CLOCKTOWER MINUTES
What's happening around campus?
Jim Morris Inducted Into Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Jim Morris, the first athletic director at Indiana University Southeast and men’s basketball coach from 1975–1999, was posthumously inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Men’s Class of 2024 on March 20, 2024.
Morris attended Notre Dame in 1953–54 where he played basketball and baseball and was named to the Dean’s List. Morris graduated from Bellarmine in 1957 with a bachelors in English, where he earned three letters in basketball and three in baseball and was named All-Conference and Co-Captain his senior year. He later graduated from Indiana University with a master's in education in 1966 and went on to coach high school and college basketball (Oscar Rose Jr College and IU Southeast), earning over 470 wins as a college coach and 310 as a high school coach.
Morris retired from IU Southeast in 1999 as the men’s basketball program’s winningest head coach. He held that title until current head coach Wiley Brown set the new record with his 279th win on Feb. 8, 2020. Morris was awarded the Chancellor’s Medallion for his service to IU Southeast in 2010 and the Indiana University Bicentennial Medal in 2020. He was also awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash, the State of Indiana’s highest honor.
Morris died in June 2023. Interim Director of Athletics Amanda Dailey-Weaver said “Jim’s leadership and passion for [the athletic] department has helped it grow into what it is today. There would not be an IU Southeast athletic department without his hard work and passion for this University and the community.”
IU Southeast baseball standout now part of Chicago Cubs organization
IU Southeast 2022 graduate Marco Romero’s exceptional baseball skills have led him to a career in player development with the Chicago Cubs organization.
A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Romero escaped political unrest as a child. As a youth playing baseball, former IU Southeast baseball coach Ben Reel saw Romero’s potential and recruited him out of Oakton College in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Romero played in 139 IU Southeast games, had 15 home runs with the Grenadiers and helped them go 109-32 from 2020–22 with a trip to the 2021 NAIA World Series. He graduated from IU Southeast with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Entrepreneurship.
Romero was hired in the summer of 2022 by the Houston Astros as a hitting coach apprentice at their West Palm Beach, Florida, complex. In December 2022, Romero went to work as a player developer for the Chicago Cubs organization, and in 2023 he helped the Double-A Tennessee Smokies on both the hitting and pitching sides.
His time spent at IU Southeast helped Romero to shape his coaching philosophy.
“I think IUS made me realize I wanted to be a coach because I found myself consistently helping some of my teammates with their swing mechanics or just talking about swings/baseball very often,” Romero said.
In 2024, Romero could be placed as an assistant hitting coach with either the High-A South Bend (Ind.) Cubs or Low-A Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Pelicans. However, those assignments have not yet been announced and are yet to be determined.
Area entrepreneurs earn seed money, experience at pitch contest
Eight local entrepreneurs competed for seed money, space at Novaparke Innovation & Technology Campus, membership to Maker 13, and scholarships to Indiana University Southeast at the inaugural Next Big Thing Pitch Contest.
The event was sponsored by the university and the IU Southeast School of Business, along with the Indiana Small Business Development Center, Novaparke Innovation & Technology Campus, Maker 13, The Main Street organizations, and Floyd County Library.
The Community Fast Pitch finalists had each identified a problem to solve or customer need, executed market research, and had a rough business plan, but hadn’t identified or finalized a minimum viable product or service to offer. Pitches included in-home art kits, addiction recovery services, cleaning solutions, and packaging and shipping solutions.
Competitors also received advice from Chris Gilbert, owner, founder, and president of Security Pros, LLC. “You’ll need space to fail safely and people to support you in your journey,” said Gilbert.
Community Pitch Tank finalists had a completed business plan and had identified a specific minimum viable product or service to offer. Products and business concepts pitched included an autobody repair tool, a healthy option bakery, a veterinary records-sharing service, and an online educational platform to teach entrepreneurship.
“The Next Big Thing Pitch was a great experience, and the presentations showed the quality of entrepreneurs in the region,” said Don Lopp. “We are very excited to be housing two ventures – VetNexus and Craftech at Novaparke as inaugural winners of the Next Big Thing and look forward to assisting them in their entrepreneurial journey.”
IU Southeast School of Business holding office hours at Novaparke
The IU Southeast School of Business is holding office hours at Novaparke Innovation and Technology Campus to provide resources and assistance to area students and entrepreneurs.
“Our primary objectives in working with Novaparke are to engage entrepreneurs, provide students with access to resources to further their academic and professional endeavors, and encourage the strength and growth of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Dr. Lisa Russell, Associate Professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship.
Russell works with colleagues in the School of Business and external experts to provide a series of programs for community members to learn about the reality of launching business ventures.
Floyd County Director of Operations and Planning Don Lopp says the county has been working on the concept of a technology and innovation campus for 16 years and identified IU Southeast early on as a key partner.
“Having the talent of Indiana University Southeast faculty and students involved in the various aspects of Novaparke is exciting,” said Lopp. “The level of expertise in the various fields of study and the energy of the students from Indiana University Southeast will help to not only grow the local economy but provide pathways for positive community growth in the region.”
IU Southeast Chancellor Debbie Ford and other campus leaders attended the ribbon cutting for the innovation and technology campus on July 11, 2023, where it was announced that RedWire Corporation would be the first tenant company.
IU Southeast pre-med students have hands-on learning opportunity
Chief Medical Officer for Baptist Health Floyd Richard Phillips spoke on campus in February to pre-med students about a doctor’s daily life and about the hospital’s PreMed Academy.
Dr. Phillips shared his experiences about the day-to-day life of a physician and the importance of not only academic preparation for students, but also the self-care needed to develop the stamina needed for work in the healthcare field.
Dr. Phillips also shared information about the PreMed Academy offered by Baptist Health Floyd. The summer program offers hands-on experience for students studying to be doctors.
IU Southeast student Alex Settles has participated in the academy.
“The program has allowed me to meet physicians who have been great mentors throughout my experience,” said Settles. “They allow us to shadow them because they want to teach and inspire the next generation. Moving forward in my education, it is encouraging to know that I have physicians who want to see me succeed.”
Baptist Health Floyd Senior Manager for Physician Recruiting Amy Popp-Katter says IU Southeast students have done well in the PreMed Academy.
“Baptist Health Floyd enjoys partnering with Indiana University Southeast faculty and students,” said Popp-Katter. “The IUS students that have rotated in previous PreMed Academy years have been professional, well-educated, kind and eager. We look forward to the continued relationships that we build with the school, students, and staff.”
Interested students can apply to the program with a recommendation from a professor.