A woman with a long family history of ties to Indiana University will be honored for her community service and commitment to the South Bend campus. Megan Baughman (BS ’92) will be honored by Chancellor Susan Elrod at the third annual Night of the Titans event on Tuesday, September 17.
“I will accept this award on behalf of my family. Faith, family and community was how we were raised. I feel we’re here to serve others. It comes back to you in spades,” Baughman said of the honor.
Baughman was the 2007-08 recipient of the Lewis S. Armstrong Award presented by the Judd Leighton School of Business and Economics in recognition of her achievement, leadership, and contributions to the advancement of business and the quality of life in Michiana. She currently serves as chair of the IU South Bend Chancellor’s Advisory Board.
Professionally, she has been CEO of Ethos Innovation Center in Elkhart since 2021, after serving on the organization’s board of directors. Her community service work includes helping raise millions of dollars for charities around the area. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Care Center, the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Premier Arts, and chaired the capital campaign that raised more than $7 million for Ethos. She has also served out the term of long-time At-Large Elkhart City Council member Mary Olson, after her passing in 2021.
“Getting involved is how you find your true calling. My dad instilled in us a servant’s heart. We were always encouraged to do our best,” Baughman said.
She said the family tradition at Indiana University started four generations ago. More than 20 members of her family have graduated with an IU degree.
“This year, it will be 100 years since my dad’s dad received his IU degree from Bloomington. Sherrill Staples Deputy got a degree in business,” she said.
She credits the university with helping her see potential in the world.
“The entire culture at IU – there’s an opportunity to learn about the big world that’s out there. I felt that the professors were interested in having a dialogue with me. We were learning from each other. It was an environment of learning and curiosity and how we can use what we learn to make the world a better place. It’s where I seeded my passion for fundraising and helping develop our community,” Baughman said.
During her time at IU, she was involved in projects that focused on solving problems. Whether it was her involvement in a sorority or being selected as a member of the Indiana University Student Foundation Steering Committee, she credits those experiences as having a profound impact on who she is today. Now, her efforts are concentrated on sparking a love of the world of STEM through the Ethos Innovation Center. The organization is working with schools to simplify science education in and out of the classroom.
“With the support of teachers, administrators, parents and students, we developed a hands-on national science curriculum called Grade Level Certified (GLC) that serves students from pre-K to 6th grade,” she said. “GLC teaches all the national science standards in a fun and engaging manner while following our innovative ‘learn, play, connect’ model of instruction. We launched GLC in the fall of 2023 and the response has been phenomenal.”
Baughman said hands-on learning is crucial for children. It allows them to actively engage with concepts and explore their interests, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills and retain knowledge more effectively.
“Our goal is to get kids excited about learning STEM, to inspire curiosity and sense of discovery, and for them to ultimately make the connection from what they learned in the classroom to how it relates to the real world and everyday life,” Baughman said.
She’s quick to credit the efforts of her team for helping kids succeed. While she’s the CEO, she said the title doesn’t mean she’s more important than the team members at Ethos.
“As Steve Jobs once said, ‘Great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a TEAM of people!’ We all have that quote in all our offices. A title is your responsibility, but it’s not who you are. I’m just Megan. Our best ideas come from having interactions with each other. I am surrounded by an amazing team and an incredible community. Truly, the more you serve, the more it comes back to you,” she said.
