IU Columbus

10/22/2026

Nominations are being accepted for the 2027 Edna V. Folger Outstanding Teacher Award 👇

This annual award is designed to raise awareness about the immeasurable influence educators have on their students, and to recognize the image of educators as important community role models. SIHO Insurance Services, the Community Education Coalition, and the IU Columbus Center for Teaching and Learning sponsor the award.

Any full-time elementary or secondary school teacher or educator working in a public, private, or parochial school in Bartholomew County is eligible to receive the award. Classroom, special education, or specials teachers; certified educators; counselors; and administrators are all eligible.

Nomination instructions are available from the IU Columbus Center for Teaching and Learning, the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation Administrative Offices, and in the main office of schools throughout Bartholomew County. Any individual or group may nominate a classroom teacher or educator to receive this award. Nominations should include biographical information, reasons for nomination, letters of recommendation and support materials. The deadline for nominations is 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 22, 2027. The award will be announced at the 2027 Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting.

SIHO Insurance Services, the IU Columbus Center for Teaching and Learning, and the Community Education Coalition sponsor this award. For more information, contact Marsha VanNahmen at 812-375-7576 or [email protected].

10/14/2026

⚾️ Join IU Columbus Baseball for the 1st Pitch Dinner!

Mark your calendars for a night dedicated to baseball and supporting the future of our Crimson Pride student-athletes!

📅 Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026. 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Cocktail hour at 6:00 PM | Dinner at 6:30 PM)
📍 Location: ChampionZone (3258 Market Place Drive, Edinburgh, IN 46124)

Opening Remarks: Head Coach Brian Wichman

Keynote Speaker: Rajai Davis (Former MLB Player & MLB Senior Director of On-Field Operations)

10/14/2026

After earning eight collegiate press awards earlier this year, student-led literary magazine Talking Leaves is preparing to launch its 2026 edition, featuring a record number of student artwork pieces in a single volume.

This year’s launch celebration is Oct. 29 at 1:30 p.m., featuring poetry, prose and artwork from 26 students at IU Columbus and Ivy Tech.

Students, faculty, staff and the Columbus community are invited to join the event on the west lawn of the Columbus Learning Center, where contributing authors and artists will share their work. In case of rain, the event will move to the Summerville Room. Attendees will receive a free hard copy of this year’s journal.

The 2026 student team includes Managing Editor Wendy Cartwright and Design Team members Brandi Eweka, Taylor Greathouse and Hope Zimmerman.

“It was an honor to be asked to hold the position of Managing Editor of Volume 29, and I couldn’t be more excited for the launch,” said Wendy Cartwright. “I’m proud to be able to see this volume full of beautiful poetry, prose, and art get into the hands of fellow contributors, students, and staff.”

This event is part of Media Literacy Week and also features a reading related to the university’s Tree Campus distinction. Pizza will be provided by IU Columbus Student Affairs.

“I’m thrilled to release this year’s magazine, which showcases the most art we have ever printed in one volume: 30 pieces! We also have fantastic poetry and prose, of course—and I’m excited to publish a play,” said the publication’s sponsor, IU Columbus English Professor Lisa Siefker-Bailey.

Those unable to attend the event can pick up a copy of Talking Leaves in The Landing in the Columbus Learning Center or at Viewpoint Books. A digital edition will be available on the Talking Leaves website following the launch.

Talking Leaves is among the best in its class of student publications, earning eight awards at the April 2026 Indiana Collegiate Press Association (ICPA) contest for last year’s edition, including second place for Magazine of the Year and Overall Design.

With the completion of the 2026 edition, submissions are now open for the 2027 edition of Talking Leaves. Students on the AirPark campus (including those graduating within the last two years) are encouraged to submit original, unpublished fiction or nonfiction prose (up to 3,000 words), poetry, or artwork, which may include graphic novel panels or photographs of 3d artwork (sculptures, glass etching, etc.)

10/13/2026

Media Literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and act using mediated communication. It applies across all subjects and age groups, making it a vital skill in today’s world. It’s also the topic of a weeklong series of in-person and online events, free and open to the public, as part of a nationally observed non-partisan effort led by the National Association for Media Literacy Education.

“I encourage teachers, students and community members to attend the session on pollical advertising or AI and the Media, stop by our information tables, celebrate the latest edition of our student literary magazine, or join us for a free movie screening at IU Indy,” noted Pamela Morris, event co-coordinator and IU Columbus associate professor of communication studies.

This year’s Media Literacy Week is even more collaborative than in the past, with events at IU Columbus, IU Indianapolis, IU Bloomington and IU East, as well as at the Bartholomew County Public Library, Crown Point Community Library, and online events from across the state.

Highlights include 👇

Civics here in Columbus; Dissecting Political Advertising
Oct. 14, 6-7 p.m.; Bartholomew County Library Eastside Location, Community Room
Learn how to spot persuasion tactics, bias, and misinformation in political ads, and how to fact-check what you see.

AI and the Media
Oct. 26, 6-7:30 p.m.; Columbus Learning Center, Room 2205
This session is led by IU Columbus professors Kevin Jones and Terry Dibble.

Media Literacy Student-Led Information Table
Oct. 29, 11 a.m. -1 p.m.; IU Columbus Main Street, Learning Center
Enjoy handouts, swag, activities and free books from BCPL Express

Talking Leaves Launch
Oct. 29, 1-2 p.m.; West end of CLC lawn (rain location: Summerville Room)
The Talking Leaves Launch event celebrates the creativity of the Columbus AirPark campus. The new student-led literary magazine is revealed, and attendees receive their own copy.

Film Screening of Your Attention Please: Reclaiming Humanity in a Digital Age
Oct. 29; 6-9 p.m.; IU Indy Lecture Hall, Room 101, 325 University Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46202
As the real-world consequences of social media come into focus, a resilient coalition of parents, Gen Z reformers and whistleblowers are swinging back.

10/07/2026

Stop by the Career Fair today from 1:00 - 3:00 PM!

Join us for the AirPark Career Fair next Wednesday, October 7, 2026, bringing together students from IU Columbus, Purdue University, and Ivy Tech Community College for an opportunity to connect with employers.

The AirPark Career Fair is designed to help students and employers make meaningful connections while highlighting internship, part-time, and full-time employment opportunities across a variety of industries.

Students are encouraged to attend prepared to meet employers, learn about career opportunities, and expand their professional networks.

Before attending the career fair, make sure your résumé is polished and ready to share with employers. IU Columbus students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with IU Columbus Career Services for assistance with creating, updating, or reviewing their résumé. Just make an appointment with Amy Kleinert is SAS.

A little preparation can go a long way in helping you make a strong first impression. We look forward to seeing you at the AirPark Career Fair!

10/06/2026

More students and residents across South Central Indiana will have access to mental health counseling services and counselor training opportunities at Indiana University Columbus thanks to the generosity of Tom and Barbara Schoellkopf.

Both Indiana University alumni, the Schoellkopfs have long been champions of mental health services and counselor education in Columbus. Their support established the Tom & Barbara Schoellkopf Community Counseling Center in 2019, which offers free and reduced cost counseling services while providing graduate students with supervised clinical experience.

“Over the years, we’ve watched the IU Columbus Mental Health Counseling program develop compassionate, confident and highly skilled counselors who are making a difference in the lives of individuals and families throughout our region,” Barbara Schoellkopf said. “We’ve also been continually impressed by the dedication, expertise and genuine care demonstrated by the program’s faculty. We want to ensure that high-quality counselor education remains available in Columbus for years to come.”

Their latest gift allows for enhanced clinical staffing and technology upgrades that ensure the continued growth of the Schoellkopf Community Counseling Center. Their support also continues to fund an annual paid internship and enhances scholarship opportunities for IU Columbus mental health counseling graduate students entering field experience.

“We hope this gift will strengthen the program’s reputation for excellence, help attract outstanding students and faculty, expand opportunities for local students, and support the growing need for mental health counselors in South Central Indiana,” Tom Schoellkopf said.

Since opening, the Tom & Barbara Schoellkopf Community Counseling Center has hosted 1,452 therapy appointments, serving 144 clients from IU Columbus, Ivy Tech, Purdue Polytechnic, and the surrounding communities. The Center has provided 80 graduate students with real time observation of and feedback on their mental health counseling skills.

Through the Schoellkopf Community Counseling Center and the Mental Health Counseling Program, IU Columbus is helping address a critical shortage of mental health professionals throughout South Central Indiana.

“The Schoellkopfs’ continued investment is helping prepare the next generation of counselors,” said Darrin Carr, IU Columbus Mental Health Counseling Program Director. “Their generosity has made a profound impact on both our students and the communities they go on to serve.”

This gift is part of the Never Daunted campaign, which unites all IU campuses through fundraising and engagement in pursuit of a shared vision for the future. The campaign expands opportunities for students, fuels life-changing innovation, and strengthens communities across Indiana and beyond.

10/05/2026

This summer, Evangeline Campbell received a life-changing phone call: She was selected for a full-tuition college scholarship she didn’t even apply for!

Logan Comer, Greensburg Community High School counselor, nominated Evangeline for the Adam W. Herbert Presidential Scholars Program, which awards top-achieving high school graduates in Indiana a four-year renewable scholarship to attend any IU campus. Funded by the Lilly Endowment, the program recognizes students for their academic achievement, leadership and potential.

“Evangeline consistently excelled not only in her academics at GCHS, but also demonstrated exceptional dedication to her extracurricular activities,” Comer said. “She is a hardworking, well-rounded student who actively contributes to her school and community and strives for excellence in everything she does!”

Campbell not only became a Herbert Presidential Scholar, but she is also the first recipient to attend IU Columbus.

As a freshman nursing major, she always planned to attend IU Columbus. She knew she wanted to stay close to home and keep the job she loves, and she didn’t want to get lost on a large university campus. “I feel at home on a smaller campus and having only about 20 students in a class, with direct access to my professors,” she said. “It’s the right fit for me.”

Campbell works as a certified nursing assistant at Aspen Place Health Campus in Greensburg. While earning her CNA in high school, she completed her clinical training in nursing homes and quickly discovered her passion for healthcare.

“I like the fast pace,” she said. “It’s hard work, but it’s very rewarding work.”

She said the relationships she builds with residents are the highlight of her career so far. Little everyday conversations make her day, and she’s especially touched when residents tell her they’ve missed her or notice details, like when she gets her nails done.

It’s clear that Campbell had already begun answering the call to care, even before she became the first IU Columbus Herbert Scholar. In high school, as well as working at Aspen Place, Campbell also volunteered at Hickory Creek, participated in National Honor Society, and completed several dual credit classes, including anatomy. While she didn’t expected to receive one of Indiana’s most prestigious scholarships, she’s known exactly where that opportunity will lead her: to a career in nursing.

10/02/2026

Need help with filing the FASFA? Stop by for College Goal Sunday 👇

This Sunday: Get in-person help with filing the FASFA!

Students and parent(s) should make sure to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at studentaid.gov before the event.

Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and parent(s) should bring completed 2025 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2025 income and benefits information. You may also need records of child support received; current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts; and, net worth of investments, businesses and farms.

Students who worked should also bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their completed 2025 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2025 income and benefits information. Married students may need their spouse’s information.

Please enter through Door 2.

09/29/2026

When Nadia Harris transferred to IU Columbus in spring 2026, she was focused on getting her biology degree in a smaller academic environment and being close to family, including her grandparents and three younger siblings. What she didn’t expect was how quickly she’d rediscover her love for soccer.

As a Lilly Scholar and biology major, she originally chose a large university experience but later realized she wanted something different. “Coming to IU Columbus gave me the opportunity to be close to home and my family, focus on academics, and get back to playing the sport I love.”

And the transition happened quickly.

“I signed on a Wednesday, and my first workout was that Friday, which of course ended up being the hardest weightlifting day,” she said with a laugh. “But everyone was so welcoming. It was really easy to acclimate and get to know everyone.”

That welcoming culture helped ease the transition of balancing academics, athletics, and life at home. And she quickly became an important contributor to the program.

“Nadia has made an impact to our program since day one. She is a great leader on and off the field,” said Director of Soccer Kevin Nolan, calling Harris “the true meaning of a student-athlete.”

Nolan noted that Nadia’s grades are among the best in the program, she’s a consistent starter, and a fan favorite with the hometown crowd. Harris was a standout player at Columbus East High School, worked summer camps through the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department, and now coaches for Columbus Express where she played as a child. In fact, many of the coaches she works alongside have known her since she was 7!

Since joining the Crimson Pride, one of her favorite moments came recently when she assisted teammate Maddy Merritt on a goal that unfolded exactly as they’d practiced. “Everyone was screaming, it was really exciting,” Harris said.

She has also embraced helping build the culture of the growing Crimson Pride soccer program, including its gameday traditions. For example, before every match, the team gathers for a meal and film session several hours before kickoff.

“I’ve never done that before, but I really like it,” she said. “It gets everyone in the right headspace. We talk about concerns, what we’re excited about, and what we need to focus on.”

Looking ahead, Harris hopes to start EMT training after the soccer season, while continuing to work toward her bachelor’s degree. After graduating in 2028, she would like to work as an EMT as she considers graduate programs in the medical field. Coach Nolan adds, “There’s no doubt, Nadia has a bright future ahead of her!”