From the Desk

Dear IU Southeast Alumni and Friends,

As we approach the end of another academic year, I think of beginnings as our senior students’ transition to their life’s work in their chosen profession. Commencement by definition is a beginning or start. To our seniors, new beginnings will abound. Because of that promise, that future thinking, commencement is my favorite time of year.

It is also at this time of year we celebrate other new beginnings. We are thinking about welcoming new incoming students to campus and transitioning students who are completing final exams to their next academic year. Students are full of hope when we encourage them to dream.

This past year has been a time of commencement. We are welcoming a new permanent chancellor of Indiana University Southeast and we’re excited to see her lead this university to new heights. This past year, we’ve laid the groundwork to make her leadership successful by working on a new strategic plan, focusing on working with our community, and improving students retention and persistence at the university. We’ve made amazing achievements this year!

In this issue you’ll read about Rilie Conard, an IU Southeast student who placed first at the Indiana University Undergraduate Research Conference. Not only did Rilie place first in the formal judging by a faculty panel, but she was also a “people’s choice” in an audience vote. Her research, under Dr. Victor Waingeh, could change millions of people’s lives with future improvements in medications to lower cholesterol.

You’ll also read about our outstanding sales team, under the direction of Dr. Chris Cox, whose 14-member team cleaned house against some of the top collegiate sales programs in the country in the RNMKRS Virtual Sales Competition. In only their second RNMKRS competition, IU Southeast finished first in the role play competition and second in the SpeedSell competition. Outstanding!

Alums Marcia and Steve Ehlers have an inspiring story of mapping new, and sometimes unexpected journeys. They have parlayed that passion to supporting future students of IU Southeast. You’ll read about their endowment of scholarships for students studying geosciences, data science or informatics. We couldn’t do what we do for our students if it weren’t for generous people like the Ehlers'.

While we celebrate the IU Southeast Grenadier Baseball teams’ amazing 2021-22 season with a student produced documentary, we celebrate our men’s and women’s basketball run in the River State Conference Tournament. The women ended with a 19-10 season, just shy of the conference championship. The men won their conference championship capping off a 15-game streak before a loss in the first round of the NAIA tournament. The men’s coach, Wiley Brown, was named River States Conference coach of the year!

There are amazing accomplishments happening all over campus. It’s inspiring to see the work of our students, staff and faculty shine brightly.

Looking forward, our fall semester recruitment is shaping up for another rebound. Admissions is up in the numbers of visitors, applications, admits and enthusiasm for fall 2023. That is a lot of activity. Indeed, they’ve been to more than 100 individual off-campus events and 10 transfer-specific events. We’ve welcomed 524 individual students and their guests since August, and close to 1,000 additional visitors with our school group tours and activity days. This is easily a new record!

All this goes to say that IU Southeast is headed in a new direction. A direction which I am proud of. It’s been hectic, but I’m also proud of what we’ve done to advance this institution and change student lives, one person at a time. It feels like we’re back on track and getting the right momentum for the future. I’m proud of us – our faculty, staff, students, and alumni for getting to this new beginning! We got this!

Cordially,

Dr. Kelly A. Ryan