Terry Wiesehan likes to say that the sun never sets on Indiana University alumni chapters.

That’s because they range around the world, says IU East’s director of Alumni Relations and Campus Ceremonies.

Until recently, the East Region had two chapters — one serving IU East and the other serving graduates from all nine campuses that make up the IU system.

Now, the chapter of that double-duty history lesson has closed and another one has opened. Put the emphasis on one — as in the IU Alumni Association East Region.

The marriage of the IU East Alumni Association and the East Central Indiana Chapter IU Alumni Association is welcomed because it creates more clarity, more clout and more synergy, say board members who carried over in leadership roles.

“It made sense to combine those. It was confusing. There was a lot of duplication,” says Richmond optometrist Jerry Logan, who has served on a variety of IU boards for five decades.

He is secretary of the new board and Bill Kehlenbrink is the newly installed president.

“It gives us more prominence in the state,” Kehlenbrink believes. “Being part of a larger (chapter), gives us more clarity and outreach.”

The longtime issue of duality stems from the fact that Indiana University is made up of the main campus at Bloomington and eight regional campuses. They are separate, but equal.

“We are all one IU. We are all family,” Wiesehan said. “The diploma is the same regardless of what campus you come from.”

Kehlenbrink graduated from IU East in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in General Studies. He also attended IU Bloomington.

Logan earned his Bachelor of Science in Optometry in 1967 and his Doctorate of Optometry in 1969, in Bloomington.

The overall object of the new alumni chapter is to advocate for IU East and Indiana University.

Before the merger, one chapter served just IU East alumni and one served any alumni around the region who graduated with an IU degree.

Now, the single chapter serves alumni who attended any of the campuses and are residents of Fayette, Henry, Randolph, Union and Wayne County counties. It also serves graduates from western Ohio.

“Not every regional campus has joined with the alumni chapter in their area but we feel for us and our alumni it has been a win-win decision,” Logan said.

The merger officially took place in 2020, but there were considerable growing pains. The first combined board meeting was scheduled to take place the first week of March. “You know what happened then,” Wiesehan said.

The effects of COVID-19 changed everything on a campus known for its togetherness, its family feeling. Just as students and staff were forced to do, the new board met for almost a year and a half on Zoom.

“COVID really separated us, isolated us,” says Kehlenbrink, who is a clinical system analyst at Reid Health, where he has been employed for 35 years.

This July’s meeting of the new board was the first conducted in person.

The campus is opening up and returning to more normal operations, as are efforts to physically connect with alumni.

“We tried to be real creative, but it still wasn’t the same,” Wiesehan said. “It’s hard to engage alumni on Zoom.”

In fact, the IU East experience is about community, about connectedness, about keeping costs more affordable. Students, teachers and staff are known for being especially close.

“IU East is a family,” Wiesehan said.

Graduates cite those attributes time after time for their successes.

Kehlenbrink certainly does.

“It is a very personal campus. Several professors became good friends with me; mentors launched me toward areas of interest. It formed who I am today as an adult,” Kehlenbrink said.

He is also thrilled that he finished at IU East because of flexibility and lower costs, something that remains a strong feature for students and prospective students. “I could work full time and go part time,” he said. “I could pay as I went. I had no doubt it was a great place for me.”

While attending IU East, he served as president of the activities board and started the first intramural basketball program. “I’ve always had an investment in this university,” he said. “I am excited to do all I can to support it and this town.”

He is excited to see what positive effects will come from the merger.

The alumni association sponsors a host of activities. Many are related to community service projects and others are designed to connect with alumni and reach prospective students.

Wiesehan serves as board treasurer and always has her eyes on recruiting new alumni leaders who can advocate for IU.

“I ask people if they know someone, vet them and ask them,” Wiesehan said. “The first object is representing IU well and being willing to work. I don’t know a single alum who doesn’t want to do something.”

The East Region Chapter is steered by the mission to serve IU, its alumni, friends and communities by providing opportunities to meaningfully connect with their alma mater to help elevate Indiana University, Indiana University East and the East Region.

In addition to the four campaigns set by the corporate IU Alumni Association: promoting the IU Trustee’s Election, welcoming new members, participating in the annual IU Day Celebration, and providing scholarship to IU students, the East Region facilitates various local programs such as:

• Adulting 101: For young professionals, presented by alumni
• IU Cares: Community Service Projects
• Destination IU – Welcoming incoming freshman to the IU System
• Scholarship Dinner-Celebrating the recipients of the Alumni Scholarships
• Run with the Wolves 5K – funding the Alumni Scholarship Endowment
• Lifetime Member Event- Promoting camaraderie
• IU Day with local Kiwanis – presenting an IU Speaker
• Read Across America – Celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday in local Elementary Schools

Sarah Soper rotated off the board after serving as the last president of the East Central Indiana chapter and first president of the new regional chapter. She was thrilled to see the merger. “Our two boards have a robust history of working together to provide quality IU events on the local stage,” she said in a press release. “This formal unification will allow us to more holistically meet the needs of and serve all alumni in the region.”

Soper received a Bachelor of Arts from IU Bloomington in 2002 and her Master of Science at IU East in 2013.

The board fluctuates from about 12 to 15 members that offer a mix of educational and community backgrounds.

The board’s vice president, Lorin Williams, is a Reid Health marketing specialist who earned his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 2010 at IU Bloomington.

Other current board members show a diversity of ages and employment backgrounds:

• Corey Baker received a Bachelor of Science in Education from the Bloomington campus in 2012. He is an agent for Farm Bureau Insurance.
• Elise Beatty, O.D., earned her optometry degrees in 1999 and 2002. She works at Eye Center of Richmond.
• Tiani Christian, Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies at IU East 2021. She is the co-owner, associate broker for Richmond Community Real Estate.
• Travis Cornett, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration 2007 at IU East, is a compliance officer at Citizen State Bank.
• Alfredo Diamond, Bachelor of Science in General Studies 2005 at IU East, is a realtor in Richmond.
• Erin Harris, Bachelor of Science in Nursing 2005 and Master of Science in Nursing in 2020 at IU East, is a nurse practitioner at Reid Health Urgent Care.
• Jim Low, Bachelor of Science in Business Logistics 1982 at IU Bloomington, works in dispatch and customer service for Ernst Concrete.
• Ethan Snapp, Bachelor of Science Business Administration 2019 at IU East, works for 3 Rivers Federal Credit Union.