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July 26, 1999
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Curt Simic, president of the Indiana University Foundation, has received the highest honor awarded by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
Simic was presented with the Frank L. Ashmore Award for Service to CASE and to the Advancement Profession at the organization's national assembly in Boston.
Simic's 35 years of experience in higher education includes work in philanthropy, alumni relations and communications. He has served both public and private institutions, including the universities of Tennessee, Alabama, Oregon and California-Berkeley, as well as Yale University. He started his career at the IU Foundation in 1964 and returned as its president in 1988.
Simic was cited for his "creative leadership" and "exemplary service to the advancement profession as a mentor, teacher and colleague." He has held a variety of leadership positions with CASE at the district level and has served on the board of the national organization. He has been a faculty member for the Big Ten Fund Raising Institute for the past 10 years, and he was named its dean in 1997.
Described as "one of the country's best authorities on the management of institutionally related foundations," such as the IU Foundation, Simic established the Society for Institutionally Related Foundations and has authored articles and publications on management topics.
The award further cited his "generous spirit, optimistic outlook on life, unselfish devotion to our work and professional organization, … [and] nationally recognized expertise."
Simic is an IU graduate. As a student, he was president of the IU Student Foundation, rode in the Little 500 bicycle race that raises funds for scholarships, and was recognized as one of his graduating class's top 10 seniors. He currently sits on the Board of Governors of the IU Center on Philanthropy.
(Barbara Coffman, IU Foundation, 812-855-1422, coffman@indiana.edu or Steve Weiss, CASE, 202-478-5680)