As I continue to tour new areas of campus and meet with diverse groups of faculty, staff, and students, I am frequently amazed by all we accomplish at IU. I often find myself saying, “I didn’t know we did that!”
What has also become clear is that I am not the only one still learning about our successes at IU, even among those who have been on campus for many years.
Pictured left: David Brenneman, director of the Eskenazi Museum of Art, shows Provost Shrivastav the museum's archives; top: Walter Gantz, interim dean of the Media School (far left) and Jay Kincaid, director of the school's facilities and technology (far right), share the capabilities of the Ken and Audrey Beckley Studio; bottom: Provost Shrivastav talks with Luddy School staff. Photos by Ethan Gill, Cat DeSantis, Tristan Reed
As an IU community, we have an incredible story to tell, filled with discovery, learning, and invaluable service to our world. Yet by habit or history, we are often most familiar with those stories and experiences closest to us. We can miss out on the wonders of peers and colleagues in other disciplines or schools—sometimes literally in the learning space next door.
The same holds true for our alumni, donors, and local community members. I hear from many about their engagement with IU in very specific ways—from attending athletic events to supporting a scholarship. They, too, are often unaware of all that IU has to offer or ways they—and we—might benefit from closer connection.
All this leads me to a simple point: we each have an important story to share—and a responsibility to share it.
For us to meet the great opportunities ahead together, to enhance scholarship and learning, increase research and creative activity, and improve the lives of people in Indiana and beyond, we must tell our stories and ask others to join us.
As individuals and as a campus, we must find ways to foster greater collaboration, shared knowledge, and opportunities. This will include enhancing our internal and external communications to share our successes more fully. We must also foster greater collaboration among schools and colleges, creating new incentives for interdisciplinary efforts and easing pathways for students to learn across administrative lines. We must build stronger connections within our region and state, opening new opportunities for IU and expanding our impact. We must redouble our efforts to celebrate and learn from each other, including alumni and supporters, to lift the unique stories and contributions we each bring.
We all have an active role to play in IU’s future—and it starts with each of us.
