IUPUC Home

Unsubscribe

Dwelling Wooden Crane and Silent Bell		Two new sculptures installed at University Park Two new pieces have been added to the Duke Energy Sculpture Garden at IUPUC University Park. Both works were designed for the space by students of the IU Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis, joining three sculptures by Herron faculty and two by local artists. The Sculpture Garden is now home to seven pieces, most on two-year loans to the university. Each fall, Herron students submit proposals and models of sculptures for University Park as part of their coursework. Rob Zinkan, IUPUC assistant dean for advancement, said, "This is a wonderful way for us to engage students, faculty, and our community. We’re building an interactive portfolio that showcases student talent while creating a more intimate and welcoming campus." Dwelling, by Alexander Peace, uses formal geometry to visually activate the surrounding landscape, while the 19 birdhouses designed specifically to attract house finches engage local wildlife. These birds live communally and are often closely associated with human habitation. Finches display extreme color variation, ranging from pale yellow to bright red, depending on the amount of pigment in the bird’s diet. At 17 feet tall, Dwelling is an ever changing bridge between art and nature. Wooden Crane and Silent Bell, by Joe Thompson, is an upright structure that represents a wooden crane, comparable to a steam engine crane built at the turn of the twentieth century – or much like a modern construction crane (winch), which erects buildings and builds bridges. The construction methods of the crane refer to a time in history when everything was built solely by man, not machine. The crane’s purpose is to support a four-foot tall cast aluminum bell. The bell is isolated in space, hanging in limbo, out of reach from some unknown third party. This bell remains silent, unable to be rung, only to sit in silence, waiting. Click here for photos and descriptions of each work in University Park...

Dr. Judy Spector		New Liberal Arts head named Judith Spector, Ph.D., has been appointed head of the Division of Liberal Arts at IUPUC. Spector has taught at IUPUC since 1977 and is a professor of English. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan and earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees from Indiana University.

Dr. Doug Gardner		History faculty member receives national endowment Douglas G. Gardner, Ph.D., has been selected to participate in a National Endowment for the Humanities Institute for College and University Teachers focused on "African-American History as Public History: South Carolina as a Case Study." Gardner, lecturer in history and coordinator of the history program in IUPUC’s Division of Liberal Arts, was one of 24 educators and scholars from across the country selected to participate. The four-week institute will be held at the University of South Carolina. Gardner has been with IUPUC since 2001. He earned his bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University, his master’s degree from Duke University, and his doctorate from Miami University (Ohio).

		New Alumni Association board members Five new IUPUC Alumni Association board members recently began their terms. Michelle Boesken (Blue & Co.), Chris Reading (Cummins Inc.), Jodi Stuehrenberg (BCSC), Laura Waelbroeck (Cummins Inc.), and Laura Lee Wetzel (IUPUC) officially began service on July 1. Tom Janke (Columbus Regional Hospital) also began his term as board president, succeeding Mary Ann Nunn (Larry E. Nunn & Associates).

		IUPUC/PCOT/CTL host many This summer has been busy for the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). It recently hosted 38 children in grades 3-6 attending a four-day Science & Technology Camp organized by IUPUC, Purdue College of Technology (PCOT), and the CTL. IUPUC, PCOT, and the CTL also welcomed 25 K-6 science teachers participating in a week-long professional development camp. Twenty-eight K-6 literacy mentors worked with a national presenter and author for two days to learn how to enhance elementary reading/writing curriculum. Also, 41 K-12 educators gained insight and strategies to better support students with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Finally, 15 educators completed an eight-day graduate course to learn ways to embed and promote financial literacy in the K-12 curriculum.

		IUPUC donates to BCSC IUPUC recently donated enough furniture and electronics to Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation to furnish at least two classrooms. Items included student desks, computer workstations, chairs, tables, audio/visual components, and almost 50 desktop computers and monitors. BCSC will use the equipment for its C4 program, which now serves 12 high schools in south central Indiana.

Shanila and Yasir Bhatty		An IUPUC Family Affair: Couple grows closer through MBA program Some might think the challenges of earning MBA degrees would distance a couple. It has done the opposite for Yasir and Shanila Bhatty. "I think I’ve gotten to know a side of him I never would have had we not been going through this together," Shanila said. The Bhattys have been married a few years and both knew they would pursue their MBA degrees eventually. Shanila determined she wanted to start the IU MBA Columbus program in the fall of 2006. "The MBA just kept coming into my mind," said Shanila, whose undergraduate education is in engineering. "Let’s just do it together," Yasir recalls. Both are in the 2009 cohort and both work at Cummins. Yasir is a systems test engineer for Cummins’ heavy duty current products, and Shanila is a senior engineer in the controls department for midrange engineering, specifically Chrysler products. "Shanila has a very positive influence on my studies," said Yasir, who admits that Shanila studies more than he does. "There is always a motivation and seeing one study naturally sparks the other to study as well. We talk through assignments, give each other feedback and encourage each other." Pursuing a master’s degree together hasn’t always been easy for them, though. Yasir recalls when the couple decided to team up for a project during their first semester. He said their differing personalities made it challenging to agree on things, but they still had a fun time completing the project together. They have agreed they will both benefit from the MBA program more if they don’t work on projects together anymore. "We used to sit together in Dr. (Georgia) Miller’s class," Yasir said. "Now we don’t sit together ever," Shanila added, joking they often sit on opposite sides of the classroom. In their first semester, the couple gave up some of their routine activities like working out at the gym and cooking meals. But like so many college students, they’ve now struck a balance between their studies and their other responsibilities. "There’s a time to clean the house. A time to do homework. A time to go see a movie," Shanila explained. Creating routines and schedules hasn’t just allowed them to bring back some of the things they initially gave up; it has brought them closer, too. With the exception of teaming up in class, "We’re kind of doing everything together," Shanila said. "I think it really, really helps." "It’s definitely a blessing to go to school with my wife because of the support system," Yasir added. "Sometimes it feels rough and difficult, but we do pull each other through." With one year down and two years of hard work ahead of them, they have already begun to realize the benefits of their education. "We’re already applying some of the things we’ve learned," Shanila said. "I’ve started to look at Cummins in a different way." The local availability of the MBA program made the decision easier for them to pursue this together. "It’s really, really convenient," Shanila said. "I couldn’t imagine the distance of going elsewhere. With our work being so demanding, I think the fact it’s at IUPUC makes it much easier." "The faculty is understanding, too. The program’s support for full-time employees is immense," she added. "This encourages students with busy lives to pursue their MBA degree without giving up their personal lives." Looking ahead at several more semesters of hard work, the couple is optimistic because of the professional and personal growth they have already seen in each other. "We’re going to get something really good out of this," Shanila said.

Rhonda Palmer and Teresa Miller		BSN mission trips serve Ivory Coast, El Salvador Two graduates of IUPUC’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program are going on medical mission trips – one to Africa and one to Central America. Rhonda Palmer and Teresa Miller were among the first 11 graduates to earn their BSNs from IUPUC in May. Both nurses have experience on mission trips, and both decided to practice their new skills through additional volunteer service this summer. Rhonda and her husband, Steve, will establish a new healthcare clinic on the Ivory Coast of Africa in July. It will be the only clinic within a two-hour radius and will create jobs for a number of nurses who fled the area during civil unrest the past few years. The couple has a long history of service on the continent, spending a decade at another clinic there throughout most of the 1990s. The Palmers returned to Indiana in 2002, long enough for Rhonda to earn her LPN and BSN. Rhonda, also a registered nurse, has worked at Columbus Behavioral Center for two years and plans on pursuing a master’s degree in child and adolescent mental health in the fall. She and her husband will return to Africa in January, running the new clinic for about six months. Rhonda plans on completing the master’s program in 2010, after which she and her husband will spend alternate years here and in Africa. Rhonda credits IUPUC’s BSN program with giving her the increased confidence and leadership skills needed to establish and run the clinic. Teresa left in June for a mission trip to El Salvador in Central America. Teresa was hired as a critical care nurse at Community Hospital South in Greenwood after graduating from IUPUC this year, and she is considering pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). She and her oldest daughter went on a general church mission trip to Mexico about five years ago, and she has wanted to go on a medical mission trip ever since. The team of 20 on the El Salvador trip included a physician, pharmacist, optometrist, and dentist; Teresa was the only nurse. She also has plans to help out in Mexico and hopes to go on future mission trips with other members of her family. Teresa said the experiences are eye-opening and remind her how valuable her education is – and how fortunate she and her family are.

		Upcoming IUPUC Events Discover IUPUC Program for prospective non-traditional students to learn more about IUPUC. July 28, 10 a.m. – Noon IUPUC, Learning Center More information: 812-348-7311 Kappa Delta Pi (IUPUC chapter) 2nd Annual Golf Scramble This outing helps fund scholarships and raises money for the annual K-6 book event sponsored by the Division of Education. Saturday, August 18, 2 p.m. Walnut Ridge Golf Course $40 per person/$160 per team (Includes cookout and prizes!) More information: Todd Wetherald, KDP president, at 812-371-7380