THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS • FOUNDED 1922 • INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA VOL.
102
I S S UE 1 0
reflector.uindy.edu
APRIL 10, 2024
President Tanuja Singh inaugurated By Michael Harrington FEATURE EDITOR
The University of Indianapolis and the surrounding community experienced a historical ceremony honoring UIndy President Tanuja Singh. According to UIndy’s Website, Singh’s inauguration was held on April 4-5. There were a variety of events, beginning with a Corporate and Community Leaders Breakfast and concluding with an open student reception. Vice President for Corporate and Community Partnerships Andy Kocher said the inauguration allows UIndy to gather with the community to celebrate a new future for the university. According to Kocher, the event allows UIndy to celebrate everything great about the institution. “It celebrates not just a new leader in Dr. Tanuja Singh, but also a new vision and a new path forward into what we know is going to be a prosperous future for the university,” Kocher said. “The inauguration is a moment to celebrate all the things that make the University of Indianapolis great, and then all of the things that Dr. Singh and our community are going to achieve together as we move forward.” Kocher said the choice to hold an inauguration months after Singh took the position as UIndy’s president was intentional. While people may think a president ’s inauguration occurs shortly after taking the role, Kocher said traditionally UIndy has held inauguration ceremonies in April. Singh said having an inauguration occur eight months into her presidency gave her the chance to give the audience a reflection of herself and her values. According to Singh, she used her eight months in office to learn more about UIndy as a community and an institution. “In these eight months, I have learned from a lot of people about what matters in this state, to the state, how we might grow as a university, how we might partner with institutions that'll help us grow,” Singh said. “If I had done it [the inauguration] earlier in my career, it
would've been more a concept. Now, it is more a reality because a lot of the things I'm going to talk about in my comments are things we are already beginning to do in partnering with this community, in helping deliver our promise.” The event is important to students and faculty due to how rare it is, Kocher said, and is a moment to celebrate something that will be remembered for years to come. As UIndy has only had 10 presidents since its founding in 1902, Kocher said students should attend special events like these. “It's not quite as infrequent as the eclipse on Monday, but it is a very infrequent thing that we get to inaugurate a new president, and it's an exciting time for an institution,” Kocher said. “These are opportunities to engage in that and hear the conversations, what we are going to be talking about as part of the celebrations and part of the events.” According to Singh, the inauguration is not just historic for her but for UIndy as well. She said contributing to a major event for the university is humbling and is a way to strengthen UIndy as a whole. Singh said she wanted the event to connect with the external community and celebrate UIndy’s students and faculty. “Everybody that's attending the event is connected and will get connected,” Singh said. “I wanted it to be a celebration of our students and our faculty. Once I gave my vision to Andy Kocher, I asked him to help translate it into something that's meaningful to our faculty, that's meaningful for the community, that's meaningful for our students and that's meaningful for my family.” Singh said she wanted to highlight the impact higher education has on the community during her inauguration. According to Singh, she hopes the inauguration showed how much she values the community and highlights how she has engaged and wants to continue engaging with students. “Everything we are doing during this week will showcase that impactful part of higher education,” Singh said. “The greatest joy I have, the biggest thing
Photo by Allison Cook
UIndy President Tanuja Singh receives a round of applause while standing on the stage of the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center during her Investiture Ceremony. The inauguration is historic for the university, as Singh is one of 10 presidents since its founding in 1902.
that I get out of this job, is when my students are successful. And I hope that is showcased in every comment that I make and in everything we do because ultimately higher education matters a lot to society. It matters a lot to the world, it matters to our city, it matters to our state. And I hope we see the power of
This is a moment to celebrate all the things that make [UIndy] great." higher education and those are some of the things that I hope are reflected in my comments and the celebrations this week.” According to Singh, everyone from students to senators attended the inauguration. She said it was wonderful to see community leaders in attendance,
but she was most excited to see her friends and family. “I had a senator in my office, Senator Andrea [Hunley], and she's coming,” Singh said. “I met her as soon as I arrived here, but we have now really come to know each other and all of these people who care about the city. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody but most of all I'm looking forward to seeing my personal friends and family who are traveling from across the country.” Kocher said the student reception portion of the inauguration allowed for students to get to know Singh as a person, rather than just their president. Singh wanted the celebrations to be relaxed and enjoyed spending time having personal conversations with the students during the reception. “Dr. Singh wants the student reception to be fun and informal and engaging,” Kocher said. “When you are a student and you want to engage
with Dr. Singh, I think you'll find that the investiture ceremony and in the following student reception will be an opportunity to both participate in the formal, but then really get to know her and talk to her and kind of just participate in a really fun, informal opportunity that celebrates the moment.” Singh said she hopes attendees see that UIndy has the power to change lives in Indianapolis. UIndy is more than just a place to get a degree, Singh said, it is an institution that gives people life skills. “We are a university that's connected to the world and we have tremendous presence in the city and we have tremendous power to change lives in the city,” Singh said. “I hope they see us as an innovative, forward-thinking university that is preparing people for life skills, not just job skills … they see us truly as a lifelong learning opportunity institution and I hope they see a lot of pride.”
Leadership award given to Tamika Catchings
Inaugural Kevin R. Armstrong Ethical Leadership Award given to leaders in the Indianapolis community By Olivia Pastrick
MANAGING EDITOR & NEWS EDITOR The University of Indianapolis Center for Ethics recently held its inaugural ceremony for the Kevin R. Armstrong Ethical Leadership Award. This award, which will be awarded annually to an Indiana resident who has made an impact
on their community, was given to former WNBA player and Founder of the Catch the Stars Foundation Tamika Catchings. According to their website, the Catch the Stars Foundation is a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower youth with fitness, literacy and character development programs. Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Director for the Center for Ethics Lacey
Photo by Allison Cook
Kevin Armstrong presents Tamika Catchings the Kevin R. Armstrong Ethical Leadership Award, with President Tanuja Singh by her side. The award honors leaders in Indiana.
INSIDE: OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 8 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 FEATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ENTERTAINMENT . . . . . . . . . 7
Davidson said this award was named after Kevin R. Armstrong because of an endowment for the celebration of his retirement. According to Davidson, Armstrong was a board member at UIndy, the president of Methodist Health Group and chief of staff at Indiana University Health. Davidson said Armstrong wanted to invest in ethics education at UIndy because of his background in helping people. “The purpose of the award is to honor an Indiana resident who makes contributions to their community through strong ethical leadership,” Davidson said. “The reason why we decided to kind of [frame] it that way is we really want to highlight people, our Hoosiers … who are really being reflective in how they think about the future of our state.” Catchings started the Catch the Stars Foundation in 2004 because she understands the need for positive programs, mentors and support for young people, according to their website. Catchings said she struggled with finding her purpose after getting injured during her senior year of college basketball and
found ways to get involved with the Indianapolis community in the wake of her injury. “We love what we do with the Catch the Stars Foundation. My sister and I, we started it back in 2004,” Catchings said. “I actually tore my ACL my senior year in college, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I was on my way to the WNBA. … I could be mad that I was hurt and injured and I couldn't participate with the team. What a second choice was, is I could get out in the community and figure out and learn what is being a Hoosier.” The Catch the Stars Foundation has given out over $48,000 annually through its Scholar Athlete program, according to its website. Catchings said the program sends former athletes to college because not every athlete will be able to or want to play at the next level, much less for a scholarship. She said the Scholar Athletes also come back and volunteer with the foundation. “We really focus on developing those character and soft skills,” Catchings said. “That's something as you enter into the real world, you got to have those skills, you got to be able to look somebody in the
face, you got to be able to communicate without having to type, you got to be able to spell. … So there are things that they need to learn.” Catchings said her discipline and faith have played a large role in her success. Catchings was born with a hearing disability, which she said she was made fun of for when she was younger, which led her to sports. She said through sports she was able to focus on something and discipline herself to become great at it. This discipline has followed her throughout her life and has guided her through difficult times, she said. “As I've lived my life—and the principles and the journey, and just everything that I represent, faith, my family—my faith is always number one, first and foremost,” Catchings said. “… And what I do in the community, I think everything that I represent, kind of goes along with that.” Davidson said ethics and ethical leadership can provide people with a framework to guide them through everyday life. She said everyone has goals in life, both long and short term, and > See Catchings on Page 3
THE “CAITLIN CLARK EFFECT”
TELESCOPE TO BE RESTORED
PALEONTOLOGY AT UINDY
The University of Iowa guard has taken the nation by storm, breaking records every step of the way. Check out Page 2 to read more!
A team of UIndy students and faculty have been working to restore the telescope in Lilly Science Hall’s observatory. Flip to Page 3 to read more about the process and its impact.
UIndy senior Spencer Shroyer is set to make history as the first UIndy student to graduate with a paleontology minor. Turn to Page 6 to read more about the minor and its impact.
> See OPINION
> See NEWS
> See FEATURE