Preparing Hoosiers for a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical phenomenon
As announced earlier this week by Indiana University President Pamela Whitten, Indiana University is gearing up to help Hoosiers celebrate and learn from a truly once-in-a-lifetime event and what promises to be one of the largest tourism events in Indiana’s history—the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024.
IU’s campuses in Bloomington, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Richmond and Columbus are in the path of totality, where the moon will completely eclipse the sun for up to roughly four minutes. As such, IU faculty, staff and students all across the university have partnered with local communities to plan arts, educational and cultural events—including a star-studded celebration in Bloomington and a weekend-long series of festivities in Indianapolis—while also working to ensure the safety of Indiana and out-of-state residents excited to take part in viewings and other special activities across our campuses.
The IU Center for Rural Engagement is leading IU’s rural solar eclipse initiative, using funding from the Simons Foundation to provide staff support, resources and outreach for community activities that unite residents around the historic astronomical event. More than 80 organizations in communities with a population under 50,000 applied for $2,000 micro-grants, facilitated by Regional Opportunity Initiatives, to support the implementation of eclipse activities.
With more than 1 million visitors expected to flock to Indiana in the days leading up to April 8, the center also has published a 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Planning Toolkit. It features planning resources and safety information about viewing the eclipse, managing crowds and leveraging the eclipse to bolster community interest and capacity for arts and cultural events into the future.
Visit the Eclipse IU website, IU’s primary home for eclipse information, including how to safely participate in viewings and events across the university’s campuses
Read President Whitten’s blog about IU’s eclipse planning
Learn more about IU’s rural solar eclipse initiative
Statehouse Update
The IU State Relations team has reviewed every bill that has been introduced at the Statehouse, and determined if and how the bill could impact the university. This Statehouse Update provides a summary of bills the team is tracking that have had activity up to this point in the third week of session.
Read the Statehouse Update
Economic Engagement Update
President Whitten joins coalition to build, grow youth apprenticeship
IU President Pamela Whitten has joined several Indiana leaders from across business, education, government and philanthropy in a new coalition dedicated to addressing Indiana's workforce development crisis. The group is developing a statewide modern youth apprenticeship system in Indiana, which will allow 11th grade high school students to participate in a three-year, paid work-and-learn program culminating in a high school diploma, college credit and an industry credential, while preparing students for in-demand careers.
The new CEMETS iLab Indiana is the brainchild of Ursula Renold, Ph.D., and Katie Caves, Ph.D., of the Center on Economics and Management of Education and Training Systems (CEMETS) at ETH Zurich, who are considered the preeminent experts in workplace learning research and implementation.
Last fall President Whitten and her peers at Butler University, the University of Indianapolis and Marian University were part of an Indiana delegation who traveled to Switzerland to learn more about the country’s heralded apprenticeship system and how its best practices could apply to Ascend Indiana’s Modern Apprenticeship Program. Part of the Indy Chamber’s Leadership Exchange, the delegation also included Phil Powell, executive director of the Indiana Business Research Center at IU’s Kelley School of Business, which published a special issue to provide pre-reading for the delegation.
Read the announcement about the new coalition
Discover more about the Indiana delegation’s trip to Switzerland
Readying tomorrow’s cybersecurity workforce
Demand for highly skilled cybersecurity professionals is growing twice as fast as the workforce, according to recent studies. It is estimated that there are more than 500,000 open cybersecurity positions in the U.S. alone. The threat of cyberattacks on both private and public sectors has created growing demand for graduates entering the workforce to think about cybersecurity from a variety of disciplines and viewpoints.
IU’s Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program, a joint degree between the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering and the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, provides students with a combination of technical instruction in cybersecurity alongside the study of government policy and global languages and cultures. Since it was launched four years ago, the program has grown to include nearly 200 students, and it is now ranked in the country’s top 25 cybersecurity undergraduate programs. It also receives upwards of 300 applications each year, signaling that it will continue its upward trajectory.
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IU in the News
Lilly Endowment awards IU $1.5 million to advance science of reading
To improve reading achievement among Indiana children, Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded Indiana University a $1.5 million grant to expand evidence-based reading instruction. The grant was made through Lilly Endowment’s statewide initiative, Advancing Science of Reading in Indiana.
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IU trident welcomes travelers at Indianapolis International Airport
An unmistakable representation of Indiana University now welcomes travelers from around the world to Indianapolis International Airport.
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Center leads the way in study of religion in American culture and beyond
Since its inception in 1989, the Center for the Study of Religion & American Culture on Indiana University’s Indianapolis campus has become known across the globe as a leader in its field. The center’s focus is to increase understanding of the influence of religion in the lives of Americans through impactful research and service to the public.
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