The Senior Academy at IUPUI is seeking nominations for the Gerald L. Bepko IUPUI Community Medallion Award. Nominations are welcomed from the Central Indiana community or the IUPUI campus.
Nominating letters should be sent to Senior Academy, 301 University Blvd., Suite 5002, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5146 or via email to sacademy@iupui.edu.
The deadline for nomination letters is Nov. 1.
The award, created by the Senior Academy in 2003, honors a person who has made a significant and ongoing commitment to civic engagement. The person must have an established history of strengthening the bonds between IUPUI and the larger community, whether local, regional/state, national or global.
According to the New England Resource Center for Higher Education, the purposes of civic engagement are to:
- Enrich scholarship, research and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching and learning; and prepare educated, engaged citizens.
- Strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility.
- Address critical societal issues.
- Contribute to the public good.
The 3-inch Bepko Medallion bears the image of former IUPUI Chancellor Gerald L. Bepko on one side and the recipient’s name, date and citation on the other side.
Bepko was appointed chancellor of IUPUI in 1986. During 17 years as chancellor, he championed a deeper commitment to community engagement and a more-inclusive campus climate. His goal was to improve the well-being of the residents of Indianapolis, the state of Indiana and beyond.
The medallion will be sculpted by students in the Herron School of Art and Design and presented during the annual IUPUI Robert G. Bringle Civic Engagement Showcase in April.
The 2019 Bepko Medallion recipient will be selected from nominations reviewed by the Senior Academy’s Screening and Selection Committee, composed of IUPUI and community representatives.
