Fast Facts
Two donors who made extraordinary gifts to Indiana University in the last year were recognized by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as some of the most generous philanthropists in the nation. The Chronicle's listing of the "The Philanthropy 50" include Michael and Janie Maurer, who committed $35 million for scholarships to the newly named Maurer School of Law-Bloomington, and the estate of Jesse and Beulah Cox, which provided a gift of $77 million for scholarships to be awarded to students on the IU Bloomington and IUPUI campuses.
Samuel Dargan
When the Maurer School of Law inducted new members of its Academy of Law Alumni Fellows last month, Samuel Dargan, the first black graduate of the law school, in 1909, was inducted posthumously. He became the curator of the Law Library in 1924, befriending other distinguished alumni such as Wendell Willkie and Sherman Minton along the way. Read about him in the archived Feb. 27, 2007, HP edition; click on Flashback.
When WFIU first aired its weekly program about real food and green living, Earth Eats, the first week of the Earth Eats Podcast was chosen as the top featured new release in Apple's iTunes Podcast Directory. Additionally, the program was the top iTunes podcast in the food category and ranked fifth among all arts category podcasts. http://wfiu.org/eartheats/
Electronic Waste Collection Days, a free electronic waste recycling drive hosted by IU, took place April 30-May 2. The program was open to all public and private schools, universities, businesses, non-profits and the general public. The harvest? Before the public brought its haul to sites, the stats were: IU Bloomington -- 150,000 pounds (seven plus trailers); IUPUI -- 185,000 pounds (nine-plus trailer loads); and IU South Bend -- 70,000 pounds (five trailer loads). That amount translates to 202.5 tons of E-waste (plus the general public day poundage) that will not make its way to the landfill. http://homepages.indiana.edu/web/page/normal/10536.html
The Molecular Medicine in Action program marked its 10th anniversary this semester, hosting 50 Hoosier high school students for two days in March. Selected students were able to peer into the world of genetics and use the same sophisticated tools world-class researchers have to better understand and develop treatments and cures of complex diseases at the IU School of Medicine and the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Packets for next spring's program will be mailed in mid-September to Indiana's high schools, and science teachers will be able to select students for participation. There is an online application form at www.wellscenter.iupui.edu/MMIA, with a deadline for submission of Oct. 31. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of Indiana biology and chemistry teachers, and selected students will be notified by Dec. 15.
The Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame, formerly housed at DePauw University, will move to the IU School of Journalism in Bloomington this summer. Founded in 1966 and housed at DePauw since 1977, the hall was created by the Indiana chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and includes 220 members.
Ben Meyer
Ben Meyer took a break from cycling across America with his Ride for World Health team to attend commencement festivities Mother's Day weekend and to accept his medical degree. He rejoined his team in Bloomington on Monday to resume the trek east, raising money for two grassroots world health organizations, Esperanca and Village Health Works. Meyer and his team began the trek in San Diego and will arrive in Washington D.C., later this month. He's bound for a radiology residency in Chicago on his return. Check his blog: http://benmeyersblog.blogspot.com/.
IUPUI students are conducting an archaeological dig to shed new light on the life of Madam C.J. Walker, America's first female self-made millionaire; the summer project is being directed by anthropology professor Paul Mullins, who notes that in Walker's time, residents often buried their trash in the backyard. See the video at Indy Channel 6News: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/19492919/detail.html.
