Season’s greetings from the Indiana University Office of the Vice President for University Relations!
With a few days remaining until the end of 2024, we have many reasons to be grateful and hopeful. This was a year filled with promising new partnerships, new educational pathways, and new pipelines of talent and innovation, as we continued to work together to further Indiana University’s mission to serve communities across our state and improve Indiana’s future economic prosperity.
And we have much to look forward to in 2025!
To all our many colleagues, friends and supporters across the state, nation and world, thank you for your continued support of IU, and we wish you a joyful, restful and happy holiday season!
A BIG week for IU and Indiana
In a week that saw Indiana University President Pamela Whitten highlight significant progress at IU in her annual State of the University address and the IU Hoosiers earn a historic berth in the College Football Playoff, IU capped a massive news cycle by announcing the launch of the IU Launch Accelerator for Biosciences at the 16 Tech Innovation District.
Supported by a $138 million Lilly Endowment Inc. grant—IU’s largest-ever grant in support of research and development—the first-of-its-kind academic-industry initiative, known as IU LAB, will lead major advances in human health and help make Indiana a global leader in biosciences innovation.
“Indiana University is launching an initiative so transformative that it will change the very landscape of our capital city and state,” Whitten said. “Lilly Endowment’s extraordinary investment in IU LAB will enable IU to turn this bold vision into reality.”
In collaboration with some of the state’s key biosciences organizations—including IU, IU School of Medicine, 16 Tech, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, BioCrossroads, Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, Regenstrief Institute and IU Health—IU LAB will aim to drive advancements and commercialization in biosciences, as well as develop talent to support this dynamic sector. It will also drive economic growth in Indianapolis through the development, acceleration and graduation of startup companies, which can stay on site through permanent space at 16 Tech.
IU LAB will be critical in IU continuing to build momentum toward the ambitious goals of the IU 2030 strategic plan. In her State of the University address on Tuesday, Dec. 10, President Whitten outlined recent achievements across the university in student success, transformative research and IU’s impact on the state, including more than 432 initiatives supporting the plan’s goals started or completed since the plan launched.
As Whitten noted, IU is setting enrollment records, and the university continues to be state’s research powerhouse—with research and development expenditures reaching $980 million in 2024. In addition to IU LAB, IU is also advancing several major new initiatives, including IU Innovates, the Center for Rural Engagement and a Lilly Endowment-supported initiative to accelerate the development of Bloomington’s Trades District.
This fall, IU even found time to transform itself into a proud football school, ready to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend on Dec. 20.
“For alumni and fans across the state and nation, there may be no more exciting demonstration of our agility and ability to implement change quickly than the 11-1 Hoosier football team making the College Football Playoffs,” Whitten said. “This historic season has united our community and showcased the spirit and determination that define IU.”
Read about the launch of IU LAB
Read about President Whitten’s State of the University address
Get ready for the College Football Playoff!
State Update
Governor-elect Mike Braun announced plans for a major restructuring of Indiana’s executive branch, implementing a new cabinet model (along with his picks for secretaries over eight policy areas) and his 2025 Freedom and Opportunity policy agenda. The Indiana State Board of Education voted unanimously on Wednesday approving new high school diploma requirements after more than a year of stakeholder feedback.
Read the State Update
Federal Update
As lawmakers wrap up the final weeks of the 118th Congress, two key tasks still remain: passing FY25 appropriations and the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Both “must-pass” bills provide critical funding to the government.
Read the Federal Update
Economic Engagement Update
IU celebrates opening of The Forge, Bloomington’s new tech center
Indiana University helped lead an all-out celebration “blitz” on Friday, Nov. 22, at the grand opening of The Forge, Bloomington’s new $13 million sustainable technology center in the city’s downtown Trades District.
Recap IU’s celebration of The Forge
Kelley student recognized for work supporting South Korean investment in Indiana
An IU Indianapolis junior majoring in business management and international studies at the Kelley School was recently nominated for Work-Based Learner of the Year for her role providing consulting services to the city of Kokomo, the primary site of an investment from car company Stellantis and battery producer Samsung SDI that is expected to create over 2,800 jobs.
Meet Yujin Seong
IU Northwest’s Economic Development Academy returns in January
The highly regarded Economic Development Academy (EDA), led by the Indiana University Northwest School of Business and Economics, returns in January with a hybrid, in-person and virtual training program focused on regional economic development.
Learn more about the new sessions
IU innovation, startup leaders set to shine at the “Oscars of Indiana Tech”
Just how much is Indiana University driving Indiana’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurship? Look no further than the list of nominees for the 2025 Mira Awards, honoring the best of tech in Indiana.
Learn more about IU’s Mira Award nominees
Rural Scholars Program partners IU students with vital projects in rural communities
A new program at the IU Center for Rural Engagement offers students unique experiential learning opportunities that support community goals in rural Indiana. Launched in the fall of 2024, the Rural Scholars Program identifies high-priority projects in rural communities and matches them with students driven to make a lasting impact in the Hoosier state.
Get to know the new Rural Scholars
IU Ventures, IU Athletics, and EDGE Sound Research bring sideline-level gameday energy to Memorial Stadium suite
One of the ironies of a sports stadium is that the more premium seats can often leave fans feeling isolated and removed from the excitement of the gameday experience. But thanks to a new pilot program from the IU Sports Innovation Initiative and EDGE Sound Research Inc., an audio technology startup, IU football fans in the McMillin Suite at Memorial Stadium will get the best of both worlds.
Discover the sports innovation
IU in the News
IU expands program supporting Ukrainian scholars to 8 more Big Ten universities
An innovative fellowship program at Indiana University that has enabled 69 Ukrainian scholars to continue their research and teaching since Russia’s invasion in 2022 will now expand to eight additional Big Ten universities, thanks to support from the Big Ten Academic Alliance.
Read the full story
IU campuses recognized for efforts to increase student voting
Four Indiana University campuses—Bloomington, Indianapolis, South Bend and Southeast—were honored for their efforts to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement and student voting by being named a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting.
Read the full story
IU-wide diversity, equity, inclusion committee appointed
Indiana University President Pamela Whitten has appointed an ad hoc committee representing all campuses to recommend outcomes for the university to pursue related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Read the full story
Student boasts family ties to bucket
Before Indiana University defeated Purdue in the annual rivalry game, bringing the Old Oaken Bucketback to Bloomington, a Kelley School student shared her connection to the creation of the traveling trophy.
Read the full story
