O’Neill faculty, alumni, and students help keep Indiana safe during the 2024 eclipse

Eclipse 2024: O’Neill faculty, alumni, and students help keep Indiana safe during the eclipse

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Leslie Wells

A woman stands at the front of a room leading a training session for police officers and safety officials. — Jess Kindig (BSPA’04, MSCJPS’12) leads a training session for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

On April 8, 2024, a massive influx of visitors will descend on Indiana, joining Hoosiers as witnesses to history: a solar eclipse with 60 Indiana counties in its path of totality.

“We’re going to be the adoptive parents of hundreds of thousands of new Hoosiers during this event,” says Jess Kindig (BSPA’04, MSCJPS’12), the Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s North Region Exercise Program Manager. “Their lives are in our hands, so we’re very concerned with making sure everyone is safe, has a good time, and hopefully comes back to visit Indiana in the future.”

As is often the case during large events, O’Neill faculty, alumni, and students are playing an integral part in keeping native Hoosiers and visitors alike safe during the eclipse.

In addition to working at IDHS, Kindig serves an adjunct faculty member for the O’Neill School in Indianapolis. So does Melanie Pattenaude, the IDHS Logistics Section Chief and State of Indiana Emergency Management Assistance Compact Coordinator. She leads efforts to acquire and allocate resources for local leaders during emergencies.

For the past several months, she’s been working with state agencies and local partners to address resource gaps. That includes developing plans for what to do if communications go down or if local agencies run out of resources—things like fuel, water, food, road signs, barricades, even portable toilets.

“Our top objectives are always life safety, life sustaining, and property protection,” Pattenaude says. “But we have to weigh where the impacts are because if we give something to one location, we may be taking it away from another. We have to push resources to the right place at the right time and in the right quantity.”

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NSWC Crane announces first Educational Services Agreement with IU Executive Education

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Leslie Wells

Three women sit at a table at a news conference to sign documents. — Angela Lewis (L), Siân Mooney (C), and Sara Johnson (R) attended the ESA news conference at WestGate Academy in Odon, Indiana.

After nearly four decades of partnership, Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center has entered into a new era of education with IU Executive Education, announcing its first Education Services Agreement (ESA) with Indiana University. This ESA will allow the government to offer personnel the opportunity to take advantage of educational services through Indiana University—including Executive Education.

“For more than 35 years, the partnership between NSWC Crane and IU has offered high quality and relevant programs for Crane employees,” said Siân Mooney, dean of the O’Neill School. “This collaboration is a testament to the mutual commitment and vision of both partners to advance the public good through education, research, and service. NSWC Crane also plays an important role in boosting the economy of Bloomington, Monroe County, and the surrounding area by offering thousands of jobs that feature higher-than-average wages. This partnership will equip Crane personnel with the skills and knowledge to manage complex projects effectively and efficiently, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements and contributions to Crane’s mission.”

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O’Neill alumna rises in ranks, wants other women to pursue law enforcement careers

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Leslie Wells

A woman in a police uniform stands in a hallway. — IMPD Assistant Chief of Police Catherine Cummings (GradCert’13) is only the second woman to serve in the role in IMPD history. Photo credit: Michael R. Abel, Abel Media & Arts

As a top leader in one of Indiana’s largest police departments, IMPD Assistant Chief of Police Catherine Cummings (GradCert’13) knows her position comes with a lot of pressure. But the O’Neill alumna says that pressure extends well beyond her professional responsibilities.

“When you’re one of the first women to do something, you feel it’s very important that you are successful because that matters to the people who are coming behind you,” she says. “One of the reasons I take this job very seriously is so that other women will have a better and more professional road than I had.”

Cummings is only the second woman to serve as an assistant chief within the department. She worked her way up from a patrol officer through various positions but admits the climb wasn’t always easy. Especially as a woman in law enforcement.

“I’ve encountered more than one issue of misogyny,” she admits.

She thinks back to her time at the academy. She was excelling both physically and academically but says that wasn’t enough for some in her class.

“Even though I was outperforming them, I still had men in my class who had the audacity to tell me women didn’t belong in law enforcement,” she recalls. “For me, those wires didn’t connect.”

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O’Neill to offer new DEI workshops

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Leslie Wells

A woman stands a podium speaking to a crowd of students who are seated at tables. — O’Neill’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is hosting a new DEI workshop for students.

Written by: Rebecca Valeriano-Flores, Director of Student Inclusion and Engagement, O’Neill Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

From the inception of the United States until today, there has been a call for liberation and justice that refuses to be ignored. Inequities and harms abound in a country where racism, transphobia, ableism, and many other types of prejudice permeate our society and institutions—and the widespread impacts can last for generations.

Learning about these challenges, how they’re connected, and what we can do to address them is critical to our collective future. That’s why the O’Neill Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is partnering with the IU Indianapolis Multicultural Center to launch a three-workshop series designed to empower students to better understand the issues at play and how they can help.

The workshops are open to all students and will focus on bias and stereotypes, social justice, and using intersectionality as a research method and policy analysis framework. To learn more about the topics and register to attend, visit this link.

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From Brazil to Bloomington: IU Executive Education hosts top-level federal Brazilian leaders

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Leslie Wells

A group of people walk outside on a sidewalk on a bright sunny day with a university building behind them. — Each year, a group of leaders from the Brazilian government take part in a leadership training through Executive Education.

Each year, dozens of high-level government officials travel 4,500 miles from Brazil to Indiana for specialized leadership training hosted by IU Executive Education and the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

Lyvan Bispo dos Santos attended the program in 2018. Now, he serves as an attorney for Brazil and is the legal coordinator for the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

“I desired to improve my soft skills in public leadership and consequently boost my career in the federal government,” he says. “The public sector in Brazil is full of challenges and I needed to be ready to lead teams, coordinate projects, and solve huge legal and social problems collectively. When I learned about the opportunity to attend the program, I decided to apply for it. Absolutely, it was an excellent idea.”

Executive Education Director Sara Johnson stresses that modern global leadership plays a critical role in all societies. She says faculty with Executive Education and the O’Neill School can provide a high-level view of what it takes to lead effectively in the internationally connected world of today.

“Leaders in the public sector must have a broad view of their organization, stakeholders, and policy matters, all while serving in the public interest,” she explains. “Our courses help leaders take a step back and learn how to have a big-picture view of their role and impact not only in their organization, but in their communities and the world.”

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