Indiana University

Skip to:

  1. Search
  2. Breadcrumb Navigation
  3. Content
  4. Browse by Topic
  5. Services & Resources
  6. Additional Resources
  7. Multimedia News

Media Contacts

Mike Wright
IU Alumni Association
miwright@indiana.edu
812-855-2981

Last modified: Thursday, November 20, 2008

IU Alumni Association to present 2008 President's Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 20, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Alumni Association will honor eight alumni with the 2008 IUAA President's Award for volunteer service to IU and their local communities. The awards will be presented on Dec. 5 during a ceremony at the IUPUI Campus Center in Indianapolis.

Established in 1993, the President's Award is the highest award given by the Alumni Association to a volunteer leader. This year's recipients are: C. Catherine Barnes of Kokomo, Ind.; Angela Fairchild, Richmond, Ind.; Jerrol Z. Miles, New Albany, Ind.; Gary L. Miller, Indianapolis; James W. Rice Jr., Mishawaka, Ind.; Keith C. Rogers, Gilbert, Ariz.; Eric J. Steenman, Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Ashley Marie Troncin, New Albany, Ind.

"These awards are one way of expressing appreciation for volunteers who go above and beyond in service to the Indiana University Alumni Association," said Stephen C. Moberly, BA'63, LLB'66, chairman of the IU Alumni Association.

Following are brief bios for each President's Award recipient:

C. Catherine Barnes

C. Catherine Barnes

C. Catherine Barnes

Print-Quality Photo

Although C. Catherine Barnes did not attend IU, she has been an active volunteer with the Alumni Association for a number of years, particularly with the IU Kokomo Alumni Association. She received her bachelor's degree from Purdue University.

Barnes was a board member for the national Neal-Marshall Alumni Club and has served as the Kokomo representative to its executive council. She also assisted with activating the North Central Indiana Chapter of the Neal-Marshall Alumni Club. Barnes has been active in projects such as the Old Ben 5K Run/Walk, Hoosiers for Higher Education Statehouse Day, Indiana Black Expo and the IUAA Student Study Task Force.

Barnes is an academic adviser and the coordinator of campus climate with the School of Arts and Sciences at IU Kokomo. She and her husband, Fred, live in Kokomo, Ind.

Angela Fairchild

Angela Fairchild

Angela Fairchild

Print-Quality Photo

Angela Fairchild earned her bachelor of science degree in education from IU in 1997 and is employed as a kindergarten teacher with the Twin Valley Local Schools in West Alexandria, Ohio.

In 1998, she became involved in the IU East Alumni Association as a board member and continues in that role today. She also has been a board member with the Eastern Indiana Chapter of the IU Alumni Association. Fairchild has volunteered with several programs, including Mighty University and Read Across America, and is one of the founding organizers of the Senior Shindig graduation party. She is charter president of Pack Attack, IU East's athletic booster club, and is an official scorekeeper for IU East men's basketball.

Her other activities include the Relay for Life committee, Twin Valley Association of Classroom Teachers and the Junior Achievement Elementary Program.

Fairchild lives in Richmond, Ind.

Jerrol Z. Miles

Jerrol Z. Miles

Jerrol Z. Miles

Print-Quality Photo

Jerrol Miles graduated from IU with a bachelor of science degree in real estate administration in 1970. He attended the Kelley School of Business at IU Bloomington.

Miles is the current national president of the Neal-Marshall Alumni Club, a member of the IU Alumni Association Audit Committee and a board member for the Louisville/Southern Indiana Chapter of the IUAA. Miles served on the IU Presidential Search Committee, the Athletics Committee and the board of directors for the Kelley School of Business Alumni Association. He has volunteered with the IU Southeast campus as well, having been on the IU Southeast Board of Advisors and the search committees for two chancellors.

After 30 years in the banking industry, he now runs his own real estate company in New Albany, Ind., where he lives with his wife, Alice.

Gary Miller

Gary L. Miller

Gary L. Miller

Print-Quality Photo

Gary Miller finished his bachelor of arts degree at IU in 1977 with a major in political science. He completed his law degree at the IU School of Law--Indianapolis in 1980. He currently is an associate presiding judge for the Marion County (Ind.) Superior Court.

Miller has served IU as a board member and officer of the School of Law--Indianapolis Alumni Association since 1993. He was president of the group in 2000 and currently serves as chairman of the Committee for Law Student Relations. He also serves as an adjunct professor for the school.

Miller is an active member in the Indianapolis Bar Association, having served as president of the group in 2003. He is also actively involved with the Indianapolis Bar Foundation and Indiana State Bar Association, and he serves on the American Bar Association's committee on ethics and professionalism.

Miller and his wife, Tammy Meyer, live in Indianapolis with their daughter.

James Rice

James W. Rice Jr.

James W. Rice Jr.

Print-Quality Photo

James Rice completed his bachelor of science degree in 1982 in secondary education. He attended IU South Bend. He earned a master of science degree in 1991 at Ball State University and completed additional coursework at Purdue University Calumet. He is currently assistant director at the Elkhart Area Career Center.

A lifetime educator, Rice is a former principal, teacher and coach for Elkhart Community Schools and the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp. He served as a board member with the IU South Bend Alumni Association from 1999 until 2006, where he was president, vice president and immediate past president. In 2001-04, Rice was on the Board of Advisors to the Chancellor at IU South Bend. He received the IU South Bend School of Education Distinguished Alumnus Award in May 2008.

Rice lives in Mishawaka, Ind., with his wife, Amy.

Keith C. Rogers

Keith C. Rogers

Keith C. Rogers

Print-Quality Photo

Keith C. Rogers earned his bachelor of science degree in marketing in 1984. He attended IU Northwest. He also holds a master's degree in public administration from Cleveland State University. He is a minister with Son Rise Faith Community Center and works as an enrollment counselor with Grand Canyon University.

Rogers has been a member of Hoosiers for Higher Education since 2005. He is a former president and vice president of the IU Northwest Alumni Association, as well as a former board member with the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the IU Alumni Association. From 2004 to 2008, Rogers was an active volunteer for IU Bloomington student recruitment efforts.

Rogers lives with his wife and six children just outside of Phoenix in Gilbert, Ariz.

Eric Steenman

Eric J. Steenman

Eric J. Steenman

Print-Quality Photo

Eric Steenman graduated in 1993 with a bachelor of science degree in business management and administration. He attended IPFW. Steenman is assistant vice president in commercial lending at Lake City Bank.

He is a board member for the Northeast Indiana Chapter of the IU Alumni Association and chairs the membership committee. Steenman facilitated the 2007 and 2008 Economic Forecast events at IPFW with the IU Business Outlook Panel. He is a former board member with the IPFW Alumni Association and served as the IPFW representative on the IUAA Executive Council from 2005 to 2008. His volunteerism extends to the Fort Wayne Community Development Corp., where he is on the finance committee.

Steenman and his wife, Robin, live in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Ashley Marie Troncin

Ashley Marie Troncin

Ashley Marie Troncin

Print-Quality Photo

Ashley Marie Troncin completed her bachelor's degree in accounting in 2004 and her MBA in 2007, both at IU Southeast. She received outstanding distinctions for high achievement for both of her degrees.

As a student, Troncin was active in Alpha Chi and the Student Ambassadors. She was in the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society for business students and served as president of the Student Alumni Association at IU Southeast. Since finishing her degrees, she has been a member of the Southeast Alumni Association board and served as treasurer. As a board member, she led efforts to re-establish the Student Alumni Association. Troncin also volunteered in numerous events including the IU Southeast Fall Festival, Harvest Homecoming and Commencement.

Troncin works for the IU Southeast campus as an accountant, and she is an adjunct faculty member in the School of Business. She lives in New Albany, Ind.

The IU Alumni Association is dedicated to serving the university and its diverse alumni, students and friends. As one of the nation's largest alumni organizations, serving more than 516,000 graduates worldwide, the IUAA provides many programs and services to its members, non-member alumni and the university. For information, visit www.alumni.indiana.edu or call 800-824-3044.