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Last modified: Monday, April 19, 2010

Onward! Curtis R. Simic Scholars selected at IU Bloomington

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2010

EDITORS: Links to photographs of each Simic Scholar are available with their biographical information below. The links will take you directly to the student in your city.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Five outstanding student leaders have been chosen as recipients of the Onward! Curtis R. Simic Scholarship for Leaders at Indiana University Bloomington. The students, all juniors, were selected because of their scholarship, leadership and commitment to constructive university engagement.

scholars photo

Left to right: Kayla Douglas, Kyler Gray, Curt Simic, Divesh Chandiramani, Brian Holthouse. Not pictured: Marina Best.

Print-Quality Photo

The $1.3 million endowed scholarship fund honors Simic, president emeritus of the IU Foundation, for his years of service to IU and his life-long focus on developing student leaders. Simic headed the IU Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to maximizing private-sector gift support for IU, from 1988 until his retirement in 2008. As a student at IU, Simic served as president of the IU Student Foundation and was named one of the campus's Top 10 seniors.

"Curt Simic is a mentor as well as an innovator -- always striving to inspire others to achieve their highest potential," said Gene Tempel, president of the IU Foundation. "For these students to be recognized as Simic scholars is a testament to their abilities and accomplishments. It's fitting that Curt's lifetime legacy of philanthropy, leadership, service and giving back to IU continues through these young leaders."

The 2010 recipients are:

  • Marina Best, a junior from Lincolnshire, Tenn., majoring in finance and economics in the Kelley School of Business. Best has served as president and co-founder of IU Model United Nations, an editor for the Undergraduate Journal of International Relations, vice president of corporate relations for the International Business Association, vice president of exchanges at AIESEC Indiana and a research committee member at Trockman Microfinance Initiative. Her picture can also be found at https://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/9032.html.
  • Divesh Chandiramani, a junior from Mumbai, India, majoring in finance and international business in the Kelley School. Chandiramani has served as president of the International Business Association, treasurer of the Kelley Student Government, a peer tutor for Business X202 and as a member of the Trockman Microfinance Initiative. His picture can also be found at https://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/9035.html.
  • Kayla Douglas, a junior from Brookston, Ind., majoring in journalism, sociology and African American and African diaspora studies. Douglas has served as president of Forest Student Government, a Welcome Week assistant, vice president for programming for Read Student Government and as a writer for Rec Sports Magazine. Her picture can also be found at https://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/9036.html.
  • Kyler Gray, a junior from Middletown, Ind., majoring in accounting and finance in the Kelley School. Gray has served as both vice president and site leader of Alternative Spring Break, a student representative for the Scholarship Advisory Committee, a part-time supervisor for Residential Programs and Services and a Silver Member of Civic Leadership Development. His picture can also be found at https://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/9037.html.
  • Brian Holthouse, a junior from Wildwood, Mo., majoring in accounting and finance in the Kelley School. Holthouse has served as vice president of programming for the Indiana Memorial Union Board, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, founder of Gray Goat Cycling and a council member on the Little 500 Riders Council. His picture can also be found at https://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/9034.html.