Senior Academy September 2025 Newsletter
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2025 IU Indianapolis Last Lecture
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Dr. Susan Hyatt, Professor Emerita of Anthropology in the School of Liberal Arts, has been selected as the Senior Academy’s 2025 IU Indianapolis Last Lecturer. Over her career, Dr. Hyatt’s groundbreaking community-engaged teaching, research and service helped define a core mission of the campus, advancing our university’s collaborative engagement by involving students with residents and communities of central Indiana. Examples include working with Jewish and Black residents in neighborhoods on the Indianapolis Southside, and mixing students on campus with incarcerated students in courses developed through the Inside-Out Prison Exchange pedagogical model.
Dr. Hyatt’s lecture will take place on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 at 2 p.m. in the Campus Center Theater, followed by a reception outside the theater.
Mark your calendar and plan to attend this year’s Last Lecture, always a highlight of the Senior Academy programming. Click on this link to register for the 2025 Last Lecture event.
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Dr. Sue Hyatt talks with two women who have brought personal photographs to scan for her ongoing documentary project of Indianapolis Southside residents.
Fall Social
September. 6 – 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.
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Join us!
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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.
Infrared photos by Jim Brown
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2025 Holiday Gathering - SAVE THE DATE
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Thursday, December 11, noon - 2 p.m.
Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
Plan now to join as we mingle, enjoy a lunch buffet and visit the Festival of Trees and other collections of this important Indiana venue. A brief program will leave plenty of time for conversing and connecting with your Senior Academy friends before the winter holidays. Registration will begin in October.
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Meet our Scholarship Winners
The Senior Academy Scholarship Committee selected four students to receive scholarship support during 2025-26. We’ll feature one student here each month.
Senior Academy Freshman Scholarship for IPS Students
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Mutombo (Mike)
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Mutombo (Mike) Mutombo is a 2025 summa cum laude graduate of Crispus Attucks High School. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mike came to Indiana with his family in 2022. Upon enrolling at Crispus Attucks, his teachers recognized his leadership potential and invited him to serve as a peer tutor in the English as a New Language (ENL) program. Besides working afterschool jobs to contribute to family finances, he has performed in a jazz band, illustrated a children’s book and received several private commissions for his artwork. Mike plans to pursue a degree in computer science and hopes to be able to use technology to improve access to education and healthcare for underserved communities.
Mike was selected along with his sister (who will also attend IU Indy) to speak at their high school commencement. To learn more about their journey, follow the link below. A general intro starts at 27:19, then skip to 36:44 for the intro of Mike and his speech. Link to graduation speech.
Learn more and support the Scholarship for IPS Students.
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Create Storytelling Pictures From Your Smart Phone
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Create Storytelling
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September 9 String Theory
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| The Senior Academy String Theory Group invites Senior Academy members, spouses, partners and friends to get together with others and chat while knitting, crocheting or being otherwise creative. All skill levels are welcomed and supported, including beginners. String Theory meets the second Tuesday of every month, 4:30-6 p.m. EDT in a member’s home. Register at this link to get the address of the September meeting. |
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Read a "Best Book of the 21st Century" with the Book Club this Month
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Read a ‘Best Book of the 21st Century’ with the Book Club this Month
Tuesday, Sept. 10 on Zoom, 11 a.m. to noon – The Senior Academy Book Club selection for September is Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend. Named by The New York Times as the #1 Best Book of the 21st Century, this novel by one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors tells the story of a friendship between two working-class girls from childhood into adolescence, set against the backdrop of a working-class neighborhood in Naples, Italy in the 1950s. Sheila Bosron will lead a discussion of the book.
For more information and to register for the Zoom link, click here.
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Learn About the Increase of Measles in the United States from an Expert
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Friday, Oct. 24 on Zoom, noon to 1:15 p.m., Dr. Stanley Spinola
Dr. Stanley Spinola presents a live program on Zoom, “Societal Consequences of Scientific Misconduct: The Resurgence of Measles in the United States.” Dr. Spinola, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, IU School of Medicine, will discuss the resurgence of measles and the role scientists, institutions and journals played in shaping the belief in an association between the MMR vaccine and autism and the societal consequences that followed. You won’t want to miss this conversation that blends science, history and public health.
For more information and to register for the Zoom link, click here.
https://medicine.iu.edu/faculty/6484/spinola-stanley
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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 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.
Share Your Ideas
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 )
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