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News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Seven recipients honored as IU Foundation 'Partners in Philanthropy'

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 3, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Recognizing the key role played by volunteer leaders in service and philanthropy, the Indiana University Foundation has honored seven individuals as outstanding "Partners in Philanthropy" for Indiana University.

The awards were presented as part of "Celebrate IU" month by IU President Michael A. McRobbie and IU Foundation President Gene Tempel. The awards pay tribute to the vital contribution of volunteers in the success of philanthropic endeavors for IU, especially at the highest levels of service.

The Foundation presented four awards for outstanding volunteers and friends of IU: the Amicus Laureate, Cornerstone, Keystone, and the Herman B Wells Visionary Award. For each award, the Foundation requested nominations from the IU community and the IU Foundation Board.

Amicus Laureate Award

The Amicus Laureate Award was given to Scott C. Schurz, for his "extraordinary loyalty, leadership and achievement on behalf of Indiana University." Schurz, a South Bend, Ind., native now from Bloomington, Ind., first became affiliated with IU when he moved to Bloomington in 1966. He became involved with IU through his work for The Herald-Telephone, now The Herald-Times, and for the past 40 years he has been one the university's most dedicated friends.

In addition to serving as a current member of the IU Foundation Board of Directors, his philanthropic work has included being president of the Varsity Club, chair of the Knight Library Endowment fundraising effort and vice president of Friends of the Kinsey Institute. Schurz and his wife, Kay, were also presidents of the Friends of Music, which helps provide scholarships and competition travel grants to IU Jacobs School of Music students.

Cornerstone Award

The Cornerstone Award recognizes individuals who have been instrumental in the philanthropic success of a specific campaign initiative.

• As a business undergraduate during the 1950's, Robert P. Kassing of Indianapolis developed numerous alumni contacts on behalf of IU. Today, he plays an integral part in the success of the Matching the Promise campaign for IU Bloomington. He serves as chair of the Board of Visitors development committee for the IU School of Law-Bloomington and acts as its representative for the Matching the Promise executive committee. A managing partner at Bose McKinney & Evans, Kassing initiated his firm's sponsorship of the Sherman Moot Court Competition at the IU School of Law-Bloomington
• Robert J. Deputy of Elkhart, Ind., has played a critical role in strengthening IU's initiatives in Elkhart County. He is an active member of IU South Bend's Advisory Board, and also co-chaired the IU South Bend Elkhart County Steering Committee. This committee oversaw a campaign to raise private funds for a permanent IU center in Elkhart, which was opened in 2007.

Keystone Award

The Keystone awards are presented to individuals who have provided leadership in multiple campaigns and fundraising initiatives.

• Barton L. Kaufman of Indianapolis graduated from the IU School of Business in 1962 and the IU School of Law in 1965. During his undergraduate studies, Kaufman was a member of IU's baseball team and was twice named an All-Big Ten player. Kaufman has worked closely with the university and foundation to raise funds for the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center, the Bess Meshulam Simon Music Library and Recital Center, Simon Hall and the Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center. He has also endowed a faculty chair at the IU School of Law-Bloomington in honor of Professor William Oliver, who taught taxation at the school for more than 40 years.
• John R. Gibbs of Carmel, Ind., served as the founding chairman of the School of Informatics Dean's Advisory Council in 2000 and continues to play a significant role with the school today. Under his leadership, an endowment was established on behalf of members of the Informatics Dean's Advisory Council. Gibbs also serves as a member of the Kelley School of Business's Dean's Council, and is a founding member on the Board of Advisors for the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
• Ruth and Richard Johnson of Columbus, Ind., have contributed a tremendous amount of their personal time and resources to professional and civic groups, specifically those affiliated with IU. The Kelley School of Business' Johnson Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation is named in honor of the Johnson family. Johnson serves on both the Dean's Council for the Kelley School of Business and the IU Foundation Board of Directors. Both are on the Dean's Advisory Board for the Jacobs School of Music. He also funded the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program at the Kelley School of Business, which inspires business students by bringing leaders in entrepreneurship to the School.

Herman B Wells Visionary Award

The Herman B Wells Visionary Award recognizes those whose lifetime commitment to philanthropy at Indiana University is extraordinary.

Harriett and Richard Inskeep of Fort Wayne, Ind., received the Herman B Wells Visionary Award for their lifetime of philanthropic dedication to and leadership for Indiana University. Having both graduated from IU Bloomington in the early 1950's, Harriet and Richard are natives of Bluffton, where they have strengthened IU's presence in the Fort Wayne area.

Harriet Inskeep, a self-professed early feminist and champion of diversity, was appointed by the Governor as the first female trustee to the IU Board of Trustees in the 1960's. During a period of social and political unrest for many young people, she sought out students' views. She was also the first female member and later president of the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Foundation Board. She credits a lifelong love of learning and a belief in a need for gender and racial diversity as the reasons for her support of education at IU.

Richard Inskeep is a former president of the Alumni Association, and he believes in giving to IU because he is a "dyed-in-the-wool" IU athletics fan.

The Inskeeps have contributed to IU in a variety of ways over the years with one simple guideline: Whenever Richard gives to athletics, Harriet matches it with a gift to academics. For their outstanding dedication to IU, both of the Inskeeps have received honorary degrees from the university.

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