SPEA alumna honored for building alumni network

SPEA alumna receives prestigious Maynard K. Hine Award

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Leslie Wells

Kathy Koehler shows off her SPEA pride everywhere she goes.

Kathy Koehler’s passion for SPEA is as contagious as her positive personality. Even her bright red Mini Cooper is branded with “SPEON,” the insider nickname SPEA alumni have given themselves.

Yet Koehler’s commitment to SPEA runs much deeper than a personalized license plate or a unifying nickname. Her lasting link and service to SPEA has earned Koehler a spot among this year’s recipients of the Maynard K. Hine Award.

Created in 1974, the prestigious award, named for IUPUI’s first chancellor, recognizes alumni who have made a significant impact on campus. Koehler will receive her bronze medal on Thursday during the IUPUI Alumni Leaders Dinner.

“Being nominated and selected as a recipient of the Maynard K. Hine award is humbling,” Koehler said. “I truly believe I get more from my work with SPEA than I could ever give back. I am incredibly grateful for this honor.” (more…)

SPEA Lecturer Provides Insider Glimpse into Securing the Olympics

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Leslie Wells

Most students walking the halls of SPEA weren’t alive when Eric Rudolph bombed the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. They may not have heard the news reports that falsely blamed security guard Richard Jewell for the fatal attack. Nor do they know what happened in the aftermath of the explosion.

But Jim White does.

“When I talk about Atlanta, I can tell (students), ‘Look, this is what happened,’’’ says White, who is a clinical lecturer in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI.

“I was there. This is what we did. This is how it went down.”

For the next three weeks, Pyeongchang, South Korea will capture much of the world’s attention as it plays host to the 2018 Winter Olympics. While many focus on the competition, pageantry and emotion that comes with the Olympic Games, others – including White – watch through a different lens. (more…)

Experience the Washington Leadership Program

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Leslie Wells

Frances “Amanda” Amick and Nathan Saylors raise IUPUI’s flag in front of the U.S. Capitol building during the Fall 2017 Washington Leadership Program.

“I thought I knew about government, but I certainly did not once it came down to it.”

It’s 580 miles from the halls of SPEA Indy to the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. On the surface, our nation’s capital seems vastly different than Nathan Saylors’ hometown. To Saylors, Washington, D.C. still felt like home.

“They say that everyone knows everyone and you can’t fully understand it unless you are part of the community,” says Saylors, who grew up in a small Indiana town “surrounded by miles of corn fields.”

Alongside those cornfields of Converse, Indiana, the first seeds of Saylors’ passion were planted. It was there that he first heard about the issue of human trafficking and knew he had to help.

Those plans brought him to IUPUI and to SPEA to study criminal justice. (more…)

Inside-Out Prison Exchange program is a transformational educational experience for SPEA students

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Michael L. Jackson

crystal garcia, inside out prison exchange program — SPEA Associate Professor Crystal Garcia leads the final Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program class of the semester at the Indianapolis Re-Entry Educational Facility.

Trust me, she asked them. And they did.

It’s the end of 17 grueling weeks, and Associate Professor Crystal Garcia is leading opening ceremonies that mark the final class. But this is no ordinary class. More than half of the students have stored their personal belongings in a locker. They’ve taken off their shoes and belts and have passed security’s scrutiny just to be here.

The other students in attendance just call this home.

Garcia’s J470 seminar in criminal justice is not taking place this May evening on the IUPUI campus. Like the previous 16 classes, this one takes place inside a minimum security prison on Indianapolis’ Near Eastside. (more…)

Board certified: Learning how to govern from the experts

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Sara M Johnson

nonprofit board, executive education, effective nonprofit governance

Public service is important and over the last 30 years has evolved beyond just describing government careers. Many people are motivated to volunteer on the “front lines” and even donate money to worthy and favorite causes, especially at year end.

And, as critical to the sector as these activities are, serving as a nonprofit board member can be even more important. A board member’s role includes fiduciary responsibility, potential for conflicts of interest, oversight of an executive director, and a responsibility to those the organization serves.

In her book, “Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations,” author Judy Sharken Simon defines governance as, “… the legal authority responsible for guarding the organization’s adherence to its mission and ensuring its long-term stability and operations in order to do so.” As organizations move through the five stages, Sharken Simon also describes the phase of governance that characteristically accompanies these five developmental stages. She accurately applies an existing concept of organizational development — the organizational life cycle to nonprofits. (more…)