STEM event set at North
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. will present “Girl Up! SHEroes of STEM to help fifth and sixth grade girls to better understand non-traditional roles in science, technology, engineering and math and to meet female role models and mentors in these career paths.
The event will be 6 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at Columbus North High School. Cummins will lead hands-on STEM activities with Columbus Robotics and volunteers, along with a pizz dinner.
Throughout the event, participants may learn about architecture, biomedical sciences, culinary arts, engineering, fashion and textiles, graphic design, veterinary science and welding.
Each girl will receive a T-shirt and a bag filled with STEM-related items.
The event is presented in collaboration with C4, Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation, Columbus Robotics, Columbus Sunrise Rotary Club, Cummins, Toyota Material Handling and The Tony London Co.
To register, visit tinyurl.com/2024-Girl-UP.
Students named to honors list
Concordia University, Ann Arbor
Columbus: Adam Everroad
Concordia University, Wisconsin
Columbus: Simeon Bauman, Stephen Johnson
IU opens leadership center
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana University and the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs announced the opening of the Paul H. O’Neill Center for Leadership in Public Service, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to preparing current and future leaders for service to others and the common good.
The center aims to strengthen society by leveraging the expertise and resources of the O’Neill School at locations in Bloomington and Indianapolis. The center will amplify existing initiatives and develop new programs to broaden our reach, serving additional audiences and deepening the school’s impact.
The center is committed to preparing all future leaders that value public service through programs such as the NextGen and O’Neill Leadership Programs, public service scholarships, the Leadership Series, and the Washington Leadership and D.C. Accelerator Programs. These initiatives provide students with the skills, experience, and opportunities to integrate public service into their careers.
The center is expanding its executive leadership training programs, offering professionals tailored pathways to leadership excellence. With new cohort-based and online courses, as well as international partnerships, the center equips professionals with advanced skills to drive impact.
The center is dedicated to bridging the gap between academic insights and real-world practice. Through initiatives such as the D.C. Colloquium, Executives in Residence, and service-learning projects, the center empowers public and nonprofit leaders, engages students with hands-on learning, and fosters collaboration across sectors.
The center is being established as part of the transformative $30 million gift from former secretary of the U.S. Treasury and IU alumnus Paul H. O’Neill to support programming within the school. The O’Neill School is named in his honor.
“Dad would be grateful for the efforts of the entire leadership team at IU and all those involved in launching the Paul H. O’Neill Center for Leadership in Public Service,” said Paul O’Neill, Jr. “I’m confident that the future leaders that are exposed to the programs at the center will be best prepared to meet the ever-evolving challenges of the world.”
Enrollment increases at colleges
INDIANAPOLIS – Enrollment at Indiana’s public higher education institutions for the fall 2024 school year saw the largest one-year increase since fall 2010. Exceeding 2 percent, the increase from the fall 2023 school year saw more students enrolling in both undergraduate and graduate programs.
This is now the second year in a row college enrollment in Indiana increased, reversing the previous 12-year decline. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education released data that show enrollment at statewide public institutions increased by more than 5,000 students from fall 2023 including increases in both resident and non-resident enrollment.
“After a second consecutive year of increased enrollment, we are hopeful this is an indication that the declining trends will continue to reverse,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery. “The commission has been bullish on our efforts aimed at increasing enrollment with strategic initiatives such as Indiana: Pre-Admissions, expanded financial aid support, and a focus on partnerships providing leading indicators that reflect potential contributions to that success. As much work remains, I remain pleased but not satisfied on this update.”
At the undergraduate level, enrollment improved by more than 2 percent from fall 2023 while graduate enrollment also increased by nearly 1 percent. Additionally, both four-year and two-year institutions experienced an increase in enrollment of at least 2 percent compared to the prior year. Four-year institution enrollment rates surpassed 190,000 students for the first time since 2020.
