Indiana University East reviews some of the accomplishments, celebrations and memorable moments of 2022 as students, faculty, staff and alumni look forward to the year ahead.

The campus is planning for a 2023 filled with even more student success stories, impressive faculty and staff achievements, and a deepening of our engagement with the community.

The spring semester is underway as classes began January 9.

Accomplishments and Recognition
IU East achieved an important milestone in June when it received continued accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC).

Accreditation signifies academic programs meet nationally recognized standards and students earning degrees are well prepared. Additionally, institutions that are accredited are eligible to receive federal funds for student financial aid. The multi-year process includes an extensive self-study to address HLC requirements and criteria before an accreditation team visits on-site with administrators, faculty, staff, students, and community members. IU East will next undergo an HLC comprehensive evaluation in 2031-32. IU East has been an accredited institution of higher education since 1971.

In late June, two grants were awarded to the IU East School of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Department of Mathematics through the IU Foundation Affinity Giving group, by the Black Philanthropy Circle and Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council (WPLC).

The IU East School of Nursing and Health Sciences was one of the first recipients of IU Foundation’s Black Philanthropy Circle inaugural grant. The grant funded an open house, in collaboration with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Richmond Chapter No. 3066 and Reid Community Outreach. The open house was held in August for members of Richmond’s Black community interested in learning about the undergraduate and master’s degree programs available.

IU East’s Department of Mathematics received its grant from the WPLC. The funds were used to increase completion of the online mathematics program by helping students in their first calculus course and provide scholarships for advanced students who wish to work with faculty members on undergraduate research projects.

In April, the campus announced that five faculty members had received grants for the year to work on research projects and course development. The award recipients are Kelly Blewett, assistant professor of English, the Erwin and Priscilla Boschmann Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grant; Yan Liu, assistant professor of business administration and management, a Center for Faculty Development Faculty Fellowship in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL); KT Lowe, assistant librarian for instruction, and Tanya Perkins, assistant professor of English, The Chancellor’s Community Engagement Course Development Grant; and Jaynne Rivas, assistant professor of management, Chancellor’s Community Engagement Course Development Grant.

This fall also brought an opportunity for the IU East School of Social Work to recognize students, alumni and community for their service and volunteerism efforts.

The school recognized an emerging affiliate of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Indiana in East Central Indiana with the 2021-2022 Outstanding Community Partner Award winner for an organization. The individual winner was IU East alumna, Sarah McCashland. She is the program coordinator for the Healthy Start Grant at Centerstone. She was recognized for her dedication to the School of Social Work and as a volunteer field instructor. IU East junior social work major, Faith George, was one of two scholarship winners in the state. George is from Brookville, Indiana. The Mental Health & Addictions Scholarship was established in 2021 to provide full-tuition scholarships for two students who have an interest in the field of community-based practice in mental health and addiction. The scholarship also requires dedication to service. Recipients of the award plan to pursue an M.S.W. degree to further their social work education.

Campus Improvements and Updates
New technology in the classroom was celebrated at the start of the year. In January 2022, the IU East School of Natural Science and Mathematics (NSM) received its Anatomage Table, a 3D virtual dissecting table. This table allows students to learn human anatomy by providing a life-sized display of the human body. The technology is used to help teach courses in anatomy and physiology. NSM received the table and training in January 2022 and implemented it for courses immediately for the spring semester.

In April, IU President Pamela Whitten returned for a campus visit, and the Anatomage Table was one of the new technologies she learned about while at IU East. Since Whitten was named IU’s 19th president in April 2021 by the IU Board of Trustees, she has regularly visited the Richmond campus at least once each term and for the Commencement Ceremony. During the April 2022 visit, Whitten met with a group of students over lunch in the First Bank Richmond Community Room to talk about their classroom and campus experiences. She met with faculty from NSM and the School of Nursing and Health Sciences to hear about the use of Virtual Reality and Simulation Learning Spaces in the nursing laboratory.

Throughout June and July, IU East worked to update the Graf Center. The project included new paint, carpeting, new furniture including tables and chairs, and refinishing and staining the wood on the counters, doors and window frames. Additionally, IU East updated the technology including the sound system and flatscreen monitors. Students also have access to charging docks at the tables and a free-standing charging station. IU East worked with IU Capital Planning and Facilities, Cherie Bachman, senior interior designer, Courteous Contractors, Lancer + Beebe, LLC., IU East University Information Technology Services and IU East Office of Physical Facilities.

Additionally, renovations to Tom Raper Hall classrooms 202, 204 and 227 and the Hayes Hall restrooms were completed by Ferguson Construction. IU East Office of Physical Facilities painted and carpeted the Office of Campus Life, located in Springwood Hall, including the Esports room for the team.

In the fall, IU East installed eight new pieces across the campus for the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition. The juried exhibit is now on its fourth installation. Each piece is on loan and will be on campus for two years.

Currently, IU East is upgrading the elevators in Hayes Hall. The project began December 5 and is scheduled for completion by the end of January 2023.

Celebrations, Events and Memorable Moments
Twice in 2022, IU East welcomed third grade students from Randolph County for the Promise Indiana Randolph County event, “Walk into My Future,” on May 20 and again September 30.

“Walk into My Future” is an event partnership with the Community Foundation of Randolph County, Randolph County School District and IU East. Promise Indiana Randolph County is a program geared toward supporting every student to pursue education after high school, and by making it easy to start a CollegeChoice 529 savings account for their child’s future.

During both events combined, over 400 third grade students from Randolph County elementary schools visited the campus for an all-day field trip. Third graders attend their first day of college for a day of interactive learning and hands-on discovery. The program is supported by Promise Indiana through the Indiana Youth Institute, the Indiana Education Savings Authority, and the Lilly Endowment, Inc., as a combined effort to Increase college and career readiness around the state.

Another milestone was reached during 2022, when the graduating class brought the number of IU East alumni to nearly 13,000.

The Class of 2022 received 802 diplomas during the Commencement Ceremony in May at the Richmond High School Tiernan Center. Of the degrees being conferred, 758 were bachelor’s degrees and 44 were master’s degrees.

IU East presented diplomas to the four most recent Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) professional tennis players and retired members: Cici Bellis, Marie Bouzková, Angelina Gabueva and Anna Tatishvili. These four graduates bring the total number to 19 WTA players to graduate from IU East, the WTA’s educational partner. Vicky Duval was presented with her diploma during an on campus celebration on February 10 at IU East. Duval completed her online degree, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, in December 2021 with highest distinction. There are currently 15 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) players currently enrolled at IU East through an educational agreement between the campus and the Women’s Tennis Benefits Association (WTBA).

As with graduating students, the campus also sees changes in staff and leadership.

This year, IU East is searching for its seventh chancellor with Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education Susan Sciame-Giesecke leading a committee with representatives from the faculty, staff, students and community.

Michelle Malott is the interim chancellor and was appointed to the role July 1. As interim chancellor, Malott provides leadership for the academic, student, financial, development, and administrative aspects of the campus in coordination with Indiana University administration and the other regional campuses. Chancellor Emeritus Kathy Girten retired in June after serving for nine years as IU East’s sixth chancellor. As chancellor, Girten achieved record figures for enrollment, number of baccalaureate and master’s degrees awarded, campus expansion and improvement projects and more.

Palette to Palate returned to First Bank Kuhlman Center in 2022 with an early sell out of tickets. The event was paired with a successful auction and generous sponsors, resulting in over $70,000 raised for the arts, both in the community and at IU East. The event was created through a collaboration between IU East, Richmond Art Museum and Ginger Gray Productions. The event was presented by 3Rivers Federal Credit Union. This year’s event returns to the First Bank Kuhlman Center on February 18. Details at https://tastemeetstalent.com/.

IU East joined IU to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX in June 23. IU East faculty and staff provided expertise for two-part series. Part one provided an overview of the Title IX program while part two is an overview of services provided.

Another community event celebrating women made a return following the pandemic is the Wayne County ATHENA Leadership Awards. The awards honor female leaders. Tracie Robinson received the ATHENA Leadership Award; Roxie Deer is the ATHENA Young Professional recipient; and the Girl Scouts of Wayne County Service Unit received the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award. The recipients were presented with their awards during the annual dinner held in August. ATHENA International is a women’s leadership organization that supports, develops and honors women leaders through the programs it administers. The program is facilitated locally by Wayne Bank and IU East, licensed ATHENA host organizations.

Study abroad returned after an unexpected hiatus during the pandemic. The first trip to resume the study abroad program was an inaugural trip the Guyana Shield and Amazon Rainforest over spring break week in April. Three more trips in spring and summer took students around the globe including Spain, Central Europe and India. Read about the study abroad trips and IU East’s Global Initiatives in the latest alumni magazine, Radius, at https://www.iue.edu/radius.

Gifts Supporting Students
Robin Henry of Richmond, Indiana, established an endowed scholarship with the hope of encouraging students to attend IU East and pursue a degree. The new endowed scholarship, the Henry Family Scholarship, was announced in June.

A first-generation college graduate Henry said her parents, Homer W. Henry and Patricia “Pat” Sue Wampler Henry, supported her education and career ambitions, and that they were instrumental in her success. By establishing the scholarship in the memory of her parents, Henry hopes to provide award recipients with an awareness that someone believes in them and what they can achieve when they pursue their dreams and passion.

New Programs
IU East’s School of Education is one of 10 Indiana colleges or universities to offer a new Indiana Teachers of English Learnings Licensure (I-TELL). The initiative is a partnership between the Indiana Department of Education and the University of Indianapolis’ Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning.

According to the department’s announcement in November, the initiative will fund tuition, books and material fees for current educators and bachelor’s degree holders to complete coursework leading to English as a New Language (ENL) licensure. Additionally, the initiative “will empower current educators licensed in other content areas to serve English learners as a teacher of record – the educator primarily responsible for a student’s learning. It will also provide financial support to people who choose to transition into a new career in teaching and want to be a part of serving Indiana’s more than 77,500 English learner students.” To apply or learn more, visit https://sites.google.com/uindy.edu/indianatell/.

The IU East Bachelor of Psychology online program received national recognition for its online degree program with a top ten ranking on the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Education Program rankings. The B.S. in Psychology online moved up three spots to No. 8 in the rankings revealed January 25, 2022. The IU East’s Department of Psychology hosted a special celebration in November in recognition of the ranking. The Department of Psychology is part of the IU East School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

IU East joined Indiana University and all the regional campuses to focus on accessibility to and value of higher education by removing barriers and costs, making way for more students to transition to college. In August, the application fee for all IU regional campuses was eliminated as well as parking fees and the per-credit-hour fee for Advance College Project courses for Indiana high school residents. IU East and the regional campuses are also working with high schools statewide to develop a variety of career pathways.

IU East continues to add new academic programs to its degree portfolio.

The IU East School of Business and Economics now offers an online degree in accounting which was ready for students to enroll at the start of the fall 2022 semester. The Bachelor of Science in Accounting online program offers students an engaging and flexible program to prepare for a professional position in the accounting industry. IU East is the first regional campus to offer the accounting degree online program in fall 2022. Other regional IU campuses will offer the degree beginning in fall 2023. The school also offers a B.S. in Accounting degree program, which was approved in 2021 and opened for enrollment in fall 2021.

Additionally, new online degree programs were added under the IU East School of Natural Science and Mathematics. The Bachelor of Science in Applied Statistics and a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Sciences are specialized areas within the mathematical sciences and are offered online. Both degree programs open for enrollment in courses starting the spring 2023 semester.

Red Wolves Athletics
Esports
Zavier Mills and Malachi Lohmoeller played in the 2022 NACE Starleague Collegiate Championship for Fortnite. The duo is the second team to compete in the tournament for the second year in a row. The first esports team to represent IU East in school history at the NACE Starleague Collegiate Championship for Fortnite competed on March 19, 2022. Kari Swoboda, 2022 alumna from Bloomington, and Kady Campbell, Fishers, Indiana, placed 35th in the tournament. IU East’s esports team is currently recruiting students for its third season.

Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball team finished the 2021-22 season with a 16-15 record. The Red Wolves played in the River States Conference Championship Semifinals game. Garrett Silcott and Jehu Lafeuillee were named to the RSC Second Team. Coach Mark Hester went over the 300 wins total and is 303-160 for his IU East career totals.

Women’s Basketball
Finished the 2021-22 season with a 25-8 record and a trip to the opening round of the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship. RSC Honors included Addie Brown and Kami McEldowney named to RSC First Team and Kennedy Griffin named to the Second Team. This season, Brown broke the single game scoring record on December 14 during the Red Wolves game with Olivet Nazarene University. Brown scored 42 points on Lingle Court, surpassing Tia King’s 40-point record against the University of Rio Grande set in February 2018.

During the second annual Free Throw-athon on Lingle Court the IU East women’s basketball team raised surpassed $2,000 to benefit Reid Foundation’s BRAvo!. On Valentine’s Day 2022, the IU East and West Virginia University Tech teams returned to the court after their game to shoot 100 free throws to BRAvo!, an initiative that brings awareness to the serious matter of breast cancer. BRAvo! events raise funds to provide free digital mammograms for uninsured women and financial assistance for patients in need.

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
The 2022 men’s cross country team became the first in IU East history to win the River States Conference Championship held November 5 at IU Kokomo. The RSC conference win qualified the team to participate in the NAIA Cross Country National Championships held in Tallahassee on November 18.

The women’s cross country team placed fifth at the RSC Championships held at IU Kokomo on November 8.

Cam Tiberg was selected as RSC Coach of the Year. Tucker Burris, Teagen Rodriguez, Richard Bower earned RSC First Team honors. Wyatt Beck, Chance Klipstine, Mylan Nocton, and Braden Coate were named second team. This year, Burris set the school time in the 8K at 25:23.40 during the the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge in Michigan held in October.

Men’s Golf
The men’s golf team finished second in the RSC Championships Fall Preview held in September. It was the third year in a row the team finished second at the conference tournament. The Red Wolves also competed at the NAIA Memphis Shootout held in October on the Tournament Players Club Southwind course. Jake Miller was named RSC Golfer of the Year. He also earned All-River States Conference First Team honors; River States Conference Golfer of the Week for the weeks of September 6, September 28, March 21, March 28 and May 2. Miller additionally received this year’s IU East Fall Invitational all-tournament team; medalist at the Earlham College Fall Invitational, Indiana University East Fall Invitational, Indiana University Kokomo Fall Invitational and WVU Tech Golden Bear Classic. Kyle Cochran was named to the RSC Second Team.

Women’s Golf
The Red Wolves finished third at the RSC Conference Fall Preview in October held at the Belterra Resort in Florence, Indiana. The Red Wolves completed their fall season at the Tournament Players Club Deere Run Invitational held October 18 in Silvis, Illinois. The NAIA National Championships are scheduled for TPC Deere Run Invitational on May 23-26, 2023.

Earlier in 2022, the Red Wolves women’s golf team won its first River States Conference Championship title in program history, automatically earning a spot at the NAIA Championships. The team finished first of eight conference teams to earn the trip to Oklahoma City. The Red Wolves finished 25 of 30 teams at the National Championships and did so for the first time in school history. Jo Wisecup and Brooklnn Cromwell were named to the RSC First Team while Olivia Sanders was named to the RSC Second Team. Wisecup was named IU East’s Women’s Athlete of the Year for 2021-22.

Men’s Tennis
The men’s tennis team finished second at the RSC championship after winning the regular season title. Francisco Faundez earned RSC First Team and Adrian Martinez was named to the Second Team. Moises Goncalves and Matthew Nel were named to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete teams.

Women’s Tennis
The women’s tennis team finished the season with an 11-9 record and a trip to the NAIA National Championships. The Red Wolves won the second strait RSC Conference Championship over Oakland City to advance to the NAIA National Championships held in Mobile, Alabama. Camila Cabllero and Linda Martino were named to the RSC First Team. Laura Billing, Linda Marino and Sophie Wilkinson were named to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete teams.

Track and Field
IU East men’s track and field finished as a team in fourth place in the RSC conference championship, and the women’s team finished in fifth place. Chance Klipstine qualified in the 800 meters for indoor and outdoor NAIA National Meets where he finished 17th out of 24th for outdoor nationals. The IU East track and field men’s and women’s teams welcomed a new head coach, Chris Buckler, in September 2022. Matthew Paterson was named the IU East Men’s Academic Athlete of the Year for 2021-22. He also received IU East’s top academic honor as the Naomi Osborne Scholar with the highest grade point average with the graduating Class of 2022.

Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team finished the season 10-7-3. The team played in its fourth RSC Championship Semifinals losing in a tough battle with nationally ranked University of Rio Grande on its home turf in November. RSC Honors included Goalie Peter Lamprou was named to RSC First Team RSC while Callum Coleman was named to the Second Team. Josh Hlei and Albert Yakah were named honorable mention. Tristan Thomas, Nolan Everts, Gavin Miller, Santy Elavarasu, Lamprou and Dailen Troutman earned RSC Scholar-Athlete honors.

Women’s Soccer
The women’s soccer team (7-5-8) also had a strong finish this season. The Red Wolves made their fifth straight trip to the RSC Championships held in November. In RSC Honors, Shelby O’Leary broke the IU East record for most goals in a season with 14. She was named to the RSC First Team. Tori Martino, Ava Wittrock and Kaiah Haberkorn were named to Second Team while Morgan Grudich and Grace Harris received Honorable Mentions.

Volleyball
The volleyball team finished the season with a 26-6 record, including a trip to the semifinal round of the RSC Tournament. Reece Shirley was named NAIA All-American Third Team while teammates Jessica Swimm and Teah Barrett Matthews were named Honorable Mention All-Americans. The NAIA awards were announced in December. Four Red Wolves received RSC honors. Shirley was named RSC Setter of the Year. Additionally, Shirley along with Swimm and Matthews were named to the RSC First Team while Ella Bickel was named to the Second Team.