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News Release

Last modified: Friday, February 20, 2009

State Sen. Lubbers receives IU's Welsh-Bowen Distinguished Public Official Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 20, 2009

INDIANAPOLIS -- A veteran state legislator was recognized by Hoosiers for Higher Education for her significant contributions to higher education and Indiana University.

IU President Michael A. McRobbie presented the Welsh-Bowen Distinguished Public Official Award to Sen. Teresa Lubbers, R-Indianapolis. The award is named for former Indiana Governors Matthew Welsh and Otis "Doc" Bowen. They both served as co-chairs of the Hoosiers for Higher Education state advisory committee at the organization's inception in 1991.

The award was presented Tuesday, Feb. 17, before an audience of some 600 HHE members who were participating in the organization's 18th Annual Statehouse Visit and Indiana Innovation Alliance Day. This event gives students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Indiana University an opportunity to meet with lawmakers and urge their continued support for IU and other state-supported colleges and universities. With more than 9,000 members, Hoosiers for Higher Education is one of the country's largest higher education grassroots advocacy organizations.

Lubbers has been a member of the Indiana Senate since 1999. She has served Indiana in many capacities, including teaching English at Warren Central High School; as information officer during Richard Lugar's term as Mayor of Indianapolis and deputy press secretary for Sen. Lugar; as director of information for Inc. Magazine; and owner of Capitol Communication, a public relations firm.

She has been actively engaged in numerous civic activities, such as board memberships for the Independent Colleges of Indiana, Indiana School for the Blind and Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, commissioner and chair of the Midwestern Higher Education Commission and member of the Indiana Education Roundtable. Lubbers is co-founder and co-chair of the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series and serves on the Advisory Board of the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality.

Sen. Lubbers has received several meritorious distinctions, such as Women in the Lead Honoree, Education Leader of the Year from the GEO Foundation, Government Leader of the Year from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Most Influential Women in Indianapolis by the Indiana Business Journal, a Girls Inc. Honoree and a recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash in 1988.

Senator Lubbers currently serves as the Assistant Majority Floor Leader in the Senate, is a member and chair of the Education and Career Development Committee, and is a member of the Appropriations, Elections, Judiciary and Rules and Legislative Procedures Committees.

Welsh-Bowen Scholarship Award

The Welsh-Bowen Distinguished Public Official Scholarship was awarded to Kandice Neeley, an elementary education major at IUPUI.

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