’S EIGHTH CHANCELLOR
Although he became chancellor August 15, he’s no stranger to the campus, having served as executive vice chancellor for academic affairs since 2015.
“I am thrilled to be leading this institution, where I have come to know the faculty, staff, and many of the students over the last seven years,” he said. “This new position gives me the opportunity to work with a number of colleagues outside of the academic sphere, and I’m already working with them to enhance the educational experience in athletics, community engagement, and other parts of the university.”
Canada’s goal is to bring more visibility to IU Kokomo, which he called an extraordinary place.
“It’s a gem, but it’s been a hidden gem, and I want us to no longer be hidden,” he said. “One of my key goals is to elevate our profile, so people all over our region and beyond appreciate us as a destination campus, and a place where they can get an extraordinary educational experience that is also affordable.”
As executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, he received the William M. Plater Award for Leadership in Civic Affairs from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. It was given in honor of his collaborative work with colleagues to create the Mind Over Chatter curriculum, a program freely available online to teach students how to find, identify, evaluate, and use information found on the internet.
Chancellor Canada came to IU Kokomo with experience as a professor of English, chair of his department, and associate dean and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He has written extensively on American literature and other subjects.
As chancellor, Canada’s focus is on student success, through the Kokomo Experience and You experiential learning program, projects dedicated to supporting first-generation college students, and promoting education in sustainable living.
Canada was formally installed as chancellor in an October 21 ceremony, led by IU President Pamela Whitten.
Alt Text:
Mark Canada at installation
Mark and Lisa when first dating
Canada family picture
Page 8:
TURNING THE KEY
In his previous role, Canada collaborated with faculty and staff to create the campus’s distinctive Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) which has provided hundreds of students with hands-on learning experiences through simulations, retreats, competitions, internships, and educational travel to destinations including Nashville, Yellowstone National Park, Silicon Valley, New York City, Chicago, and more.
With faculty empowered to create their plans, KEY experiences are tied closely to each area of study, so biology students’ experiential learning isn't providing the same as those in business or education. It also created a sense of ownership in KEY.
“I often refer to myself as the conductor of the orchestra, with the faculty playing the instruments,” Canada said. “Out of that came not only a powerful educational experience, but also a strong sense of collaboration around a single goal.
“What I look forward to doing as chancellor is building on that foundation, so we all can collaborate on additional ways to enhance the experience for our students and community partners. KEY is not just an educational initiative that has transformed our campus and hundreds of students lives. It’s also a model we can use to move forward in a number of other realms.”
CARE FOR FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS
One of the other advantages of KEY, especially on a campus where many students live at home or in apartments rather than residence halls, is that it helps students find people to support them and build community around themselves. This is especially crucial for first-generation students, who may have trouble seeing college as a place where they belong.
“KEY provides an opportunity to travel together and to work in groups,” he said. “All of these experiences help build a sense of belonging."
Canada’s own experience as a first-generation college student on the Bloomington campus, as well as his career at institutions that serve a great number of first-generation students, informs his mission of making sure IU Kokomo supports them from admission to graduation.
“I believe the success of this country going forward is dependent on how we serve these students, and how we empower them to realize their potential,” he said. “IU helped me realize what I was capable of as a first-generation student. I know many of my colleagues and I embrace the opportunity to do the same for our students.”
Their success is critical, as the good jobs that used to be available without higher education are disappearing because of globalization and automation.
“It’s no longer safe for people to depend on those jobs,” he said. “I would encourage students who have even a glimmer of interest in college to explore it as an option, because it will open doors for them. Getting a college education will prepare them for a multitude of jobs.”
A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Preparing students for careers is important, of course, but they also must be educated as citizens who are critical thinkers, creative problem solvers, and empathetic individuals.
“Sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and citizenship are critical areas of knowledge we would want them to take with them, in addition to whatever expertise they develop in their majors,” he said. “We want them to leave with the skills and knowledge to succeed in their careers, but if that’s all we do, we haven’t succeeded in our vision. We want to produce graduates who can succeed professionally, and as citizens.”
Learn more about Chancellor Canada's focus on experiential learning, supporting first generation students, and teaching students to live in a sustainable way in the next few pages.
Alt Text:
Mark Canada on stage the day of installation
Page 9:
Installation of Chancellor Mark Canada, Ph.D.
OCTOBER 21, 2022
FOR MORE INSTALLATION PHOTOS SEARCH @IUKOKOMO ON FLICKR
Alt Text:
Mark Canada at podium on the day of installation
Mark Canada and family the day of installation
Chancellor Mark Canada, President Pamela Whitten, and
Vice President of Regional Campuses Susan Sciame-Giesecke on day of installation
Nick Ray, Jared Hayman, Crystal Jones, Cathy Valcke, Chancellor Mark Canada, Sarah Sarber, Tess Barker, Christina Downey, and John Sarber on day of installation
The stage on day of installation
Chancellor Mark Canada with Julie Kukolla, his high school journalism teacher in the early 1980s
Page 10 and 11:
First-Generation Success
When Andrea Zepeda graduated from Logansport High School, earning a college degree seemed like an impossible dream. As a first-generation college student, navigating the ins and outs of higher education with nobody to ask questions of or set an example was a challenge.
Still, she persisted — and 10 years later, she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling at Indiana University Kokomo, after earning her bachelor’s degree in health sciences in 2017.
“I had to figure out a lot of things on my own,” she said. “I felt like most other students could go to their parents and get help submitting applications or ask questions about what the process looked like. I had a tremendous amount of support from my parents, but they really couldn’t help.”
Her difficulties are common among first-generation college students — those whose parents did not complete a four-year college or university degree. About 34 percent of IU Kokomo’s students fit in this category.
Approximately a third of the faculty, as well as Chancellor Mark Canada, were also first-generation college students, and can empathize with the challenges they face.
“A lot of first-generation students don’t think of college as a place they belong. I want our campus to feel like a place for them, where they will feel nurtured, empowered, and inspired,” said Canada. “Many of them didn’t have the opportunities others did and fall short of what they are capable of doing for themselves and their community.”
Canada grew up in Indianapolis, with parents and high school teachers who expected him to go to college. That gave him an edge in transitioning to IU Bloomington as a first-generation student, because he felt prepared and expected to succeed.
“I felt reasonably comfortable navigating what we sometimes call the ‘hidden curriculum,’ the things you need to know outside the classroom, particularly about planning your major,” he said. “Higher education has a complicated system of requirements that can be intimidating for students, and maybe even impede their progress if they don’t have support from faculty and advisors.”
He commended IU Kokomo’s advisors as key players in guiding all students, but especially first-generation students, as they consider their goals, choose majors, and schedule classes.
Advisors guide major choice,
help map class selections
Advisors played a crucial role for Paige Jones, who earned a degree in exercise science in 2019.
“I didn’t know what my major should be, and being a first-generation student, I wasn’t even sure how majors worked,” Jones said. “A lot of it was just trying to find my way through applying. IU Kokomo made it easy. There were a lot of support systems in place on campus that helped.”
Originally a biology major, she credits advisor Becky Lefler for helping identify science as a major to put her on the path to a career in occupational therapy.
“Becky helped me so much, and was always behind me and encouraging me,” Jones said, adding that advisors and faculty members all helped her with graduate school and student loan applications.
Jones also recalled attending a session for incoming freshmen that included a campus tour, meetings with faculty, and programs for students and parents to ask questions.
“I remember that being really helpful,” she said. “The openness of the advisors and the professors on campus was appreciated. They’re the main support system for those of us new to campus who are striving to better ourselves.”
Jones graduates from the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at IUPUI in May 2023, and looks forward to working in pediatric occupational therapy in Florida.
She appreciates the support she received while earning her degrees and is proud of her success.
“I’m proud to be a first-generation college student now going to graduate school,” Jones said. “It started with me. It started with my passion, and the wonderfulness of my family who gave me support in the background. Once I got to IU Kokomo, they took my hand and led me along. I owe it to both of those supports that I am where I am today.”
Building community supports success
Like Zepeda and Jones, Carson Pocock had to figure out how to navigate college on his own as a first-generation student. Building a community helped him succeed, and he graduated in May 2022 with a degree in mathematics.
He noticed the sense of community when he visited as a recruit for the cross country and track teams, and it was one of the factors in his decision to choose IU Kokomo.
“I remember meeting some of my future teammates, and seeing how close they all seemed,” he said. “I felt like I could instantly fit in. Coach (Josh) Colvin was a big part of why I chose IU Kokomo, and he established a lot of that community feeling.”
“I'm proud to be a first- generation college student now going to graduate school.” – Paige Jones
Alt Text:
Portrait of Paige Jones
Pages 12 and 13:
“Study tables got me in the habit of going to the library to study and get homework done.
” – Carson Pocock
Part of the campus’s signature program, Kokomo Experience and You (KEY), includes summer boot camps and bridge programs, along with a first-year experience class designed to provide resources to help students make the transition from high school to college.
Pocock, from Fort Wayne, participated in the first-year experience, which places students in small cohorts with a faculty member who can act as a mentor. It also offers academic advising and success coaching to help students build community, a critical factor in college success.
“It was probably the most important class I took,” Pocock said. “It helped outline good study habits, let me know where all the helpful resources on campus were, and encouraged going to campus events, which helped contribute to the sense of community.”
As a student athlete, Pocock was required to participate in study tables during his freshman year, which not only connected him with teammates, but encouraged positive academic actions.
“Study tables got me in the habit of going to the library to study and get homework done,” he said. “I really enjoyed working in the library. After my freshman year when I wasn’t required to go to study tables, it was nice to already have that routine formed. I gained a sense of direction from my teammates, and there were always upperclassmen who were able to answer questions for me.”
That support was critical when it came to managing his challenging course load as a mathematics major with a business minor. He also joined a study group with classmates, meeting two to three times a week in one of the library study rooms, which helped him create friendships in class.
He also found faculty willing to help, noting that Amelia Tebbe, assistant professor of mathematics, had flexible office hours and was always willing to answer questions outside of class.
A campus job as a math tutor gave him experience that led him to his current job teaching math at Lewis Cass Jr.-Sr. High School. He plans to return to school to add a teaching license to his degree.
“I love it, absolutely love it,” Pocock said. “A lot of my experience working in the math commons was very applicable, and it helped a lot in this career. IU Kokomo set me up well for this job, and a lot of the people I have learned from have helped shape the person I try to be.”
As a high school teacher, Pocock hopes to set an example to his students, and show that a college degree is achievable with hard work.
Setting an example for the next generation
Zepeda said while her parents were proud and supportive of her going to college, their own educational limitations meant they often couldn’t answer questions or help her with challenges.
“For me, college was a dream I wasn’t sure I could ever achieve, because I didn’t have that example,” she said. “I remember when I was my daughter’s age, I lacked so much confidence, and couldn’t even imagine how I would get through high school. I didn’t think I would be able to do college, and now here I am in a master’s program. I don’t think I could have done it without all the help and support I received throughout college."
She began her degree at another campus, but returned home after giving birth to her daughter. After a semester away, she transferred to IU Kokomo.
“My first few years were challenging until I built some connections,” she said, with faculty members Angela Coppola, associate professor of health sciences, and Jessica Henderson, assistant professor of health sciences.
“They helped me through my undergraduate work, not just with the education side, but also as mentors,” Zepeda said. Henderson, who passed away in 2021, was her internship supervisor and talked through career options. Coppola helped with her graduate school applications and wrote a letter of recommendation to include with her application.
“Everything Dr. Henderson did for me as an undergraduate prepared me and helped me feel confident to apply for a master’s degree program,” Zepeda said.
Now, as a mother of a daughter, 8, and sons 3 and 18 months old, she’s setting an example for her own children, and is proud she will be able to help them when they graduate from high school.
“They will know I was able to do this hard thing with three kids. I hope I can be an inspiration to them.”
“My first few years were challenging until I built some connections.” – Andrea Zepeda
Enrollment
Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) is part of IU Kokomo’s mission to increase educational attainment in north central Indiana. It’s a challenging task, with a recent sharp decline in Indiana high school graduates going to college.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) reported in June that the state’s college going rate experienced its sharpest year-over-year decline in 2020, with only 53 percent of Hoosier high school graduates going to college, a decline of 6 percentage points from the prior year. That’s about 4,000 fewer high school graduates going to college.
ICHE noted previously incremental declines accelerated in 2020, likely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How can you help? If you know a student who will soon graduate from high school or someone considering returning as an adult, share your IU Kokomo success story!
Alt Text:
Portrait of Carson Pocock
Portrait of Andrea Zepeda
Page 14:
Written by
—Andy Tuholski
B.S. '08
“You’re the tree people, right?”
It is a question we have been asked dozens of times at sustainability events, so we don’t shy away from it. Yes, we absolutely “speak for the trees!" It also gives us an opportunity to provide greater detail on what sustainability means at Indiana University Kokomo.
Sustainability presumes that resources are finite and should be used conservatively and wisely, with an eye on long-term priorities and consequences of the ways in which resources are used. It involves environmental, social, and economic elements. In simplest terms, sustainability isn’t just about you and me. It is about our current students, future students, their children and grandchildren, and the community at large. It is a uniting theme that can build bridges between our university and local government, businesses, nonprofits, and initiatives. It involves service-learning, research, and responsible stewardship, investment, and development.
Surveys of college students consistently show that they seek out institutions and employers that take sustainability seriously, and they are eager to learn more about the subject in and out of the classroom. That is why we have paired with a local independent bookstore to give away more than 300 books on a wide array of subjects, including climate change, reducing waste, environmental justice, sustainable farming, gardening, and eating local.
In March, we are taking students on a Kokomo Experience and You trip to Benton County Wind Farm and Green Alternatives, Inc. to learn about renewable energy in central Indiana. During Sustainability Week, we will host speakers from the Wildcat Guardians and Conservation Law Center, displaying environmentally themed artwork by IUK students, and providing opportunities to roll up your sleeves and take part in trainings, demonstrations, and service projects.
We are steadfastly committed to identifying emission reduction opportunities across the IU system, and actively researching ways to bring new initiatives to campus, ranging from hydroponic gardening to electric vehicle charging stations.
We each have a role to play in paying it forward to the next generation. The good news is that the current generation of IU Kokomo students are already doing so by forming the Student Sustainability Council last year and taking on leadership positions. Students Gabbie Orlando, John Wasmuth, Gabe Franks, and Tera Gotschall are setting a great example. It is an exciting time to be engaged in sustainability efforts at Indiana University Kokomo alongside them, and with so many of you who have supported our collective efforts.
We’re all in this together, Cougars.
“I hope that our alumni will always insist upon the retention of our precious islands of green and serenity — our most important physical asset, transcending even classrooms, libraries, and laboratories in their ability to inspire students to dream long dreams of future usefulness and achievement—dreams that are an important and essential part of the undergraduate college experience.”
—Herman B Wells in an address to IU alumni in 1963
Alt Text:
Portrait of Andy Tuholski
Page 15:
Eat local
Eating all locally grown food for one year could save the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent of driving 1,000 miles, according to a study by the University of Michigan.
Get a home energy audit
Energy audits are typically offered for little to no cost by local electric utilities. A trained professional comes to your house, performs tests, and identifies trouble areas in your home. This can involve air sealing, insulation, door and window upgrades, and ventilation improvements.
Donate or recycle old electronics
Electronics require a lot of water, energy, and valuable resources when they are manufactured, so their reuse and recycling are particularly critical to environmentally-sound waste management.
Use LED lights
LED lights use 75% less energy and last 25x longer than incandescent lights.
Reduce meat consumption
Meat production is inherently environmentally destructive, responsible for massive amounts of water use, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and habitat destruction. Even a small change in diet can have an impact.
Switch to electric appliances
Through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), household discounts to switch over to electric appliances cover up to 100% of project costs for low-income households and up to 50% of costs for moderate-income households. For remaining costs (and for households who don’t qualify for up-front discounts), the IRA includes major tax credits for electrification and energy efficiency upgrades.
Ditch the plastic bottle
The water from your faucet is practically free. City water has won quality tests and taste tests against name-brand water. The extraction of water and production of all those plastic bottles is notoriously harmful to communities and wildlife.
Green energy
Did you know that the average person receives more than 41 pounds of junk mail every year? Opt for paperless billing and statements for credit cards, bank accounts, utilities, and other services. There are also easy ways to get off of senders’ lists for junk mail.
Socially responsible investing and banking
Your money can do good in the world if you put it in the right places. By choosing socially responsible bank accounts and investment products, your finances can work for you, for people, and for the planet. Collectively, it can add up to a lot of economic power, and pressure corporations to clean up their act.
Alt Text:
QR code to Indiana Department of Environmental Management website
QR code to Small Footprint Family website
QR code to Nerd Wallet website
Page 16-17:
KEY Program
Changing lives & sparking dreams
Alyssa Newsome had always dreamed about being a cast member at Walt Disney World Resort.
A Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) trip made that dream feel attainable.
Newsome, B.S. ’22, is among the more than 1,600 students who have participated in KEY travel since the program began in 2016. There are nearly 90 KEY experiences currently planned for the 2022-2023 academic year.
While earning her degree in hospitality and tourism management, she and classmates went backstage at the Florida resort, learning how Disney creates magical experiences for its millions of guests each year.
“My KEY trip helped me realize the thing I was dreaming of, and the field I was going into, was the right choice for me,” said Newsome, from Columbia, South Carolina. “When I was on the trip, I saw myself in the people around me, and the people working at the Walt Disney World Resort. Seeing people thrive in the field I was in encouraged me to finish my education so I could do the same thing.”
Travel has been a hallmark of the KEY program since it was founded. The goal is to provide students with real-world experiences, connect them with people, and offer a travel experience within their major. Destinations have included sites significant to World War II in Germany, France, and England; a business incubator in Nashville, Google headquarters in California, Indiana Dunes National Park, ESPN in North Carolina, behind-the-scenes in security at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and much more.
Disney sets the industry standard in hospitality and tourism, so seeing its behind-the-scenes operations made Newsome more excited to work in the field.
“It gives you an inside view of the real world, and the experiences you can have in the field you want to go into, and the people who already work there,” she said. “It gives you motivation in your career, and to really hone in and make sure you learn as much as you can, to be prepared when you graduate.”
Another perspective of Disney World
Walt Disney World has been a popular destination for programs in addition to hospitality and tourism, with students in criminal justice, psychology, business, and sociology applying their own discipline to the parks.
Samuel Garcia Lopez visited with a psychology class, which looked at details park planners employ to evoke specific feelings in visitors and immerse them
in storytelling.
“Getting the backstage access IU Kokomo was able to provide helped you understand what’s happening in the park. I was able to use my training to understand how they built these parks to make people feel like they are literally in a different world. They explained all the little details that have such a big impact when you are there as a guest.”
Garcia Lopez, B.S. ’21, said even more important than the academic learning was how the trip expanded his world. He grew up in a family that vacationed by driving to stay with friends, so flying on an airplane and staying in a hotel were new experiences for him.
Because of that trip, he’s traveled more on his own, and encouraged his family to do so as well.
“It changed my perspective on how big the world is,” he said. “It was overwhelming at first, but it made me feel confident I can live within it. I can push for my dreams. My KEY trip broadened my horizons personally and professionally, and it vastly affected my family. They’re traveling more because of me.”
“It changed my perspective on how big the world is.
—Garcia Lopez,
B.S. '21
Alt Text:
KEY Program trip to Disney World
KEY Program trip to Europe
KEY Program trip to Nashville, TN
Page 18 and 19:
KEY travel gave Alex Martakis, B.S. ’21, his first experience going overseas to the United Kingdom with the Innovation Symposium.
“One of the things that comes out of studying abroad or going to an unfamiliar place is that it expands your world view,” he said. “Expanding your scope gives you a new way to look at things, and makes you more empathetic. Opportunities like that make a student more worldly and more understanding of people from different backgrounds.”
A School of Sciences trip to Silicon Valley helped him solidify his choice of major.
“I had a lot of trial and error in college in choosing a major,” he said. “Having that exposure early on as a computer science major gave me confirmation that this is where I fit in. At places like Google, Facebook, and Apple, we spoke to people who work in the industry, and they talked about their day-to-day life and how they got there. As someone new to the major, that was very helpful.”
He also appreciated the exposure to California, which showed him it was someplace he could live. He’s now in a master’s degree program in computer science at the University of California San Diego — one of the top-rated programs in the country.
“My experience helped me get to where I am today,” he said. “That is something I’m very thankful for. Just getting all that exposure early on was very impactful on me.”
Alumni contribute to student experiences
As faculty plan trips, they often look for ways to include alumni to share their experiences with current students.
Doug Showalter, B.A.’05, shared his experiences in the music industry with 20 students in a School of Business trip to Nashville. Showalter, who earned a degree in communication arts, is a full-time music producer and songwriter. He studied music in California after graduating from IU Kokomo.
It was meaningful to him to speak to students from his alma mater.
“I’m out doing something not really related to what I went to school for, but I think people are more astute these days about the role of higher education,” he said. “The skills I learned earning my degree helped me function in the world so I could think in a macro way and have a career in music."
"Being asked to speak to students said to me that IU Kokomo felt I was somebody who was a good representation of what a degree from there could accomplish, and how it can play a role in helping you pursue your dreams.”
He invites other alumni to explore sharing their life experiences with current students through the KEY program.
“I encourage them to make space in their lives to share their stories in a very candid and vulnerable way,” he said. “When I was in music school, my favorite part was when teachers would talk about what it’s really like out there. The more access you give students to people in the real world, the better. I put a lot into it, and I felt like I got a lot back from it.”
“My experience helped me get to where I am today.
—Alex Martakis,
B.S. '21
Get involved with KEY
Alt Text:
KEY Program trip to England
KEY Program trip to New York, NY
KEY Program trip to California
KEY Program trip to Nashville, TN
QR code to Alumni KEY Trips Survey
Immersive KEY Gen-Xperience Advertisement
QR code to Gen X Key Immersive Experience website
Page 20-21:
Let’s Glow Crazy Homecoming
Indiana University Kokomo celebrated Homecoming 2022 in October, with the “Let’s Glow Crazy” theme encouraging students, faculty, staff, and alumni to show their school spirit.
The events included a flag football game, a tailgate that brought alumni back to campus, several athletic victories, and the installation of Chancellor Mark Canada.
IU Kokomo also continued its tradition of support for the Family Service Association of Howard County, Inc., with the 2022 Angel Walk, raising more than $15,000 for the domestic violence shelter.
Homecoming athletics started strong October 20 as the women’s soccer team shut out Ohio Christian University with a 3-0 victory. The team also won on the road Saturday, defeating Midway University 4-2.
Festivities continued October 21 with the installation ceremony, and then a tailgate at the Student Activities and Events Center before the women’s volleyball team took on the University of Rio Grande (Ohio). Our Cougars shut out the RedStorm in three sets and took home another shutout victory October 22 against West Virginia University Institute of Technology.
FOR MORE HOMECOMING PHOTOS SEARCH @IUKOKOMO ON FLICKR
Alt Text:
Glowing neon drops of paint on a dark background
Cougar paw prints
Homecoming t-shirt
Two soccer players running on field kicking ball at women's soccer game
Group of people walking on sidewalk holding sign up for Angel Walk
Chancellor Canada with students drinking coffee
Women's volleyball game
Two women playing lawn game with Kingston Cougar watching
Young lady writing on board at angel walk
Two students posing with Kingston Cougar with thumbs up
Fans in bleachers at socker game
Cougar paw prints
Three volleyball playing on court
Women's soccer player with arms up
Women's soccer players lined up for senior night
Angel walk t-shirts
People walking on sidewalk with umbrellas in rain for angel walk
Four students posing with arms flexed for the nearly naked mile run
Page 22:
Written by
—Tom Norris
IU Kokomo’s Cougars have led a dynamic season at home and away this year, bringing home wins and setting the bar high for our student athletes.
By their postseason, our women’s soccer team chalked up nine shutout wins, including against IU South Bend at home. Brook Gill, Keely Hoopingarner, Erica Bolinger, and Karlie Kellet have been recognized as RSC Players of the Week, and Hoopingarner set a single season record of 13 goals – before the season even ended.
At this writing, the Cougars defeated the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) 7-1, earning the team its first River States Conference (RSC) championship title and their first berth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championship. We wish them luck.
The Cougar volleyball team has also experienced a fantastic year with a record of 16-4 in their first 20 matches, earning eight Player of the Week awards to Allison Richman, Kaley Lyons, Lexi Broyles, and Alyvia Smith - who earned her 1,000th career dig in the same game as her fifth consecutive Player of the Week Award.
As of this writing, the Cougars took home their fifth-consecutive RSC Championship title, earning their eighth-consecutive spot in the NAIA national championship. We're excited to cheer them on!
Our men’s golf team placed 2nd of 9 teams at the Asbury Invitational, 2nd of 7 at the IU East Fall Invitational, and 6th of 11 teams at the RSC Fall Preview. At the Golden Bear Classic, the team placed 2nd of 7 teams, with junior Corbin Robinson named the individual winner of the meet. Robinson and teammate Hayden Williamson were named to the Golden Bear Classic All-Tournament team.
Our Cougar women’s golf team placed 4th among 8 participants at the River States Conference Fall Preview; where Brandi Jones finished in first for the second consecutive year, taking home individual honors. Jones won two RSC Player of the Week awards by the time of this writing.
The women’s golf team also finished 5th of 8 at the Battle at Blackthorn, 4th of 5 at the Eagle Glen Invitational, and 10th of 14 at the Players
Club Invitational.
The men’s cross country team finished their season with a second-place finish in the RSC meet. Junior Luis Saldana finished in sixth, punching his ticket to the NAIA Cross Country Championships for a second straight year.
Our women’s cross country team finished in third at the RSC meet, where senior Casey Pfefferkorn finished in fourth, advancing to the NAIA championships for the first time in her career.
Our women’s tennis team kicked off their season with a 2-3 start, winning back-to-back meetings against Trine and Goshen. The team also participated in the RSC Invite, claiming wins at the #4 and #6 singles plights thanks to Maria Oliveria and Andrea Saylor.
The IU Kokomo athletics teams started their fall seasons off strong, and are keeping the momentum into the end of their seasons. We encourage you to join us in the Student Activities and Events Center to cheer on our women’s and men’s basketball teams.
WANTING TO GET ACTIVE?
The Milt and Jean Cole Family Wellness and Fitness Center inside the Kelley Student Center has the classes, weights, ellipticals, treadmills, and tools you need to get started! Come by and check us out, and secure your membership when you’re ready to join!
For more information, please contact
the Cole Fitness Center by email,
colefit@iuk.edu or by phone, 765-455-9419.
Stay up-to-date on all things athletics at iukcougars.com
Alt Text:
script logo reading cougars
Women's volleyball players on court
Women's cross country runners
Men's soccer team putting arms together in huddle
Two soccer players kicking ball at women's soccer game
Inside of The Milt and Jean Cole Family Wellness and Fitness Center
Page 23:
Thank a Donor Day
Donors and alumni play a vital part in everything we do at IU Kokomo. Showing appreciation to these individuals is something we all can support. On October 6, students were encouraged to express their gratitude to donors on Thank a Donor Day. They wrote thank you notes, participated in thank you videos, and took photos to share the impact of what donors continue to make possible for students, faculty, staff, and our campus community. From Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) trips, to international travel opportunities, scholarships, the Student Activities and Events Center and more, many students expressed their thanks for the generosity of our donors. The cards and videos we received will be distributed to our supporters. To everyone who advocates for IU Kokomo through their time, talent, and treasure,
we say a heartfelt thank you!
Alt Text:
Thank you notes from students to donors
Page 24:
Cougar cupboard
The Food Pantry for Indiana University Kokomo
We're here because we understand
It’s hard to concentrate on writing a history research paper, jot down notes for an upcoming debate, or prepare for clinicals when you’re hungry. And it’s hard to turn down extra shifts at work, even if it means taking time away from studying, when it could make the difference between having food on your table or not.
Some of our students face this challenge every day, which is why IU Kokomo opened the Cougar Cupboard to combat food insecurity.
The pantry provides non-perishable food items, hygiene products, and school supplies for students and employees, at no charge.
It takes a community to make this happen, as the Cupboard relies on donations — including food items and money —
to keep the shelves stocked.
You can make a difference!
See a complete list of items needed, or make a financial contribution.
Alt Text:
A pair of hands handling jars of strawberry jam
IUK Cougar Cupboard logo
QR code to Cougar cupboard
Summer 2022 Alumni Magazine
Front Cover:
Indiana University Kokomo
Legacy
Summer 2022
A Magazine for Alumni and Friends
Lead from where you are
Celebrating the legacy of
IU Kokomo’s 7th chancellor,
Susan Sciame-Giesecke.
ALT Text
IU Bottom tail
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke in a crimson suit
Page 2
Legacy
A magazine for Alumni and Friends
of Indiana University Kokomo
iuaa kokomo region board
President
Sharmaine Ellison, B.S.N. ’00, M.P.M. ‘19
Board Members
Stacey Bettegnies, B.S. ‘13, M.P.M. ‘15
Brianne Boles, B.G.S. ‘03, M.P.M. ‘09
Sarah Hartman, B.S. ‘13, M.B.A. ‘17
Robert Hayes, B.G.S. ‘95
Cameron Huffman, B.A. ‘11, J.D. ‘14
Gloyd Johnson, B.G.S. ‘06
Melinda Knudson-Stanley, M.P.M. ‘12
Genie Lalonde, B.S. ‘70
Linda Lotzgeselle, B.S. ‘86
Lucien Madding, A.A. ’10, A.S. ’11, B.S. ’13, B.S. ’14, M.S. ’20
Martha Warner, B.A. ’06, M.A. ’12
indiana university kokomo office FOR UNIVERSITY advancement
Vice Chancellor for
University Advancement
Crystal Jones, CFRE
Director of Alumni Relations
and Campus Ceremonies
Benjamin Liechty
Media and Marketing
Assistant Vice Chancellor
of Media and Marketing
Marie Lindskoog
Creative Services Manager
April Name
Graphic Specialist
Terri Hellmann
Communications Specialist
Danielle Rush
Videographer/Photographer
Mike Glassburn
Writing/Editing Assistant
Shea Lazanzky
For media inquiries contact:
a remarkable leader
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke’s career at Indiana University Kokomo can truly be described as remarkable.
From her beginnings as an assistant professor of communication arts more than 40 years ago, all the way to the chancellor’s office, she has been a leader at all levels. Now, she’s stepping into a new role, as IU’s Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education.
In this issue, she reflects on her legacy at IU Kokomo – what’s been accomplished, and where the campus will go in the future.
Thank you, Chancellor, for your contributions in making IU Kokomo what it is today!
Read more about her legacy, starting on page 12.
table of contents
What does it mean to be an iu kokomo graduate 6
Commencement 2022 8
Athletics update 10
Lead from where you are 12
Donor recognition 20
Alumni happenings 22
ALT TEXT:
Iu tab
Iu social media icons
PAGE 3
Chancellor susan sciame-giesecke (center) with students
Kurt avergonzado, levi hanny, shanelle majors, mikayla crabtree, andrew pervez, brandi jones, marcus mensah, and nadine tregnago
When i started as a professor at indiana university kokomo in 1977, i had no idea that i would be the chancellor 40 years later. As i reflect on my tenure on campus, i know i am blessed with a career that brought me such joy and reward every day.
As a first-generation college student, it didn’t take long for the mission of this regional campus to capture my heart. At iu kokomo we are founded on the principle that every student matters here.
Students and their success has always been my focus. Knowing how important engagement would be to the growth of our campus and our students, early in my career, i had the pleasure of organizing many of iu kokomo’s first student activities programs. Many of you may have taken part in a carriage house theater production or were on the speech team, i know i had a good number of you in class as a communications professor.
My time as chancellor has been so incredibly rewarding. It has allowed me to share my passion for the students we serve and champion the importance of higher education in north central indiana.
As i transition this summer from chancellor to vice president of regional campuses and online education, i would like to challenge you, our alumni, to get involved and make a difference in the lives of our students and prospective students. You are important to the future growth and success of this campus!
A few years ago, we celebrated our 75th anniversary and it’s my hope i am leaving this campus ready to take on the next 75 years. You play an important role in this success. We need you to be engaged to help make this happen. Take in a musical performance or a theatre production…or come cheer on the cougars in one of twelve varsity sports we compete in. There are many ways you can get involved!
I see each of you as an ambassador for iu kokomo and encourage you to lead from where you are. Take a look around your community; is there a high school student you could mentor and accompany on a campus tour? Or how about that mom who always wanted to complete her degree and could benefit by hearing your success story?
My husband, dan, and i will continue to live in the region, and i cannot wait to see all the great things you will continue to do in the communities in which you live.
A campus is a strong as its alumni base. Knowing this, i know iu kokomo will continue to grow and will make a difference in the lives of many.
Susan sciame-giesecke, ph.d.
Chancellor
ALT TEXT:
Chancellor susan sciame-giesecke (center) with students
Kurt avergonzado, levi hanny, shanelle majors, mikayla crabtree, andrew pervez, brandi jones, marcus mensah, and nadine tregnago
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke
PAGE 4:
Greetings, fellow alumni!
Welcome to the spring/summer edition of your alumni magazine.
This issue focuses on chancellor susan sciame-giesecke, highlighting her 45 years at iu kokomo. Many of you probably remember her in the classroom, helping you to become a better public speaker or in a different communication arts course. I’ve heard from countless of you how much you enjoyed having her as a professor, and the robust knowledge she instilled in you.
I remember when she was the dean of arts and sciences, which is now the school of humanities and social sciences. After transferring to iu kokomo, i didn’t really know any of the faculty here. I heard chancellor sciame-giesecke speak and was immediately drawn into what she was saying, which was encouraging, powerful, and heartfelt. I hoped i would have the opportunity to learn from her in the classroom in an advanced communication course for the communication arts degree. Much to my chagrin, that opportunity was never presented to me as a student.
However, i have had the opportunity to learn from her as an iu employee and experience her transformational leadership. Her mantra, “lead from where you are,” constantly runs through my mind as i am thinking of a new alumni initiative or event. This saying is powerful on many levels. Not only does it allow a person to follow their instincts and try something new, but it also allows one to stretch and challenge themselves, ultimately leading to some spectacular professional development.
Chancellor sciame-giesecke’s impact on iu kokomo and iu will be felt for many years to come. She’s helped so many of you realize your dreams, as well as assisting numerous current and former faculty members to become incredible professors in and out of the classroom. As one chapter of iu kokomo closes, a new one lies on the horizon. Chancellor sciame-giesecke, like you, is an intricate part of the fabric that is iu kokomo and has helped our beloved alma mater become a school of choice for so many, allowing them to achieve their goal of an iu education closer to home.
She will never be forgotten and will always be a part of indiana university kokomo for all time. And for that, we thank her for her undying commitment to all of us and are grateful for her timeless legacy to the university, to kokomo, and the surrounding communities iu kokomo serves, and we wish her all the best.
Sincerely,
Benjamin liechty, b.a. ‘06
Director of alumni relations
And campus ceremonies
ALT TEXT:
Portrait of Ben Liechty
PAGE 5:
Thanks
Thank you to the following individuals for their years of service to the iuaa kokomo region board of directors!
Lucien madding
2016-2022
Sarah hartman
2018-2022
Gloyd johnson
2018-2022
Melinda stanley
2012-2022
The board of directors work to create alumni engagement opportunities, recruit alumni volunteers, and raise funds for the kokomo region alumni scholarships, which benefit current and future iu kokomo students.
Interested in learning more about how you can volunteer
Or serve on the alumni board?
Email benjamin liechty, director of alumni relations, at alumni@iuk.edu and help us continue to make a difference in the lives of students and our fellow iu alumni!
ALT TEXT:
portrait of Lucien Madding
portrait of Sarah Hartman
portrait of Gloyd Johnson
portrait of Melinda Stanley
Ad for joining the iu alumni association
PAGE 6:
What does it mean to be an iu kokomo graduate?
To me, it means anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Tia chambers, mishawaka
Health sciences
“for me, being an iuk graduate means access to amazing opportunities and accomplishments.”
Tifany burnett, logansport
Math and biochemistry
“it’s obviously something i’m very proud of. To me, it means being part of the community. A lot of campuses are so large, and so overwhelming. Here i always feel like i have a sense of family, of being part of a community of esteemed professionals, or professionals-to-be.”
Jacob barnes, kokomo
Master of science in nursing
ALT TEXT:
red line art of a male and female graduate
graduate Tia Chambers
grad Tifany Burnett
Grad Jacob Barnes
Page 7
Finally being able to call myself an IU Kokomo graduate will forever hold a sentimental value for me. Looking back at my journey here at IU, I’ve slowly come to learn that my sense of pride and accomplishments doesn’t solely come from receiving a degree/diploma. It comes from years of uncertainty, overcoming challenges I didn’t think I could handle, balancing school-work-life, and learning that it’s okay to move at my own pace. Being an IU Kokomo graduate means that I’ve learned to become persistent in pursuing the path I wanted, and I couldn’t be more proud of myself for how far I’ve come.
Jean Redfern, Kokomo
Informatics
“It means everything to me. I was somebody growing up not knowing if I would attend college. Now I’m the first person in my family to do so. It means a lot to me and to my family, especially my mother. She’s the one who really pushed me to pursue a degree and to have the mentality to finish what I started.”
Trequan Spivey, Indianapolis
Sport and recreation management
“I’m proud to be an IU Kokomo Cougar graduate. At the beginning, when I graduated with my associate degree from Ancilla, I did not think I would end up with my bachelor’s. I was going to try to get a job with my associate degree. IU Kokomo made it smooth helping me get to this point that I am able to achieve my bachelor’s degree. I am happy and proud.”
Nicole Sharp, Sharpsville
Criminal justice
“It means I am part of the IU family, and that opens so many doors. Graduating from IU means something to me. I chose IU Kokomo because I’m getting the same IU diploma as someone from IU Bloomington or IUPUI.”
Madi Guffey, Carmel
History and political science
IU Kokomo pushed me in a direction I never would have guessed even five years ago. I’ve found a direction for myself that I wouldn’t have even known was possible without coming here. Even when it’s been frustrating, it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience.”
Dan Allender West, Logansport
Communication
Alt text:
Grad Jean Redfern
grad Trequan Spivey
grad Nicole Sharp
Grad Madi Guffey
grad Dan Allender West
Page 8:
Commencement 2022
Indiana University Kokomo celebrated the academic achievements of 2022 graduates during Commencement on Wednesday, May 11, during an outdoor ceremony at the Pavilion. IU President Pamela Whitten presided over the ceremony. Diana Paola Cubides Matallana, Bogotá, Colombia, represented the class as student speaker. Nathaniel Moore, Kokomo, lead singing of the National Anthem and Alma Mater. Mary-Matalyn Tom, Carmel, lead induction of the class into the IU Alumni Association.
About the Class of 2022
693 Graduates
41 Indiana counties
13 States
18 Countries
32% First generation
24 with a 4.0 GPA
618 Bachelor’s degrees
66 Master’s degrees
20 Associate degrees
Alt text:
female grad with service dog
male and female grads in a line
female graduate standing in crowd
female grad smiles and holds diploma cover
female student commencement speaker clapping at the podium
female graduate standing in crowd
Page 9
for more commencement photos search @IUKokomo on Flickr
Alt text:
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke in commencement regalia
male grad with diploma cover
faculty and grads process into commencement
grad with family
group of male graduates holding diploma covers
IU President Pamela Whitten interacts with graduates
grad hugging a family member
male grad with his finger pointing to the sky
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke hands a diploma cover to a graduate
male grad wearing sunglasses
line art grad cap
Page 10
Alt text:
men's basketball team celebrating a tournament win
women's soccer game
women's basketball team on the sidelines with coach during game
women's tennis player
students hold up a sign reading "IUK all the way" as they send the men's basketball team off to the NAIA tournament
javelin thrower
Golfer Brandi Jones holds her conference medalist plaque
Page 11
athletic teams earn titles, reach milestones
It has been another historic year for the Indiana University Kokomo Athletics Department. In their first full season since the 2018-19 season, Cougar teams reached many milestones during the 2021-22 year.
In his fourth season as coach, Eric Echelbarger led the men’s basketball team to its most successful season in program history. The Cougars captured both the River States Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time in program history. The team finished with a 16-1 record in conference play and was selected as an eight-seed in the 2022 NAIA Men’s Basketball Championship. Fifth year senior, Desean Hampton, was named RSC Player of the Year, while Echelbarger was tabbed as the Coach of the Year. Trequan Spivey earned a First Team selection.
The Cougars entered the National Tournament on a 17-game win streak, the second longest streak in the country. After a first-round win over ninth seed Dordt University, the Cougars shocked the nation’s No. 1 team William Penn University, ending the Statesmen’s 20-game winning streak and advancing to the Sweet 16. The Cougars season ended in Kansas City against Concordia University (Neb.). The Cougars earned their highest ranking in program history at No. 22. Hampton and Spivey were both named NAIA All-Americans.
The IU Kokomo cross country programs sent two athletes to the 2021 NAIA Cross Country Championship. Lexi Jackson represented the women’s team while Luis Saldana earned a spot in the field that included 330 runners. Saldana finished 169th place and was the first male to qualify for the Cougars in six years. Jackson capped off her career with a 42nd place finish, tying for the highest finish at NAIA Nationals in program history.
Under first-year head coach, Sohaila Akhavein, the IU Kokomo women’s soccer program had its share of program firsts. The Cougars earned six RSC victories, the most conference wins since the program’s inception in 2019. A 3-0 victory over conference foe, Midway University, was the first time the Cougars have defeated the Eagles. The Cougars’ 6-9-2 record earned them a trip to the RSC Championship where they fell to Point Park, 1-0 in double overtime. Morgan Scruggs and Keely Hoopingarner represented IU Kokomo on the RSC First Team.
The women’s basketball program saw new leadership during the 2021-22 season as John Kenger took the reins. Kenger led the Cougars to nine victories, six of them coming during conference play. Tia Chambers reached 1,000 career points and was named to the RSC First Team, her third selection.
The IUK men’s golf team earned a third-place finish at the 2022 RSC Championship at Belterra Resort Golf Course. Jack Barnes and Harley Pugh earned top 10 finishes at the Championship. Pugh finished in a tie for seventh, earning him a spot on the All-Conference team while Barnes was tied for 10th.
Brandi Jones, Peru, was named RSC Golfer of the Year, after winning the conference championship at Belterra Resort Golf Course. She is the first IUK golfer (men or women) to qualify for the NAIA National Championship.
In outdoor track and field, the men’s team finished third of 12 teams, with Caleb Vogl (3K steeplechase), Luis Saldana (10k race, 5k race), Nolan Talley (400m hurdles), Drew Caldwell (800m), and the 4x800 relay team of Mason McKinney, Clay Brubaker, Talley, and Julian Wallace earning all-conference honors. Saldana also won Newcomer of the Year.
The women’s team finished 5th of 12 in the conference meet, with first-place finishes by Emma Byrum (javelin), Lanie Pocock (5,000m racewalk), and Shalihn Compton (discus). Also earning all-conference honors were Hailey Law (5k racewalk), Sidney Berry (racewalk), and Casey Lechner (1500m).
The women’s tennis team set a program record for wins, posting a 14-10 overall record for the season. Three players were named to RSC all-conference teams, a program best.
Stay up-to-date on all things athletics at
iukcougars.com
ALT text:
script logo reading cougars
cougar head logo
Page 12
Lead from where you are
A philosophy. A mantra. A charge.
As Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke begins a new role as IU Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education, we reflect on the impact her leadership has had on our campus and community.
Page 13
Alt text:
portrait of Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke
Page 14
“I hope I’m remembered as someone who was a champion for students”
Lead from where you are.
This philosophy — inviting those around her to see opportunities and take bold steps to achieve them — has guided Susan Sciame-Giesecke during her 10 years as Indiana University Kokomo’s Chancellor.
It came to her in her first hours as interim chancellor, following the sudden departure of her predecessor in 2012.
“In my own mind, I knew I could not do this by myself,” she said. “I told my colleagues, ‘I need you to come with me.’ It would take all of us to overcome that challenging time. People continued to do what they needed to do. We did not lose our momentum. We really took off after that. We all came together.”
Under her leadership, IU Kokomo has experienced record enrollment and graduation rates, and launched numerous degrees, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Main Building received a $14 million renovation, with the space essentially gutted to create modern new learning spaces, places for students to gather and collaborate, a food and nutrition lab, and more. Additions included the Cole Fitness Center, a greenhouse, and the Student Activities and Events Center, an $8.4 million space that is not only home to Cougar athletics but is also used for campus and community events.
In addition to leading IU Kokomo, Sciame-Giesecke has been responsible for IU’s five regional campuses for the last year, as interim executive vice president, leading collaborative efforts to maximize opportunities for student success. She has been responsible for university-wide academic initiatives and programs, external academic relations and online education.
As she begins a new role as IU vice president for regional campuses and online education, Sciame-Giesecke reflected on how leading from where she was impacted the campus and community — and how she can build on IU’s success with her experience.
Based on a regional campus her entire career, she looks forward to the challenge of leading statewide, with the potential for greater impact.
“To be able to support other regional campuses is a challenge I could not pass up,” she said. “We need to continue to be stewards of place and lift up the regions we serve throughout the state of Indiana. I know we can make a difference in our college going rates and provide the state of Indiana with a well-educated workforce.”
At the end, she said, everything she did was about creating opportunities for IU Kokomo students.
“I hope I’m remembered as someone who was a champion for students,” she said. “That would make me feel good if I knew that everything I did in my career, the work I did, was really all about the students.”
Page 15
Leading as chancellor was a role she never could have imagined when she arrived at IU Kokomo in 1977 as a newly hired assistant professor of communication. Coming from a Chicago suburb, and having just earned her master’s degree, she didn’t plan to stay long.
“It’s an unusual story,” she said. “I don’t know that there are too many people who start as a professor and end as chancellor. I thought I was going to stay for a few years and then leave for my doctorate.”
Instead, she began building a community around herself, both professionally and personally.
“It was a little scary at first, coming from a large city,” she said. “Now I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I became committed to the Kokomo community and wanted it to succeed.”
She put down roots, marrying Dan Giesecke, who owned a business in Kokomo, and raising daughters Lauren and Lindsey. She earned tenure and completed her Ph.D. while teaching speech communication to undergraduates.
Sciame-Giesecke also learned from campus leaders, like Chancellor Emerita Emita Hill, “who was probably my first true mentor, who tapped me on the shoulder to say I had leadership potential.”
Stuart Green, who ended his IU Kokomo career as interim chancellor, and Chancellor Emerita Ruth J. Person also played important roles to her.
“It wasn’t what they said,” she recalled. “It was just the fact they invited me into projects and had faith and confidence that I could pull it off. I’ve always had an interest in doing something different, or something more.”
Though she hadn’t formalized her “lead from where you are” philosophy, she lived it. When she saw something missing, she started it, organizing a speech team, a theatre department, a student activities office, freshman learning communities, and the Enhancing Minority Attainment conference.
“I was always working on an interesting project, and that kept me motivated,” she said. “Even though I’ve been here 45 years, I’ve done a lot of different things in addition to teaching. All of it was about getting students involved and helping them succeed.”
She continued moving up the career ladder, as coordinator for the communication arts program, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs, chair of the humanities department, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.
One role that hadn’t crossed her mind was chancellor — until then-IU President Michael A, McRobbie pressed her into service as interim during a sudden change of leadership. With the campus at a crossroads, faculty and staff were looking to her to guide them in how to move forward.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke (center) with Chancellors Emerita Ruth J. Person and Emita Hill, Interim Chancellor Emeritus Stuart Green, and President Michael McRobbie at her installation.
Many gathered for the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Student Activities and Events Center.
ALT text:
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke (center) with Chancellors Emerita Ruth J. Person and Emita Hill, Stuart Green, and President Michael McRobbie at her installation
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke (second from right) visits Italy with students on a KEY trip.
Many gathered for the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Student Activities and Events Center.
Page 16
“I know I made the right decision to stay at a small campus for so many years. This is where I belonged”
“I enjoyed the work I did on the academic side of the house,” she said. “I loved being with the faculty and the students, and that isn’t the focus of the chancellor role. After serving in the interim role. I saw I could impact in other ways.”
Sciame-Giesecke became IU Kokomo’s seventh chancellor in April 2014 — a role she valued.
“You know you impact a lot of people’s lives when you sit in this seat,” she said. “You want to move the organization in the right way. You want to leave it better than you found it, so you question your decisions. It weighs on you, and it’s with you 24/7.”
Surrounding herself with strong leaders was a key factor in her success.
“You want to find people who buy into the campus vision, but also will challenge you so you make good decisions,” she said. “That was my blessing, to have those people. I wanted people who were visionary, who looked to the future, weren’t afraid to make decisions, and could collaborate and communicate.”
In an increasingly competitive market to attract students, she challenged her team to find what made IU Kokomo distinctive — which led to the IU Kokomo Experience and You, or KEY Program. KEY experiences are woven through students’ time on campus, from the KEY Summer Institute to prepare them for college success before their first classes, to travel experiences that have included the Field Museum in Chicago, Google Headquarters in San Francisco, Yellowstone National Park, and behind-the-scenes at the Walt Disney World Resort. KEY also includes hands-on internships, using skills learned in the classrooms as consultants to local businesses and not-for-profits, and researching and presenting with faculty at national professional conferences.
Since 2016, more than 1,000 students have participated in KEY experiences — and most are free or low cost, making them available to all students. Removing the barrier of cost, to include the greatest number of students possible, is a point of pride for Sciame-Giesecke, who wants all students to be able to participate.
“Students get so excited when they recount the learning that took place in these experiences, and on these trips,” she said. “They also often mention the number of friends they make, and the connections created with their faculty.”
An influential member of her team was the late Gerry Stroman, who was her first chief of staff. Sciame-Giesecke recalled she could count on Stroman for sound advice, and to be the voice championing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Stroman, who passed away in April 2021, would be proud of the campus’s Multicultural Center, which opened in November 2020 as a resource for all students, and a place for those from underrepresented populations to have their unique needs met. It houses the Black Student Center, the LGBTQ+ Center, the Latinos Unidos: Hispanic Center, International Student Services, and the coordinator for student life and campus diversity.
Page 17
The Center was much needed, with a growing number of students of color included in the record-breaking enrollment growth in recent years. The campus reached a high of 3,227 students in fall 2021.
Athletic programs contributed to the growth, by adding a new element of the total college experience. The program began in 2011 with 19 athletes in women’s volleyball and men’s basketball. Today, there are 14 varsity sports, with about 230 athletes participating.
The women’s volleyball team has won multiple River States Conference championships, and the men’s basketball team recently won its first, and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NAIA tournament. Track athlete Grant Gaylor won the campus’s first NAIA national championship, in shot put, in 2021.
“Athletics has added another dimension to a vibrant and active campus,” she said, adding that the student-athletes are among the best students. “The games bring an energy to the campus. The athletes come from so many different states and even countries, so they bring diversity to the campus, too.”
Students also made IU Kokomo a campus of choice for the wide variety of degrees, including new offerings in hospitality and tourism management, sport and recreation management, computer science, new media, art and technology, applied sciences, and the Family Nurse Practitioner graduate degree.
Under her leadership, the campus also experienced its most successful fundraising campaign ever, with more than $16 million garnered during the Bicentennial Campaign. Those funds benefit student scholarships and travel, paid for much of the Student Activities and Events Center, provided a new greenhouse for the School of Sciences, and much more.
While she’s excited to take on a larger role for IU, she also appreciates what the Kokomo campus offers.
“Now that I’m working in Bloomington and on a larger level, I know I made the right decision to stay at a small campus for so many years. This is where I belonged,” she said. “I’ve experienced the larger university, but it’s not the same. When you get to see the immediate impact of your work on students, faculty and staff, it’s more of a family.
Attending recent admissions dinners with potential students and their families brought it full circle.
“I love every minute of this,” she said. “This is what I like to do. It was fun to sit with the families and their students and help them realize their dreams. It’s a great way to come to the end of this part of my career, to re-experience it.”
Women’s volleyball is one of 14 sports adding to the college experience that Chancellor Sciame-Giesecke prioritized.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke (center) joins students and Kingston Cougar to cut cake during the campus IU Day celebration.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke joined students on a KEY trip to New York City.
Alt text:
Women’s volleyball is one of 14 sports adding to the college experience that Chancellor Sciame-Giesecke prioritized.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke (center) joins students and Kingston Cougar to cut cake during the campus IU Day celebration.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke joined students on a KEY trip to New York City.
Page 18
from the desk of
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke
There are three major components to leading from where you are. They are: Culture, People and Vision.
Culture Matters:
The Science of Care
Day after day, people do not come to work for a time clock. They come to work with others. And for them to give anything other than the minimum, they must have relationships. The foundation of all relationships is what we say to one another, both verbally and nonverbally.
I have made it my life's work to try to form meaningful relationships with those I spend hours with at work. It is the foundation of success.
People Matter:
Lead from Where You Are
To thrive, humans need to feel seen, heard, felt and understood. They need meaning and life purpose, including opportunities to collaborate with others and contribute to the society in which they desire to belong.
Vision Matters:
Big Bold Ideas
Having a vision is vital, and just as important is making sure everyone in your organization knows their voice is needed and is heard. I see each person as a leader, and each person needs to be empowered and learn to lead to be successful.
Alt text:
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Gieseke in a polaroid style frame
Page 19
to lead from where you are is to be courageous
Shape Conversations
Leaders initiate and guide important conversations around issues that impact others.
Good talk is unlikely to happen if we do not expect it, invite it into being, and provide inclusive space for the conversation to occur.
Leaders know that the goal of communication is to reach understanding – not necessarily agreement.
Generate and Direct Energy
Leadership is “energy, not control” Astin and Leland, Women of Influence, Women of Vision.
Leaders are proactive not reactive.
Leaders see a need for change and then begin to work with others to direct energy toward that change effort. They are a catalyst for collective action.
Hold the Organization in Trust
Leaders care about their organization.
They own the purpose of the organization.
They understand their own purpose and how it relates to the organization.
Do the Right Thing
Leaders maintain a shift in perspective from “doing things right” to “doing the right thing”.
Leaders see the bigger picture.
They work for the betterment of the larger community.
Build Toward Agreement
Leadership is the subtle process of mutual influence, it is not a single person, position, or action.
It is the fusing of thoughts, feelings, and actions of the whole community to produce a collaborative effort.
When you are leading, you open rather than occupy space-respecting others and understanding how connected and resourceful we all are.
Page 20
thank you to our generous 2021 donors
Remarkable legacy Society
$75,000 lifetime
Sita Amba-Rao
Linda Anderson
Aptiv PLC - Kokomo
Ascension St. Vincent Kokomo
Erv and Priscilla Boschmann
Glenna Brown
City of Kokomo
Jean Cole
Randy and Candy Cole
Keith and Carmella Cole
Community First Bank of Indiana
Community Foundation of Howard County
Community Howard Regional Health
FCA Foundation
Tom and Kathy Fingleton
Randy and Esther Fishman
General Motors Foundation
Mike and Judy Golitko
Tom and Kristen Grayson
Susie Grayson
Herrick Foundation
Howard County Government
- William and Nancy Hunt
Lawrence Kam
Harold and Sherry King
Philip Kintzele
Kokomo Grain Company, Inc.
The Kresge Foundation
Bill and Barbara Lambert
Richard and Betty Lasbury
Lilly Endowment Inc.
Herbert Miller
NIPSCO
Pete Rosenau and Kathleen Ligocki
Dana Scruggs
Chuck and Alice Simons
Jeffrey and Lisa Smeltzer
Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union
Thrush-Thompson Foundation
Anonymous
Seiberling Society
$5000 and Above
Bill and Sharon Bassett
Don and Gail Beaton
Bill and Marilyn Bersbach
Raymond and Mary Bonhomme
Beth Brooke
Robert and Deborah Christensen
Community First Bank of Indiana
Community Foundation of Howard County, Inc.
Steve and Barb Conner
First Farmers Bank & Trust
Dan Giesecke and Susan Sciame-Giesecke
Rex and Kara Gingerich
Michael and Judy Golitko
David Gossman
Grow Wabash County
Daniel Grundmann and Julie Paris
Joe and Susan Hendricks
Indiana Black Expo
Harold and Sherry King
Philip Kintzele
Robert and Angela Knowling
Richard and Betty Lasbury
Herbert Miller
NIPSCO
Brian and Angela Shockney
Jeffrey and Lisa Smeltzer
Craig and Susan Smith - Smith-Fuqua Foundation
Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union
Gregory and Melinda Stanley
Paul Stanley, Jr.
Shirley St Michel
Susan Szep
Jack and Pam Tharp
Page 21
Elwood Haynes Society
Planned and Estate Gifts
Donald Almquist
Linda Anderson
Don and Gail Beaton
Robert and Betsy Blossey
Beth Brooke
Robert and Deborah Christensen
Betty Das
Robert Mullen and Dianna Delgado
Melissa Ellis
Kelly Goad
Marc and Tonya Goodier
Mary Ellen Harnish
- William and Nancy Hunt
Philip Kintzele
Pete Rosenau and Kathleen Ligocki
Ruth J. Person
James Plew
Allan and Ann Reeves
Glenn Rodgers
Allen Safianow
Dana Scruggs
Marilyn Skinner
Jeffrey and Lisa Smeltzer
Pat Williams
Chancellor’s
Guild Society
$1000 - $4999
Theresa Anglin
Andy and Mary Baker
Bill and Tess Barker
William and Michelle Bosworth
Mary Bourke
Kurt and Emily Brandstatter
Mark and Lisa Canada
Karl and Cathy Clearwaters
Donna Davis
Rosalyn Davis
Timothy and Dana Davis
Stuart and Teresa Devaul
Chad and Christina Downey
Jim and Janetta Duffy
Duke Energy
Eric and Ericka Echelbarger
Melissa Ellis
Joseph Fagen and Trish Davis
Frank and Peggy Faulkner
Greg Fletcher and Jackie Kennedy-Fletcher
Court French and Dawnya Upchurch
Meg Galasso
Marc and Tonya Goodier
Florence Goodyear
Mary Ellen Harnish
Dan and Ann Harrigan
Lynette Hazelbaker and Doug Eglen
IUK Staff Council
Kent Kauffman and Jan Halperin
Mike and Kim LaFollette
Sura Levine
Susan Mann-Hitchcock
Megan Mathews-Wine
Robert Mullen and Dianna Delgado
Sonnie Neal
Greg and Carole Ogle
Doug and Gloria Preece
Quality Plumbing & Heating
Larry and Irene Rolland
Christina Romero-Ivanova
Pete Rosenau and Kathleen Ligocki
Robert and Annette Rush
Steve and Annette Russell
Stephen and Julie Saam
Allen Safianow
John and Sarah Sarber
Heidi Sebastian
Security Federal Savings Bank
Marilyn Skinner
Milt and Judi Stewart
Doug and Tracy Stout
Willie Stroman
Terry and Mary Unger
United Way of Howard County
Paul and Julie Wagner
Martha Warner
Pat Williams
Paul and Shelly Wyman
Phoenix Society
$400 - $999
Alpha Delta Kappa Tau Chapter
Richard and Susan Ardrey
Eric and Laura Bain-Selbo
Nancy Battaglia
Nicholas and Carrie Baxter
David and Donna Brownfield
Bucheri McCarty & Metz LLP
Bruce and Ann Cameron
Michael and Cynthia Campbell
Henry and Phoebe Carter
Thomas and Lori Collins
Greg and Megan Cooper
Joel and Peggy Detchon
Laura Ditty
Robert Ford, II
Four County Counseling Center
William and Margot Fox
Leon and Patricia Gerber
Glenn and Nancy Grundmann
David and Jeanne Hamernik
Hearn Construction, Inc.
David and Janyth Heilman
John and Karen Holman
Rachel Holy
John and Karen Hughey
Clifford Hunt
Anthony and Mary Iacobucci
IU Health Tipton Hospital
J&J Electric of Indiana Inc
Thomas and Gail Jones
Kokomo New Car Dealers Association
Ronald and Genie LaLonde
David Larkin
Neil and Cynthia Lipken
Gail MacKay
Richard and Heidi Martin
Jim Martin
Kyle T. McAninch
Eugene and Nancy McGarvey, Jr.
McGavic Outdoor Power Equipment
James McIntyre
Ann Millikan
Rodney Padfield
Vijaya Pendse
Ruth J. Person
Phillip Petty
Kyle and Lisa Rayl
Realtors Association of Central Indiana Inc.
Ralph and Victoria Rhees
Allan and Dianne Roden
Michael Scheidler and Sharon Calhoon
Dana Scruggs
SGD Enterprise Rozzi’s Food Service
Jay and Emily Sichting
Joseph and Shirley Smaha
Matthew and Juli Spielman
Stellantis
William and Carolyn Stifle
Jeffrey and Karla Stouse
Flora TenBrook
Matthew and Stacey Thomas
Dan and Cathy Valcke
Anthony and Lisa Weaver
David Williams
Anonymous
Become a donor today! Learn more about ways you can give at go.iu.edu/3Q8f
Page 22
alumni happenings
- & 7. IU Day
Students, faculty, staff, and even Kingston Cougar enjoyed taking and sharing selfies during the IU Day celebration. We raised nearly $6,000 in scholarship money during the celebration, breaking a previous record, and Kingston won the all-IU mascot talent show.
- & 4. Chancellor’s Guild Dinner
Donors and friends of the campus went back to the 50s, enjoying the atmosphere of Sue’s Diner, during the annual Chancellor’s Guild dinner.
- Alumni and Friends Distinction Celebration
The School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions recognized the third class of Nurses of Distinction, and the first honorees as Allied Health Professionals of Distinction and Distinguished Friends of the School.
- & 6. Night Under the Lights
IU Kokomo alumni cheered on the Cougar baseball team at the Night Under the Lights, at Kokomo Municipal Stadium.
Alt text:
- Kingston poses with students
- chancellor's guild attendees enjoy dinner
- alumni enjoy an IU Kokomo baseball game
- Chancellor's Guild Society members at the Chancellor's Guild Dinner
- award presentation during School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions Alumni and Friends of Distinction Celebration
- alumni enjoy an IUK baseball game
Page 23
celebrate her legacy
Join us as we celebrate Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke’s incredible legacy. Throughout her time at IU Kokomo, she has been an advocate for supporting students and their success. Please consider joining her in supporting IU Kokomo students with a gift to one of her favorite funds:
IUK Scholarship Program: 0380010584
IU Kokomo Student Activities and Events Center: 0320014303
Havens Auditorium Rehabilitation Fund: 0380010580
Giesecke Family Men’s Golf Scholarship: 0380014262
Or give to your fund of choice by going to: go.iu.edu/4pJU
Fundraising Disclosures: go.iu.edu/89n
Alt text:
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke speaks at a podium
IU Kokomo Office of Development logo
Back Cover
Learn for life
Indiana University Kokomo was there for you when you were a student, and we will continue to support your educational needs and interests as an alum.
KEY Academy
The KEY Academy features short-term opportunities to learn about favorite subjects, such as sports, religion, and history or to explore career opportunities through job shadowing, meetings with professionals, and more.
iuk.edu/keyacademy
Microcredentials
Microcredentials are badges you can earn for completing trainings in narrowly defined areas, such as “Leading Change” and “Responsive Strategies for K-12 Student Behavior.”
iuk.edu/microcredentials
Look for upcoming announcements about both of these forms of lifelong learning in the months ahead.
Alt text:
Indiana University Alumni Association Kokomo Region Logo
2300 South Washington Street
P.O. Box 9003
Kokomo, IN 46904-9003
Visit us on the web at
iuk.edu/alumni
social media icons
indicia
Legacy: A magazine for alumni and friends of Indiana University Kokomo
Winter 2021 issue
Page 1: Cover
Purpose & Partnership
School of Education cultivates teacher success
Alt Text:
Alumnus Brayton Mendenhall, Indiana Teacher of the Year nominee, stands with his class at Ben Davis High School.
Page 2:
Teaching on Purpose
The last few years have been challenging for educators.
With a looming teacher shortage, the demands of both virtual and in-person classrooms amidst a global pandemic, and the everyday stresses that go with the job, it’s no wonder these essential workers are feeling the effects.
In this issue of Legacy, you will be inspired by our School of Education and its efforts not only to recruit and prepare future teachers, but also to support its alumni in the field, as well as our local schools. From the Tomorrow’s Teachers program, to wellness mentoring, and lifelong learning, our faculty are making an impact on education in north central Indiana.
Read their stories, starting on page 10.
Table of Contents
Winter 2021
Inauguration of IU President Whitten 6
Reflection: Notebook holds more than just words 7
There’s no place like home(coming)! 8
On Purpose Through Partnership 10
The Presidents Circle 20
Athletics Update 22
Page 3:
Imagine being offered a job interview,
but not having appropriate clothes to wear to it.
This is a reality for some IU Kokomo students. You may have even experienced it yourself when you were a student here.
Now, however, students have access to free professional clothing on campus. The recent opening of the Cougar Closet provides a variety of business attire at no cost. That’s right! No cost.
A partnership between the Women in Business and Student Marketing Organization made this dream a reality. The closet offers clothing not just for job interviews, but special events, internships, KEY trips, and more.
These successes are what make this campus such a special place to be. Students collaborating, meeting needs of other students, all while igniting their entrepreneurial spirits. They even applied for funding through IU Kokomo’s Women of the Well House philanthropic group and the IU Regional Economic Development fund for start-up costs.
Help me applaud their efforts by making clothing donations to this wonderful cause. There’s bound to be a suit or two in your own closet that you don’t wear anymore. You can bring your gently used professional attire to the Main Building, room 180, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We have a small gift for you as a token of our appreciation.
This is just one example of the community spirit here at IU Kokomo. It’s all about the students and their success. This is our mission.
Susan Sciame-Giesecke, Ph.D.
Chancellor
Alt Text:
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke, faculty and students cut the ribbon at the grand opening of Cougar Closet, located in the Main Building.
Handwritten signature of Susan Sciame-Giesecke
Page 4:
Happy Holidays,
my fellow alumni!
Welcome to the winter edition of your alumni magazine. We have all been through a lot over the past 2 years. Our resiliency in the face of loss, grief, and normalcy has taken its toll on all of us in different ways.
This issue focuses on our education alumni, who have been working diligently to continue to educate our future doctors, nurses, lawyers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and creatives. We all have fond memories of teachers that had a positive impact on us during our formative years. Perhaps they were a teacher who challenged you to push forward or helped you when you needed it the most. Our teachers help us realize our dreams, our strengths, and assist us in honing our skill sets to prepare us for what lies ahead. Our School of Education is working with our education alumni and various school corporations to combat teacher burnout. Throughout this issue, you’ll read about these important initiatives but also get a glimpse of what life is like on campus now that students, faculty, staff, and alumni have returned.
Highlights include the recognition of Brayton Mendenhall (B.S. ’11) who was recognized as a finalist for the Indiana Teacher of the Year. We are so proud of him and the positive impact he, and so many of our education alumni, make on students each day. We also celebrate the students who received the alumni scholarships. These bright, kind, motivated students were so appreciative of being selected to receive a scholarship that is funded by you, their soon-to-be fellow alumni. And I enjoyed welcoming you back to campus for homecoming. It was wonderful to see so many of you, and I look forward to seeing more of you throughout the year.
As we reflect on the past year and prepare for the next, let’s continue to lift our teachers, and return the favors they did for many of us when we needed it the most. One way we will be celebrating our education alumni is by hosting our Teachers of Distinction on June 14, 2022, on the IU Kokomo campus. I hope you will join us and nominate a deserving colleague like the ones featured in this issue. They need it now more than ever.
Benjamin Liechty, B.A. ‘06
Director of Alumni Relations
and Campus Ceremonies
Alt Text:
Portrait of Ben Liechty
Handwritten signature of Benjamin A. Liechty
Page 5:
I want to pay it forward
I probably wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t been honored to receive an alumni scholarship.
While working toward my degree, there were many semesters that I found myself with an extended class load. I held various offices on campus such as student body vice president and ambassador, plus participated in student life activities. IUK pulled me into the world of academia and stretched my capacity. Because of organizations such as the alumni association, which offered financial support, I was able to stay focused on my university experience without the distraction of financial encumberment. It wasn’t until I was on the receiving end of the endowment that I realized the profundity of those investments. One of my life goals now is to be a generous, and hopefully substantial, financial contributor to empower students. I want to pay it forward as a tribute to those who had never met me but supported me.
For me, personally, a significant impact of receiving an alumni scholarship was also receiving the vote of confidence from the alumni board. This recognition from a group of highly respected alumni who believed I was worth the investment gave a thinly stretched senior the boost needed to finish strong to receive my first degree. I am now teaching sixth graders to begin to dream about crossing their own educational finish line.
Your generosity can make a huge difference in the lives of our IUK students.
Contact Alumni Director Benjamin Liechty at alumni@iuk.edu to discuss giving options.
Alt Text:
Amber Moore, B.A. ‘17
Former IUAA Kokomo Region Board Member
Page 6:
Congratulations President Whitten!
IU Kokomo Campus celebrates Pamela Whitten’s Inauguration
Indiana University inaugurated Pamela Whitten as its 19th president during a November 4 ceremony attended by more than 1,000 people at IU Auditorium.
IU Kokomo celebrated Whitten — the university’s first female president — with a viewing party in the Kelley Student Center Commons. Students, faculty and staff gathered to watch a live stream of the historic event on the IQ wall, and enjoyed cake, chili, and cornbread.
Student Rene Semple of Lafayette represented the campus in President Whitten’s platform party, while Mattie Tom of Carmel, 2020 student body president, and Lanie Pocock, a cross country and track athlete from Fort Wayne, were among the student leader and athlete delegation in the procession.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke participated in the ceremony as part of the platform party. Sciame-Giesecke serves on Whitten’s cabinet as interim executive vice president of university academic affairs.
A visionary scholar and accomplished educator and researcher, Whitten has held a variety of leadership roles, beginning at Michigan State University where she served as a dean for five years, and most recently as president of Kennesaw State University.
Alt Text:
IU President Pamela Whitten
Students enjoyed chili, cornbread and cake.
Alumni board members join in the celebration.
Shelly Eisaman (senior) and daughter Lexi (freshman) cut the cake.
Staff celebrate during the ceremony.
Page 7:
Reflection: Notebook holds more than just words
A small leather-bound three-ring notebook embossed with the IU crest is the only memento Robin DeWitt kept from her time at Indiana University Kokomo.
“It represented the fact I got my degrees from IU,” she said.
It lay forgotten in a box for decades, unpacked as she purged boxes from her shed when she retired from her long teaching career in 2016. She discarded her 1970s-era textbooks from the same box. But for some reason, this notebook stood out.
“It still appealed to me as something special,” said DeWitt, B.S. ’71, M.S. ‘78. “I held onto it and threw everything else away. I thought, ‘I’ll just keep it.’”
She remembered seeing someone else with the same notebook while visiting a friend on the Bloomington campus in the late 1960s, and decided she needed one as well.
DeWitt took notes in it for her undergraduate classes in education, and then again when she returned to earn her master’s. While most of those notes are gone, a few remain, including a neat, cursive reminder, “need to get application to graduate.”
As one of the first 60 graduates from the School of Education, a favorite memory of IU Kokomo includes founding a chapter of the Student Education Association, a college affiliate of the Indiana State Teachers Association where she served as the student coordinator.
After earning her degree, she moved to Indianapolis where she taught second graders at Bridgeport Elementary School in Wayne Township for three and a half years. After a move and some life changes, she returned to Kokomo – completing her master’s and taking a teaching job with Kokomo schools for eighth and ninth grade students with emotional disabilities.
“That was a different kind of teaching,” she said. “It was nothing like before, with lesson plans you could adhere to. It was flexibility to the max.”
She used her interest in arts to build relationships with students, over quilt making, stained glass creations, and latch hooking rugs. There weren’t a lot of teachers with expertise in her area, so as she grew her skills. DeWitt began mentoring others, including in an internship program with the Indiana Department of Education.
She noted there weren’t a lot of career options for young women when she went to college, and sometimes thinks she might have chosen law if that option had been more viable at the time.
“It was a different generation,” she said. “I don’t know what I would have done. I might have been a lawyer. I can argue now with the best of them. For the time period I was in, education was a good fit.”
In 2016, DeWitt learned she was to become a grandmother and decided it was time to retire after 26 years. Now, she keeps in touch with a group of former colleagues and is working to relearn Spanish in her spare time. She also enjoys sewing, quilting, and is president of the Greentown Research Club.
Alt Text:
Red leather notebook with gold IU seal
Page from the notebook with a handwritten note of “need to get application to graduate”
Portrait of Robin Dewitt
Page 8-9:
There’s no place like home(coming)!
Indiana University Kokomo hosted a Wizard of Oz-themed homecoming celebration the last week of October — complete with tethered hot air balloon rides, the annual Angel Walk, a pumpkin patch and a pep rally!
Alumni were invited for a tailgate and some volleyball action at the Student Activities and Events Center as the Cougars saw a 3-1 victory over the Grenadiers from IU Southeast.
Saturday rounded out the homecoming celebration with two more wins. Women’s volleyball knocked off Midway in straight sets, avenging their lone conference loss on the year. The win gave IU Kokomo their fifth River States Conference regular season title and seventh straight NAIA National Tournament bid.
Men’s basketball won their season opener later that evening with a narrow 69-68 victory over the Lynx of Lincoln College. Go, Cougars!
Alt Text:
homecoming banner hanging from the ceiling
close up shot of the IUAAKR logo on a white tshirt
group of students posing during the tailgate
woman speaking into a microphone
Red and white checkered hot air balloon floats over campus
volleyball player in the game
adult male laughing and smiling
three female students hold pumpkins and treat bags
alumni director Ben Liechty speaks to the group
volleyball players celebrate together during the game
IUK community walks in the Angel Walk to raise awareness of domestic abuse.
tailgate attendees enjoy the buffet line
game spectators stand with their hands over their hearts for the national anthem
two female students posing together
paper table decoration featuring the IU Trident and the words Indiana University Alumni Association
Page 10:
“I hold much hope for the future because of teacher candidates like the ones we support.”
-Leah Nellis, dean, Indiana University Kokomo School of Education
Alt Text:
Portrait of Marlie Chaffee
Portrait of Brayton Mendenhall
Portrait of Leah Nellis
Portrait of Tayler Sampson
Portrait of Ashlely Hunt
Portrait of Amy Henderson
Page 10:
On Purpose through partnership
School of Education cultivates teacher success
Is there a teacher who made a positive and lasting difference in your life? Perhaps one who helped you discover your talent in art, music, or academics? Or, one who listened and supported you through a challenging situation, believed in you, or who helped you navigate a conflict with a friend?
Mr. Wells was one of those teachers for me and what my second-grade self learned from him was that teachers are smart, caring, creative, energetic, and resourceful. I’m reminded of that every day as I work alongside faculty and staff in the School of Education at IU Kokomo and interact with our students. These individuals, officially considered teacher candidates, seek to make a difference in the lives of others – your son or daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew, or neighbor’s child – and have a positive impact in our shared community.
This is their Why, their purpose. Young adults in our communities are choosing to be part of something larger than themselves by committing to this noble profession.
Despite a state and national decline in the number of individuals preparing to become educators, enrollment in the School of Education has steadily increased in recent years reflecting diverse backgrounds and experiences.
This hopeful trend can be partially attributed to our Tomorrow’s Teachers program for high school juniors and seniors who are considering a career in education and want to get a head start on college coursework in their intended major. Co-developed with several local school corporations, the program is thriving because of school administrators and classroom teachers who have been encouraging, supportive, and affirming of the important role of a teacher.
After high school graduation, these students begin full time on campus with a sense of confidence, commitment to their future profession, a budding professional network, and college credit hours already in place. They progress through the program in an accelerated way.
While optimistic about our future impact on P-12 education in the region, it goes without saying that there are many challenges associated with being an educator that, unless addressed, continue to threaten the quality of teaching and learning that happens in these classrooms. Over 90 percent of Indiana schools struggle to find qualified candidates for teacher openings, and national surveys of teachers have found teaching to be one of the most stressful jobs in the United States, a concern that has only grown since the pandemic.
Teachers report high levels of stress, which negatively impact both physical and mental health. Linked to the learning environment teachers create for their students, student behavior and learning outcomes as well as teacher burnout and turn-over, educator wellness is at the heart of the solution. We know that in order for teachers to be able to teach at their best, they have to feel their best.
We strive to prepare our teacher candidates for the challenges of the profession through continual hands-on experiences throughout their training and mentoring from IU Kokomo faculty and local classroom educators, as seen in the Teacher Residency program – a year-long student teaching experience. Through coursework and experiential learning, our students learn about the science of stress, the mind-body connection, and skills to promote personal wellbeing.
The Emerging Educator Mentor Network connects teacher candidates, recent alumni, and seasoned educators for the purpose of creating a space for self-care, affirmation, and resilience. Our goal is not only to help teacher candidates earn a degree and a teaching license but to support them into their first teaching position, one that launches a professional career in which they find meaning, value, purpose, and has the type of impact that Mr. Wells had on me so long ago.
I hope the articles in this magazine bring you a sense of hope and appreciation for those who serve our communities as educators.
-Leah Nellis
Page 11-12:
Providing a safe environment
2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year nominee inspires students
As a teacher, Brayton Mendenhall wants his classroom to be a place students feel like they can be themselves.
“I want my students to be able to speak French, of course, but at the end of the day I also want them to know that I care about them,” he said. “When I hear from a student, ‘You made me feel safe, you made me feel loved,’ or when a parent reaches out and says, ‘You were such a role model for my kid,’ that’s the ultimate. When they know they can come to my class and they will be cared about and loved, whether they learn French is important, but it’s not the number one thing in my classroom.”
Mendenhall’s dedication to his students, as well as his excellence in teaching at Ben Davis High School, Indianapolis, earned him recognition as one of the top 10 finalists for Indiana Teacher of the Year for 2022.
“It’s an exciting adventure, and I’m excited to have made it that far in the selection process,” said Mendenhall, B.S. ’11. “Its validating. It makes me feel like I’ve achieved something.”
While the last 21 months has been challenging as a teacher because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mendenhall says focusing on the connections he makes with students are what keeps him in the profession.
“If teachers allow themselves to define success in the numbers (test scores), that’s what’s going to burn them out,” he said. “It’s always about the kids. If I focus on why I went into teaching, I don’t see myself getting burned out. I don’t think I could leave the classroom to become an administrator because I love the connections with the kids. I love to watch them grow, and see them get excited. They become my kids after all the years we have together.”
The positive environment provided by his school also plays a role.
“I’m in a place where diversity is celebrated, where the student and teacher relationship is important, and teachers are respected,” Mendenhall said. “I’ve felt supported here. I feel like I understand the reason why we do things. It’s a school that cares about the student as a whole, and not just about the numbers or the curriculum. There’s a whole student mentality at Ben Davis that has kept me going and kept me in education.”
It’s especially important to him to provide the role model he wished he had as a teenager.
“Being an out gay teacher is very important to me,” he said. “In high school, I had nobody to look up to. There was nobody like me in my high school. I want students to see you can be gay, you can be successful, and you can be respected by your peers. There are students who are trapped in those situations, and they don’t feel like they have anybody.”
Mendenhall didn’t take a direct path into being a French teacher — he first enrolled at IU Kokomo after graduating from Taylor High School in 2000, as a 21st Century Scholar. After one semester, he dropped out and worked as a color guard instructor in the area.
He learned from that experience that he enjoyed teaching, so when he returned four years later, he enrolled in the School of Education. He chose secondary education, with a focus on English, after testing out of all the French available at IU Kokomo at that time.
He’s grateful to have earned a degree close to home, and for the relationships he built with faculty like Karla Stouse and Terri Bourus.
“My interactions with my professors really helped me,” he said. “I was able to make real connections with them, and they really encouraged me. It’s something I probably would have missed out on at a larger campus. This kind of school is conducive to those in-depth, personal relationships.”
He went to England with Stouse for the Innovation Symposium, and repeats her wisdom about grades with his own students now.
“She told us constantly, ‘It’s not always about the grade, it’s about the learning,’” he said. “She’s the kind of teacher I want to be. It’s all about the relationships with the students, and pushing them to think and grow.”
After graduating in 2011, he accepted a job teaching English and French at South Vermillion High School, near Terre Haute. A year later, he was hired at Ben Davis High School, as a French teacher and color guard instructor.
“What I always wanted to do was French and color guard, so it worked out eventually,” he said. “I took the long way around to teaching French. I tell my students, the path you have laid out before you, the idea that you are going to graduate and study exactly what you want to study, and get a job right away, it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes you have to make your own path. As long as you keep focused on doing what you love, it will work out.”
“In high school, I had nobody to look up to. I want students to see you can be gay, you can be successful, and you can be respected by your peers.“ -Brayton Mendenhall
Alt Text:
Brayton Mendenhall teaches French to students at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.
Page 13:
From high school to college
Program gives sneak peek to teacher life
During the last few years of Randy McCracken’s career in education, it was getting harder and harder to hire teachers.
“Finding teachers in the sciences, math, and even English was far more difficult than it had been, and some areas it was even harder,” said McCracken, an IU Kokomo adjunct faculty member who retired as superintendent of Western School Corporation in 2020.
He noted that while he used to have between 60 and 80 applications for an open elementary teaching job, that number dropped significantly as well.
Western’s situation wasn’t unique — according to a study by Public Impact, 92 percent of Indiana School Corporations struggle to find qualified teaching candidates to fill openings. That trouble is made worse by a 60 percent drop in individuals entering the state’s teacher preparation programs.
McCracken heard about a program in a Chicago-area school that brought college-level education classes to high school students. He shared the idea with Leah Nellis, dean of the School of Education, about starting a similar program to encourage high schoolers in the region to consider becoming teachers.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to be involved, to see if that’s the direction they want to go, and to earn college credits as well,” he said. “The more we can grow this program, the better chance we have of taking care of the teacher shortage we have now. As teachers in high schools are working with their students, they can encourage students who they think would be great teachers.”
In fall 2018, the Tomorrow’s Teachers program began not only at Western, but at Caston, Kokomo and Logansport school corporations. It allows high school juniors and seniors to complete entry-level School of Education classes, taught by IU Kokomo faculty, and get some early experience assisting in classrooms in their district. They also participate in on-campus events, getting a taste of college life at the same time. The program has expanded since then to include Alexandria-Monroe and Clinton Central schools.
Marlie Chaffee, now an IU Kokomo junior, was among the first to enroll at Western High School. She was nervous about taking college classes in high school, but said it confirmed her desire to teach elementary school.
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher because I love kids,” she said. “I loved my teachers growing up, and I wanted to be just like them. I knew I wanted to go to IU Kokomo, too, and I saw it as a great opportunity to get my foot in the door.”
She especially enjoyed her experience in classrooms ranging from kindergarten all the way through middle school, which opened her mind to levels she hadn’t considered.
“It was a great opportunity to see what teaching different ages is like,” she said. “I thought I didn’t want to do middle school, but I learned it wasn’t what I thought it would be.”
The connections she built during that program helped her transition successfully to college. Plus, she plans to graduate a semester early.
“When I came to campus, I was more comfortable taking classes,” she said. “I felt comfortable reaching out to faculty when I had questions because I was able to do it during Tomorrow’s Teachers.”
Chaffee was especially impressed when Dean Nellis contacted her to see how her first semester was going.
“You don’t expect the dean of the School of Education to know who you are when you are just a freshman. I felt like I was home when I came to campus.“ -Marlie Chaffee
Alt Text:
Randy McCracken with Marlie Chaffee.
Page 14:
Around the classroom in 180 days
First-day-of-school jitters. Pre-Christmas break slump. Standardized testing time tensions. End-of-year traditions. And everything in between.
Student teachers don’t always get the full picture of a typical school year. But through the Teachers in Residency program, it’s an opportunity for future educators to get a real taste of those 180 days.
For Tayler Sampson, B.S. ‘21, it makes all the difference.
“By being there the whole year, I experienced all the highs and lows,” she said. “I never felt like I was a student teacher. I was part of the class and it was my classroom.
Last year, Sampson joined a group of students who piloted the program, in place of traditional student teaching experiences that last a semester at a time.
“This program made me realize this is what I want to do. I really do want to be a teacher,” said Sampson, who taught a third-grade class at Green Meadows Intermediate School in Frankfort.
In fact, she had such a great experience and performed so well that before the school year ended, she was hired.
Joining Community Schools of Frankfort in Clinton County in the newly launched venture included two schools within the Maconaquah School Corporation in Miami County. Administrators have discovered the benefit goes both ways.
By observing these future teachers at work in the classroom, there is potential to have the first chance at hiring them — a critical advantage during a teacher shortage.
Lindsey Bright, Green Meadows principal, said the program is impressive, choosing to participate to prepare teachers more fully for the profession.
“I think back on my own teacher preparation, and we certainly didn’t get this kind of student teaching experience,” she said, noting that most are in the schools for less than a semester. “Seeing the school year from start to finish is a great benefit.
“They are learning from the best of the best, in my opinion,” Bright added. “They really get to dig in and see start to finish what the school year looks like.”
The year-long, hands-on approach helps these students form realistic expectations going in, making them more likely to stay in the classroom long term. According to the U.S. Department of Education, nearly 50 percent of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years.
The School of Education began offering this extended program after the two school systems applied for and received a grant from the Higher Education Commission. The grant funds stipends to the students and their mentors.
Leah Nellis, dean of the School of Education, explained that when student teaching takes place for a semester the student cannot be paid. However, a year-long residency allows for payment in the form of a stipend.
“It allows for teacher candidates to receive some compensation and can devote time, attention and energy to student teaching, instead of also trying to have a part-time job to pay expenses,” Nellis said.
It’s a win-win for everyone.
“When these students spend time in the classroom with an experienced teacher, they emerge with better skills and are more confident in themselves,” she added.
The experience has been a positive one for Sampson. Now, she’s taking that confidence and applying it to her first teaching job.
“I knew that within a month I would love to be a teacher here if there was an opening,” she said. “I was very blessed when a job opened up and I was able to accept it. I already knew the culture, and that I would fit in with the team.”
Alt Text:
Tayler Sampson teaches students in her classroom at Green Meadows Intermediate School in Frankfort.
Page 15-16:
Teacher wellness
Mentoring program supports new teachers
Early in her teaching career, Ashley Hunt questioned if she had made the right choice.
“The stress got to me my first and second years, and made me question if education was for me,” she said. “Going into it, you’re always told you’re going to use what you learned in college, but it’s a totally different ballgame when you have your own classroom. I found that out quickly.”
Hunt, B.S. ’19, is not alone. According to the U.S. Department of Education, nearly 50 percent of new teachers leave the profession within their first five years under normal conditions. Add in the stress and uncertainty of a global pandemic, and nearly 1 in 4 teachers were considering leaving their jobs, according to a survey in early 2021 by RAND Education and Labor’s American Teacher Panel.
She has hope, however, because she truly isn’t alone. She’s one of 11 early-career educators in the IU Kokomo School of Education’s Emerging Educator Mentor Network, which began with a self-care and resilience retreat on campus in June and continues to provide alumni veteran teachers as mentors throughout the school year.
The retreat, facilitated by trained educators and social workers, focuses on the importance of one’s own well-being and the impact teachers have on shaping their classrooms, students and families. The monthly mentoring curriculum includes a book titled, “The Onward Workbook: Daily Activities to Cultivate Your Emotional Resilience and Thrive.” Participants meet to discuss a chapter as well as their use of the practices and strategies outlined in the book.
Hunt, who teaches at Lincoln Elementary School in Huntington, receives support from Nicole McDorman, Kokomo Central Middle School, and retired Kokomo teacher Ann Millikan.
“It’s been so helpful,” the Wabash resident said. “It’s nice to be able to talk through what’s going on in my school and classroom, and bounce ideas off each other. Even though we teach different grade levels, we can talk about some of the stresses we’re going through. They’ve helped me figure out if I am stressing over areas that aren’t worth stressing over, and shared how they have coped with that as well.”
In addition to offering the support for the first three years of a new alumni’s career, lessons in stress management, mindfulness, and coping skills are being woven into the School of Education’s curriculum. This program pays particular attention to students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in teaching, so future graduates will be prepared for the challenges.
“We want to give these future educators the tools to be resilient, to be mindful, to have self-awareness to know when they are stressed, and coping skills,” said Cheryl Moore-Beyioku, lecturer in special education, who helped launch the wellness program with Dean Leah Nellis.
“We’re preparing students now so they can step into those careers with these strengths,” she said. “We’re also supporting our alumni during their first three years. We want them to know we are still here for them, and want to help them be successful in their new careers.”
Moore-Beyioku added that as teachers handle their stress appropriately, they continue to teach by modeling that action.
“We’re investing in the future, in the wellness of our students and teachers. It is an investment that multiplies,” she said.
The School of Education provides guidance for the new teachers and their mentors, with wellness curriculum they work through in their regular meetings.
McDorman, B.S. ’12, M.A. ’16, said while she’s been guiding Hunt, she’s also benefitted from the program.
“I don’t typically do self-care,” she said. “I just run at all cylinders until I crash. This is allowing me to pause and look at why I’m doing the things I’m doing, and making myself relax, so I can be calmer and less stressed when I go home to my family. I’m trying to build new habits from what we’ve learned.”
Millikan said teachers from a variety of generations working together benefits the students, because they can share ideas.
“We can get new ideas from everybody, and make connections,” she said.
Hunt said it’s already making a difference for her. “I definitely feel like I’ve been able to handle my stress better using some of the tools we were taught,” she said. “The stress in education doesn’t really go away, but I don’t feel like it’s impacting my body the way it was or impacting my life outside of school anymore like before.”
“It’s been so helpful. They’ve helped me figure out if I am stressing over areas that aren’t worth stressing over, and shared how they have coped with that as well.” – Ashley Hunt
Alt Text:
L-R Nicole McDorman, Ashley Hunt, Ann Millikan and Cheryl Moore-Beyioku
Page 17:
“If you’re not learning and growing, the world is going to leave you behind.” – Amy Henderson
Lifelong learning
Education journey continues for teacher
“If you’re not learning and growing, the world is going to leave you behind.”
This describes Amy Henderson’s passion to keep her nose in the books while asking her students to do the same.
As she works on her master’s in educational technology, she’s reminded of how quickly things can change. All the more reason to keep on learning.
“So much has changed even from when I started teaching. I don’t know if Google classroom was around. Right now, I can’t imagine teaching without it,” she said.
Her path to education was an untraditional one, first earning a degree in communication in 1998 and trying out the corporate world for a while. However, deep down she knew she always wanted to be a teacher.
“My second job after graduation was with ADP, where I worked in software support and training. Here, I’m training payroll clerks on how to use software and I realized it wasn’t what I wanted, which was teaching children,” said Henderson, who returned to IU Kokomo and completed her teaching degree in 2011.
Some may have questioned starting her graduate degree during a global pandemic, while also teaching full time, with students both in her classroom and online. It’s helped keep her from getting burned out.
“Teaching and going to school means I have to really compartmentalize and prioritize my time,” she said.
“It helps me that I know I have this project due for a class, or this assignment, so I need to leave school at school,” she said, a third-grade teacher at Lafayette Park Elementary, Kokomo. “People might think I’m crazy but working on my classes has been a bit of a brain break. It takes me out of teacher mode, and into time for me to learn and grow to be a better teacher.”
Henderson’s students sometimes are surprised when she tells them she hasn’t graded their papers yet, because she had 130 pages to read and a paper to write in just a few days.
“It’s fun to watch their faces, and help them realize schooling doesn’t ever need to end,” she said.
She’s proud to have set an example for her daughters, noting they used to have “homework nights,” in which the girls sat with her and colored or looked at books while studying for her college courses. Her older daughter, Emily, is now an IU Kokomo freshman, and enrolled with 15 credits already earned through the Tomorrow’s Teachers program.
Younger daughter Molly is a senior at Kokomo High School, and plans to major in journalism.
“They both value education, because my husband and I have made it the expectation that you have to do something beyond high school,” she said. “We have raised our girls that learning doesn’t stop once you graduate.”
She’d been considering earning a master’s degree, and said during the COVID-19 pandemic, she had more time to think about that goal.
“I had a goal to get my teaching license before I turned 40, and I did that,” she said. “I missed the boat on earning my master’s before I turned 50, but it was a good time to start. The Master’s in Educational Technology was perfect with everything I’ve been doing virtually, and finding resources.”
Henderson’s next step in her career is to become a technology coach or work for Kokomo’s elementary education technology department.
“I definitely see it as a bridge out of the classroom and into more of a coaching position, whether that’s working with other teachers, families, or a mix of the two.
“I always said if I hit the lottery, I would take a class every semester,” said Henderson, “There are so many options IU Kokomo offers, and if you aren’t learning, you’re kind of stuck.”
Learn more about the School of Education and its programs
at iuk.edu/education, and grad programs on page 23.
Alt Text:
Portrait of Amy Henderson
Page 18:
Honoring Excellence
Nominate outstanding alumni who go beyond, give back and make a difference in their professions!
The IUAA Kokomo Region partners with the School of Education and School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions this spring to recognize their own who exemplify the best in what they do. Please consider submitting a nomination and saving the date for these special events.
Nurses of Distinction
Allied Health Professionals of Distinction
Friends of the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions
These awards honor alumni and friends who have shown a commitment to the values and support of these professions. More criteria and information can be found on the online nomination form:
go.iu.edu/4ab4
Recognition ceremony:
February 25, 2022
IU Kokomo campus
Teachers of Distinction
This award recognizes alumni who have had a positive and meaningful impact on their students and school community. More criteria and information can be found on the online nomination form:
go.iu.edu/4a5M
Recognition ceremony:
June 14, 2022
IU Kokomo campus
Follow the IU Alumni Association Kokomo Region on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on all alumni news! Facebook @IUKAA Instagram @IUKAlumni
Page 19-20:
The Presidents Circle honors Indiana University's most generous donors. Members are people who have helped define the very character of IU.
JUDITH AND MICHAEL GOLITKO
Judy Golitko believes that education is the key to turning dreams into reality. Judy spent 30 years raising her family and working as a paralegal before becoming a first-time college student. After seeing her children graduate and begin their professional careers, Judy was inspired to do the same.
She attended IUK and earned her associate’s degree in 2001 and B.S.N. in 2003, both in nursing. While working as an R.N., Judy realized she could better serve her community in a different capacity. With her newfound purpose, she enrolled in the IU School of Law and graduated with her juris doctorate in 2006.
Judy’s passion for learning and love of IUK led her to establish the Judy Golitko It’s Never Too Late Scholarship to assist other non-traditional students in their pursuit of a college degree. Her favorite quote is, “If you love what you’re doing, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Judy believes in IU and in education. She is excited to give back to her alma mater and help others achieve their goals.
Judy has worked with her son, Matthew, at Golitko Daly PC in Kokomo for 15 years. Her focus is medical malpractice, and she returns to IUK often to speak to nursing students about the subject.
Judy has served on the Kokomo Rescue Mission board for the past seven years. She has also held the IUK Alumni Association President position, receiving the President’s Award in 2010, and was inducted into the Alumni Association Hall of Fame in 2013.
HAROLD W. KING, DDS AND SHERRY KING
Sharon and Harold King have dedicated their lives to serving others. After earning her B.S.N. at DePauw University in 1963, Sherry completed her clinical training at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Having graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with his bachelor’s degree in 1961, Hal completed his DDS in 1964 at IUPUI. He then served for two years in the U.S. Air Force before the couple moved to Kokomo, where Hal practiced family dentistry from 1966 through 1999.
While working as a dentist in Kokomo, Hal served in the Air Force Reserve for eight years. In retirement, he has volunteered and served his community in a number of capacities, including with the American Cancer Society, which awarded him its Quality of Life Volunteer Award in 2001.
Eager to give back to their community and invest in its future, Sherry and Hal decided to support higher education in their hometown by giving to Indiana University Kokomo.
They are “very proud of IU Kokomo” and are “excited about its expansion, its new athletic programs, and its ability to attract students from other parts of Indiana.” In memory of Hal’s mother, who was a teacher, the Kings established the Zula Mae King Memorial Scholarship at IU Kokomo for education students. To support students as what they consider “one of the best nursing schools in Indiana,” they also established the Sharon “Sherry” H. King, R.N., B.S.N. Nursing Scholarship.
The King’s incredible generosity will ensure the future of countless IU Kokomo students in the years to come. Welcome to the Presidents Circle, Hal and Sherry!
TED LINDSAY GRAYSON, M.D. AND ROSANNA SHOE GRAYSON
Rosanna and Ted were both born and raised on family farms in Tipton County, Indiana. Together, they shared a lifelong involvement in and passion for agriculture. As skilled educators, Ted and Rosanna also shared an equally vocal passion for education and all the opportunities it can provide. Their intentional estate planning reflected this firm commitment to academic scholarship.
Rosanna earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Ball State University in 1952 and served as a public-school educator in Indianapolis and St. Louis. Ted was farming full time when Indiana University opened an extension campus in Kokomo. He was a proud and grateful member of the first class at IU Kokomo.
Throughout his life, Ted attributed the opening of the Kokomo campus as giving him both the opportunity to first attend college and then to become a surgeon. He was honored to speak at one of IU Kokomo’s 75th Anniversary events in 2019. Ted’s journey then continued to Bloomington for a bachelor’s degree (’50), IU Medical School (M.D. ’52), and Washington University in St. Louis for six years of internship and surgery residency.
Next, the Graysons chose to return to Indiana to make their home. Ted’s 30-year private practice focused on abdominal and thoracic surgery. Throughout his career, he also trained hundreds of interns and residents as a clinical associate professor at IU’s School of Medicine.
Shortly before his death, Ted was awarded an IU Bicentennial Medal.
Both Ted and Rosanna joyfully, completely embraced life! They remained steadfastly grounded in the values that guided everything they so thoroughly enjoyed together. Now, their shared values will provide academic scholarships for students attending Ball State University, Purdue University, Indiana University, and IU Kokomo.
Learn about ways to provide unique and valuable learning experiences to IU Kokomo students. Contact Vice Chancellor Crystal Jones at crmjones@iu.edu.
Alt Text:
(L-R) J.T. Forbes, Judith and Michael Golitko, IU President Pamela Whitten
(L-R) J.T. Forbes, Harold and Sherry King, IU President Pamela Whitten
The Presidents Circle logo
Page 21:
Cougar athletics sees continued success during fall competition
As fall sports return, Cougar fans noticed a few differences. New coaches, new student-athletes, and full capacity at all home sporting events. But one thing has not changed; the Cougars continue to have a high level of success.
IU Kokomo volleyball captured the River States Conference regular season championship and earned their seventh consecutive NAIA National Tournament berth. Erinn Adam leads the conference in hitting percentage and blocks per set, while Alyvia Smith leads the league in digs.
The women’s soccer team posted a 6-4-1 conference record, giving them the most RSC wins in program history. The six wins earned the Cougars the fifth seed in the conference tournament.
Brandi Jones, a graduate student on the women’s golf team, won three tournaments including the River States Conference Fall preview. Jones now has 10 tournament wins in her career, the most in program history.
In cross country, many records have been broken during the fall. The men’s team is ranked first in the River States Conference for the first time in program history. Lexi Jackson won the JennaStrong Invitational with a time of 18:21 and finished second at the NAIA Great Lakes Invitational with a time of 17:56.9, breaking her own school record by 25 seconds.
Stay up-to-date on all things athletics at iukcougars.com
Alt Text:
soccer team stands arm in arm on the field
men's cross country team running in a meet.
women's cross country team running in a meet.
cougar head logo
Page 22:
Real world experiences
KEY will get you there.
If you have visited Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Yellowstone National Park, or Disney World over the past few years, you might have seen students raising the IU flag or wearing “I Turned the KEY” T-shirts. Those students were among the many hundreds of IU Kokomo students participating in the KEY (“Kokomo Experience and You”), our signature experiential-learning program. Through these trips—as well as research, retreats, simulations, internships, and community projects—students are getting their hands on their learning. Employers value this kind of applied learning, and so do students, who have raved about their KEY experiences.
As an alum, you can help us create enriching experiences. Look for invitations to join students, faculty, and staff for future KEY trips. Also, we welcome your suggestions for activities and destinations, perhaps your own place of business! Either way, you can help your fellow Cougars turn the KEY to learn, connect, and thrive.
Let us know you’re interested by emailing, alumni@iuk.edu.
Graduate programs offer career growth
Perhaps you've been thinking about changing careers or you've been encouraged to return to school to advance in your current position. Whatever your story or motivation, we offer several graduate programs at Indiana University Kokomo to help you succeed. It's our goal and our mission to help you gain the theoretical foundation, experience, and skills you need no matter what your goal may be.
IU Kokomo offers in-person learning:
Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling
Master of Business Administration
Master of Public Management
Master of Science in Nursing
Family Nurse Practitioner
Nursing Administration
Nursing Education
Online graduate programs are available. For a complete list of master's degrees, visit iuk.edu/graduate-programs.
Alt Text:
group of students on a KEY trip to Nashville pose with Alumni Doug Showalter.
group of students on a KEY trip to Google headquarters in California.
two women talk while looking at a laptop
Page 23:
Fitness for you
Join the Cole Fitness Center at a special Alumni rate! $180 per year
The Cole Fitness Center is excited to welcome back IU Kokomo Alumni to the facility after a two-year hiatus.
If you’re an IUAA member, you qualify for this special rate that includes access to the entire gym, plus fitness classes!
Memberships run from August 1 to July 30 and are prorated based on when you sign up. We look forward to seeing you in the Cole Fitness Center soon!
For more information, please contact the Cole Fitness Center by email, colefit@iuk.edu or by phone, 765-455-9419.
Alt Text:
fitness class
male running on a treadmill
dumb bells and other weight lifting equipment.
dumb bells and other weight lifting equipment.
Cardio machines
Cover Page:
Rise & Lead
Alumnae lead the way and inspire others to achieve their dreams.
Alt Text:
Alumni Amanda Bagwell stands in the brick paved alley across from the Howard County courthouse with her guide dog Buddington sitting sweetly at her side. The courthouse in the background has the words "Justice to all" engraved across the top which appears just over Amanda's head.
Page 2:
Lead from where you are.
That’s the challenge IU Kokomo’s Chancellor, Susan Sciame-Giesecke, is known to give to faculty, staff, and students. Leadership isn’t just for the chancellor, the CEO, the manager, or the person with the big title.
Leadership is for everyone, if they accept the challenge.
In this issue of Legacy, you will meet amazing alumnae who are doing that every day in their careers. Women like Amanda Bagwell, who fights for equal employment opportunities for all, based on her own difficulties as a blind woman finding employment. Or Priyanka Singh Deo, who had the courage to move across the world to chase her dream job.
There’s also Brianne Boles, who transitioned her love of volunteering into serving as CEO of one of Howard County’s largest employers, and Alexius Babb, who returned to school out of desire to transform her family’s future, and now plans to lead change for people of color in the health care system.
Read their stories, starting on page 12.
Table of Contents
Summer 2021
2021 Commencement 6
Athletics Update 9
SAEC Dedication 10
Hoops Forges Friendship 11
Rise & Lead 12
Just Keep Running 20
Congratulations to the IU Kokomo class of 2021!
While earning a college degree is a challenge in the best of times, this class has confronted obstacles none of us could have imagined when they first enrolled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In earning their degrees, these graduates have shown remarkable persistence and flexibility, and I am proud beyond measure of their success.
This class went on spring break last March expecting only one additional week away from campus, as the pandemic began. Instead, they finished the spring 2020 semester from their homes, adapting to remote learning nearly overnight. I would be remiss if I did not commend our faculty, who completely reworked their classes during spring break, to be ready to continue high-quality instruction in a new format.
Amidst these challenges, IU Kokomo did not just survive — we thrived. We built our new Student Activities and Events Center (SAEC), and hosted volleyball and basketball games. When we returned to campus August 24, we offered the largest percentage of in-person classes of all IU campuses, and saw record-breaking enrollment of 3,227 students, thanks to the diligent efforts of our admissions and academic advising offices.
I am especially excited about the opening of our new Multicultural Center last fall, which provides resources for our growing population of students of color, international students, and those in the LGBTQ+ community. The Center promotes a welcoming and positive campus climate, and cultivates a diverse, inclusive environment that supports equal access, participation, and representation on our campus.
We celebrated our 75th anniversary, and IU’s Bicentennial, even if the commemoration had to be cut short. Our Bicentennial campaign netted more than $16 million, far surpassing our original goal. Funds raised created more than 140 undergraduate scholarships, while also providing funding for the campus greenhouse — which also opened in fall 2021 — student international travel, athletic teams, a fitness center, and the SAEC.
We were also ranked among the top regional campuses in the Midwest, in the 2020 U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges Rankings, tied for the 7th through 11th spots in the Top Public Schools Regional College Midwest.
As we prepare to return to a more “normal” year this August, we look forward to the accomplishments ahead. A large percentage of our graduates stay and work in this region, teaching in our schools, providing health care in our hospitals and health care centers, starting and leading new businesses to grow our economy, and much more. We couldn’t be more proud.
Congratulations, graduates!
Susan Sciame-Giesecke, Ph.D.
Chancellor
Indiana University Kokomo
Alt Text:
IU trident tab
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke walks in line with other members of the platform party dressing in her commencement robe, cap and stole.
handwritten signature of Susan Sciame-Giesecke
Page 3:
What’s your story?
Looking back on this past academic year, I have been impressed with the stories I have heard of our recent graduates, as well as alumni, and how they have persevered through unusual times.
Many have overcome obstacles, tried new things, and reached milestones they never thought possible. Others have dug deep into their careers and found ways to continue to excel.
This issue of Legacy highlights a few IU Kokomo alumnae who have risen to the top, despite what has been going on in the world around them. These stories are most likely very much like your own.
These leaders have made strides to lead from where they are, and plant themselves in places where they can flourish. You’ll get a glimpse of their leadership styles and what drives them on a daily basis. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about these amazing women.
So, I’m curious. What’s your story? I’m always eager to learn more about you, your career path, your growth and accomplishments. Please drop me a line to share your journey. Who knows, you may be featured in the next edition!
Until then, I hope you’ll take advantage of the warmer weather, get outside and breathe the fresh air! I know I’m ready!
Benjamin Liechty, BA ‘06
Director of Alumni Relations
and Campus Ceremonies
Meet
Bill and
Barbara
Lambert,
IU Alumni and donors.
The Lamberts met at Indiana University in 1957, when they were both in the School of Business. They were athletic, and played golf and tennis together. Bill invited Barb to the Indy 500 with his family. During the race, there was a crash in front of their seats, and Barb was hit with a flying chunk of rubber from a tire, and received several stitches. Bill said I’ll take you home and she replied, “Oh no, I’m staying for the race!” That was it for him.
Their daughters were both in the medical field, and the Lamberts recognize the importance of nursing. They wanted to support a scholarship for the nursing students at IU Kokomo. To accomplish this philanthropic goal, they have generously given $100,000, establishing the William P. Lambert and Barbara A. Lambert Charitable Gift Annuity, (CGA) which will ultimately fund the Bill and Barbara Lambert IU Kokomo Nursing Scholarship.
What is a Charitable Gift Annuity?
A Charitable Gift Annuity is a simple agreement in which a donor makes a gift of cash or securities in return for a fixed income stream for life. The annuity rate is based on the age of the annuitant(s) at the time of the gift.
Based on their ages, the CGA rate offered by IUF for two lives is 6.6%. This means that for a gift of $100,000, IUF will provide a fixed payment of $6,600 per year to them for the remainder of their joint lives. The Lamberts also will receive a generous charitable income tax deduction.
We are grateful to the Lamberts for their generous gift which helps them do well while also doing good. Thank you!
Interested in learning more?
Please contact the IU Kokomo development office at 765-455-9485.
Fundraising Disclosures: go.iu.edu/89n
Alt Text:
portrait of alumni director Ben Liechty in a white dress shirt, black tie and crimson suit jacket.
Portrait of Bill and Barbara Lambert
logo for Indiana University Kokomo Office for University Advancement
Page 4:
Commencement 2021
Indiana University Kokomo celebrated the academic achievements —as well as the resilience and dedication to persevere in the face of a global pandemic — of both 2020 and 2021 graduates during Commencement on Tuesday, May 11, during an outdoor ceremony at the Pavilion.
Class of 2020
654 Graduates
41 Indiana counties
12 States
16 Countries
34% First generation
Class of 2021
706 Graduates
39 Indiana counties
10 States
17 Countries
34% First generation
For more commencement photos search @IUKokomo on Flickr
Alt Text:
view from the back of the crowd of graduates sitting in chairs in their commencement cap and gown facing the outdoor pavilion at IU Kokomo.
female graduate in her cap, gown and colorful stoles awaiting the commencement ceremony.
two female graduates take a selfie on their cell phone while in their caps and gowns waiting for the ceremony to start.
Female graduate and male with their arms in the air celebrating her graduation.
commencement grand marshal Kristin Snoddy leads the platform party including President Michael McRobbie on their way out of the commencement ceremony. They are dressed in colorful robes and she holds a golden sceptre with an eagle on top.
male graduate holds his crimson diploma cover
shot of the graduates from the back with a white arrow on the ground pointing towards the pavilion in the background.
male graduate in cap and gown making a peace sign with his fingers.
two female graduates hug one another after the commencement ceremony while wearing their caps and gowns.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke speaks at the podium.
female graduate wearing an IU mask
a group of masters graduates pose together for a photo wearing their caps and gowns following the commencement ceremony.
female graduate poses for a photo with three family members following the ceremony.
Three female and one male graduate pose together for a photo.
male graduate at the podium singing the alma mater.
Page 5
Student Address
Mehreen Tahir B.S. ‘21
“You are blessed to be born in a country that values freedom, your universities that value students, and your professors that value your success, so never forget to give back to this entire community.
I pray you never face the adversity of oppression or a situation where your right to freedom of speech is threatened.
I urge you to passionately pursue your dreams and never give up on your goals. May you always be the pride of your campus, family, and your country.”
Mehreen Tahir represented the graduates as class speaker. She grew up in a small village in Pakistan and came to the United States because of her dream of an education. An honors graduate in biochemistry, she will continue her studies at Arizona State University, pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental biochemistry.
To watch Mehreen’s powerful speech, as well as the rest of the commencement ceremony, visit go.iu.edu/3Pde.
Grant Gaylor Makes School History as First National Champion
When Grant Gaylor enrolled at Indiana University Kokomo, he thought his days throwing shot put were likely behind him.
The campus’s track team was new, and only included running events at that time.
Not ready to give up throwing and hoping it might be added before he graduated with his nursing degree, Gaylor continued to train on his own, with help from his Northwestern High School coach and some video instruction programs. When he was asked to be on the first throwing team last spring, he was ready.
Two weeks after graduation, he secured his place in campus history, winning shot put at the NAIA men’s outdoor track and field national championships.
“My story is unique, but almost anyone could do this,” he said. “It just takes the right motivation and drive. People can be a lot more than what they think. It just comes down to you. An outcome isn’t promised, but are you willing to do the work to get the outcome you want? I was willing to do the work and hope it would be meaningful and impactful.”
Gaylor dominated the field at nationals. His throw of 18.74 meters in the finals was 72 centimeters better than the next competitor and beat his previous school record of 18.02
He also won River States Conference (RSC) titles in shotput and discus, and was named its Outstanding Field Athlete of the Year. He was runner-up in shot put at the NAIA indoor championships.
He’s balanced a full training schedule with his senior nursing program, throwing and then lifting weights after class each weekday, and then competing in meets on Saturdays.
“It’s been challenging, but it was rewarding at the same time,” he said. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be able to compete and represent my university and be part of the team atmosphere again. It’s an important individual thing for me, but also to be part of something greater than myself.”
After graduating in May, and with nationals behind him, he looks forward to beginning his career as an emergency room nurse at Community Howard Regional Health. He also hopes to continue to impact IU Kokomo’s track program as a volunteer coach.
Stay up-to-date on all things athletics at iukcougars.com
Alt Text:
class speaker Mehreen Tahir speaking passionately at the podium.
word "cougars" in a handwritten script style
cougar head logo
Grant Gaylor stands in the middle of the championship podium.
Page 6:
SAEC Receives Official Welcome
The long-awaited Student Activities and Events Center received its official welcome to campus during a dedication ceremony led by IU President Michael A. McRobbie.
“This much needed and very welcoming center will further strengthen the already vigorous spirit of community, scholarship, and fellowship at IU Kokomo,” McRobbie said, noting that it is “at least a dozen facilities in one,” because not only is it a gym, but also a resource center, a commons, a classroom, a training center, a proving ground, a lounge, and more.
The SAEC opened for the fall 2020 semester, just in time to also serve as a much-needed classroom space due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke added that the campus has needed a gathering space for many years and is pleased to finally have it.
“This truly is something to celebrate,” she said. “In my mind, the campus is now complete. We’re ready for the 21st century.”
Representing student athletes, Jaela Meister, from the women’s basketball team, said they are grateful for the gymnasium.
“I cannot wait until we are able to fill up this gym with hundreds of students and staff, while also competing in front of our friends and families,” she said. “I hope to be able to raise another banner to represent this university, and to show how thankful I am to have witnessed the building of our new facility, and to play in it.”
Located southeast of Hunt Hall on the eastern edge of campus, the 26,000 square-foot building accommodates up to 1,200 spectators, and offers athletic offices, athletic training and locker facilities, a large lobby/reception area, and a three-story-high assembly space/gymnasium.
For more information go to iuk.edu/eventscenter
Hoops Forges Friendship Office named in honor of first basketball coach
The friendship between Dr. Richard Lasbury and Cliff Hunt began with a shared love for Indiana University basketball.
The two recall both attending IU Bloomington in 1953, and the excitement of attending basketball games there. Both have become IU Kokomo sports fans and have supported the programs with scholarships funds, while also funding student travel programs.
When IU Kokomo announced plans to build the Student Activities and Events Center (SAEC), Lasbury and his wife, Betty, knew they wanted to support it — and that their gift should honor their friend. When the SAEC opened in fall 2020, it included a men’s basketball coach’s office named for Hunt.
“Cliff has done a lot for IU Kokomo,” Richard Lasbury said. “He was the first basketball coach, and he’s important to the campus. I’m happy we did it.”
Hunt called the honor “overwhelming and surprising,” but appreciates it.
“I have a long history at IU Kokomo, and I even took some classes there when the campus was at the Seiberling Mansion, in 1952,” he said. “I wanted to lay a base for IU Kokomo to compete in the NAIA. I think I placed a foundation for that to happen.”
Hunt coached the IU Kokomo Knights from 1981 to 1991, starting the team as a club sport, and growing it to play against other schools. The campus’s athletic programs, now branded as the Cougars, earned NAIA membership in 2013.
He hopes to see the stands packed with student fans when games can go on without COVID-19 restrictions.
“This is something IU Kokomo has needed, and I’m proud to be part of it,” Hunt said. “I could never have imagined it when I was borrowing gym space for games from elementary schools and the Armory.”
Lasbury said he drove by regularly during construction to watch progress, and is happy with the finished center.
“IU Kokomo’s growth is amazing,” he said. “It used to be just one building, and now look at it. It’s a real campus.”
Alt Text:
IU Kokomo officially dedicated the Student Activities and Events Center on May 11.
IU President Michael A. McRobbie accepts a ceremonial key to the SAEC.
Faculty, staff, students, and donors attended the ceremony.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke said the SAEC is the gathering space the campus community needed.
Cliff Hunt, (left) with Dr. Richard Lasbury (right) in the new Student Activities and Events Center.
Men’s Head Basketball Coach Eric Echelbarger, (left) shows Cliff Hunt (right) the plaque outside his office.
Page 7:
There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise
—Bosa Sebele
writer, activist, and law scholar
Integrity.
Accountability.
Empathy. Humility.
These are just a few qualities of a great leader. And many alumnae of Indiana University Kokomo exude these traits every single day.
Often times, it’s a person like Alexius Babb, who is about to complete her Ph.D. to become a counselor, so she can be a trustworthy face of a health care system to other people of color. Or it’s someone like Amanda Bagwell, who has overcome great obstacles to attain employment, and now reaches a hand back to lift others.
Brianne Boles also qualifies, as CEO of Bona Vista, where she leads one of the largest employers in Howard County, as they impact the lives of people with special abilities. And Priyanka Singh Deo heads up a team of Microsoft Engineers, in a field typically dominated by men.
Continue on to be inspired.
Alt Text:
the word "Rise" hand drawn in a script style
a series of pink and red triangles pointing up
three hand drawn dotted vertical lines
Page 8:
Equality in the workplace tops alumna’s goals
With a law degree and an impressive resume that includes a Congressional internship and recognition as one of the top law students in the country, Amanda Bagwell shouldn’t have had difficulty finding a job. Her blindness, however, complicates matters.
After a lifetime of battling for her rights, she’s taking her experience and using it to make a difference for others with disabilities.
“I want to break down stigmas on the front line,” said Bagwell, 28. “I want to be the person helping employers understand what they can do to reasonably accommodate people with disabilities, to help them reach their maximum potential.”
It's a daunting task.
According to the US. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17.9 percent of persons with a disability were employed in 2020, down from 19.3 percent in 2019. By comparison, 61.8 percent of people without a disability were employed during that same time period, down from 66.3 percent the previous year.
These numbers do not shock Bagwell, as a person who has lived this reality.
In addition to her bachelor’s degree in psychology from IU Kokomo, Bagwell graduated from the Valparaiso University School of Law in 2018, and was recognized by The National Jurist magazine as one of 20 law students nationwide who contributed the most to their law schools and communities in the previous year.
Even with these accolades, “I struggled getting a job,” she said. “I’m educated, I have experience, I have a wonderful resume.
“I know how it feels to be told, very diplomatically, ‘Well, we have other candidates,’” she continued, “I’m sure they do. They don’t understand how I can do the job. I know how that stings.”
Understanding those challenges, Bagwell has made it her life’s mission to help. She co-owns a web accessibility compliance business, and also works as a counselor for vocational rehabilitation through Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration. Her goal is to earn her law license to help write policies that make employment easier.
“Just because we have disabilities doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a life,” she said. “I want to help. I believe the best way I can do that is to help adjust existing policies, write new policies, and bring my knowledge to the table regarding regulations. Whether I’m blessed to do that in vocational rehabilitation or somewhere else, I want to serve.”
Bagwell said many times, there are small accommodations that can make a huge difference. For example, she uses a larger computer monitor. She also has a guide dog, a yellow lab named Buddington.
“Most people, I have found, once they are given the correct tools in their toolbox, can do very well,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed helping them have their basic needs met, and then watch them grow and develop, to become their own advocate for their rights, handling it professionally moving forward. It’s fulfilling to me to see they can stand on their own and move forward and be part of society.”
Bagwell sets an example for her clients, with her own persistence, tenacity, and independence.
“There’s a creative way for everything,” she said. “I’m used to doing things by myself. When my parents got sick, I would walk to the school bus by myself. I’ve cooked, cleaned, and walked home from law school. It’s all by trial and error. You have to figure out a way to do something, when push comes to shove.”
Bagwell has challenged herself since she lost her sight, shortly after her fourth birthday, due to a connective tissue disorder .
“I had to re-learn how to live,” she said. “I had to learn how to feed myself, and how to navigate my surroundings. I was already reading and writing, but then had to learn to read Braille with my hands.”
Her mother and stepfather pushed for her needs at school, but when their health struggles left them unable to do so, she had to take that job on herself at a very young age.
“When they got sick, I learned that someone had to get up and do it, and it was going to have to be me advocating for myself,” she said.
After graduating from high school, she first earned a community college degree, then enrolled at IU Kokomo. She found a welcoming environment while earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, graduating in 2015 — with her guide dog, Roscoe, accompanying her across the stage.
“It set the trend for what I should ask when I went to graduate school,” she said of her IU Kokomo experience. She was able to receive documents in an electronic format, allowing her to read them on her computer, which she was allowed to use in class for note taking. She also received extra time on tests, to accommodate for her screen reader, which was essentially talking software, to read the information.
“I got the hands-on help I needed, which allowed me to mature and grow up in a more family-based setting,” she said.
Law school was harder, because she had to push for many of the accommodations she needed. On top of the rigorous class schedule and hours of study she and her classmates had to do, she also spent countless hours scanning print textbooks into a program that read them to her, or contacting publishers to send her PDFs to scan. She took exams either in Braille or on a Word document where she could type answers — often folding the screen down so her classmates couldn’t read her answers, because of professors’ concerns.
Sarah Sarber, IU Kokomo’s chief of staff, who is also a law school graduate, talked her through career options, leading her to policy and regulation. Bagwell gained experience in that area as an intern with Congresswoman Robin Kelly in Chicago.
In her role, she drafted policies for local companies, networked, helped with programs to get children from low income families access to college, spoke with constituents, and organized educational events.
“How else can you be part of your society, unless you have knowledge?” she said. “If you don’t know what you’re advocating for when you talk to your employer, you can’t protect yourself.”
Alt Text:
Amanda Bagwell with her guide dog Buddington.
three red and pink triangles pointing up
Amanda Bagwell works in her office with guide dog Buddington close by.
the word "equality" in a hand drawn script style
Page 9:
Family drives
education journey
A conversation around her kitchen table changed Alexius Babb’s life — and the lives of her family.
Her husband, Leon, asked her if there were any goals she wanted to achieve. She wished she had finished college, and he suggested she just go back — and pointed out Indiana University Kokomo was just a few short miles from their home.
Less than 10 years after that conversation, Babb has gone well beyond her initial wish, with a Doctor of Psychology nearly completed, and a move for a job in Hawaii on the horizon.
It hasn’t come easy for any of them.
After graduating from IU Kokomo, she started her graduate program in Chicago, then moved to Tyler, Texas for her internship. She and Leon agreed they wanted their children — a son, 14, and 11-year-old twin daughters — to stay in one place until she finished school and had a job. So, he stayed in Kokomo and took on the majority of the child raising, while also earning his bachelor’s degree in Medical Imaging Technology.
“It’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifice, and a long journey,” she said. “The fact we will be reunited, and our family will be in a better position than we were before, makes it worth the sacrifice. We’re thinking of where we are generationally. When we had these discussions in our family, I don’t think anyone in our extended family could imagine that any of us would go this far.”
They all look forward to being together again in their new home in Hawaii starting in September. Alexius will do her post-doctoral training as a primary care psychologist at Hilo Hospital, where Leon will work in his new profession. They’ve already chosen schools for their children, and are working on the other logistics of such a big move. It’s a bittersweet moment, she noted, as they leave behind friends who have become family in Kokomo.
“It’s been a real good journey to what feels like a long pursuit of making things better for our family,” she said. “Just to see where we started from, and the culmination of our hard work, it’s really profound and shows where education can take you.”
While she originally planned to start a career immediately after earning her bachelor’s degree, Babb said faculty members including Rosalyn Davis, clinical associate professor of psychology, encouraged her to dream bigger, and assured her she was more than capable.
As a doctoral student, her research focuses on physician empathy, and how it impacts treatment success for Black people who manage diabetes and hypertension. She’s also considering health care discrimination and patient satisfaction, to see how those variables affect the outcome.
“These are two of the more common illnesses in the Black community that lead to overall poor health outcomes,” she said. “The relationship between the doctor and patient is very important to keep people on their treatment regimen. It’s important for physicians and other medical institutions to have this information, so they can moderate the relationships and make changes to have better outcomes.”
Her ultimate goal is improving minority health care, noting that there is long-established distrust for the medical community. As a fellow minority herself, she hopes to show that there are people within the system working to make it better.
That goal prompted her to apply for the job in Hawaii, to do her part to improve the overall health and well-being of native Hawaiians, and other minorities who live there.
“They have a very troubled legacy relationship-wise with the United States,” Babb said. “Years of generational trauma can cause a lot of trauma to the human psyche, and to overall health outcomes.”
Babb hopes that she and her husband have set an example not only for their own children, but for others in their family, about the possibilities education opens for them.
“The most important thing we hope we instill in our children is hard work and good effort, because that will help you master many things in life,” she said. “We really hope they see how hard we worked, and they would pick up that same drive, perseverance, and resiliency we have.”
CEO finds growth
through challenges
If you’re comfortable, you’re not growing.
That’s the leadership philosophy at the heart of Brianne Boles’ professional success. As Chief Executive Officer of Bona Vista, a Kokomo-based not-for-profit, she leads a team that provides services for pre-school children, and children and adults with disabilities.
“We serve, or could serve, people from birth to death, complete life wraparound services, depending on what someone needs, and where they are in their current situation,” said Boles, B.G.S. ’03, M.P.M. ’06.
“Even with 13 years at this agency, and three years in the CEO position, I challenge myself to find ways to push myself, to stretch my abilities,” she said. “We’re responsible for thousands of lives, and I’m running a company that is one of the larger employers in the city of Kokomo and Howard County. I take great pride in that.”
While her original plan was to be an elementary teacher, Boles reached back to childhood experiences, volunteering in the community with her mother, Vicki Boles, a long-time Kokomo teacher.
“Giving back to our community was in my blood,” she said. “When I decided to switch, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. I turned to what we did as volunteers, began working for the American Red Cross, and fell in love with it.”
As she figured out her career, mentors from campus all advised her, leading her to the Master of Public Management program as it was getting off the ground.
Armed with her graduate degree, Boles began her career at Bona Vista as a vice president in communication and development — with plans to continue growing into new roles. She discussed these goals with Jill Dunn, the CEO who hired her.
“I told her that I would want to grow. I had professional goals and that Kokomo was near and dear to my heart, and I would like nothing more than to grow and give back to my hometown professionally,” she recalls telling Dunn.
She began stretching herself by moving from communications into programming for the individuals served by the organization, starting out in the employment division. In that position, she helped people with disabilities secure and maintain employment.
“What I liked about it, and what I think grabbed me, was the ability to still network and meet people,” Boles said. “I like the opportunity to do something different every day in this job. Regardless of what position you are in here, it is definitely not the same thing every day.”
She found she enjoyed working more directly with Bona Vista’s clients than her previous role allowed.
“What has kept me here is I can walk into any of our buildings and see clients, and see the difference we make, and that the staff makes. That’s what’s locked me in and has kept me here 13 years later,” she said.
“For many of our persons served, we are their family. We handle everything someone would handle for their son, their daughter, their parent, like haircuts, grocery shopping, teaching grooming etiquette, and helping with daily hygiene. That is what we do every day. We develop relationships and bonds grow organically. The staff loves the persons served, and it’s hard not to. They are very, very special people.”
Having the ability to see the impact Bona Vista has is how she knows she’s grown as a leader during her career.
“It’s inspiring to work for a company that provides essential services every single day, regardless of what’s going on in our local community, let alone nationally,” she said. “I definitely have grown in the area of patience, and celebrating the small moments. It’s important to celebrate those small victories, and we have a lot of them here.”
She encourages other women to look for opportunities to serve, both personally and professionally.
“If you’re comfortable, you’re not growing, in my opinion,” she said. “Put yourself out there, challenge yourself, be open to anything that comes your way.”
Alt Text:
Alexius Babb (left) with husband Leon (top right), and daughter Jordan (center), son Joseph (middle right) and daughter Jayden (bottom right).
the word "drives" in a hand drawn script style
the word "growth" in a hand drawn script style.
Brianne Boles at Bona Vista
Early Childhood Services
two red and pink triangles pointing up
Page 10:
Grad feels ‘pride and joy’
at Microsoft
No dream is too big, if you aren’t afraid to reach for it.
That philosophy has led Priyanka Singh Deo to success in her ideal job, in a city she’s come to love as home — on the other side of the world from where she started.
“Sometimes, when you think about things, they seem impossible. But, if that’s what you want, you find a way,” said Singh Deo, M.B.A. ’14. “I’m pretty much living my dream job.”
As a project manager for Microsoft, one of the world’s largest and most successful technology companies, she currently works from her apartment overlooking downtown Seattle. She is responsible for managing a team of 21 engineers who work with start-up developers to implement their entire technical needs on the Azure cloud platform.
“This is my pride and joy at Microsoft,” she said. “At this point, I’ve helped more than 5,000 start-ups be successful. When we started Azure, I saw an opportunity to help developers adopt our program and founded Azure Consultants. It started as a pilot program, and now it’s an integral part of Microsoft and Microsoft for Start-Ups.”
It almost seems like too much for a woman who grew up in a British boarding school in India — but that background gave her the tools she needed to seek out the next opportunity.
“Moving away and starting new was instilled in me from a really young age,” she said. The experience was similar to what Americans see in the Harry Potter movies, she said, with students assigned to houses, and earning points for their house in the classroom and on the athletic fields.
“It was really wonderful,” she said. “In a sense, it taught me to be independent at a young age. I learned to make friends quickly. When you are away from home, your friends are your everything. I’ve never had to work on learning interpersonal skills, because they just came naturally from this experience.”
With that sense of independence, she left India for the very first time shortly after graduating for college in the United States. That led to her first job, working for an engineering firm in Munich, Germany. She noted that her colleagues all had advanced degrees, and knew she would need more school to achieve her career goals.
That led to IU Kokomo, where she was a graduate assistant in the Office of Student Life while earning her M.B.A. She missed the atmosphere of Munich, with its big city lifestyle and opportunities for outdoor adventures, however, and kept her eyes open for a city with a similar vibe.
She found what she was looking for on a fall break trip to Seattle, and began intentionally using LinkedIn for connecting and networking, building towards getting her foot in the door at Microsoft.
“I knew I wanted to be a program manager, so when I saw someone on LinkedIn who had that title, I would message them and say, ‘I’m in college, and I want to get to where you are. I would appreciate it if you would take some time to talk to me.”
LinkedIn is where she learned about her first job at Microsoft. Within a week of receiving a job offer she packed everything she owned into her Toyota Corolla and set off on a marathon 32-hour drive to the west coast — with no place to live lined up, but with plenty of faith in her own ability to work out the details, because she wanted it badly enough.
“I feel truly fortunate with coming this far, and finding a job I love,” she said. “I’ve worked other places where it was just a job. Now, I can wake up in the morning and start doing something that’s almost second nature. This is my passion, this is what I want to do.
“I do feel really blessed and lucky to be here.”
“Finding good mentors is really important,” she said. “They are already where you want to go, and can give you the best direction for how to get there.”
Lisa Taylor-Weaver
BS’99
Major:
Finance and Economics
Current Occupation:
Director of Engagement at The Cellular Connection. I have held several positions over my 22 years with the company including accounts receivable, accounting team lead, assistant controller, and director of administration.
What advice would you give a woman
who is starting her career?
One nugget of wisdom that I was given when I began my career after graduating was to be flexible. This still stands true today. You must be willing to be flexible with your approach to projects and people. Change is inevitable and necessary for growth and innovation. I would also encourage having a mentor. Identify someone you define as successful and ask them to lunch. We all need someone to be our cheerleader, sounding board, and shoulder to cry on when needed. Gerry Stroman, who I met as a student at IUK, was all of those things for me. I will forever cherish my mentorship and friendship with her.
Emilee Miller-Norris
BA’13, MPM ‘16
Major:
Communication, Public Management
Current Occupation:
I’m the Chief Executive Officer at Clinton County Family YMCA. I do a little of everything. It’s a nonprofit, so anyone who works in that world knows you wear many hats when you do any job there. I do strategic thinking, long-term planning, and overall long-term health of the facility.
What advice would you give a woman
who is starting her career?
I think the biggest thing is to advocate for yourself. You hear about women trying to break the glass ceiling and, really, I’ve found more that it’s women trying to make sure that they don’t shatter in these positions. It’s tough to be a woman in male-dominated fields. It’s difficult to sit in a room and be sure of yourself, speak up, and advocate for your own worth. You’re the only one that’s going to do it. Nobody is going to swoop in on your behalf and advocate. You need to be well rounded and very well prepared to have fierce conversations.
Ann Millikan
BA’59
Major:
Elementary Education
Current Occupation:
I was a first-grade teacher for 19 years at Bon Air Elementary, worked with the school to develop elementary guidance program, and the administrator for Kokomo Schools’ Title 1 program.
What advice would you give a woman
who is starting her career?
Look at all the options and take all the classes that you can take. Do everything you can to help clarify what you really want to do. It’s wise to get every opportunity you can to do any kind of job or volunteer experience in any area you think you might be interested in. Look around and see what options are available.
Faith Renken
BA’18
Major:
Humanities with minors in English and Sociology, and a concentration in Performing Arts
Current Occupation:
I’m the Assistant Director for Programing at Ball State University. I oversee the university program board where they host weekly events such as Alcohol Alternatives, which encourage students to come to programs rather than go out on a Thursday evening.
What advice would you give a woman
who is starting her career?
I would say that there’s really not going to be a direct path to where you want to be. It’ll all take time to figure out the best way to adjust and to probably fail at times, so that you can figure out the best way for you as a person to succeed and the way that you define your own success. It’s really important to enjoy the journey and to not forget to keep your cup full as well. Without having your own cup filled, it’s really hard to give your whole self to others and to even encourage others to do better.
Alt Text:
Priyanka Singh Deo at Microsoft in Seattle, WA
the words "pride & joy" in a hand drawn script style.
portrait of Lisa Taylor-Weaver
portrait of Emilee Miller-Norris
portrait of Ann Millikan
portrait of Faith Renken
grid of dotted red lines
Page 11:
Just Keep Running
Everyone can agree that this last year has been different. Everyday life has changed. The way we see each other. How we all interact with each other. How we handle our stresses.
Now more than ever, it’s extremely important to take care of our mental and physical health. My way prior to COVID was running.
Due to this pandemic, everything was closing and cancelling. All races were put to a stop and I was over halfway through a marathon training period. I would have people say, “Tyler, you run! Nothing is changing too much for you.” Well, sure. I run, but I only like running when there is a race on my calendar. And given the circumstances, there were no REAL races on the horizon. Virtual races became a big thing.
My motivation was completely drained. The crowds, all the runners lining up, the water stations, GONE. Not to be seen. Not only that; my job traveling was put to a stop AND my wife and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl during this time. My life was (and is) crazy and it felt okay to put running on the back burner. But as time went on, I could definitely tell that stress and anxiety were becoming more common in my everyday life.
About a month and a half passes into being at home and I had decided that running had to come back. It also helped that my father-in-law was running more than me (and he is good at letting me know that). So the process began of getting back into running. Wake up, get my coffee, work, and immediately after that, RUN. It doesn’t matter how far or how long, I just had to do it. And having my wife cheering me on was a definite motivator.
With races slowly coming back, it is easier to find the motivation. If you’re looking for an easy way to start running for better physical and mental health, here are some tips to get started:
1
Don’t worry about distance,
Just focus on your time.
Aim for 10 minutes. Get used to that and throw in more time once it feels natural to your body. Countless ‘Couch to 5k’ programs exist online with a simple Google search that can be helpful to beginners!
2
Put runs in your calendar.
It gives you a goal to get out the door.
3
Tell friends that you are starting to run.
They may become supportive and be a source of motivation!
4
Don’t start off sprinting!
You are trying to become a runner, not break any world records.
5
Sign up for a race. Even if it’s virtual, it will give you something to look forward to (and chances are you will get a t-shirt).
6
Push through.
Just remember, it is important to have time to decompress through these hard times. And putting yourself through a workout may be tough, but you won’t regret it after.
Alt Text:
portrait of Tyler Lucas
Tyler running while he was a student athlete at IU Kokomo
Tyler running a race with a competitor not far behind
Page 12:
Thank you to our generous 2020 donors
Seiberling Society
$5000 and Above
Anonymous
Sita Amba-Rao
Don and Gail Beaton
William and Marilyn Bersbach
Button Motors, Inc.
Robert and Deborah Christensen
Community First Bank of Indiana
Community Foundation of Howard County, Inc.
First Farmers Bank & Trust, Inc.
Randall and Esther Fishman
Michael and Judy Golitko
David Gossman
Daniel Grundmann and Julie Paris
- William and Nancy Hunt
Philip Kintzele
Richard and Betty Lasbury
Pete Rosenau and Kathleen Ligocki
Eugene and Nancy McGarvey
Mike Anderson Auto Group, Inc.
NIPSCO
Brian and Angela Shockney
Charles and Alice Simons
Jeffrey and Lisa Smeltzer
Craig and Susan Smith - Smith-Fuqua Foundation
Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union
Paul Stanley, Jr.
Jack and Pam Tharp
Elwood Haynes Society
Planned and Estate Gifts
Anonymous
Donald and C. Gail Almquist
Don and Gail Beaton
Elizabeth Tocco Billman
Robert and Betty Blossey
Robert and Deborah Chistensen
Amal and Betty Das
Kelly Goad
Marc and Tonya Goodier
Mary Ellen Harnish
Elwood Hillis
- William and Nancy Hunt
Philip Kintzele
Bill and Barbara Lambert
Richard and Shirley Lee
Kathleen Ligocki
Robert Mullen and Dianna Delgado
James Pellerite
Ruth Person
Allan Reeves
Glenn Rodgers, Jr.
Allen Safianow
Dana Scruggs
Marilyn Skinner
Jeffrey and Lisa Smeltzer
Scott Thatcher
Patricia Williams
Chancellor’s
Guild Society
$1000 - $4999
Andy and Mary Baker
Michelle Bosworth
Mary Bourke
Robert and Devra Callaghan
Mark and Lisa Canada
Karl and Cathy Clearwaters
Steven and Barbara Conner
Rosalyn Davis
Joseph Fagan and Patricia Davis
Tim and Dana Davis
Kevin and Amy Deardorff
Stuart and Teresa Devaul
Chad and Christina Downey
Jim and Janetta Duffy
Melissa Ellis
Cartwright Ellis
Frank and Margaret Faulkner
Marc and Tonya Goodier
Florence Goodyear
Mary Ellen Harnish
Devon and Deborah Hart
Douglas Eglen and Lynette Hazelbaker
Joe and Sue Hendricks
Cliff Hunt
IUK Staff Council
Kent Kauffman and Jan Halperin
Joe and Kelli Keener
John Routt and Christina Lorentson
Scott and Cheryl Maple
Tom McKinney
Midwest Sociological Society
Herbert Miller
Robert Mullen and Dianna Delgado
Sonnie Neal
Park Place Apartments
Ruth Person
Doug and Gloria Preece
Quality Plumbing & Heating
Jacob Robertson
Robert and Annette Rush
Stephen and Julie Saam
Allen Safianow
Dana Scruggs
Heidi Sebastian
John and Jennifer Sejdinaj
Jeff and Karla Stouse
Doug and Tracy Stout
Richard and Susan Szep
Flora TenBrook
Paul and Julie Wagner
Brad Wheeler
Phoenix Society
$400 - $999
Alpha Delta Kappa Tau Chapter
Eric and Laura Bain-Selbo
Bill and Tess Barker
Nicholas and Carrie Baxter
Kenneth and Stacey Bettegnies
Robert and Nancy Blue
Pat Brandstatter
David and Donna Brownfield
Bucheri McCarty & Metz
Charles Bartholomew
Bruce and Ann Cameron
Cole Family
Thomas and Lori Collins
FCA - Chrysler
Financial Center First Credit Union
William and Margot Fox
Meg Galasso
Leon and Patricia Gerber
Glenn and Nancy Grundmann
Raed Obaieda and Nisreen Hamarshah
Haynes International
Loren and Nancy Henry
Jack and Charlotte Higgins
John and Karen Holman
John and Karen Hughey
Anthony and Mary Lacobucci
J&J Electric of Indiana
Alan Krabbenhoft and Kathleen Klute
Kokomo Tribune
Bart and Rebecca Lefler
Jeff and Marie Lindskoog
Neil and Cynthia Lipken
James and Amy Lucas
Megan Mathews-Wine
Kyle McAninch
Greg and Peggy McCarty
James McIntyre
Greg and Carole Ogle
Vijaya Pendse
Kyle and Lisa Rayl
Realtors Association of Central Indiana
Ralph and Victoria Rhees
Allan and Dianne Roden
Christina Romero-Ivanova
Marsha Rush
John and Sarah Sarber
Mike Scheidler and Sharon Calhoon
Security Federal Savings Bank
Richard and Audrey Smith
Society for Values in Higher Education
Matthew and Juli Spielman
Gregory and Melinda Stanley
William and Carolyn Stifle
William and Rita Stoller
William and Carolyn Townsend
Terry and Mary Unger
Court French and Dawnya Upchurch
Dan and Cathy Valcke
Don and Deborah Zent
Become a donor today! Learn more about ways you can give at go.iu.edu/3Q8f
Page 13:
IU proud
IU loyal
IU for life
Your IU journey doesn’t end at graduation. Indiana University will always be a part of your story, no matter where life takes you.
IU is where we made lifelong friends, discovered our passions, and created lasting memories. It’s a place where many of us found ourselves.
At the IU Alumni Association, our mission is to further the future of our alma mater and keep alumni—more than 725,000 and growing—connected for life.
Join our community today!
For more information visit
alumni.iu.edu
Alt Text:
Indiana University Alumni Association Kokomo Region logo