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News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Inaugural Onward! Curtis R. Simic Scholars selected at IU Bloomington

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2009

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Five Indiana University students have been chosen as the inaugural recipients of the Onward! Curtis R. Simic Scholarship for Leaders at IU Bloomington.

The $1.3 million endowed scholarship fund honors Curt Simic, president emeritus of the IU Foundation, for his years of commitment to IU and his lifelong focus on developing student leaders. Simic, who retired in September 2008, was an active student leader and president of the IU Student Foundation in his senior year at IU.

"I was able to graduate from Indiana University because of the George 'Dixie' Heighway Scholarship," Simic said. "If I hadn't had that scholarship and support, my life would have been very different. Having assistance and student leadership opportunities at IU was a life-transforming experience for me. I know these wonderful young people will, like me, be forever grateful for their Indiana University education."

"Without a doubt, these five bright, articulate, young leaders perfectly embody Curt's legacy," said Gene Tempel, president of the IU Foundation. "We are grateful to Curt for his many years of exemplary leadership, and we are appreciative of the IU Foundation Board of Directors, the IUF Board of Associates and the IUSF student advisory board, and many other donors for making this scholarship a reality."

The five award recipients -- recognized for their scholarship, leadership and commitment to constructive university engagement -- are:

• Aasiya Mirza, a junior from Brunswick, Tenn., majoring in English and speechwriting. Mirza is president of RHA at Collins Living-Learning Center (LLC), president of ABE (Lincoln) at IU, a member of the committee for fee review, vice-chair for the LLC arts council, and secretary of the Muslim student union.
• Marc Uible, a senior from Cincinnati, Ohio, majoring in business economics and public policy and international business. Uible is founder and president of Pizza Mania, campaign manager for the IUSA Hoosier Ticket 2007, co-creator of the Civic Leadership Development "pie-a-professor" fundraiser, group facilitator for the Kelley School of Business honor leadership team and a peer tutor.
• Emily Berman, a junior from Louisville, Ky., majoring in Jewish studies and philosophy. Berman is a member of the IU Student Foundation marketing/merchandising committee, a former Machon Kaplan intern in Washington D.C., secretary of the Jewish Studies Student Association, head community leader for the Hutton Honors Council Association and an active member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.
• Krista Bergman, a junior from Batesville, Ind., majoring in human biology. Bergman is vice president of the student advisory board for the Liberal Arts Management program (LAMP), a Timmy Foundation student liaison and a Big Sister.
• Donald Morgan, a senior majoring in political science and history from Washington, Ind. Morgan is an advocate for community engagement in the IU Office of Service Learning, the founder and president of the Student's Smoke-free Coalition, charter member and site leader for the Youth Advocating Leadership and Learning (Y'ALL) and a committee member for the IU student VOICE project.

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