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Last month, the Indiana University Alumni Association (IUAA) launched a year-long celebration of its 150th birthday at a gala event in Indianapolis. Throughout 2004, the IUAA plans to reach its 450,000 living alumni through a wide variety of events and publications.
Beginning this month, the association’s Web site will be featuring weekly alumni profiles of individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their professions and communities. “The 52 alumni who will be featured will not necessarily be the most famous or have household names,” noted Ken Beckley, president and CEO of IUAA. “We hope there will be some surprises, and we’ll shed light on some previously unsung heroes.”
Indiana Alumni magazine plans to publish feature articles on the IUAA’s history in every issue throughout the sesquicentennial. “The current issue contains a big pullout timeline,” said Elizabeth Hunt, the magazine’s editor. “The March/April issue will include a feature on the Hoosier Travelers program that the IUAA began after a 1968 association-sponsored Rose Bowl trip, which came to be known as ‘the largest civilian airlift in history.’ Other issues will focus on commencement and homecoming—which we put on—and the making of the American alumnus.”
The IUAA timeline was based on research conducted by Janet Shirley, a retired IUAA associate director. Shirley also has authored a book on the IUAA’s service since 1854, which is scheduled for publication in mid-2004.
On a statewide level, the IUAA plans to ask Indiana’s governor and the mayors of all major cities in each of the 92 counties to proclaim Aug. 2 as IUAA Day. Simultaneously, IU alumni worldwide will be asked to wear the color crimson on that day.
During the past century and a half, the IUAA has served the university through countless alumni volunteers, led by 11 association chief executives. The association’s efforts have made a tremendous impact on IU and are responsible for launching not only the IU Foundation, but the IU Varsity Club, IU Sports Network and Hoosiers for Higher Education.
“The alumni association was founded in the wake of a devastating fire that burned IU’s only classroom building,” noted Hunt. “Sixteen alumni met and ‘resolved to stand by their alma mater.’ Since that time, the alumni association has been the main means by which alumni can be active in IU’s affairs.”
http://www.alumni.indiana.edu
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