The Lerner Theater’s Crystal Ballroom was sparkling with camaraderie and celebration as Indiana University South Bend (IUSB) alumni, donors, and community members gathered for the school’s third annual Night of the Titans on Tuesday, September 17. Guests attended in their finest cocktail hour wear as they raised a glass to many distinguished stars who have made a shining impact on the IUSB community over the past year and beyond.
“This is a night of honoring Titan alumni and community members who really contribute to the university overall,” IUSB Chancellor Susan Elrod said. “What we also do at this event is raise money for scholarships through the sponsorships and ticket sales, so we're proud to be raising money for a brand new IU South Bend Elkhart community sponsorship that will support Elkhart residents who want to come to IU South Bend.”
IUSB honored a total of nine Titans throughout the evening, including seven Alumni of the Year recipients: Nakia Bolden, B.S. ’20, Health Sciences; Marlon Andrew Burnley, B.F.A. ’15, Theatre; Ricky Mountsier, M.S.W. ’23, Social Work; Andrew Ratkiewicz, B.S. ’06, Physics; Ryan Towner, B.S. ’10, Elementary Education, M.S.Ed. ’16, Educational Leadership; David A. Wood, B.A. ’95, History; and Shelli Workman, B.S. ’93, Business.
Two additional individual awards were given as well, which included Randall E. Foster, recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, and Megan Baughman, recipient of the Chancellor’s Medal.
Baughman was honored as she was awarded this high honor. She has always been proud to represent her alma mater, and has committed much of her time post graduation to serving the school, such as serving on the IUSB advisory board for the last six years, spending time as vice president, and president.
To know her contributions have had such a tremendous impact has her beaming from ear to ear.
“It is an honor. I'm humbled by the recognition and honored and feel proud to be a part of the IU community and all the amazing work they do,” Baughman said.
Receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award was also a huge honor for Foster. He has taken great strides to show his support for IUSB, including serving on the Alumni Board for seven years. To reach such an incredible milestone tonight is nothing short of a very heartwarming moment.
“I'm very honored and humbled out of 38,000 alumni to receive this award, absolutely,” Foster said.
Baughman and Foster love their alma mater through and through, so it was an easy decision to contribute to their school outside of their academic journeys. To them, IUSB is more than just a place to receive a degree. It’s also a home that helped tremendously to further shape them into the humanitarians they are today. For that alone, they are forever grateful.
“I love that it's accessible to anyone and everyone. We have IU South Bend Elkhart campus, mere steps from the learner. Then we have the main location in South Bend, and it really attracts and is available to every walk of life,” Baughman said. “There's so much opportunity there. Whatever you're interested in, whatever you're passionate about, you'll find it at IU South Bend.”
Through the contributions of these nine alumni and many others, IUSB is able to continue pouring support and resources into its campus community. The alumni’s generosity plays a key role in helping the university thrive – through every alum’s service, more attention can be given to regional concerns, the local economy can continue to grow and prosper, and the IUSB mission can carry on for generations to come, allowing many others to fully experience why every day is a great day to bleed Titan pride.
“We have about 24,000 living alumni in this region, and they're giving back. They're contributing. They’re mentors to students. They're participating in alumni events. They're showing up at classes, and they're sending their kids to IU South Bend. It's a community event all around,” Elrod said.
For more information on Indiana University South Bend, please visit southbend.iu.edu.