IU Office of Community Engagement in Indianapolis

05/29/2026

From braiding hair with her grandmother to winning IU Indianapolis' annual pitch competition, Ja’Niya Smith's entrepreneurial dreams are only just beginning.

The Muncie native came to IU Indianapolis to major in marketing, management and venture creation at Kelley School of Business Indianapolis. She soon began envisioning how to spin off her success as a solo stylist into a scalable business that would reach beyond a single shop.

She landed on a startup idea focused on creating stylish workwear for beauty professionals. Her startup, Miss CEO Essentials, got a big boost when Smith won first place in the 2026 JagStart competition, an annual pitch competition sponsored by IU Innovates.

Learn more about Ja'Niya's journey: https://hey.iu.edu/upoQk

05/29/2026

Camp is in session! ⛺️🎨

Through the IUI Herron School of Art + Design, students in grades 1 through 12 explore new avenues of art and design from professional art educators and studio artists.

From illustration to makerspace equipment and techniques, these weeklong summer youth art camps are designed to inspire, pique curiosity, and channel enthusiasm, transforming the wonder of each child's imagination into objects of invention and creativity.

🔗Sign up before June 1: https://hey.iu.edu/upxvX

05/29/2026

Strong workforce development happens when higher education and industry work together to create meaningful, real-world experiences for students. 🤝

The recent Eli Lilly and Company + IU Indianapolis Co-op Student Poster Presentation highlighted how students are applying classroom learning to real business challenges across fields like engineering, IT, HR, and marketing.

For Kendall Troy, a sophomore at the IU Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indianapolis, the experience was enriching and pushed her outside of her comfort zone.

“I learned that anything can be solved with extensive research and discipline. I have developed a new sense of confidence in myself to complete the goals I set out to achieve, despite any challenges or limitations I face,' said Troy.

Read more about how the Lilly Co-op program is connecting students with experiential learning and workforce opportunities: https://hey.iu.edu/upyDi

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

From AI literacy to strengthening mental health initiatives on campus, student leaders are bettering the Jaguar experience — one impactful presentation at a time. 🤝

Armed with research-led findings and recommendations, this year's end-of-year presentations, led by the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board (CSAB) and Chancellor’s Student Mental Health Council (CSMHC), allowed students the opportunity to share and collaborate directly with Chancellor Ramchand on action steps that will create meaningful impact at IU Indianapolis.

🔗Discover how student leaders are bettering campus for current and future Jags: https://hey.iu.edu/upA5p

05/28/2026

🌟 Programs like Kids College and CROWN reflect IU Indianapolis’ commitment to strengthening educational pathways across Indiana by helping students explore college, careers, and future opportunities through hands-on learning and real-world experiences.

Registration is still open for the IU Indianapolis CROWN Summer Camp, taking place June 22–July 2 for rising 9th grade students. This free, two-week college readiness program helps students explore future careers, learn about college expectations, and build skills for success in school and the workforce. Students will gain exposure to high-demand career fields including healthcare, information technology, science, and other growing industries through engaging, hands-on experiences.

Spots are limited!

🔗 Register: https://go.iu.edu/8gWMh9

IU Indianapolis is offering two summer programs, Kids College and CROWN, to give middle and high school students an opportunity to explore college and career paths, build confidence, and gain hands-on experience in high-demand fields.

FULL STORY:🔗https://tinyurl.com/s8mwvmrh

05/27/2026

💭 A thoughtful perspective from our Vice Chancellor, Marie Mackintosh, on the important role urban universities like IU Indianapolis have in connecting learning, research, and community impact:

What if the future of higher education is not focused on choosing between intellectual rigor and real-world impact but on connecting the two more intentionally?

Higher education is being challenged to demonstrate public value in more visible and tangible ways. For urban R1 universities like Indiana University Indianapolis, the opportunity is not to move away from research, theory, or intellectual inquiry, but to better connect those strengths to the real needs and aspirations of learners, employers, and communities.

For a long time, higher education has treated applied learning, workforce engagement, and civic partnership as adjacent to the academic mission rather than deeply integrated into it.

But the world learners are entering does not separate knowledge from application so neatly.

Many of the opportunities and challenges shaping Indiana’s future, including healthcare and life sciences innovation, AI and workforce transformation, and teacher shortages, require institutions capable of connecting research, industry, talent, and civic partnership in more intentional ways.

That is where urban universities like IU Indianapolis have a distinctive role to play.

Our campus sits at the intersection of healthcare systems and life sciences companies, growing businesses across multiple sectors, nonprofits and cultural organizations, sports and hospitality industries, and so much more. We are one of Indiana’s largest producers of healthcare professionals, educators, social workers, and graduates who stay and work in the state after graduation.

The opportunity is not simply proximity. It is the ability to better connect discovery, real-world learning, and community partnership in ways that create meaningful impact for learners, employers, and the city itself.

At their best, urban universities do more than generate knowledge. They help translate ideas, talent, research, and partnership into stronger communities, broader opportunity, and long-term regional vitality. That is the work institutions like IU Indianapolis are uniquely positioned to help lead, and I am excited to be a part of it.

https://lnkd.in/gij2XssG

05/19/2026

In 2016, Troi Wharton was preparing for brain surgery, unsure of what it would mean for her future and her education. Today, after years of ongoing health challenges, she is officially a Kelley School of Business Indianapolis graduate. 🎓

Troi found her strength through support and encouragement from her family, the Kelley Indianapolis community, and mentors who helped her continue her journey toward graduation.

Now, she’s sharing her story with the world to encourage others to keep moving forward — even when life doesn’t go as planned.

🔗Read more about Troi’s journey: https://hey.iu.edu/upe2y

05/18/2026

👏Celebrating continued learning and leadership across our team as Cindy Gil reaches an important academic milestone.

🎓 Congratulations to Cindy Gil on earning a Master of Theological Studies from the Christian Theological Seminary.

We celebrate this meaningful milestone and her continued commitment to learning and service.

05/18/2026

👏 Celebrating continued learning and leadership across our team as E. Shane Lee reaches an important academic milestone.

🎓 Congratulations to E. Shane Lee on earning a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

We celebrate this meaningful milestone and his continued commitment to learning and service.