The Magazine of the University of Indianapolis Fall 2012 Swimming to London UIndy swimmer Dalton Herendeen earned a berth in September’s Paralympic Games in London. Also: Major Emerson Barker’s plane was lost in 1943. He was honored in a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery—68 years later. WWW.UINDY.EDU 1 Portico Table of Contents 4 6 18 22 President’s forum A chat with Arts at UIndy: A very different sort Dr. Rob Manuel, ninth President Manuel too good to miss of service trip president of the University The University’s president Central Indiana residents, It’s not unusual for UIndy of Indianapolis, began his explains what drew him to admit it: every year you students to devote time to tenure in July. Here’s his UIndy, how the institution consider the incredible service. It’s not unusual for official “hello.” will continue to be relevant variety of cultural events them to travel to Athens, the in the face of today’s chal- on campus and resolve site of a UIndy campus. A 5 lenges, and the mission of a to take advantage of the trip that serves both Afghan 21st-century university. opportunities. Here are a refugees and wounded Civic leadership few highlights of what’s on turtles—now that’s unusual. institute gaining tap. Make this the year! broad support 10 Two major gifts announced Scholarly pursuits 24 recently, from the Lilly Our faculty are, as always, 20 Slam! Endowment and the furiously researching, Making a splash Adam Henze is a master of Fairbanks Foundation, writing, reporting, leading, A good many of us spent the slam. Slam poetry, that mean another $2.5 million and teaching. Here’s a small half of August riveted to is. He’s performed in more of funding for the Institute sample of their activities. our TV sets, soaking up than 100 such events around for Civic Leadership & Also, several new academic Olympic Games action. the country. And now he’s Mayoral Archives. programs debut this fall. Here’s one Greyhound from bringing his skills (and a the UIndy swim team who’s master’s degree in teaching) not content to watch. to bear as a UIndy prof. On the cover UIndy sophomore freestyle/backstroke swimmer Dalton Herendeen, whose lower left leg was amputated for medical reasons when he was an infant, secured a spot on the U.S. men’s team at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Page 20. 2 PORTICO FALL 2012 It’s never too late: Alumni Association full military honors Board of Directors accorded WWII pilot 2012–13 Major Emerson Barker’s Stephen Arthur ’76 Amy Johnson Burton ’94, plane disappeared from the President-Elect skies over Guadalcanal on Wendy Walker Grant ’96 a training run one day in Nikki Grotenhuis Reed ’07 June 1944, and no trace was Andy Hammond ’06 ever found of either plane Tim Harris ’02 or crew. Almost exactly 68 Dawn Hay ’10 years later, the 1941 Indiana Kent Holaday ’92 Central graduate’s sacrifice Philip Jackson ’94 was remembered in a moving Fenrick James ’04 ceremony at Arlington Mike Kenworthy ’09 National Cemetery. Page 26. Wendy Pitts Knapp ’00 Clance LaTurner ’01 David Myers ’95 Juan Paz ’95 ’96 ’99, President Anita Kolkmeier Samuel ’98 Ryan Scott ’01 Greg Seiter ’89 Tom Shively ’01 Michael Shurn ’71 Mike Solari ’07 Amber Harrison Stearns ’95 Mary Massing Sturm ’84 ’90 Mary Surma ’13, Student Alumni Association President 26 32 Kelly Thompson ’02 Student. Hero. Homecoming 2012 Nick Williams ’10 Emerson Barker ’41 was It’s Saturday, October 6! The magazine of the a typical college student, And be sure to contribute University of Indianapolis singing in the glee club, your story to the Alumni Nondiscriminatory R. Peter Noot ’77 ’84, Editor peeling potatoes in the History Project. Because Policies & Director, Publications dining hall. Three short your story is our story! The University of Indianapolis years later, he was a decor- Jeannine Allen ’10 does not discriminate on ated Army Air Force pilot. 34 Art Director the basis of race, color, Conversations Jennifer L. Huber ’07 gender, age, religion, ethnic or national origin, marital 28 Mengjie Du ’12, who came Asst. Director, Publications status, sexual orientation, or Greyhound update to UIndy from China, chats Natalie Cummings gender identity and expression UIndy Athletics earns a about her experience here. Director, Alumni Relations irrespective of whether the fifth-place showing in the Plus, the daughter of alumni Alison Hernandez ’09 status is legally protected. The Directors Cup and scores a parents recognizes the Asst. Director, Alumni Relations University complies with the conference All-Sports crown. motivation for their support Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and of the University. Mary Atteberry ’07 Exec. Director, Communications the Americans with Disabilities 30 Act. This policy applies to Scott Hall Alumni news 36 applicants and employees and Director, Media Relations Meet the new assistant Class notes to all aspects of employment. director of alumni relations, News of your fellow alumni. Jenny Pettit ’11 and participate in the And (p. 42) a glimpse of Brittney Gilsdorf ’13 alumni directory project. UIndy by the numbers. Ashley Keihn ’13 Please send correspondence Hannah Greig ’16 and address changes to the Contributors, Class Notes Office of Alumni Relations, [email protected]. WWW.UINDY.EDU 3 President’s forum UIndy as a national model of comprehensive education Hello, UIndy alumni! It is a great honor to have been chosen to serve as ninth president of the University of Indianapolis. With every campus meeting I have, I am more aware of how the University has been growing in terms of both numbers and impact. I want to thank Dr. Beverley Pitts for her leadership over the past seven years. The quality of our faculty, the passion of our students, and the engagement with our community make our University a unique place to live and study. The traditions of service, academic excellence, and student-faculty engagement—the bedrock of our work at the University—are inspirational to me. And we have so many examples of how we live out those traditions. We’ve named our first Distinguished Professor of Service Learning, and faculty in both education and music have recently earned statewide teaching awards. The School of Occupational Therapy just celebrated a quarter-century of operations. We are putting the finishing touches on a new residence facility, Roberts Hall, as well as the Athletics & Recreation Center. A number of new degree programs will launch this year to meet community needs—a doctor of nursing degree and Indiana’s only Neonatal Nurse Practitioner master’s degree; a master’s degree in Strategic Leadership and Design offered by our School for Adult Learning; and a master’s in Sport Management offered by our Kinesiology Department. The Krannert School of Physical Therapy has tripled the size of its Movement Science Lab, which greatly enhances research capabilities. The Art & Design Department and the School of Business are the most recent to earn the reaffirmation of accrediting agencies. We were granted $2 million from the Lilly Endowment toward our work on the Institute for Civic Leadership & Mayoral Archives. And soon we will welcome, in terms of their average GPA and cumulative college-preparatory background, the best-prepared class of freshmen ever to grace our campus. Truly, our past milestones, both recent and distant, are literally too numerous to mention. But it is our work to meet the challenges in the upcoming decade that will define us. More than ever, UIndy is needed to engage our community, to rally our students, faculty, and alumni around the creation of new academic experiences that recognize the value in tradition, mission, and academic rigor, and connect it to the productivity required of our professional communities. It is my hope that you will join me in our work, help me understand the enduring values that we must maintain in our community, and make UIndy a national model of comprehensive education. I look forward to meeting you—see you at Homecoming! Rob Manuel, President 4 PORTICO FALL 2012 of comprehensive education Civic leadership institute gaining broad support Lilly Endowment, Fairbanks Foundation contribute to city archive project Major philanthropic organizations are getting behind In the coming years, UIndy hopes to acquire additional UIndy’s plan to establish an Institute for Civic Leadership mayoral papers as well as materials from other entities that & Mayoral Archives and make Indianapolis a global case have been instrumental in the city’s ongoing progress. study in urban revitalization. “Lilly Endowment, which shares the University’s interest A $2-million grant this summer from Lilly Endowment in the development of Indianapolis, is pleased to support this Inc. is the largest single contribution to date in the project,” said Sara B. Cobb, the Endowment’s vice president University’s $7.5-million capital campaign for the institute. for education. In April, UIndy announced a $500,000 grant from the “The Endowment believes that the institute’s Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. programming and research will enhance the University’s The institute is being built upon the four-decade reputation and garner regional and national recognition for collection of city government archives entrusted to the Indianapolis. We are also pleased that the institute will offer University by former Indianapolis mayors Richard Lugar, opportunities for shared programming and collaboration with William Hudnut, Stephen Goldsmith, and Bart Peterson, other Indiana colleges and universities.” all of whom have served on UIndy’s Board of Trustees. The Fairbanks Foundation’s grant is specifically intended The vast collection includes documents, images, to endow an annual Richard M. Fairbanks Symposium on recordings, and other materials from an era of innovative Civic Leadership, to be hosted by the institute.