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 Wartell |
In the not-too-distant past, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne was perceived as a place apart, a campus separated from the life of the area it served. In some respects, this was true. But today, IPFW's impact is apparent to me whenever I venture throughout the city, speak with community members and join the crowds that attend our events. IPFW has become a focal point, a stimulus for growth, and a resource for Fort Wayne and northeastern Indiana.
Faculty expertise is a vital resource. When a worker at Buesching's Peat Moss, west of Fort Wayne, unearthed part of what later was determined to be a mastodon skeleton, the Bueschlings contacted IPFW. Soon, faculty and students from archaeology and anthropology were engaged in an all out effort to recover the massive skeleton--remarkably intact and estimated to have been buried in the peat bog as long as 13,000 years. Area residents still are stopping by Kettler Hall for a look at the creature's giant skull.
Faculty involvement includes many less spectacular but equally important projects. Professors serve on community boards and lend expertise to area economic development efforts. Studies done by Associate Professor Thomas Guthrie's Community Research Institute often have proven invaluable to businesses considering relocating to northeastern Indiana. IPFW also participates in economic development efforts sponsored by the City of Fort Wayne and the Chamber of Commerce. Matt Kubik, associate professor of architectural engineering technology and director of the university's Honors Program, headed a team that proposed a revitalization of a business district south of downtown. Kubik's team comprised local architects and students from IPFW, Ball State and South Side High School. Linda Graham, associate professor of nursing, volunteers at Matthew 25, the downtown medical/dental clinic for Fort Wayne's underserved families.
Sports and the arts also link IPFW and the community. As I drop off my sons at events at The Plex, the new soccer facility on the McKay Farm, I am reminded of the thousands of schoolchildren who come to our campus. A public-private venture, the facility was built on university property as a community resource and already has brought international teams to our city. Among our numerous arts events is the Plogsterth Fine and Performing Arts Series, which has brought artist Duane Slick, the dance troupe Pilobolus and many other outstanding performers. Vice Chancellor Frank Borelli serves as chairman of the board of the Cinema Center, a non profit arts organization. Packed houses at our Omnibus Lecture Series, which has hosted speakers such as Molly Ivins and William Kristol, show that the community also values IPFW as a resource for intellectual stimulation.
IPFW is also a resource for area schools. With a strong commitment to improving education, the university entered into a nationally unique partnership with Fort Wayne Community Schools. You'll find our faculty guest-teaching in the schools and the theatre department organizing performances for local children. There are summer camps, science fairs, foreign-language competitions and youth orchestra rehearsals. And our students help community youth by tutoring in reading.
As we head into the next millennium, I believe that IPFW will occupy an even larger place in the daily life of northeastern Indiana--training its workforce, providing intellectual stimulation, and supporting a multitude of efforts in business, industry and government. I am confident that IPFW and the surrounding area will continue to enjoy mutual benefits as we work together to build our community and the university.
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