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Joe Glover, Interim Chancellor for Advancement, Alumni and External Affairs
Glover recognized as ONCE Award young professional
Joe Glover, interim vice chancellor for advancement, alumni, and external affairs, has been honored with the One Southern Indiana James W. Robinson Young Professional of the Year award.
The award, presented to a professional under the age of 40 for their career achievements, community service and the promise they show in being the next generation of business leaders, has been awarded annually since 2014 as part of the One Southern Indiana ONCE Awards.
Named for Jim “JB” Robinson, a successful businessman from Southern Indiana who co-founded Robinson Machine Works with his father and brother. "He believed wholeheartedly that it is always up to the current generation of leaders to lend a hand and provide guidance to the next generation of leaders,” Robert Eichenberger, Robinson’s stepson noted.
“I am honored and was surprised to win the James W. Robinson Young Professional of the Year ONCE Award. Mr. Robinson was a very special member of our community,” said Glover. “To win an award bearing his name is humbling to say the least. I want to express my sincere gratitude. I love this community and am proud to represent all the wonderful faculty, staff and students at Indiana University Southeast who help to make a difference in our region every day.”
Glover, a double graduate of IU Southeast, spent 11 years as the Director of Athletics at IU Southeast prior to his current role in advancement. Glover and his wife, Melissa, live in Southern Indiana with their daughters, Annabelle and Hadley.
Students pause for a group photo from cleaning and organizing duties during the MLK Day volunteer activities at The Mustard Seed.
Students serve community on MLK Day
With campus closed for the holiday, IU Southeast students gathered at various locations around southern Indiana and Louisville, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by serving others in the community.
IU Southeast student volunteers had their choice of five organizations to donate time and talent including The Mustard Seed thrift store, Our Place Drug & Alcohol Education Services, Harbor House Disability Services, and Autumn Woods Health Campus as well as on campus, helping with stocking the food pantry and cleaning in the facilities operations department.
Kenna Uhl, representing Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, helped reorganize the IU Southeast food pantry. She helped by organizing clothes, cleaning out food containers, and throwing away outdated food.
When asked how the volunteers benefit facility operations, Matt Pendleton, assistant director of facility operations, said, “The biggest takeaway today is seeing the student involvement here on campus, volunteering time on MLK Day. They (volunteers) helped us by tidying up all our mechanical spaces.”
Among the list of locations students visited was The Mustard Seed, an organization that strives to be a resource for those who have been victims of sexual abuse. Students cleaned restrooms and sorted items.
Students also visited Autumn Woods and Our Place. At Autumn Woods students connected with residents by having conversations with them. At Our Place, students assisted staff with sweeping and organizing files.
Members of the professional sales class celebrate their achievements from the RNMKRS competition with Dr. Chris Cox (far left), Dr. David Eplion, dean of the School of Business and Dr. Kelly A. Ryan, interim chancellor.
Professional sales class “makes rain” in international competition
In only their second RNMKRS Virtual Sales competition, fourteen IU Southeast business students cleaned house against some of the top collegiate sales programs in the country, placing first in the role play competition and second in the SpeedSell competition. All fourteen students scored in the top 20 percent of participants and thirteen of the fourteen placed in the top five percent of participants. Four IU Southeast students placed in the top one percent. Griffin Alvey also placed second overall in the SpeedSell competition.
“I am so proud of this group,” said Dr. Chris Cox, associate professor of marketing and team coach. “They worked so exceptionally hard—every one of them—and the results show that. To have every student finish in the top 20 percent, that is unheard of, and was unequaled by any other university. Just a phenomenal showing!”
This year’s competition featured 1,500 students from 49 top-rated schools. A total of 32 universities competed in SpeedSell.
Cox noted that four additional students finished just outside of the top one percent. “They were so disappointed, because they had invested so heavily,” said Cox. “I was no less proud of them. But I absolutely love their competitive spirit.”
“This will be one of the top five things you remember of your time at IU Southeast, even 20 years from now,” said Dr. Kelly Ryan, interim chancellor. “You learned more than just sales skills. You learned life skills; to persevere and to prepare. To do your best in the moment.”
Rilie Conard and Dr. Waingeh
Rilie Conard takes top prize at IU Undergraduate Research Conference
IU Southeast has always had a strong showing at the Indiana University Undergraduate Research Conference, despite being a teaching university and not a research institution. On Friday, December 9, IU Southeast once again maintained the record for participation and came back to New Albany with the top prize at the competition.
Rilie Conard, a senior in biology with minors in chemistry, Spanish and psychology from Canaan, Indiana, took top honors in the formal judging by a faculty panel and a “people’s choice” audience vote.
Conard’s research is significant because of the impact it could potentially have in reducing death due to cardiovascular disease caused by high cholesterol.
“The intention of the research is to contribute towards the development of drugs with increased effectiveness at lower dosages and less side effects than the ones currently on the market,” said Conard.
Conard became involved with the research project early during her junior year, when she approached Dr. Victor Waingeh, associate professor of chemistry, after completing his Chemistry II class.
“Dr. Waingeh was so supportive during this project,” said Conard. “Before I began conducting research, I lacked confidence in the lab. As time went on, I became more confident in myself because I was responsible for analyzing my data and running simulations.”
In addition to Waingeh, Conard credits Dr. Lisa Hoffman and the IU Southeast Research and Grants Committee for a fellowship which allowed her to spend more time on the research project, and Thomas May, adjunct instructor in communications studies at IU Southeast.
Ron Grooms (center) presents a scholarship check to Joe Glover (left) and Dr. Kelly Ryan.
Ron Grooms endows IU Southeast Community Scholarship
As a student of pharmacy back in the late 1960’s, Ron Grooms never envisioned that someday he would help young students embarking on careers in healthcare. After nearly 40 years of successfully operating his own pharmacy and 11 years as Indiana State Senator for the 46th district, on December 14, Grooms endowed a $25,000 community scholarship at Indiana University Southeast.
The Ron Grooms Community Scholarship will be used to support scholarships for students of IU Southeast who have financial need. The intention is to award one scholarship annually, with the potential to increase the number of students receiving the award.
“This scholarship is in appreciation for education in general, and for those entering higher education with the intent to study in the health sciences fields for careers in healthcare”, said Grooms.
Grooms has twice been honored with the Sagamore of the Wabash for his service to the State of Indiana. He was awarded the IU Southeast Chancellor’s Medallion in 2017, by Dr. Ray Wallace and the Indiana University Bicentennial Medal in 2020. He was also named Pharmacist of the Year in 2010 by the Indiana Pharmacist Alliance.
“Ron Grooms has had a storied career and great impact on the citizens of Southern Indiana,” said Dr. Kelly Ryan, interim chancellor at IU Southeast. “His legacy will continue with this generous gift to IU Southeast students and help provide the needed healthcare professionals to serve our region for years and decades to come.”