Senior Academy Newsletter - Message #44

CELEBRATE!

Senior Academy is celebrating its 30^th year in 2023-2024, and we are partying all year!

• First, William Plater, Executive Vice Chancellor Emeritus, started off the celebratory year at the Senior Academy Annual Meeting in June.
• Next, our gala 30^th Anniversary Celebration is slated for Thursday, October 5, from 2 to 4 pm in the Campus Center, CE 450. Parking will be provided in the Campus Center Garage.
• Watch for special interest programs throughout the fall and spring which will commemorate the 30 years of SA contributions to campus, including a walking tour of campus on October 9.
• The Senior Academy boardroom in the Student Center will be updated with new photos representing the historical and current activities of the Academy.
• The 2023 Bepko Medallion will be awarded at the October 5 Celebration, and all former Medallion Winners will be recognized.

DEADLINE EXTENDED!

30^th Anniversary Video Tribute – All Senior Academy members are invited to participate in a video tribute marking the 30^th anniversary of the organization. Please add your voice! Record a short message by August 15 (new deadline), and we will compile the messages into one longer video to be shown at the 30^th Anniversary Celebration in October. Easy instructions and two examples are on the website.

If you find the technology intimidating, please contact Francia Kissel (ude[dot]iupui[at]lessikf) or Sarah Baker (ude[dot]iupui[at]2rekabss) and we will record you over Zoom.

NEW OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR CURRENT FACULTY

LIFT Mentoring Circles Program - Senior Academy members are sought who would enjoy serving as facilitators in the peer-mentoring program called LIFT (Leading and Inspiring Faculty Together). Facilitators are responsible for meeting with a small group of current faculty and helping them to find resources. This role involves a time commitment of 3 – 4 hours per month, from September to April. Contact Sherry Queener (ude[dot]iupui[at]seneeuq) to volunteer or to get more information.

SUMMER INTEREST GROUP EVENTS:

Walking Group – Join the Walking Group on Wednesday, August 2, at 9:30 a.m. on an outside / inside walking tour through the Indianapolis Art Center grounds and exhibition area. Leader Gabrielle Bovenzi says the walk will be followed with an optional additional mile on the Monon Trail (and perhaps a stop for ice cream). Register for the walk.

String Theory – String Theory meets August 8 and September 12  from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Click on the date for each session to register. You must register to get location details.

Book Club – The Senior Academy Book Club starts again on August 16 with discussion of Olga Tokarczuk’s Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead. The Chicago Tribune calls the book, “A brilliant literary murder mystery.” Can’t wait? Start reading now, and register to attend the Zoom session from 11 a.m. to noon on August 16. 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS NEEDED

Senior Academy committees perform some of the most important work of the organization. We are looking for volunteers who can devote a few hours of their time each month to help with these worthwhile activities. Please email SA President Becky Porter (ude[dot]iupui[at]retropr) to volunteer. Members serve a one-year term, with activities starting in the fall. Here are some committees that could use your time and skills:

• Bepko Community Medallion Committee – If you have been a champion of community engagement, this committee is for you. The Bepko Medallion honors a person who has made an extensive and ongoing commitment to community engagement. A campus committee selects the nominee, but members of this SA committee oversee the process and help to plan the award presentation.
• Spirit and Place Committee – If you are a creative type, you may like to serve on this committee. The Spirit and Place Committee dreams up an inspiring program session for the Spirit and Place Festival each November, submits an application to the organizers, and assists to carry out the program, if their idea is selected.
• Finance Committee – Number-crunchers, this committee is for you! The Finance Committee works with the SA Treasurer to propose a budget. The committee oversees an audit of the financial records every other year. The time commitment is minimal.
  

Good Times through the Years – Senior Academy has sponsored a variety of trips to Indiana and Midwest locations over the years, an activity that stopped with the pandemic. The SA board is investigating re-starting local trips. Anyone interested in helping? Contact SA President Becky Porter (ude[dot]iupui[at]retropr) to express interest. Below are some snapshots from SA trips.

For questions and comments, contact us at ude[dot]iupui[at]ymedacas.