Joyce Flinko
A long-time employee of Indiana University of Pennsylvania has been honored with the establishment of a scholarship for IUP students.
Cindy Newhouse Ireland and Mike Ireland, now of Weaverville, North Carolina, have donated $30,000 to establish an endowed scholarship in memory of the late Joyce Newhouse Flinko, a long-time resident of Indiana, who was Cindy Ireland’s aunt. Cindy Ireland lived in Indiana as a child (where her grandparents also lived) until her family moved to Emporium, where she grew up.
The late Joyce Flinko lived most of her life in either Cameron, McKean, or Indiana counties, graduating in 1959 from (then) Indiana Joint High School. She started her 21-year tenure with IUP in 1986 as a clerk typist, joining the Department of Financial Aid in 2003 and retiring from that position in 2007.
Preference for the Joyce Flinko scholarship is for students enrolled full-time at IUP from Cameron, Elk, Indiana, and McKean counties who are pursuing a degree at IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine or the IUP College of Health Sciences.
“It’s extremely heartwarming to have the Irelands establish this living legacy for Mrs. Flinko,” IUP Vice President for University Advancement Jennifer DeAngelo said. “Clearly, Mrs. Flinko cared deeply about her work, IUP, and serving students, and this scholarship will truly make a major difference for students studying in the healthcare fields,” she said.
“My aunt really enjoyed helping others and often referred to the students she guided through the financial aid process as ‘my kids,’” Cindy Ireland said.
“She had survived a number of difficulties in her life, losing her husband George Flinko early in their married life in a car accident, leaving her with one son, Scott, who also preceded her in death in 2008. She struggled for many years with kidney disease, spending years on dialysis.
“Aunt Joyce endured more than one kidney transplant and received a very rare gift of a baby’s kidney that grew with her and allowed her to have a fulfilling life, even later recovering from cancer and a heart condition. She spoke to groups from time to time in her life about resilience and never giving up or giving in. Aunt Joyce maintained her love of life and sense of humor until she passed away in March 2024,” Cindy Ireland said.
“As a family, we wanted to establish this scholarship to give ‘her kids’ a hand up in pursuing careers in healthcare, while honoring her legacy, which was a lifetime of strength and helping others,” she said.
The donation from the Irelands is part of IUP’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, Impact 150. The Impact 150 campaign has a goal of $150 million; it is the largest campaign in the history of the university. The campaign is named in honor of the university’s sesquicentennial celebration, celebrated during the 2025–26 academic year.
Impact 150 centers around raising funds for healthy students, including supporting students academically and personally; a healthy university, including maintaining IUP’s commitment to excellence and innovation; and healthy communities, including IUP’s work to establish a college of osteopathic medicine.
As of March 31, IUP’s Impact 150 comprehensive fundraising campaign stands at more than $114.5 million, or 76.34 percent of goal, with 50,150 gifts from 13,138 donors.
This total includes more than $54 million for IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, part of IUP’s commitment to address the rural healthcare crisis. Recent gifts to IUP COM include $4 million from a Pittsburgh foundation.
At the time of the public campaign launch of IUP 150 in August 2025, a total of $81,236,852—54 percent of the campaign goal—had been gifted to IUP from 11,673 donors.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. IUP’s Impact 150 comprehensive campaign is designed to honor a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, public service, and leadership in healthcare education, including the first college of osteopathic medicine at a public university in the Commonwealth.