Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2023–24

Greetings from the IUAA

Chief Alumni Officer Patricia Riveire Stumpf, fourth from left, with IUAA Student Fellows, from left, Francisco Cáceres, junior; Yujin Seong, junior; Jessyka Brown, junior; Ally Wolfgang, junior; Marley Anderson, junior; Shafik Memon, senior; and Priya Patel, sophomore. Photo by James Brosher, BA’10, Indiana University

It is my pleasure and honor to serve one of the largest, most vibrant alumni bodies in the U.S. My team includes some of the most talented and dedicated staff, partners, and volunteers in the business; I am thankful for them each and every day.

You will find evidence of their hard work in the pages of this annual report covering fiscal year 2024. To begin, we report on the completion of our most recent organizational plan, developed and started amidst a pandemic that demanded we adapt our approach to the work we do.

That plan was much more than a mandate for change, however. It was an all-encompassing exploration of data and doing that helped us build capacity to measure and understand our work in ways never before possible. As we wrap up the plan, I offer my deepest appreciation to the hundreds of alumni, staff, partners, volunteers, and leaders who prioritized the work and helped us complete the plan a full year ahead of schedule. Now, of course, we look toward the next.

Elsewhere in the report, we offer examples of how we engage alumni in ways that share their interests and encourage their commitment to Indiana University. One of my favorite sections highlights the seven scholarship winners selected to serve as IUAA Fellows and lead the Student Alumni Association. As we learn about the ways recent alumni want to engage with their alma mater, their insights are especially valuable.

Thank you for your investment and interest in the IU Alumni Association.

For the Glory of IU,

Patricia Riveire Stumpf, MS’07
Chief Alumni Officer

Cultivate Belonging

  • We conducted a thorough environmental scan of the Association’s operating landscape with the assistance of external consultants, WhitworthKee.
  • We established an Executive Council committee and staff advisory committee focused on cultivating belonging.
  • We created a religious holiday and cultural observation calendar utilized throughout IU to help program planning.
  • We instituted new inclusive programming policies and resources, such as a vendor-vetting matrix and event code of conduct.

Deepen Alumni Loyalty

  • We developed the MyIU online portal, increasing active recurring gifts to IU by 174 percent in the first year following implementation.
  • We have seen, to date, nearly 45,000 new MyIU accounts created by alumni and friends.
  • We are examining alumni preferences and behaviors unlike ever before and using the findings to enhance future programming.
  • We began using new marketing tools to better understand alumni preferences.

Strengthen Alumni Relations Across IU

  • We created the Volunteer Opportunity Board, a new platform to share microvolunteer opportunities with alumni.
  • We launched the Alumni Engagement Dashboard, tracking, for the first time, engagement activity across IU.
  • We hosted two Alumni Engagement Conferences to collaborate with engagement professionals in our campuses, schools, and units.
  • We established partnerships with each of IU’s regional campuses and 28 schools in Bloomington and Indianapolis.
  • We initiated the Data Improvement Project, which helped us build strategies to improve how we encourage alumni to provide and update their email and employer data.

Outreach and Engagement

Giving Back: The DASA Club Scholarship Legacy

Since 1953, the IUAA’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award (DASA) Club—made up exclusively of DASA recipients—have collectively donated more than $2 million to support student scholarships. Some DASA honorees are inspiring greater generosity by establishing named or special scholarships.

The DASA Club Scholarship is awarded to seniors from any IU campus who demonstrate financial need and high academic achievement. Recipients are selected through a nomination process and honored at an annual luncheon.

Those selected to receive DASA Club scholarships are eligible for additional awards, including the Dr. Norman Hertzer Scholarship, given to a pre-med student on the Bloomington campus; the Talbot Advocacy Scholarship, awarded to a student from any campus dedicated to the field of education; and the Major General Joseph O. Butcher Award, presented to the DASA Club scholarship recipient with the highest GPA.

Being named a distinguished alumnus of Indiana University was one of the proudest moments in my professional career. All DASA Club members owe a debt of gratitude to this great university, and supporting this annual scholarship program is a rewarding way to repay it. Even better, consider establishing a permanent scholarship in your own field of interest within the DASA framework as I did—you will never regret it!

Norman Hertzer, BA’64, MD’67

Ukrainian Ambassador at Weekend U

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova, MPA’01, and Professor Emeritus Robert S. Kravchuk. Photo by Yossi May, BAJ’10, Yossi May Photography

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova, MPA’01, was the keynote speaker at Weekend U in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 17, 2024.

She earned her degree from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs as part of the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship program, a U.S. State Department initiative that provides opportunities for graduate students and professionals from the former member countries of the Soviet Union.

Many O’Neill faculty members made a lasting impression on Markarova. Professor Emeritus Robert S. Kravchuk, an expert in Russian and Ukrainian public administration and political economy, introduced Markarova at Weekend U. Originally one of her SPEA professors, Kravchuk has become a lifelong mentor and friend.

“Without U.S. support, we [Ukraine] could not stay the course. My finance experience and the knowledge I learned at IU enable me to explain concepts and challenges more effectively,” says Markarova.

Much of her time on Capitol Hill is spent advocating for the Ukrainian cause before leaders, policy makers, and government representatives. In this process, she often runs into IU alumni.

“If you work in Washington, you see IU graduates everywhere,” says Markarova. “Whether I’m in the State Department, USAID, Department of Commerce—everywhere I go—I meet alums from Indiana University. I think this is what IU is known for: [being a] great school that has a devotion to public service.”

Alumni Toast IU at Southwest Florida Brunch Series

Offered January to March each year, the Southwest Florida Brunch Speaker series, hosted in Naples, Fla., brings together IU alumni and campus leaders. The series offers a unique opportunity for alumni to connect directly with deans, faculty, and staff from various IU schools and units. In 2024, the series welcomed deans from the School of Education, the School of Medicine, and the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering.

One of the things participants love most about this series is its highly personal format. Over brunch, alumni engage in meaningful conversations with the speakers and gain valuable insights about current initiatives and exciting developments happening at IU.

“The brunch series allows IU alumni in southwest Florida to learn the latest information and strategies on schools of interest to them from their respective deans and others,” explains IUAA Southwest Florida Chapter President Tom Hurwich, BS’82. “The interactive format also allows speakers to mingle with alumni, answer questions, and ensure alumni are informed of the direction of their schools. In addition, alumni enjoy the ability to socialize with fellow alums, which helps keep connections strong.”

Alumni Communities

Certified Alumni Leaders

964

School Alumni Groups

15

IUB and IU Indy

U.S. and International Chapters

64

Regional Campus Groups

6

Affiliate and Identity Groups

12

IUAA Governance Groups

3

IUAA Financials

Building Improvements Drive Surplus

In FY24, the IUAA saw a net operating surplus of nearly $1 million. Driving the surplus were improvements Indiana University made to the DeVault Alumni Center, including an updated fire alarm system, boiler, and elevator. DeVault, an IU-owned building designated for IUAA’s use, is a fixed asset listed on the Association’s general ledger. Building improvements totaling $800,000 were recorded as a gift-in-kind to the IUAA, while the remaining surplus of $160,000 impacted cash assets.

The IUAA saw similar operating and income expense activities, year over year. Program expenses were lower in FY24 based on changes to programming that included finding a new venue for a longstanding event and hosting fewer one-time events than the year prior. In addition, the IUAA saw more than $750,000 in unrealized investment gains in this fiscal year, recovering FY23 losses.

The Association approved another balanced budget for FY25, with plans to spend 100 percent of annual revenue on programming and operations.

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Annual Member Program Retired

As of Dec. 31, 2023, the IUAA officially retired its annual member program. The action was taken after years of consideration and research. This shift better reflects the values of inclusion and collaboration, encouraging alumni to connect and engage with IU in ways that are most meaningful to them. This approach gives alumni what they want and expect from their alma mater and increases relevance to the IUAA’s stakeholders, including IU alumni, the IU Foundation, IU leadership, and IU’s schools and units. Alumni services are now available to all alumni, not just members. The IUAA’s life member program will continue as is, and life members will continue to receive courtesies and services as they always have.

In FY24, the IUAA Awarded 148 Students a Total of $310,900 in Scholarships

The IU Collegiate License Plate Program provides a great way for alumni to show their IU spirit. More than 69,000 IU and IU Indianapolis supporters sport specialty plates across the state. The program is the funding source for the IUAA Scholars Program, which awards scholarships to more than 30 students each school year.

More Than Just Meaningful Work Experience

Fellows are student leaders and participate fully in IUAA culture. They also devote time to additional service organizations. Take junior Francisco Cáceres, programs student fellow: “I work with IU’s Student Athletic Board as VP of communications and marketing. We’re the spirit behind IU Athletics and work tirelessly to support IU’s 24 varsity sports. It’s helped me develop communication strategies while working with different types of people and put my passion for IU Athletics to good use!”

The program also promotes a lifelong connection to IU among past, present, and future students. “One thing that attracted me to the SAA was being part of something bigger than myself. Assisting in alumni engagement with popular events like Homecoming and IU Day is enjoyable, because I’m helping connect many generations to one thing—IU spirit,” says junior Jessyka Brown, stewardship and development fellow.

College Is Four Years, IU Is Forever

Fellows’ involvement in the Student Alumni Association is a unique experience unlike any other. “It’s allowed me to connect with alumni and fellow students by strengthening my sense of community and school spirit,” says events fellow Priya Patel, a sophomore. “Engaging with alumni has provided valuable insights and expanded my professional network, which will benefit me long after my time at IU.”

Contact Us

Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center, 1000 E. 17th St., Bloomington, IN 47408

Phone: 844-670-4848 | Email: iualumni@iu.edu

Founded in 1854, the Indiana University Alumni Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the Indiana University global alumni network. Our federal tax ID number is 23-705616.

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