There are so many stories from my experiences both as a graduate student and staff member at IUPUI that I could share.
Numerous people, especially students, have influenced me for the better, and there are countless memories I will never forget. Of all those, the story I am choosing to share here is a simple one: to me, it is the perfect example of how a campus that is so big — with more people than so many of the towns our students come from — could still feel small and connected.
I am a curious person by nature, and while walking through campus one day, I noticed that the flags outside my building were being flown at half-staff. I have seen this many times before, but for some reason this time it made me stop and think. Flags all over campus — and all over the city, state, and country for that matter — seem to be moved to half-staff when appropriate quickly and seamlessly. Yet I have never actually seen someone do it. I wondered, how does the message get sent to so many people to have this done right away? And at IUPUI, who receives that message?
Every campus has something to offer, but for me personally, IUPUI has fulfilled my curiosity in a way that has been unsurpassed by others.
Liz Freedman, Bepko Learning Center Staff
I know it probably sounds silly, but after doing some online research, I still could not find the specific answers I was looking for. After chatting about it with one of my colleagues, she suggested that I contact Becky Wood, the Director of Communications in the Chancellor's Office. Normally I would not jump to someone in the Chancellor’s cabinet to ask a question like this, but I had a feeling that the people who make it happen would be in that direction. Slightly embarrassed, I sent an email filled with questions about something that is not work-related to a woman I was sure was very busy.
Not only did I receive an email back in less than an hour, but the response was well beyond my expectations. Becky had gone out of her way to ask Jeff Plawecki, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities, for more information. I learned that a message is sent from the governor’s office to IU, which then gets disseminated throughout each campus. Campus Facilities Services has personnel on campus 24/7, and these messages are seen as a top priority. Once the message is received, it all happens pretty quickly from there. She even encouraged me to follow up with Jeff directly if I had more questions (and not surprisingly, I did).
I love moments like these. It reminds me of when I first chose to attend IUPUI for my master’s degree; I was concerned that it would feel too big because my undergraduate degree and first several years of my career were all spent on small, private campuses. Of course, what I quickly realized is that being in a place that is essentially its own city makes it an even richer experience, filled with more opportunities to learn, ask questions, and grow. I knew after graduating that IUPUI was where I wanted to be professionally as well, so I made it my goal to begin working here as soon as possible.
Every campus has something to offer, but for me personally, IUPUI has fulfilled my curiosity in a way that has been unsurpassed by others. Most importantly, I have all of the amazing people at IUPUI to thank who are willing to make this happen. And the best part is, I have 50 more years to ask questions before IUPUI’s 100th anniversary!
Story courtesy of:
Liz Freedman
Bepko Learning Center Staff
