Bohnen began his position at IUP January 14, 2013. He is responsible for direct supervision of all fund-raising operations at IUP, which comprise major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, donor relations, and donor research.

He comes to IUP from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio, where he served as assistant vice president for Advancement for five years. Among his accomplishments at Marietta were the successful execution of a $50 million comprehensive fund-raising campaign and the improvement of fiscal accountability and reliability of reporting to donors and the college’s board of trustees.

Previously, Bohnen served as director of Advancement at Radford University in Virginia, as director of Development for Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and as director of Development at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.

“We are very excited to have Evan join our team,” said Bill Speidel, vice president for University Advancement. “His extensive experience at large and small universities and his proven leadership will be a great asset. We look forward to improving our day-to-day fund-raising operations and planning and executing our future comprehensive campaign.”

Pennsylvania American Water has given $2,500 to ArtsPath, an educational initiative operated by Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Lively Arts program. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, enables businesses to make charitable donations to educational efforts and receive tax credit.

Pennsylvania American Water made the gift through the EITC program to the Foundation for IUP, which serves as the repository for all private financial support of IUP and its initiatives, including ArtsPath and the Lively Arts.

IUP’s ArtsPath program served more than 7,000 elementary and secondary students in five western Pennsylvania counties last year. The program places high-quality, professionally active visual, performing, media, and literary artists in educational settings for extended, in-depth residency activities.

In the photo: Betsy Lauber, director for the Foundation for IUP; Josephine Posti of Pennsylvania American Water; Hank Knerr, director of the IUP Lively Arts program; and state Rep. Dave Reed, an IUP graduate who represents the 62nd Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Seniors are invited to participate in the Senior Class Gift Campaign. Doing so enables you to leave your mark on campus by helping future students--in the same way that graduating seniors of the past made a gift that supported you.

A donation of any size will make a difference in the life of student, but a suggested amount commemorates  your graduation year. Students who give a gift of $20.12 or more will receive the philanthropy cord, a crimson and gray adornment to wear at graduation. The cord shows your commitment to IUP, that you value your degree, and that you supported the Senior Class Gift campaign.

To make a gift, bring this pledge form to Salute to Grads at the Co-op Store on Thursday, November 1, 2012, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Or, make a gift immediately.

This year's Senior Class Gift benefits the Sutton Scholarship and the Science Discovery and Outdoor Learning Center.

Office of Annual Giving

Courtesy of the IUP Annual Giving Office, students will find in their mailboxes a break-apart magnet to use as a picture frame. The Annual Giving Office also put the signs up around campus to create awareness about philanthropy at IUP.

So, what's all this about?

The Annual Giving Office wants you to be aware of the impact of gifts made to IUP by alumni and others. While it's true that your tuition pays for much of IUP's budget and the state's government pays for some, IUP relies on private gifts to round out its annual budget. Without that generosity, there are many things we cannot do--like award scholarships to students or purchase certain equipment and classroom supplies that make your IUP experience even better.

Get involved!

Read more about ways you and other students can become involved in encouraging philanthropic generosity to IUP. Gifts from alumni and others benefit students in many ways. After all, IUP is your university. Your help can make it stronger!

Established this year, the IUP Loyalty Society recognizes committed IUP donors whose annual gifts serve as the foundation for universitywide growth. Those who have given to any area of the university for five or more consecutive fiscal years are part of the Loyalty Society. 

"We are kicking off the society with more than 2,000 members this year. It's astounding--and gratifying," Bill Speidel, vice president for University Advancement, said. "Having a five-year commitment from that many people strengthens IUP's financial future, of course, but it also demonstrates that we have a loyal following that believes in what we do--provide the world with the students who are prepared to change it and make it better." 

Alumni, friends, and employees who have yet to renew their commitment to IUP through the Annual Fund and want to be counted in the new Loyalty Society have until June 30 to make a gift. 

To date, the gift campaign is 40 percent to goal and has raised roughly $2,800 so far. A portion of the campaign's proceeds will be used toward the Outdoor Learning Center in the College of Education, the Sutton Scholarship (formerly called Academic Achievement Scholarship), and a variety of other causes students who have given to the campaign so far have designated.

Zachary Stayman, the campaign's chairperson and a Political Science major, will present the Senior Class Gift to the university during the afternoon commencement ceremony, while Brianna Harris, a member of the Senior Class Gift committee and a Fashion Merchandising major, will present it at the morning ceremony.

Any gift amount is welcome, but a gift of $20.12 or more will qualify graduates to wear philanthorpy cords, a crimson and gray rope adornment to be worn with the cap and gown.

Seniors are invited to give now. For information, contact the Office of Annual Giving at 724-357-5555.

"We are a third of the way to our goal, and we are very encouraged so far," said Zack Stayman, who is chairing the committee. "More than a hundred seniors have provided their support for the gift, which will enable the class of 2012, when we depart campus, to leave a lasting contribution to IUP."

Stayman said the committee plans to support the College of Education's Outdoor Learning Center, located outside of Stouffer Hall, and the newly formed Sutton Scholarship (formerly called Academic Achievement Scholarship). The Outdoor Learning Center will provide IUP students a laboratory to practice science teaching to visiting elementary age youth. The Academic Achievement Scholarship fund will be used to recruit the best possible students.

"The Academic Achievement Scholarship in particular is an exciting venture, because if IUP can improve the quality of students who enroll, then the value of our degrees will increase. The Outdoor Learning Center allows us to leave the Class of 2012's name on a physical structure," Stayman said.

Seniors who donate $20.12 or more will receive the Philanthopy Cord, a crimson and gray adornment to accessorize their graduation gowns.

Deadline for contributing to the fund is May 4, 2012, for May graduates. See more information.

Follow this link to make you gift to the Senior Class Gift now!

Seniors who have questions about the Senior Class Gift may send e-mail to Mary Jo Ludwig, assistant director of Annual Giving, or call her at (724) 357-5555.

The Serafini Atrium was dedicated on Thursday, April 5, 2012, at Eberly College of Business and Information Technology.

The renovated atrium is part of a $1 million gift from Terry Serafini '61 (above with his wife, Janet), which includes the establishment of the Serafini Outstanding Scholars Program to provide scholarship support to students in the Eberly College and in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

A story about Serafini's gift appeared in the Spring, 2011, edition of IUP Magazine.

Members of IUP’s Leadership Society, IUP’s premier society for those who give to the Annual Fund, recently gathered at the official residence on South Campus for a thank-you reception.

The society, which includes donors who give an annual gift of $500 or more to IUP through the Foundation for IUP, currently includes approximately 750 members.

Several student scholarship recipients attended the event to mix with donors and talk about how scholarships have assisted them. Jamie Czech, a Human Resource Management and Psychology dual major who has benefited from the Eberly Family Scholarship and a Deans Merit Scholarship, addressed the guests on behalf of all the students.

“In all honesty, I would probably not be standing in front of you at this moment if not for donor generosity,” said Czech, who is shown in the photo. “These funds have given me faith and pride in my school and in the dedicated, successful people IUP produces. I have the opportunity to make the most of my education and become whatever I so choose because of this generosity. And, although my career path is blurred, the honor of receiving these scholarships tells me, ‘Hey Jamie, you must be doing something right!’ So I just want to thank the donors to the IUP Leadership Society for investing in my future and in me.”

Bill Speidel, associate vice president for Development, also addressed the guests.

“Part of philanthropy’s magic is that it is not just for the very rich. As the saying goes, many hands make light work, and so when the university’s alumni and friends pull together to give at the Leadership level, we know IUP has done something to inspire you,” said Speidel. “Of course, it’s no secret that we wait to hear the outcome of the state’s budget. The effect it could have on our students could make things difficult for them.

“Understanding what it could mean, we are now concentrating on the Sutton Scholarship (formerly Academic Achievement Scholarship), a new scholarship for high-achieving students. The idea is to provide our undergraduate admissions office the ability to award the most deserving students a financial award upon their admission that is renewable for four years. It is important that IUP continue to recruit students, but we think it’s important to try to attract the very best students we can. That’s the goal of this new fund, to enroll at IUP serious students who will not only excel in school but also become loyal advocates for us after they graduate.”

Speidel stressed that private gifts to the university can have a significant impact on the university, particularly in light of the steady decrease in state funding, which is now at roughly 30 percent of the university’s budget. As the state funding decreases, tuition generally rises, making scholarship support more important than ever. Speidel also said private gifts are IUP’s only source of scholarship support.

Support IUP

Seniors are invited to participate in the Senior Class Gift Campaign. Doing so enables you to leave your mark on campus by helping future students--in the same way that graduating seniors of the past made a gift that supported you.

A donation of any size will make a difference in the life of student, but a suggested amount commemorates  your graduation year. Students who give a gift of $20.12 or more will receive the philanthropy cord, a crimson and gray adornment to wear at graduation. The cord shows your commitment to IUP, that you value your degree, and that you supported the Senior Class Gift campaign.

To make a gift, bring this pledge form to Salute to Grads at the Co-op Store on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Or, make a gift immediately. 

Zach Stayman, president of the Student Government Association, has agreed to serve as this year's campaign chairperson. Graduating seniors interested in participating on the campaign committee should complete this form to indicate interest.

Office of Annual Giving

A 1970 IUP graduate has established a scholarship in honor of a retired Mathematics professor.

Bob Strouse, of DuBois, has made a pledge to establish the Merle Stilwell Scholarship for Mathematics. The charitable foundation associated with Strouse’s employer, Illinois Tool Works, will match his gift.

The scholarship will be awarded to Mathematics or Mathematics Education majors. Preference will be given to those who demonstrate involvement in community service and well-roundedness.

Stilwell, a longtime faculty member, was granted emeritus status in 1991. He lives in Indiana.

“Merle went out of his way to help me,” said Strouse, a member of the IUP football squad that played in the 1968 Boardwalk Bowl. “No matter who you were, he took care of all the students. He really was the professor in the Math Department students could go to for help. I went from a very immature kid entering IUP to a very focused adult who launched a successful career.”

Strouse came up with the idea of a scholarship after being contacted by the University Relations staff.

“I thought about it, and my employer would match $3 for every $1 I donated,” he said. “I thought, if I’m going to help IUP, why not do it this way? We can fund a scholarship to honor Merle. Merle helped students, and a scholarship is a great way to help students.”

Strouse invites fellow alumni who were inspired by Stilwell to contribute to the Stilwell scholarship fund.

Upon his graduation, Strouse became a mathematics teacher and then entered private industry. After retiring from Illinois Tool Works and settling in DuBois, he began helping students at DuBois Business College. He also is among a group of Boardwalk Bowl alumni leading the charge to develop a scholarship that supports IUP’s football team members.

In the photo, from left: Eleanor Stilwell, Merle Stilwell, Bob Strouse, and Susan Strouse

IUP’s Development staff has already begun to solicit gifts for the Academic Achievement Scholarship Fund. The new fund will enable IUP’s Admissions staff to offer scholarships of $1,000 or $2,000 to qualified students upon their admission, beginning in Fall 2013.

“The Admissions and Financial Aid staffs have known for a very long time that IUP has been competing with schools that have recruiting scholarships—awards that take costs right off the top of an admitted student’s bill,” said Jim Begany, vice president for Enrollment Management and Communications. “That’s been a difficult component to compete with. This scholarship provides the Admissions staff the ability to offer scholarships to the brightest students—deserving students we want in our classrooms.”

Qualifications include a minimum high school GPA of 3.25 and a minimum SAT score of 1050. The Admissions staff will also consider extracurricular activities and recommendations as it identifies scholarship recipients. Begany said students who maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 at IUP will continue to receive the scholarship for four years, a first-ever opportunity for prospective IUP students.

“The Development staff is pleased to work on a project like this one, because we know that the issue of defraying costs for students is something everyone agrees on—it’s a hot topic in mainstream media and an issue many people care about,” said Bill Speidel, associate vice president for Development. “Private gifts are the only source for scholarships of this type, and so we are seeking gifts specifically for this fund.”

Speidel said several administrators have pledged their support to the new scholarship, and members of the IUP community will be asked to consider directing their gifts to this fund in the University Family Campaign, which will be launched February 13.

A $35,000 gift from Alcoa will directly benefit students through scholarships and the enhancement of lab and field experiences. It also will fund the expenses of a team of students who will compete in an accident investigation competition sponsored by the Alcoa Campus Partnership.

A $100,000 gift from the Alcoa Foundation will fund a fatality prevention forum next fall in Pittsburgh that will be available to the region’s safety professionals. IUP’s faculty will organize the event.

In the photo, from left, are Lon Ferguson, chair of IUP’s Safety Sciences Department; IUP alumnus Jeff Shockey '80, Alcoa’s director of corporate safety; David Werner, IUP’s interim president; and Safety Sciences students Jeff Fyock and Danielle Anna. 

Visit Support IUP to learn more about how private gifts enhance the student experience and provide opportunities to the citizens of the commonwealth.

Students are invited to celebrate in the HUB Atrium on Wednesday, January 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Those who stop by may write a thank-you note to those who have made gifts that support the IUP experience and to receive a free t-shirt in return for their gift of time.

Learn more about Tuition Freedom Day.

See more information on how private gifts support IUP.

The double-knotted crimson and gray philanthropy cord signifies the reciprocal commitment between IUP and its alumni.

“Gifts from our students are especially significant. Students that make gifts understand the role that philanthropy plays in their daily life at IUP. They are ready to give back, even before they leave. It’s a great program that our office is working to expand each year,” said Emily Smeltz, director of Annual Giving. 

Visit the Student Gift program page to learn how gifts can make a difference for IUP and students. To make an immediate gift, visit www.iup.edu/giveagift.

Salute to Grads will be held on Thursday, November 3, 2011, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Co-op Store. Commencement takes place December 17.

All of IUP’s student phonathon callers, when they make solicitation phone calls in the course of each evening, can now ask the alumni and friends that they call to “join them” in making a gift to the university. The student-staffed phonathon reached 100 percent participation in the student giving initiative last week, and because they have done so, the Office of Annual Giving staff will personally match their gifts, dollar for dollar.

The IUP Phonathon calls alumni, parents, and friends of the university Sunday through Thursday evenings. Students are afforded the opportunity to network with alumni, update their information, and relay updates about the university while doing the important work of securing financial support.

“It’s never too early to understand the importance of philanthropy here at IUP,” said Emily Smeltz, director of Annual Giving. “Private support helps to enable IUP to provide a high-quality education while maintaining affordable tuition. Our student callers understand how important it is—so much so that they each made their own gift. They are imparting this message to our alumni and friends and, we hope, to their fellow classmates. ” 

Learn more about fundraising and development at IUP.

The gift--a break-apart magnet--carries a various words associated with IUP student life.

"We want students to have fun with the magnets, to build phrases about IUP and about their daily experiences," Smeltz said.

"Our purpose is two-fold. We want to welcome students back to campus with a token that's fun, but we also hope that by visiting the web page noted on the magnet, they will learn about how gifts from alumni and friends often help to fill the gap between what the state provides IUP in its budget allocation and what it actually costs to educate them. There's quite a difference, and I think many will be surprised," said Emily Davis Smeltz '01, M'02, IUP's Annual
Giving director.

During Welcome Weekend and into the first week of classes, signs have been posted around campus, noting that certain facilities have been completed or programs enhanced, thanks to donations from alumni and others.

Students who are interested in becoming involved in the Annual Giving Office's efforts should visit the Student Giving page.

According to Emily Smeltz, director of Annual Giving, the breakdown of increases by division for full-time employees who participated is as follows:

• University Relations: 89 percent 
• President’s Office: 45 percent
• Administration and Finance: 78 percent 
• Academic Affairs: 48 percent
• Student Affairs: 185 percent

Eleven departments reached a 100 percent rate of participation, and thirteen more reached 50 percent or higher. Departments with 100 participation receive a certificate from the Annual Giving Office to display in their offices.

"First and foremost, IUP students are winners in regards to this program, as many programs and scholarships will benefit from campaign contributions," Smeltz said.

Winners of the prize drawings for participants are as follows:

• Dell Inspiron Duo Convertible Tablet: Marlene McCabe
• James G. Mill Center for Fitness Complimentary Three-Month Membership: Robert Kostelnik
• Benjamin’s gift Certificate: William Srsic
• Co-op Store Gift Card: Sarah Neusius
• Sheetz Gift Card: Donna Wolfe
• Two Complimentary Oak Room Lunches: Lynne Alvine, Frank Brooks, Joanne Kuta, Karen L. Brown, Jaeju Ko.

Smeltz said the Annual Giving Office is grateful for the support of those who made the campaign possible, from those who agreed to be featured in the promotional videos to those who participated in the campaign kick-off event. She also acknowledged those who donated prizes and other goods: Dell, Starbucks, the Co-op Store, Sheetz, James G. Mill Center for Health and Fitness, Benjamin's Restaurant, and Aramark.

The Annual Giving Office continues to accept contributions to the University Family Campaign. Visit the campaign website for more information, or call the Annual Giving Office at 724-357-5555.

The Annual Giving Office will draw prizes for those who participate. Prizes include a Dell Inspiron Duo convertible tablet, a Sheetz gift card, a complimentary three-month membership to the James G. Mill Fitness Center, complimentary lunch for two in the Oak Room, lunch for four at Benjamin’s Restaurant, and a Co-op Store gift card. Prize winners will be announced in IUP Daily.

Employees who will to be eligible for the prize drawing may make gifts until noon on April 7, although gifts will be accepted at any time.

Participants are encouraged to take advantage of the invitation to wear jeans, IUP apparel, and I-Give button, all of which signify participation.

For more information about making a gift through payroll deduction, through a pledge, or by credit card, contact the Office of Annual Giving at 724-357-5555 or visit the University Family Campaign website.

Visit the University Family Campaign page to learn more about the prize drawing, which will occur on I-Give Day, Thursday, April 7.

Contributions to the University Family Campaign may be designated to any department within the university, in addition to numerous scholarship funds and other initiatives. In addition to directly assisting the university in its mission, contributions to the campaign help the university state the case for attracting private funds from private entities and raising the university's level in ranking guides.

"Your participation serves as an endorsement of confidence in your university and in our students' potential. It helps us attract corporate and foundation dollars. Many corporations and foundations look at participation rates as they determine which institutions to support. There are many programs at IUP that could benefit from the extra assistance from corporations and foundations. When we stand united in our mission and purpose, the students benefit through that increased support. To attract that increased level of support, we need your participation," said Emily Smeltz, director of Annual Giving.

Gifts may be made through payroll deduction on forms distributed to all employees in February or via credit card. See the University Family Campaign page for links to forms and information.

"We thank everyone who has supported the campaign to date," said Sheila Rawlings, the campaign's coordinator.

We share your excitement about beginning a new phase in your life. Your IUP degree is a mark of distinction for all of your hard work and endurance. We in the Annual Giving office are extremely proud of your accomplishment.

This year’s Senior Giving drive provides you with an opportunity to help IUP students who are striving to achieve the same great education you received. So before you leave IUP, we invite you to make a difference.

You can make a difference. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference in the life of an IUP student.

On Thursday, March 31, stop by the Annual Giving table in the Co-Op. There will be free food!

Your donation of any amount:

1. Shows that you care.
2. Helps another IUP student fulfill their dream of a college education.
3. Qualifies you to be recognized. You will receive:

Simply complete the pledge form and return it to the Senior Gift officer at the Senior Gift table in the Co-op Store between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to receive your philanthropy cord and hand-drawn caricature.

Once again, congratulations and best wishes for a successful future!

Visit the IUP Student Giving page on Facebook.

Participation in the University Family Campaign has risen in all divisions, noted by the following increases.

• University Relations: From 37 percent to 65 percent of employees.
• President’s Office: From 31 percent to 38 percent of employees.
• Academic Affairs: From 7.4 percent to 9 percent of employees.
• Administration and Finance: From 7 percent to 8 percent of employees.
• Student Affairs: From 3.5 percent to 4.2 percent of employees.

"Your participation serves as an endorsement of confidence in your university and in our students' potential. It helps us attract corporate and foundation dollars. Many corporations and foundations look at participation rates as they determine which institutions to support. There are many programs at IUP that could benefit from the extra assistance from corporations and foundations. When we stand united in our mission and purpose, the students benefit through that increased support. To attract that increased level of support, we need your participation," said Emily Smeltz, director of Annual Giving.

The campaign's official end is March 24, 2011, although gifts from employees to the Annual Fund are welcome any time of year. Learn more about the campaign and prizes available to those who give by March 24. Gifts may be made through payroll deduction or through credit card transaction.

All majors are welcome!

Attendees will receive a complimentary lunch and an IUP reusable lunch tote.

The purpose of the lunch will be to update Pittsburgh-area alumni about IUP’s tremendous campus renaissance, numerous prestigious accolades received by IUP as a top-tier university in the nation, progress of the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex, and information on new academic programs.

This is part of the Pittsburgh Initiative to connect with IUP alumni in this region, with an emphasis on networking, admissions recruitment efforts, media relations, internship, and placement opportunities. The office serves as a hub for more than six thousand alumni who work in the downtown area and more than 29,000 alumni currently residing in Allegheny County.

Learn more about IUP’s Pittsburgh Office.

All IUP alumni are welcome! Future events will feature topics of interest to alumni as well as guest speakers and panel discussions.

For more information regarding the Crimson Bag lunches, or to confirm your attendance, please contact Sheila Rawlings in the Office of Annual Giving at 724-357-5555 or rawlings@iup.edu.

“This campaign—perhaps more than any other—serves as proof to the outside world that those who work here believe in the university’s mission and in our students’ potential,” said Emily Davis Smeltz ‘01, M’02, director of Annual Giving. “It’s not unlike showing pride in ownership. If those who are closest to the university pledge their support, then our fundraising staff has a key talking point when soliciting gifts from alumni, corporations, foundations, and others outside the immediate IUP community. If our faculty and staff trust and believe, then others may also trust and believe. Having 100 percent participation from faculty and staff is a compelling endorsement.”

In the past three years, faculty and staff have donated over $71,000 to more than seventy IUP programs and scholarships, assisting students in many ways. Within the next week, all employees will receive a list of every fund in the Foundation for IUP, making it easy to designate a gift to programs of interest. Gifts that are not designated will be directed to the Fund for IUP, a general account that assists the greatest need at any given time.

Faculty and staff members are invited to celebrate the campaign’s launch on Wednesday, February 23, 2011, at Starbuck’s in Folger Food Court. Starbuck’s will provide complimentary coffee and danish to employees who drop in from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m.

Those who participate in the campaign, including those who already give through payroll deduction or are renewing their support through June 2011, will be eligible to do the following:

Participate in I-Give day, which allows you to wear jeans along with an IUP sweatshirt/shirt on March 31. Pick up your button that shows that you are eligible wear jeans at the kick-off coffee or contact the Annual Giving Office to receive one.†

Enter a drawing to win:

• A Dell Inspiron Duo convertible tablet
• A Sheetz gift card
• A complimentary three-month membership to the James G. Mill Center for Health and Fitness
• Complimentary lunch for two in the Oak Room
• Lunch for four at Benjamin’s
• Co-op Store gift card

Contributions do not increase odds of winning. To enter the drawings without making a gift, contact the Office of Annual Giving at 724-357-5555.

Divisions that achieve 100 percent participation will receive an I-Give certificate to be proudly displayed in all division departments.

†To be entered in the drawing, all forms/gifts must be received in the Annual Giving office by 10:00 a.m. on March 24.

Learn more about ways to Support IUP.

More than 250 students at the Indiana, Punxsutawney, and Northpointe campuses participated in IUP’s first Tuition Freedom Day on January 19, 2011.

The event, organized by the Office of Annual Giving, part of the University Relations Division, involved writing thank-you notes to donors who help to subsidize the educational experience for students.

Tuition Freedom Day is designed to raise awareness of the fact that student tuition covers less than 60 percent of the actual cost of a student’s university education. Private donations from alumni, friends, parents, faculty and staff members, and students help to cover the rest of the cost.

“We designed Tuition Freedom Day to help educate students about the impact that private gifts have on financing an IUP education and to give them a chance to say thank you to our donors by writing personal thank-you notes,” Sheila Rawlings, assistant director of the Annual Giving office, said.

“The event was well received by the students, and it was very gratifying to see how sincere they were in their messages to donors. We look forward to building on this event in the years to come.”

Pictured taking part in Tuition Freedom Day are students Sarah Popiel, of Columbia Station, Ohio, and Sarah Krick, of Wellsboro.

Attendees will receive complimentary lunch and an IUP reusable lunch tote. The purpose of the lunch will be to update Pittsburgh area alumni about IUP’s tremendous campus renaissance, numerous prestigious accolades received by IUP as a top-tier university in the nation, progress of the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex, and information on new academic programs.

This is part of the Pittsburgh Initiative to connect with IUP alumni in this region, with an emphasis on networking, admissions recruitment efforts, media relations, internship, and placement opportunities. The office serves as a hub for more than 6,000 alumni who work in the downtown area and more than 29,000 alumni currently residing in Allegheny County.

Learn more about IUP’s Pittsburgh Office.

All IUP alumni are welcome! Future events will feature topics of interest to alumni as well as guest speakers and panel discussions.

For more information regarding the Crimson Bag Lunches, or to confirm your attendance, please contact Sheila Rawlings in the Office of Annual Giving at 724-357-5555 or rawlings@iup.edu.

Congratulations will soon be in order for the Class of 2010!

We share your excitement about beginning a new phase in your life. Your IUP degree is a mark of distinction for all of your hard work and endurance. We in the Annual Giving office are extremely proud of your accomplishment.

This year’s Senior Gift drive provides you with an opportunity to help IUP students who are striving to achieve the same great education you received.

You can make a difference. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference in the life of an IUP student

On Thursday, November 4, stop by the Annual Giving table in the Co-Op. There will be free food, and you can receive a hand-drawn caricature. It’s just our way of saying “Congratulations.”

Your donation of any amount:

1. Shows that you care.
2. Helps another IUP student fulfill their dream of a college education
3. Qualifies you to receive a lasting memory of your college experience.
   (Group caricatures are welcome. No donation is too small.)

Once again, congratulations and best wishes for a successful future!

Student Giving 

History of IUP Bookmark (PDF)

In a new venture, the board's members have vowed to match gifts made to the GOLD campaign, a fundraising campaign being launched today by the Office of Annual Giving. Targeted toward graduates of the last decade—hence the name GOLD—the campaign is meant to support the Fund for IUP, which provides financial support to what is considered the university's greatest need at any given time. In the past, this has included covering needs of the students who require stipends for internships to assisting faculty members with the cost of research—projects on which they often involve their students—or library acquisitions. Emily Smeltz, Annual Giving director, said having the Foundation for IUP board's commitment is a big boost.

"The board members felt their endorsement in the form of pledges of their personal money was an important message to send to those who will be asked to give in the campaign," Smeltz said. "For that reason, we are pleased for their effort, which will dollar-for-dollar match gifts we receive in the campaign. We also feel that enticing graduates of the last decade to give is important, as we strive to build a culture of philanthropy on our campus and among our alumni."

Smeltz said the campaign will run through the end of the academic year. Those who participate will be eligible to win through a drawing an Amazon Kindle.

From left, Jim Miller, chair of the Council of Trustees University Relations Committee; Tom Harley; Dr. M. Dorcas Clark; Patrice Harley; and David Osikowicz, chair of the Council of Trustees.

A reception area in the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex will be named in honor of Welcome to Indiana.

Dr. M. Dorcas Clark and Tom and Patrice Harley, of Indiana, made a gift toward construction of the Kovalchick Complex in honor of the organization. The Council of Trustees approved the naming at its meeting Friday, September 17, 2010.

The Kovalchick Complex, located along Wayne Avenue adjacent to campus, is a 150,000-square-foot building that will offer the 4,000- to 6,000-seat Ed Fry Arena, the 650-seat Christine Toretti auditorium, athletic department administrative offices and conference facilities.
The facility, to be completed in spring 2011, is projected to have a $22-million economic impact on the region during construction and an annual economic impact of $12.5 million in each year of operation.

While owned and managed by IUP, the Kovalchick Complex is designed to serve as a cultural and economic development resource for the Indiana region.

The complex is named in honor of the Kovalchicks, of Indiana, who donated $2 million for the facility’s construction.

In July 2009, IUP selected Global Spectrum, a leading firm for managing university arenas and a subsidiary of Comcast-Spectacor, to manage, market and operate the Kovalchick Complex’s Ed Fry Arena.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the complex took place Nov. 13, 2008, and included an announcement of a challenge grant of $1 million for the facility from IUP graduate Chad Hurley, co-founder of YouTube, in honor of IUP music professor and track and field coach Ed Fry. The arena in the Kovalchick Complex is named after Fry in honor of Hurley’s gift.

With their gift, Jim and Jamie Self, of Los Angeles, are offering scholarships to five students, who will be selected by Music faculty members specializing in brass. These students will form the IUP Scholarship Brass Quintet, which will perform an annual recital and play at selected university events throughout the academic year.

In recognition of this gift, Cogswell Hall’s Room 116 will be a brass and jazz rehearsal hall named for Jim and Jamie Self.

“Jim Self is, arguably, our most famous music alumnus,” Dr. Jack Stamp, chair of the Music Department and the 2008–2009 University Professor, said.

“He has never forgotten the educational foundation he received at IUP and continues to support us through his generous gifts.

“This new undergraduate brass quintet scholarship is unique in that most quintet scholarships at other institutions are reserved for graduate students. Not only will this scholarship attract high-quality students, but the competitiveness of its awarding will have a positive effect on the performance level of our brass area.”

“The kind generosity extended to IUP by the Selfs is absolutely remarkable and very much appreciated,” Terry R. Carter, vice president for University Relations, said. “Scholarship support is a critical resource for IUP students and one we must continue to aggressively expand. I’m hopeful that the Selfs’ leadership will motivate others to step forward and partner with us.”

Self, a native of Franklin, is a 1965 graduate of IUP and a 2003 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. This is the highest alumni award offered by the university and has been given to only three hundred of the university’s 110,000 graduates.

Self is a freelance musician and holds principal tuba positions with the Pacific Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He is also principal tuba-cimbasso in the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra.

Since 1974, he has performed on scores of more than 1,500 motion pictures, television shows, and records, most notably as the voice of the mother ship in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Other solos can be heard on soundtracks by John Williams, on James Horner’s Casper, and on Marc Shaiman’s Sleepless in Seattle. He also has produced ten albums ranging from jazz to classical to Americana and is a published composer and arranger, with thirty-five titles for band, orchestra, chamber ensemble, solo tuba, and trombone to his credit.

He also serves as adjunct professor of tuba and chamber music at the University of Southern California.

In addition to his IUP honor, he is the emeritus winner of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences MVP for Tuba and a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Tuba-Euphonium Association at the Cincinnati Conservatory. Self also is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

In addition to his IUP degrees, he received a Master of Music from Catholic University of America in 1967 and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California in 1976.

Pictured, from left: Terry Carter, vice president for University Relations; David Werner, interim president; Bob Duey, Homer City Generating Station director; and John Mulroy, safety specialist at the generating station and an IUP English and Safety Sciences graduate.

IUP officials recently met with representatives from the Homer City Generating Station to receive the final installment of their $250,000 donation to the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.

In recognition of the donation, a training laboratory in the Kovalchick Complex will be named the EME Homer City Generating Station Training Lab.

The donation was presented by Homer City Station Director Bob Duey. Homer City Station is a part of the Edison International family of companies, headquartered in Rosemead, Calif., and is a subsidiary of Edison Mission Energy.

EME is one of the nation’s leading owners and operators of competitive electric power generation, with forty-five power generation facilities in construction or operation in thirteen states, including the Homer City Station. Homer City’s facility is among the largest coal-fired power plants in the eastern United States, with 250 employees and enough electric generating capacity to meet the needs of about two million homes. EME also owns two wind-energy projects in Somerset County in southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Council of Trustees formally approved the naming of the training center at its meeting in December 2008.

The Kovalchick Complex, located along Wayne Avenue adjacent to campus, is a 150,000-square-foot building that will offer the 4,000- to 6,000-seat Ed Fry Arena, the 650-seat Christine Toretti auditorium, athletic department administrative offices, and conference facilities.

The facility, to be completed in spring 2011, is projected to have a $22-million economic impact on the region during construction and an annual economic impact of $12.5 million in each year of operation.

While owned and managed by IUP, the Kovalchick Complex is designed to serve as a cultural and economic development resource for the Indiana region.

The complex is named in honor of the Kovalchicks, of Indiana, who donated $2 million for the facility’s construction.

In July 2009, IUP selected Global Spectrum, a leading firm for managing university arenas and a subsidiary of Comcast-Spectacor, to manage, market, and operate the Kovalchick Complex’s Ed Fry Arena.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the complex took place November 13, 2008, and included an announcement of a challenge grant of $1 million for the facility from IUP graduate Chad Hurley, cofounder of YouTube, in honor of IUP music professor and track and field coach Ed Fry. The arena in the Kovalchick Complex is named after Fry in honor of Hurley’s gift.

Established by Ayn Embar-Seddon O'Reilly D’00 and her husband, Dan, of Pittsburgh, the scholarship is awarded to female doctoral candidates in Criminology and is meant to cover incidental expenses.

O'Reilly, a Capella University faculty member, is the author of several forensics textbooks. She said she established the scholarship in honor of her mentor, Moyer, a longtime member of the Criminology faculty who died in 2009.

Bratina, shown in the center of the photo, recently met her benefactors for lunch in Indiana. At left and right are Dan O’Reilly and Ayn Embar-Seddon O’Reilly.

Support IUP

Attendees will receive complimentary lunch and an IUP reusable lunch tote. The purpose of the lunch will be to update Pittsburgh-area alumni about IUP’s tremendous campus renaissance, the numerous prestigious accolades IUP has received as one of the top-tier universities in the nation, the progress of the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex, and information on new academic programs.

The focus of the June lunch will be Journalism and Communications Media alumni. However, alumni of all majors are welcome.

Journalism Department chair Randy Jesick will provide an update, and representatives from Alumni Relations and the Career Development Center will also be on hand.

This is part of the Pittsburgh Initiative to connect with IUP alumni in this region, with an emphasis on networking, admissions recruitment efforts, media relations, internships, and placement opportunities.

The office will also serve as a hub for the more than six thousand alumni who work in the downtown area and the 29,000 who currently reside in Allegheny County.

Future events will feature topics of interest to alumni as well as guest speakers and panel discussions. For more information regarding the Crimson Bag lunches, please contact Sheila Rawlings in the Office of Annual Giving at 724-357-5555.

The Pittsburgh office is at 20 Stanwix Street, Suite 501, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

Attendees will receive complimentary lunch and an IUP reusable lunch tote. The purpose of the lunch will be to update Pittsburgh area alumni about IUP’s tremendous campus renaissance, numerous prestigious accolades received by IUP as a top-tier university in the nation, progress of the KCAC, and information on new academic programs.

This is part of the Pittsburgh Initiative to connect with IUP alumni in this region, with an emphasis on networking, admissions recruitment efforts, media relations, internship, and placement opportunities. The office serves as a hub for more than 6,000 alumni that work in the downtown area and more than 29,000 alumni currently residing in Allegheny County.

Learn more about IUP’s Pittsburgh Office.

All IUP alumni are welcome! Future events will feature topics of interest to alumni as well as guest speakers and panel discussions.

For more information regarding the Crimson Bag Lunches, or to confirm your attendance, please contact Sheila Rawlings in the Office of Annual Giving at 724-357-5555 or rawlings@iup.edu.

By supporting your favorite team or teams through the athletic association this year, you’ll join others who recognize the benefits of assisting the efforts of IUP’s student athletes.

The CHAA helps to fund athletic scholarships, operating enhancements, and special projects. All donations will be designated as directed.

Visit the Crimson Hawks Athletic Association website for more information.

Location is the Sutton Porch and Lawn.

• Free food and prizes
• Resume review
• Opportunity to give to the senior gift program
• Business card development
• Connect with your alumni association

Hope to see you there!

By joining the Classes of 2008, 2010, and 2011, you will leave a legacy for generations to admire. Future students, alumni, and friends of IUP will witness your generosity first hand! Please join your class in supporting this effort to make your first mark as alumni of IUP!

We are asking for a small contribution of $20.09 from each senior. If every senior participated, the money raised would total over $58,000. Imagine the difference you could make! You can make this gift by filling out a pledge form and returning it to Annual Giving at the address specified, or simply go to Give a Gift, and select Senior Gift from the Contribution area at the bottom of the form.

Now is the time to make a difference as a class, seniors! Give your gift today and make your mark!

Individuals 70-1/2 years old or older may make a qualified charitable distribution outright to charity, in an amount up to $100,000, directly from a traditional or Roth IRA.

This giving opportunity allows contributions that are made directly from either a traditional or Roth IRA to the Foundation for Indiana University of Pennsylvania to be excluded from taxable income for federal income tax purposes. Effective for tax year 2009, the provision also enables each spouse to make a charitable gift of up to $100,000 in each year from his or her IRA to charity.

You may take advantage of this opportunity:

• If you are age 70 1/2 or older
• If you make the gift on or before December 31, 2009
• If you transfer funds directly from an IRA to the Foundation for Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Please note that a distribution from an IRA to benefit IUP must be distributed directly from the IRA trustee or administrator. Life income gifts such as charitable gift annuities or charitable remainder trusts are not eligible to be funded by an IRA distribution; nor are distributions to donor advised funds. Distributions from retirement accounts other than IRAs are also not eligible.

For more information about how your gift can benefit IUP and meet your own philanthropic intentions, please contact us for assistance at 724-357-5555. We’ll be happy to help!

The Council of Trustees also approved the naming of the Performing Arts Center’s Green Room in honor of Jane Miller Banks, a 1956 graduate, in recognition of her financial commitment to the university.

For complete details, see Residence Hall to Be Named for Former Foundation Board Member under IUP News.

For complete details, see Reduced Costs to Enable Start of Kovalchick Events Complex under IUP News.

Chad Hurley, a 1999 IUP graduate and one of the founders of YouTube, the video-sharing website, made the gift in honor of Fry, his former track and field coach. Fry, a member of the IUP department of music faculty, recruited Hurley to attend IUP and participate in the track and field program.

For complete details, see IUP Breaks Ground for Kovalchick Complex, Celebrates Donation by Alumnus under IUP News.

The PNC Foundation made a $300,000 gift to the KCAC in July.

The donation will be used for construction costs for the facility, a 150,000-square-foot building that will offer a 4,000- to 6,000-seat arena, athletic department administrative offices, and state-of-the-art conference facilities.

For complete details, see Trustees Approve Naming of KCAC Room for PNC Foundation under IUP News.

Salandro, president and CEO of IRIS Technologies in Greensburg, and his wife, Leslie, recently donated to IUP the end result of that research, a Landro play analyzer.

In his research, Salandro found that students retained knowledge at a 70 percent higher rate when visual examples could be provided along with classroom lecture. His finding would change how Salandro would train students and employees throughout his career.

"I'm grateful not only for the education and groundwork I did here for this program but also for the integral support and cooperation of IUP faculty and staff in the initial test version of Landro," Salandro said.

“We very much appreciate Mr. and Mrs. Salandro’s generosity,” said Robert Davies, vice president for University Relations at IUP and executive director of the Foundation for IUP. “This equipment will serve to better prepare our students for careers in counseling and will provide that margin of excellence in our already outstanding College of Education and Educational Technology. We are also very proud of Mr. Salandro’s success as one of our alumni and are very honored to have been in partnership with IRIS as a test site for the Landro technology.”

For the past five years, Claire Dandeneau and Lorraine Guth, faculty members in the IUP Counseling Department graduate program, have used a Landro playback analysis model for counseling. Salandro said Dandeneau and Guth's use of the technology, along with the work of Lloyd Onyett and Chris Barber, technology support employees at IUP, has been "invaluable in building the success of the use of this technology in education."

Salandro also credited David Stein and Karen Stein, faculty members in the Special Education and Clinical Services Department who specialize in speech and hearing disorders, for their support of the use of Landro technology. 

Recently, Salandro was recognized by the university for his achievements with a Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor IUP bestows on alumni, which has been given to fewer than 250 of 120,000 alumni.

After graduating from IUP in 1976, Salandro taught science to grades seven through ten and served as the first media director for the Hempfield School District near Greensburg. He went on to work as a training supervisor for Volkswagen Manufacturing Corporation, using his software and technology expertise to train and educate five thousand employees. It was, he said, the largest hiring and training effort accomplished in Pennsylvania at that time.

In 1980, when color photographs typically took a week to develop, Salandro created a franchise concept for getting pictures developed in one hour. Soon after, he developed the first equipment to transfer photos, slides, and home movies to videotape. On the advent of home media servers and personal video recorders, Salandro developed methods to transfer older media to the digital media format.

Salandro is also responsible for designing the world’s first touch-screen PC controls for the broadcast and cable television industries. He has more than fifty-six patent claims, with more than twenty others pending. His technology and products are being used across the country in places like the Pentagon, NASA, Disney World, and Comcast, as well as in colleges and high schools.

Currently, Salandro serves as a business and training coach at IRIS and at other companies, schools, and universities across the nation. He is also an accomplished and sought-after public speaker on the topics of teaching technologies and ethical business practices.

Salandro was named Business Person of the Year by Westmoreland Economic Development Corporation in 1996. He received the Business Ethics Award from the American Business Ethics Association in 2003, and, in 2004, the Distinguished Alumni Award from California University of Pennsylvania, where he received his bachelor's degree. He serves on the MBA Business Board of Advisors at Seton Hill University and is a past executive director of the Boy Scouts of America.

By joining the Classes of 2008, 2010, and 2011, you will leave a legacy for generations to admire. Future students, alumni, and friends of IUP will witness your generosity first hand! Please join your class in supporting this effort to make your first mark as alumni of IUP!

We are asking for a small contribution of $20.09 from each senior. If every senior participated, the money raised would total over $58,000. Imagine the difference you could make! You can make this gift by filling out a pledge form and returning it to Annual Giving at the address specified, or simply go to Give a Gift, click on the Give Online now link (left side of the page), and select Senior Gift from the Contribution area at the bottom of the form.

Now is the time to make a difference as a class, seniors! Give your gift today and make your mark!

To all alumni, IUP students say, “Thank you!”

By contributing to this year’s scholarship efforts, you will continue the tradition of support to IUP students and help to pass on a legacy that will remain for years to come.

This year’s challenge, posed to the Pioneers, the Class of 1958, and the Class of 1963 music alumni, is to contribute more than any other group of reunion classes has before—for a combined effort totaling more than $15,000. Every gift, no matter the size, brings you closer to that goal and closer to helping additional students reach their dreams. Your gifts also help to increase the alumni participation rate at IUP—an important figure considered in national rankings, making every IUP alumni’s degree more valuable. This year’s total will be announced at the Alumni Reunion Weekend Saturday evening Reunion Gala.

To make your gift:

• Call the Office of Annual Giving at 724-357-5555
• Complete and mail our pledge form
• Visit www.iup.edu/giveagift

To learn more about the details of Alumni Reunion Weekend (June 6-8, 2008) call the Office of Alumni Affairs at: 724-357-7942.

We hope to see you in June!

The donation will be used for construction costs for the facility, a 150,000-square foot building that will offer a 4,000- to 6,000-seat arena; athletic department administration offices, and state-of-the-art conferencing facilities.

While owned and managed by IUP, the Kovalchick Complex will serve as a resource for the regional community. It will be constructed on land along Wayne Avenue, adjacent to the university. Groundbreaking for the building will take place this year, and the facility will be completed in 2011.

The complex is named in honor of the Kovalchick family of Indiana in recognition of the family’s $2 million donation to the project.

IUP has raised more than $10 million in charitable contributions and federal funding for the Kovalchick Complex while striving to meet a $20 million goal. The funds will be used to match a $20 million commitment from former Governor Tom Ridge to support construction of the $44 million facility.

“We will be actively working to not only meet the required match for construction of the complex but also to go beyond expectations of our fundraising goal in order to create the outstanding kind of facility that our students, our community, and the Commonwealth need and deserve,” said IUP Vice President for University Relations Robert Davies.

FirstEnergy Foundation is established to ensure the safety and health of the community, to promote economic development, to advance professional development, and to support employee involvement.
 

But this is not just a call for support.  This is an opportunity for all our alumni, family and friends to reconnect with IUP and the students who are enrolled today.  Student callers receive the gratifying experience of reaching out and connecting beyond the four walls of IUP through:
●  Listening to the alumni’s fondest memories of IUP;
●  Answering inquiries on how today’s students enjoy the newly renovated and constructed on-campus housing;
●  Enjoying casual conversation about past and current professors, the Crimson Hawk, athletics, and life today at IUP;
●  And, receiving valuable work experience that will benefit them throughout their career.

As of January 31, 2008, through the dedication and hands on work experience of IUP’s student phonathon callers and the partnering support of IUP’s alumni, friends and family, the IUP Phonathon has raised in gifts and pledges more than $335,000.  Thank you to the thousands of donors who have shared moments of their time and generous donations to help enhance the experiences of IUP students.  In addition, many of the donors have taken advantage of their employer’s matching gift opportunities. In many cases, these matches have doubled the size of their gift.  Matching gifts account for an additional $35,500 in donations through the IUP Phonathon efforts this year. 

While this is a fantastic start, currently only 5.28% of IUP alumni have made gifts to support IUP.  Our desire is to reach an alumni participation goal of 11% by June 30, 2008.  When this goal is reached, there will be a celebration in the phonathon calling room! 

We look forward to sharing exciting IUP updates with everyone and hope that you will consider this as an opportunity to support the student experience at IUP.