Senior Academy August 2025 Newsletter

August 12 – String Theory

The Senior Academy String Theory Group invites Senior Academy members, spouses, partners and friends to get together to knit, crochet or otherwise be creative. All skill levels are welcomed and supported, including beginners. String Theory meets the second Tuesday of every month, 4:30-6 p.m., in a member’s home. Register at this link to get the address of the August meeting.

Hats made by the String Theory group on display at the Simon Cancer Center, one of the beneficiaries of their work.

Double Your Pleasure with the Book Club this Month

August 13 – Senior Academy Book Club: Marianne Wokeck and Bill Schneider lead a discussion of two books: Samantha Harvey’s Orbital: A Novel and Jason Roberts’ Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life (a dual biography). Read one or both books. The book club meets on Zoom, 11 a.m.-noon, the second Wednesday of each month. Register to get the Zoom link. Note: So you can read ahead, the Sept. 10 book club selection is Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend (Fiction).

Fall Social

LOOKING AHEAD – Sept. 6^th Fall Social at Crown Hill, 9:30 a.m.-noon.

Enjoy a morning of connection and discovery with your Senior Academy friends at Crown Hill Cemetery. We'll gather in person at 9:30 a.m. at the Waiting Station by the Gothic South Gate (at 34th and Boulevard Place) for coffee, light refreshments and warm conversation. At 10:30 a.m., a docent-led walking tour will begin, guiding us through the rich history of the cemetery. Tour capacity is limited, so register soon.

Crown Hill Cemetery South Gate and Waiting Station

Photo: Daniel de Palma

2025 Annual Meeting Photographs

View the pictures on Flickr from our recent annual meeting held at the Indiana Historical Society. If you see a picture you like, feel free to download it or have a print made.

Jim Brown made all the pictures using his camera that also makes phone calls. He is reprising his workshop on how to make better pictures with your cell phone, Oct. 22. Registration is limited to the first 20 people. For more information and to register, click here.

2024-25 Annual Report

Submitted by Christine Fitzpatrick, President

A Year of Transition, Growth and Impact

As our campus transitioned from IUPUI to IU Indianapolis during 2024-25, the Senior Academy (SA) embraced change while staying true to its mission: building a vibrant community of retired faculty and staff, promoting lifelong learning and contributing meaningfully to both the university and the broader Indianapolis community. Following are highlights of the year:

Community & Connection
SA hosted a rich calendar of events, including:

• Fall Social at Covenant Hill Farm 
• The Last Lecture featuring Scott Deal 
• Annual Holiday Gathering 
• Art & photography workshops 
• Travel discussions and educational programs on aging and economics 
• Annual Meeting at the Indiana Historical Society

View photo galleries of these and other events on the Senior Academy’s Flickr page.

Interest Groups
Members stayed engaged through Book Club, Travel Group, String Theory and Volunteering Group activities. Volunteer efforts totaled 150 hours, supporting organizations like Exodus Refugee Center, Changing Footprints and United Way.

Philanthropy & Scholarships
SA members contributed $27,447 to the IU Indianapolis United Way Campaign—15.1% of the campus total.

The Senior Academy Scholarship Program awarded multiple scholarships, including a new renewable IPS Scholarship. Since 2004, the program has awarded $169,000 to 63 students! The Mentoring Program connected scholarship recipients with retired faculty for informal guidance and support.

Membership Expansion
A new Associate Member category now welcomes spouses, pre-retirement faculty/staff (55+) and retirees from other universities with ties to IU Indianapolis. Know someone who might enjoy the Senior Academy at IU Indianapolis? Share a link to our website and encourage them to join!

Campus & Community Partnerships
The Senior Academy continues to benefit from the support of Provost Jay Gladden and the Office of Academic Affairs, and strong ties to Faculty and Staff Councils at IU Indianapolis. Collaborations with Spirit & Place Festival, United Way’s Retire United and other partners expand opportunities for service and learning for our members.

Upcoming Free Course on Artificial Intelligence

Note: The course about Artificial Intelligence described below will launch in mid-to-late August. Faculty and staff will get a notice in IU Today when it’s available. It will be offered on the learner’s schedule.

Jul 22, 2025 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Read on news.iu.edu

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana University will introduce a new, free artificial intelligence course this fall that will give all students, faculty and staff essential AI skills that are critical for today’s workplaces.

The course, GenAI 101, will introduce practical skills in generative AI to students in all degree programs, providing a foundation in AI literacy that is applicable to each student’s chosen field. It will also be available to anyone else with an IU login, reflecting IU’s commitment to cultivating a future-ready workforce.

“Our new GenAI 101 course will ensure that all members of our community — regardless of role or major — are prepared to meet the opportunities of an AI-powered world,” IU President Pamela Whitten said. “By building a foundation of AI literacy and practical skills, IU is preparing students to excel in their careers and support the evolving needs of Indiana’s workforce and economy. I am looking forward to being the first to take this course when it goes live next month.”

Developed for early to mid-stage learners with no prior experience required, GenAI 101 offers a comprehensive, self-paced, hands-on curriculum. Participants will master 20 key generative AI skills across three major areas: Foundational Prompt Engineering, GenAI as a Thought Partner and GenAI as a Productivity Amplifier.

The course is structured into eight modules and 16 concise lessons, each featuring practical takeaways, high-quality visuals and real-world applications tailored for today’s digital landscape. Participants will be equipped with critical skills, such as prompt engineering, data storytelling, fact-checking AI-generated content and ethical AI use.

IU’s GenAI 101 stands out for its real-time, conversational AI learning agent named Crimson that will provide on-demand support for learners. All tools and examples are built around GenAI platforms already available to IU students and employees, making the course both relevant and immediately applicable.

“Generative AI is evolving rapidly, creating real opportunities for those who are comfortable with these tools,” Brian Williams, lead professor for the course and chair of the Virtual Advanced Business Technologies Department at the Kelley School of Business, said. “We designed this course to help participants develop practical skills they can immediately apply in their own field to work more effectively and efficiently.”

Senior Academy Annual Meeting Recap

Nearly 60 Senior Academy members and guests gathered June 18 at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center for the Annual Meeting.

SA President Christine Fitzpatrick convened the program that featured the introduction of new Board members and officers, a report on the 2024-25 activities and accomplishments and the announcement of the 2025-26 Senior Academy Scholarship recipients.

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Jay Gladden provided updates on behalf of the campus, while Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Eric Weldy gave an overview of the Division of Student Affairs. Indiana Historical Society President and CEO Jody Blankenship also welcomed attendees and invited them to explore the many exhibits of the Indiana Historical Society following the lunchtime meeting.

Introducing Our New Board Members!

The following retired faculty and staff members will begin their first terms on the Senior Academy Board of Directors this year. Thanks to all SA members who participated in the election.

• Keith Anliker, School of Science
• Cathy Bonser-Neal, Kelley School of Business
• Jim Grim, Office of Community Engagement
• Bart Ng, School of Science

Jim Grim, Keith Anliker, Cathy Bonser-Neal and Christine Fitzpatrick

The Board of Directors elected Sherry Stone, Herron School of Art + Design, for 2025-26 to fill a vacancy on the board due to Mary Chappell’s resignation. Mary will continue to serve as our Liaison to the IU Indianapolis Staff Council. 

Senior Academy Slate of Officers, 2025-26:

• Christine Fitzpatrick, President
• Nancy Lamm, Vice President
• Rachel Applegate, Secretary
• Cathy Bonser-Neal, Treasurer

Please join the Board also in thanking individuals who have sustained the Senior Academy through their leadership and engagement and are beginning new chapters in their retirement.

Members retiring from the Board of Directors (and their most recent role):

• Lorraine Blackman, Chair, Bepko Community Award Committee
• Gabrielle Bovenzi, Treasurer
• Mary Chappell, Chair, Membership Committee
• Steve Kirchhoff, Vice President

Retiring Committee Chairs/Co-Chairs:

• Anne Belcher, Spirit & Place
• Mark Grove, Nominating
• Georgia Miller, Programs
• Christy Tidwell, Spirit & Place

Give Now

The support of Senior Academy members through their dues and gifts has made possible engaging programs, social activities and student support for more than 30 years! We welcome your ongoing support of the Senior Academy Scholarship and General Funds. Click this QR code for more information.

Click this link for more information.

Visit the Member Center

Update your interests and contact Information by visiting the Senior Academy Member Center. Log into the Member Center with your university username. After logging in, you can access the Members Directory, update your profile, add your interests, check if your dues are up to date and more.

What's next?

Would you like to get involved with the Board of Directors or a committee? Do you have feedback, suggestions or ideas for programs or activities? We would love to hear from you!

Contact Christine Fitzpatrick (ude[dot]ui[at]tapztifc)