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NEWS Vol. 1, No. 7, 2014
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DEAN’S PERSPECTIVE November is a month for remembrance and for giving thanks. It is particularly important that we remember and give thanks to members of the IUPUI family—current and former students, staff, and faculty—who have served in the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and National Guard. Veterans’ Week at IUPUI was full of events that celebrated and honored the dedication and sacrifice of veterans and military personnel and reminded us of the integral role that members of our armed forces play in helping to ensure our safety and protecting the ideals of democracy. As the wife of a Marine veteran, I am also grateful to the family members who support their loved ones in the armed forces while they are deployed, and, perhaps even more importantly, as they transition back to civilian life. I am proud that so many of our academic programs and offices that provide support services have been extremely intentional, creative, and strategic in their support of veterans—efforts which recently have resulted in IUPUI being named to the 2014 list of Military Friendly Schools by Victory Media, Inc., a veteran-owned business that publishes the annual list. As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I am also grateful for the numerous friends of University College who donate funds for IUPUI undergraduate student scholarships. This fall, one third of our undergraduate students come from homes in which they are the first generation to attend college. Many students continue to have significant levels of unmet financial need even after Pell Grants and state-specific grants, such as the 21st Century Scholars award, are received. Scholarships can help students to remain in school full time, enabling them to complete their degrees and to begin on their career paths faster than they otherwise would. Scholarships can enable students to work less off campus, to engage in a high-quality internship or research experience, or to study in a different part of the world—all of which have the potential to fundamentally transform a student’s educational experience and provide them with the opportunity to develop an array of skills that employers highly value. Scholarships and grants truly make a difference in the lives of students, as do the programs, curricula, and individualized peer mentoring and coaching that so many of my colleagues provide so well. For all of this, I am truly grateful.
KATHY E. JOHNSON, PH.D. DEAN, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
COVER BY: JEREMY PRATHER
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CONTENTS GIVE AND TAKE GIVING AFFECTS THE GIVER
04 – 07
08 –11
12 –15
16 –19
APPRECIATION FOSTERS GIVING GIVING FOR NINE AND A HALF YEARS AND COUNTING RECEIVING FOSTERS GIVING
02 - 03
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE NEW EMPLOYEES + SERVICE ANNIVERSARY
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HEART HEALTHY
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IUPUI
UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
NEWS Vol. 1, No. 7, 2014
DEAN, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE: KATHY E. JOHNSON EXECUTIVE EDITOR: HARRIETT BENNETT COPY EDITOR: LYNN TRAPP WRITERS: ARIANA CASALE, ADAM STATEN DESIGNERS: DEREK DALTON, JEREMY PRATHER PHOTOGRAPHERS: JEREMY PRATHER, ARIANA CASALE, HOPE MCGOWEN CONTRIBUTORS: CHARLES TERRY, JONATHAN LOUNDS, JASON SIBRAY, KEVIN BAIR, WINNIE WILSON
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GIVE AND TAKE BY ADAM STATEN AND ARIANA CASALE
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The end of the year is quickly approaching, which means the holidays and a season originally intended to be a time to stop and remember all we have been blessed with; a time to give others gifts to show how much we care for and appreciate them. And while the giftgiving tradition continues, the deeper meaning behind the giving is often lost, becoming heavily commercialized. So for just a few moments, we want to talk about giving and an exceptional group of givers: those who have served or are serving in our armed forces. To that end, we have featured briefly the stories of four individuals who are either selflessly giving or have selflessly given of their time and lives in the military so that others may benefit from their sacrifice and enjoy the freedoms our country affords.
PHOTO: SOLDIERS AT IUPUI VETERANS’ DAY EVENT
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Giving Affects the Giver BY ADAM STATEN
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iving of one’s time, talent, resources, or otherwise, lets the recipient know that someone cares for them and empathizes with their current situation. As much as we think of giving as assisting the person receiving the gift, the act of giving often affects the giver just as much. Charles Terry, a veteran of the Marine Corps reserves, has been on both sides of the giving equation. He understands what it means to receive and, especially, how it can affect the person doing the giving. Terry, whose interest and desire to join the military was already strong, was only strengthened in his decision to serve his country by the events of 9/11. As a result, he joined the Marine reserves right out of high school, but not without making a deal with his mother first. “I made a deal with my mom: if she would let me join the military, I would go to college. And the Marine Corps reserves allowed me to do that.” However, not long after beginning his postsecondary education, Terry and his battalion were activated, and he was off to Iraq for five months. In a foreign country, thousands of miles away from his family and friends, and far removed from all that he knew, Terry began his tour of duty as an explosives specialist. The mission he and his battalion were tasked with kept them more than busy. “Being away from family and friends was the hardest part, but I didn’t miss home to the point
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PHOTO: SERGEANT CHARLES TERRY ON DUTY.
that it drove me crazy,” said Terry. “I mean, we had a job to do, and you were with people you really cared about and trusted. Those were your friends. I actually really enjoyed my time being there.” Terry looks back on his time in Iraq, giving to his country through service in the armed forces, as a life-altering experience. He states, “If you feel like you’re struggling, and if you feel like you can’t go any further because you feel like things are too hard, just think about the things you’ve done in the past.” For those in the service, he adds, “Just think about things you’ve done in the military. Whether [you were] in the infantry, a mechanic, or on the administrative side, if you think about all of the things you’ve done, being in the military is something huge.” He continues, “[Being in the military] is something bigger than yourself, and that’s how I’ve been able to push through. I’ve been through boot camp, the school of infantry, and I’ve been through all of the crazy training. . . .I’ve been to the hottest climates in the world and the coldest climates in the world, and if I can do those things, I can get through school. I can tough it out for eight hours on the job. Things aren’t as big a deal when you’ve gone through and
experienced all of those things.” What does giving mean to Charles Terry? “Self-sacrifice for other people. It’s just sacrificing for other people, just giving back to others.”
PHOTO: CHARLES TERRY WITH GIRLFRIEND, KELLY MCFARLING
“If you feel like you’re struggling, and if you feel like you can’t go any further because you feel like things are too hard, just think about the things you’ve done in the past.”
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Apprec Fosters
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ciation s Giving BY ADAM STATEN
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ach year Americans take a day to remember and celebrate what they are thankful for in their lives, usually such things as family, friends, health, job, and the bountiful feast of food that sits before them. Thanksgiving is a time to slow down and recognize all of the blessings that have filled one’s life in the last year. For soldiers and veterans, Thanksgiving may take on a whole new dimension of thankfulness. What if you had to go months
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“Giving is an attitude, not an obligation.”
without a shower? What if you had to live in constant fear of your life with rockets and mortars flying overhead? What if you were separated even from contact with family and friends for weeks on end? Living in those circumstances would likely alter your perspective and change your priorities, which is exactly what often happens to those serving in our armed forces all over the world.
For Jonathon Lounds, an Army veteran, returning from a year-
long tour of duty in Afghanistan gave him a fresh outlook on life and on all that we, as Americans, have in this country. It made him slow down and appreciate aspects of life that most of us take for granted – the ability to easily communicate with family, the preciousness of life, and the opportunity to take showers! During his time in Afghanistan, Lounds says the most difficult
PHOTO: ARMY VETERAN JONATHAN LOUNDS
PHOTO: LOUNDS FAMILY WEDDING
part was the weeks, even months, that would pass between times of talking with family and friends. “The thing that was probably hardest for my family was that when I was out on a mission, they might not hear from me for a few weeks or a month or so,” says Lounds. “So they wouldn’t know if I was ok or what was happening. I think that not knowing when you’re going to get to talk to them again or if you will at all [was the hardest thing].” One of the biggest challenges Lounds faced, however, occurred after he was back safe and sound on American soil: reintegration into civilian life. He explains, “[In Afghanistan], I was in an area where we didn’t have running water. We wore the same
clothes for months at a time. So, you don’t really think about all of the stuff we have in this country. When you get back, you’re kind of overwhelmed with everything. You’ve got cell phone bills, and you’ve got car payments, and you’ve got all this stuff that you were never worried about before. You were just worried about surviving.” After spending nearly a year in a foreign country without a sewage system, Lounds agrees America is a blessed nation, but also knows there are still those in society that may need a helping hand.
own or at least on the same level as yours. I think it’s also trying to get to know someone. . .and just really trying to understand their perspective on things. So when you are helping them, you aren’t doing it out of charity or feeling sorry for them, but you see them as a person who is in some bad circumstances. And you realize if you faced the same circumstances, there’s a good chance you’d be in the same situation.”
“Giving is an attitude. It’s an attitude, not an obligation. I think a big part of that is putting someone else’s needs above your
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Giving for Nine and a Half Years and Counting BY ARIANA CASALE
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PHOTO: JASON SIBRAY
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he word “giving” comes from the old English word giefan, and can be used to denote a variety of nuances from simply bestowing or allotting to the weightier committing, devoting, and entrusting. For example, if you volunteer at a daycare or help at a food bank, you are allotting time to give back to the community and help make a difference. When you join the military, you are committing your life in service for your country. Jason Sibray is a 32-year-old who joined the military in 2005, making
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“Since I’ve been in the Army, I have had the opportunity to take classes, and I’ve become a good student. It was because of the insulation and the discipline.”
the choice to quit college and join the Army. Of that decision, he says, “I wanted to join the military before, but my mom freaked out.” Nine and a half years later, Sibray is still giving through service in the military. Military life presents some big challenges. Deployment is one. It is hard. It is hard to be away from family and friends. Another challenge that one might not expect is the lifestyle of the soldier. Sibray believes, “The biggest challenge is how physically and mentally demanding it is.” He feels that “these demands are easily the biggest reason” people leave the military.
Sibray has been stationed at two bases in Virginia, Fort Myer and Fort Belvoir, and one in Hawaii about which he jokingly says, “Horrible, sun every day!” In 2012, Sibray spent a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and of this time, he says there were advantages and disadvantages. The obvious disadvantage was being away from his wife and two sons. But while he was giving back overseas, his family benefitted, he believes. “While I was away, my wife was alone with our two boys, Riley and Hayden. She learned about herself. She learned that she was capable of more than she ever thought prior.” While Sibray was giving his time in the military, he also went from being a lax student to a disciplined student; his military commitment has benefitted him in the classroom. “Before
PHOTO: SIBRAY AND FAMILY
the Army,” he admits, “I was not a good student. While I’ve been in the Army, I have had the opportunity to take classes, and I’ve become a good student. It was because of the insulation and the discipline [of the military].” He felt it freed him from some of the normal distractions that a typical student might face and allowed him to better focus on his studies. According to Sibray, being a soldier is synonymous with giving —“giving sweat and blood to provide public services to those who need it.”
PHOTO: STAFF SERGEANT JASON SIBRAY
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Receiving Fosters Giving BY ARIANA CASASLE
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K
evin Bair was 19 and hesitant when he joined the Marine Corp. His specific job, Communications/ Navigation Systems Technician, required him to sign an eight-year contract, five years of which would be spent in active duty and the remaining three years on inactive duty, which is his current status. Bair had thought about attending college, but he wasn’t sure how he would pay for it. Coupled with the fact that he was unsure about a major or career choice, he made the decision to join the military. Joining the Marine Corp has allowed him to gain job and life experience as well as a clear career direction.
“Giving...time and effort.” Bair states, “I was stationed in Jacksonville, North Carolina, then deployed to Okinawa, Japan to Futenma Air Base for six months” to work on electrical components for helicopters. After three months, he was moved to an aircraft carrier for a month, then back to Futenma before returning to Jacksonville to finish the rest of his five years’ active duty service. One of the biggest challenges Bair first faced was boot camp: learning the protocols and getting used to being yelled at 24/7. Also, dealing with the possibility of not being with family and friends during the holidays was a challenge for Bair. Fortunately for him, he did get to go home every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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After he settled into his military role, Bair had positive experiences and gained soft skills which also helped him in the classroom. Paying attention to details is one in particular that he applied in the classroom to his projects, assignments, and homework. In the end, Bair is glad he joined the military and believes anyone can benefit from it with the right attitude and mindset. For Bair, giving translates to being patient and “time and effort,� and in his role, particularly when giving his time to help train new personnel.
PHOTO: KEVIN BAIR AT THE IUPUI OFFICE OF VETERANS AND MILITARY PERSONNEL.
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UNIVERSITY COLLEGE NEW EMPLOYEES ALISON BELL Director Degree Completion Office Division of Undergraduate Education
ASHLEY BURELISON Student Success Advisor (GA) Health and Life Sciences Advising Center University College
SERVICE ANNIVERSARY LYNN TRAPP Manager of Communications and Administration Office of Development, Operations, and Employee Relations Division of Undergraduate Education 10 years
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Being heart healthy is more than physical. It is also Emotional. Psychological. Intentional.
Please consider contributing to a scholarship for
Scott E. Evenbeck Emergency Fund
University College students. Many undergraduates
I38P021033 — Gifts will be used to support undergraduate
de p e n d on scholar ships to ke e p their ac a de mic
students. The recipients are students in University College
journey thriving and healthy. They are counting on the
who have demonstrated an unexpected financial hardship
generosity of donors like you to help them succeed in
during the course of an academic year in which he or she is
their pursuit of a higher education degree. Below is a list of the scholarships available to University College students to which you may contribute:
enrolled in classes at IUPUI.
Emerging Generations Scholarship I38P021025 — This scholarship is for first-generation
Yale Pratt Mentoring Fund I37P021019 — This fund supports scholarships to freshman s tu de nt s e n rolle d in U nive r sit y C olle ge w h o a re of a nontraditional age (25–35). Preference is given to recipients with an incurred handicap such as blindness, deafness, or cerebral palsy, and who are African-American.
William M. Plater and Partners
students in either their first or second year when they are first selected to receive the scholarship, have at least a 2.3 GPA, and write an essay as part of the application process. After receiving the scholarship, students must participate in Universit y College–sanctioned retention ef for ts and maintain a 2.7 GPA.
The University College Moving Forward Scholarship
Printing International Scholars I3 7P 02 10 3 5 — This fund suppor ts undergraduate s ch o la r ships . T h e s ch o la r ship w ill b e give n to IU P UI students who are studying abroad. The use of this gift will be authorized by University College for the reasonable and customary requirements of authorized expenditures.
I32P021119 — This scholarship is open only to University College students in good academic standing (cumulative GPA above 2.0) with 12–48 credit hours earned by the end of the spring semester at IUPUI. Each applicant must submit a letter of recommendation, transcript, and completion of the essay question (describe a substantial problem or adversity you have overcome).
Please consider helping a University College student today! Giving is available through the University College donor website: http://uc.iupui.edu/Donors.aspx The Indiana University Foundation solicits tax-deductible private contributions for the benefit of Indiana University and is registered to solicit charitable contributions in all states requiring registration. For our full disclosure statement, see http://go.iu.edu/89n. Healthy Heart = Giving Heart = Happy Heart
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