Sesquicentennial | Indiana State University

Indiana State University Sesquicentennial Art

Indiana State's 150th Anniversary art celebrates their evolution and distinction as a teaching institution, driver in the community, and longtime advocate of diversity and opportunity. The structure reflects the University's sycamore leaf logo and suggests the cross section of a 150-year-old sycamore tree, on which 150 rings are inscribed. The art is installed in the John W. Moore Welcome Center, Terre Haute, Indiana.

The Official Seal of Indiana State University.
Founded in 1865, Indiana State is proud of its distinguished history.
Flag of the United States of America
State flag of Indiana
Indiana State started as a Normal School to prepare teachers for the public schools of Indiana as symbolized by this bell.
Caleb Mills is considered the father of public education in Indiana and one of the founders of Indiana State. Indiana State's highest teaching honor is named in his memory as is Mills Hall.
Another founder of the Indiana State Normal School, Barnabas C. Hobbs was a major proponent of developing a system of common schools in Indiana. He left his role as the first president of Earlham College to become the State Superintendent of Public Instruction during the period when the Indiana State Normal School opened. He served on the Normal School Board of Trustees for more than 20 years and was also influential in the development of Rose Polytechnic, now Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Baskin Rhoads, a state representative from Vermillion County, introduced the bill which created the Indiana State Normal School in 1865. Rhoads Hall is named in his honor.
State Representative Edmund T. Spottswood introduced the original bill calling for the establishment of a state normal school in 1855. It did not make it out of committee.
The original building housing the Indiana State Normal School.
The seal of the State of Indiana.
The faculty of Indiana State Normal School in 1876.
The original building was completely destroyed by fire in 1888.
Indiana State Normal School catalogue, 1872-73
Indiana State Teachers College Bulletin
The Indiana State Normal School main building, known as "Old Main", was built on the site of the original building which was destroyed by fire. It opened in 1888 and was razed in 1950 to make way for the quad.
Indiana State Normal School faculty in 1899-1900
Original seal of the Indiana State Normal School
Well-known African American author, educator and opera singer Evangeline Harris Merriweather graduated from Wiley High School and earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from Indiana State Normal School. She was known for writing the first books geared toward African American elementary students. Her books were used in schools across the country.
Indiana State Normal classroom in the late 1800s.
1897 Indiana State Normal School baseball team.
1916 Indiana State Normal School Student Body
William Albert Jones was the first president of Indiana State Normal School serving from 1869 to 1879. He is credited with building the school's first curriculum and recruiting its original faculty. Enrollment grew to 225 students during his tenure.
George Pliny Brown was the second president of the Indiana State Normal School, serving from 1879 to 1885. He was a member of the first faculty of the ISNS before being named president. His tenure was mired in controversy and frequent strife with the faculty. Enrollment grew to about 400 students during his administration, and the curriculum was expanded.
In 1918, the Ball Brothers of Muncie gave the building and land that became the Eastern Division of the Indiana State Normal School, now known as Ball State University.
The Indiana State Normal Library was dedicated in 1910. It underwent a $16 million renovation in 2015 and now houses the University College.
The original Indiana State beanies were green with the letter S on the front. Later beanies were blue and white with an I. Freshmen were required to wear the beanies. This practice was discontinued in the early 1960s.
Many Indiana State Normal School students left school to serve in the military during World War I.
An aerial view of the Indiana State Normal School campus in the late 1920s shows its expanding footprint and the start of construction for the gymnasium, later known as the Women's Gymnasium.
Famed aviator Amelia Earhart was one of many celebrities who signed the Sycamore Wall which was located in Old Main.
The Indiana State yearbook was known as the Sycamore. Due to escalating costs, it ceased publication in 1993. It was revived in 2013-2014 as a print-on-demand product.
Started in 1895, "The Advance" was the first news publication produced at the Indiana State Normal School. It began as a monthly publication but moved to a weekly in 1915 due to demand. Fourteen years later, it was renamed "The Statesman." Annual subscriptions were 75 cents and single copies were 10 cents. Today, "The Statesman" is distributed three times a week at no cost.
The gymnasium was constructed in 1928. The facility contained two athletic floors, one for the men and one for the women, in addition to classrooms, storerooms, locker rooms and offices. The men's gymnasium had a seating capacity of around 3,000. The facility later became the Women's Gymnasium. It was destroyed by fire in 1984. The Landini Center for Performing and Fine Arts now sits on that site.
William Wood Parsons, a member of the first graduating class of the Indiana State Normal School in 1872, returned as a faculty member in 1876. He became the school's third president in 1885, a position he held for 36 years. Parsons was a strong advocate for ISNS and was successful in securing increased state appropriations. Under his leadership, the school began its first baccalaureate degree program, built its first free-standing library, added the Eastern Division of the Indiana State Normal School in Muncie (now Ball State) and dramatically expanded enrollment.
Linnaeus Neal Hines was the fourth president of the Indiana State Normal School serving from 1921 to 1933. He was serving his second term as the Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction when he was tapped to lead the Normal School. Under his leadership, the Normal School evolved into Indiana State Teachers College, enrollment doubled, and the new gymnasium, Reeve Hall (the first residence hall on campus) were constructed. The first master's degree program also was launched, and the ISU Foundation was established.
Aerial photo of Indiana State Teachers College in 1937.
Educational research was an important focus of the school's teacher training programs.
From 1943 to 1946, Indiana State hosted the V12 accelerated Army and Navy training program which prepared military officers to supplement the force of commissioned officers during World War II.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt came to campus to dedicate the Student Union Building, now Tirey Hall, and the Fine Arts and Commerce Building in 1940. The projects were part of the Public Works Administration.
In 1963, Indiana State partnered with the U.S. Office of Education and the Indiana Languages Program to train Cuban refugees fleeing the Castro regime to become Spanish teachers in Indiana schools. Many of these individuals had been professionals in Cuba prior to Castro's takeover. Their entire families were relocated to Terre Haute. After completing the program, they went on to become long-time educators throughout Indiana.
Indiana State's 1948 basketball team, coached by the legendary John Wooden, included Clarence Walker. Walker broke the racial barrier in post-season tournament play by becoming the first African American to complete in the NAIB Tournament that year through the insistence by Coach Wooden that Indiana State would only participate if its entire team was welcomed.
The gates of Indiana State's first residence hall for women which opened in 1926. Later named Reeve Hall in honor of Helen Reeve (the first women's residence hall director and later dean of women), the residence hall was torn down in 1997. The gates still stand. In 2014, the Board of Trustees game the Reeve name to its newest residence hall.
Sorority members participate in the excitement of bid day.
Indiana State began awarding its first doctoral degrees in 1967.
Alpha Xi Delta's float in the annual Blue and White Homecoming parade.
The 1948 basketball team, coached by John Wooden, became the first team that included an African American player to compete in the NAIB Tournament.
The Indiana State Normal School was created in 1865 to prepare teachers for the common schools of Indiana. Opening in 1870, the Normal School began offering its first baccalaureate programs in the 1900s with the first bachelor's degree awarded in 1908. The School of Education was established in 1960 and was rededicated as the Bayh College of Education in 2010 in honor of the Bayh family. Birch Bayh Sr., father of former Sen. Birch Bayh and grandfather of former Indiana Governor and U.S. Senator Evan Bayh, served as ISU's first athletic director. Many members of the Bayh family also attended Indiana State.
A nursing hat worn by graduates of the Indiana State nursing program.
The first master's degree programs were started in 1927 with the first degrees awarded the following year. The first doctoral degrees were awarded in 1967. The School of Graduate Studies, now the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, was formed in 1961.
Results of a scientific experiment conducted by ISU students demonstrating the impact of undersea water pressure on a Styrofoam coffee cup.
A nursing pin used in the pinning ceremonies when students earn their bachelor's in nursing.
The College of Health and Human Services is the merger of two schools, the School of Nursing which was created in 1962 and the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation which was established in 1965.
A beaker used in science courses. ISU's Foundational Studies continues to provide all graduates with a liberal arts background.
Indiana State University has hosted the Contemporary Music Festival since 1967, making it one of the longest-running festivals of its kind in the country. The CMF is also unique in that emphasizes symphonic music and features a major professional orchestra. This is a copy of the program cover from the first festival.
Indiana State English Professor Michael Shelden has produced a number of noteworthy biographies, including Young Titan: The Making of Winston Churchill.
Indiana State has numerous global partnerships through its Center for Global Engagement and attracts students from more than 70 countries.
Indiana State's largest college, the College of Arts and Sciences, was formed in 1962.
The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Fourth Edition
The Periodic Table of the Elements
ISU has a strong commitment to the arts and the sciences and to providing students with the critical-thinking skills and liberal arts background necessary to become productive citizens.
The Sycamore Tricycle Derby was started by ISU students Michael Simmons, Tom Bareford and Debbie Hulman Bareford in 1963 as a competitive homecoming activity. The first race was conducted on the historic quad with hay bales outlining the course. The annual race has become a major component of Homecoming week activities and is now held at the Michael Simmons Activity Center/Recreation East.
The Indiana General Assembly changed the name of Indiana State College to Indiana State University in 1965 to reflect the institution's growth and development.
Condit House, the oldest building on campus, was built in 1860 by Jabez Hedden for Lucien Houriet, a local jeweler and watchmaker. The Reverend Blackford Condit and his wife, Sara Louise Mills Condit, purchased the home in 1863. The home was utilized by the Office of Alumni Affairs and the ISU Foundation from 1963 to 1966. At the request of President Alan C. Rankin, it was restored and expanded to become the official residence of the president in 1967. In 1993, it became the Office of the President until 2008 when it once again became the President's residence as President Dan and First Lady Cheri Bradley moved into it. Current President Deborah Curtis and her husband Lynn now reside in Condit House.
On May 1, 1969, a group of seven students calling themselves Students for a Better University took over the lobby of the Vice President for Business Affairs in a peaceful protest to voice their grievances, including calling for a black studies program and more African American faculty. The group became known as the Magnificent Seven and are credited with stimulating the creation of the African American Studies Program, which is one of the oldest of its kind in the nation.
Originally called "The Fighting Teachers," the Indiana State Normal School changed its mascot to the Sycamores following a student vote in 1922. For a period in the late '50s and early '60s, the school utilized a tree costume for its mascot.
Sycamore Tricycle Derby is a long-standing tradition that is part of ISU's annual Homecoming celebration.
Emeritus Professor Marion T. Jackson is known for his research on the structure and dynamics of natural plant communities, particularly in the Midwest. He is the author of numerous publications including The Natural Heritage of Indiana and 101 Trees of Indiana: A Field Guide.
The University of Southern Indiana had its start in 1965 as the Evansville campus of Indiana State University. Here, ISU President Alan C. Rankin stands in front of the original building in Evansville.
The Blue Berets in 1969. The Blue Berets was a student group started in 1967 to serve as ambassadors for Indiana State and assist with high-level university events.
Campus Revue was a popular variety show staged by student groups. This commemorative poster was designed by well-known local artist D. Omer "Salty" Seamon.
ISU graduate Rudy Render was an American singer, musician, arranger and songwriter best known for his 1949 R&B hit "Sneakin' Around." This is his single "Not One Tear," the flipside of "Walkin' Thru the Ruins." Render served as musical director for Debbie Reynolds for her stage shows and the 1964 film The Unsinkable Molly Brown. After leaving the music business in 1972, he worked as an elementary teacher until his retirement in 2001. He died in 2014 at the age of 88.
Stories for Little Tots was one of the books by ISU alumna Evangeline Merriweather, a local African American teacher, writer and musician. It was published in 1940 and featured biographies of prominent black men and women aimed at inspiring black elementary school students.
Public School Law was a standard textbook that was used to prepare teachers who planned to work in public schools.
ISU's annual Blue and White Parade at Homecoming has often featured elaborate floats.
Students wearing the Indiana State beanies, which identified them as freshmen.
The official seal used during the Indiana State College years, 1961 to 1965.
Ralph Noble Tirey served as Indiana State's fifth president from 1934 to 1953. During his tenure, the curriculum was strengthened and broadened beyond teacher education, and the physical campus grew considerably. He oversaw the construction of the new laboratory school building, now University Hall, the first men's residence hall (the original Parsons Hall), the Fine Arts and Commerce Building, the Student Union (now Tirey Hall), the Mathematics and Communication Building (now Dreiser Hall) and the Administration Building (now Gillum Hall).
Raleigh Warren Holmstedt was the sixth president of Indiana State, serving from 1953 to 1965. He oversaw a marked growth in academic programs which led to the Indiana State Teachers College evolving into Indiana State College in 1961 and Indiana State University in 1965. The institution moved from a quarter to a semester system, experienced tremendous enrollment growth and its campus grew by 90 acres, including a 60-acre property south of Brazil that became the field campus. The Condit House was acquired, and the College of Arts and Sciences and the Schools of Education, Nursing and Business were established.
The Scott College of Business was established as the School of Business in 1964. It was renamed the Scott College of Business in 2009 in honor of Don and Susan Scott. Don Scott is a retired owner of Terre Haute's Sycamore Agency and former president of Old National Insurance. He served on the ISU Foundation Board for more than 25 years, and he and his wife, Susan, have been generous supporters of the University and the College which now bears their name.
A commemorative stamp marked the rededication of the Scott College of Business in the former Federal Building on September 7, 2012.
A generous anonymous gift to the Indiana State University Foundation made the sculpture, "Under the Buttonwood" by Tell City artist Greg Harris possible. "Under the Buttonwood" is a stone carving of a buttonwood leaf, commemorating a 1792 meeting beneath a buttonwood tree on Wall Street in New York City, where 24 stockbrokers signed an agreement establishing the New York Stock Exchange. Buttonwood trees are now more commonly known in the U.S. as sycamores.
Black Student Union in 1975.
The Incorporated Gathering is a group of African American alumni of Indiana State University. The group holds regular reunions and supports the University in a variety of ways.
A $20 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to create the Networks Financial Institute was the cover story of the Indiana STATE Magazine in March 2003.
Indiana State University was one of the first institutions to develop a bachelor's degree in unmanned or autonomous aircraft.
Indiana State began more aggressively marketing itself in the 1990s. Launching Futures Daily was one campaign used in billboards and ads throughout the state.
Richard G. Landini was the eighth president of Indiana State University, serving from 1975 to 1992. His presidency experienced several academic achievements including the enhancement of general education, raising of admission standards, the chartering of several national honor societies, and the creation of more than 20 new undergraduate and as many graduate programs. A $55 million master plan transformed the campus from a concrete-laden site to a pedestrian-friendly, park-like atmosphere. He oversaw the construction of the technology building, Oakley Plaza, Root Hall, the new Parsons Hall, Hulman Memorial Student Union and Dede Plaza. He also created Donaghy Day as an annual campus beautification day to celebrate spring. It has since evolved into a twice-yearly community service day where thousands of students do projects both on and off campus. Landini's tenure was also marked by tremendous athletic successes, including the Larry Bird-led basketball era ending in the 1979 championship game in the NCAA basketball tournament against Magic Johnson-led Michigan State. The men's gymnastics team, led by Kurt Thomas, also won the NCAA National Championship.
John W. Moore was the ninth president of Indiana State University, serving from 1992 to 2000. He placed an emphasis on improving the quality of teaching and learning, enhancing services to students and improving diversity of the student body and the faculty and staff. Initiatives launched under his leadership included the Student Academic Services Center, the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Lilly First-Year Experience Program, the reading and math centers, the Student Ombudsman Program, the President's Council on Ethnic Diversity, the Course Transformation Academy and the President's Scholars program. He oversaw the construction of the John T. Myers Technology Center and the Center for Performing and Fine Arts (now the Landini Center for Performing and Fine Arts). The institution also received its largest gift from a single donor to create the Gongaware Center for Insurance Management Development. Moore also started the institution's first comprehensive marketing program, and created the Indiana STATE magazine. He also introduced a new mascot, Sycamore Sam.
Lloyd W. Benjamin III was the 10th president of Indiana State University, serving from 2000 to 2008. During his administration, he put an emphasis on community service by establishing the Center for Public Service and Community Engagement. He created a distinctive programs initiative and procured a $20 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to create the Networks Financial Institute. He oversaw the renovation of Stalker Hall, science and chemistry labs, and the construction of the Michael Simmons Student Activity Center. When he retired from the presidency in 2008, the renovation of University Hall and the construction of the Student Recreation Center and the Cherry Street Multi-Modal Transportation Center were underway and preparations had begun to renovate the former Federal Building. Benjamin also oversaw the growth of several international partnerships. An art historian, he led a renewed interest in bringing public art to campus by establishing a percent for art program for all new construction and major renovation projects.
The "March through the Arch" ceremony has become a tradition to formally welcome new freshmen to campus each fall.
The College of Technology was established as the School of Technology in 1967.
This plastic injection mold features an emblem representing the College of Technology that can be seen as a limestone feature on the Myers Technology Center.
In 1970, Indiana State commemorated the centennial of its opening with this commemorative coin. Later, the institution recognized its founding date as 1865, the year of its enabling legislation being approved by the Indiana General Assembly.
Actor Ronald Reagan, later to become the 40th president of the United States, visited Indiana State's campus during his acting years and added his name to the Sycamore Wall.
Indiana State University became the first public institution in the state to require its students to bring laptops with them when they enrolled. ISU later created the laptop scholarship that provides free laptops to high-achieving students.
In 1969, a committee created Chief Quabachi and an Indian Princess as new mascots for the University. The Indian chief and princess were dropped in 1989, long before other institutions made similar decisions, due to concern that they were offensive to Native Americans and no connection to the Sycamore mascot name or the institution's history.
Indiana State Distinguished Alumnus Tommy John played in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, California Angels and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1989. He was a four-time MLB All-Star. A native of Terre Haute, he earned 288 Major League career victories, 7th highest among left-handed pitchers. A surgery performed on a damaged ligament in his pitching arm became known as the Tommy John surgery. John earned more than half of his career wins following the surgery.
Pole vaulter Kylie Hutson won four national titles while at Indiana State -- the indoor and outdoor NCAA pole vaulting championships in both 2009 and 2010. She also became the first athlete to win four straight MVC titles in pole vaulting. After turning professional, she won the 2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship. She competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials finishing 13th in 2008 and 7th in 2012.
A four-time U.S. Gymnastics Federation Champion and Olympian, Kurt Thomas ranks as one of Indiana State's greatest athletes. In 1975, he won five medals at the Pan-American Games. He was a member of the 1976 U.S. Olympic team and coming off of a six-medal win at the World Championships was considered a front-runner to win the gold medal at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow which the U.S. ended up boycotting. A five-time NCAA champion, Thomas led ISU to the national team title in 1977. He earned All-American honors 13 times and was the James E. Sullivan Award winner in 1979. He also has two gymnastic moves named for him -- the Thomas Flair on the pommel horse and the Thomas Salto in the floor exercise.
Coached by Roger Counsil and led by world champion gymnast Kurt Thomas, the 1977 Men's Gymnastics team became the first in the University's history to win a NCAA team championship. Bruce Spiker clinched an ISU share of the championship by nailing a 9.475 on vault.
Special edition 7up bottle commemorating Indiana State's trip to the 1979 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game.
ISU's annual tandem race was first conducted during Spring Week in 1970. It is thought to be the only co-ed tandem race in the country. It is held each spring at Recreation East located at the Michael Simmons Student Activity Center.
Bruce Baumgartner is universally recognized as the finest super heavyweight wrestler in American history with four Olympic medals (including two golds, a silver and a bronze), three world championships, seven World Cup championships and three Pan-American games championships. At Indiana State, he posted a 134-12 record and won the 1983 NCAA Division I Championship.
Benita Edds represented the United States at the 1984 Olympics competing in archery. She was the 1984 national women's indoor champion and was twice selected as an All-American collegiate team member. She also served as an alternate for the 1981 and 1983 U.S. World Teams.
Special Olympians help light the torch for the Indiana Special Olympics Summer Games. Special Olympics of Indiana was founded in 1969 by ISU faculty members Judith Campbell and Tom Songster. In 1970, Indiana State became home to its summer games that involve more than 10,000 athletes and 7,000 volunteers each year.
Women's golf was added as an intercollegiate sport in 2006.
A piece of the original Astroturf from Indiana State's Memorial Stadium. In 1967, Indiana State became the first university in the world to install Astroturf on its outdoor football field.
Olympic wrestler Bruce Baumgartner was chosen by the U.S. Olympic delegation to lead the U.S. athletes into Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Games in Atlanta.
The nearly 110,000 square foot Student Recreation Center opened in 2009. The center, which was advocated for in a student referendum that included the adoption of a new student fee, features three basketball courts, an indoor running track, swimming pools, a 15-person hot tub, numerous exercise machines, fitness studios, sauna, classrooms, and a juice bar. University students enrolled in at least 6 credit hours, staff, and faculty may use the Center at no charge. The facility is also open to guests and visitors from the community for a fee. The public art sculpture outside the building's main entrance, "Runner," is an Art Spaces, Inc.-Wabash Valley Outdoor Sculpture Collection project in partnership with Indiana State. Boston artist Doug Kornfeld's sculpture is a 23-foot high stainless steel running figure dramatically posed mid-stride.
The ISU football team takes the field.
The University College for first-year students was established in 2013. It is now located in the beautifully restored Normal Hall.
Following a contest, Sycamore Sam, a unique blue and white fox-like creature, was introduced as Indiana State's new mascot in December 1995.
"Go trees" is a popular chant used to cheer on ISU's athletic teams.
Women's basketball is an important part of ISU's intercollegiate athletic programs.
Indiana State's official mascot is the Sycamores, named for the tree whose unusual bark can be seen here.
Indiana State and Celtics legend Larry Bird's many contributions to collegiate and professional basketball were recognized with the unveiling of a 17-foot statue in front of ISU's Hulman Center in 2013. After leading Indiana State to the final game of the 1979 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship and capturing nearly every scoring, rebounding and steals record, Bird went on to lead the Boston Celtics to three NBA titles. Bird is undoubtedly one of the most recognized basketball players in the history of the sport, earning 1979 College Player of the Year honors from Sporting News, Associated Press, United Press International, U.S. Basketball Writers Association and Basketball Weekly. He won both the Naismith Award and the John Wooden Award. A two-time consensus All-American, he twice received the Missouri Valley Most Valuable Player Award which now bears his name. In the NBA, he earned three MVP awards and was an NBA All-Star in each of his 12 seasons. He was also a member of the U.S. Olympic "Dream Team" that won a gold medal in 1992. After retiring as a player, he went on to become the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, leading them to the playoffs in each of his three seasons. He is the only person to earn NBA player of the year, coach of the year and executive of the year honors. He continues to work with the Pacers as advisor to the President of Basketball Operations.
Students plant a tree during Donaghy Day as Evan Bayh looks on.
A campus tradition since 1976, Donaghy Day was started by President Richard Landini as a spring beautification day. It was named after ISU life sciences Professor Fred Donaghy. Today, there are two Donaghy Day events -- one kicking off the fall semester and one in the spring. Thousands of students participate in Donaghy Day by doing community service projects on campus and throughout the Wabash Valley.
Greek Week featured a series of competitive events for the university's fraternities and sororities.
Holli Hyche was a sprint standout from 1991 to 1994 earning seven NCAA championships in 1993 and 1994. Earning 10 NCAA All-American honors, Hyche was named NCAA's indoor and outdoor Women's Track Athlete of the Year in 1994. She won 14 Missouri Valley Conference titles, many with record-breaking speeds.
Two-time NCAA weight throwing champion Felisha Johnson became the first Sycamore to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team in track and field when she qualified for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games. She won the indoor national championship in weight throw in 2011 and 2013. She also received All-American honors and set ISU records in both weight throwing and shot put.
Hulman Center is the home to ISU Men's and Women's Basketball as well as numerous campus and community events.
First Lady Cheri Bradley hosted an annual lemonade stand on the first day of classes each fall from 2008 to 2017.
In 2002, Indiana State received a historic $20 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to create Networks Financial Institute, an initiative designed to advance thoughtful debate of issues impacting the financial services industry and to prepare future leaders for this field. Networks is housed in the Scott College of Business.
Oil from the second well drilled on ISU's campus by Pioneer Oil. Pioneer Oil began the drilling in 2014 to tap into oil reserves located underneath ISU's campus. Revenue from the drilling is used to assist with maintenance of ISU's facilities.
Lapel pin from the Wabash Battalion of the Army ROTC.
This image featuring ISU Associate Professor Dave Malooley and a student was one used to help kick off Indiana State's first integrated marketing campaign which used the tagline "More. From day one."
Crossroads of America Air Force ROTC 218 lapel pin
Mammotrectus super Bibliam by John Marchesinus, 1476
The Cordell Collection began with a 1969 gift of 453 early English dictionaries to Indiana State from ISU alumnus Warren Cordell. He continued to add to the collection over the years with multiple donations until his death in 1980. During those 10 years, he donated 3,232 editions totaling 3,913 volumes to the library. After Cordell died in 1980, his wife, Suzanne, donated the remainder of her husband's lexicographical holdings, resulting in the addition of hundreds of titles. Their daughters, Barbara Cordell and Jeanne Cordell Shafer, have also added to the collection. Today, the collection houses more than 30,000 volumes and has become the largest and conceivably the most important collection of dictionaries in the world. A native of Terre Haute, Warren Cordell graduated from Indiana State in 1933 with majors in math and physics. After pursuing post-graduate work at the University of Chicago, he went to work for the A.C. Nielsen Company, a pioneer marketing research organization. He spent 41 years with Nielsen before retiring in August 1978 as a vice president and chief statistical officer of the company. Mr. Cordell also served as the first president of the Dictionary Society of North America.
Ads for Indiana State often emphasized small classes, nationally recognized degree programs and the breadth of program offerings.
"A Reading Place," consisting of multiple pieces of dolomitic limestone created by artist Madeline Wiener, stands on North Sixth Street Walkway between the two units of Reeve Hall. An interactive sculpture, "A Reading Place" features a solitary figure of a girl reading a book opposite back-to-back figures and two stacks of stone books. The artwork is designed so that viewers can sit on any of the figures or the books. The artwork is one of several pieces of pubic art that have been created for Indiana State through its partnership with Art Spaces.
The Rural Health Innovation Collaboration Simulation Center was the first to be accredited in Indiana. The RHIC simulation lab is a partnership between ISU, the IU School of Medicine at Terre Haute, Union Hospital and the other RHIC partners. It opened in 2011 and provides high-tech simulation equipment, including the Anatomage Table and robotic patients, which allow students to perform virtual dissections, simulate a mother giving birth and other learning opportunities.
The east side glass addition to Normal Hall was added onto the former Indiana State Normal Library building to provide updated heating and air conditioning, elevators and restrooms to the 1910 structure.
Members of Indiana State's Alumni Association are part of the Blue Card Club which carries multiple benefits.
The Pathway to Success strategic plan was launched by President Daniel J. Bradley in 2009. Following this ambitious plan, the University experienced unprecedented growth in enrollment, infused experiential learning into all of its degree programs, successfully concluded its first comprehensive fundraising campaign, became a national leader in community engagement, further diversified the student body, faculty, staff and senior leadership, increased faculty and staff compensation, identified distinctive programs, added numerous high-demand degree programs, and completed more than $300 million in capital improvements.
The Bayh College of Education's BEST (Bayh College of Education Scholars to Teachers) program at Indiana State University is designed to provide a unique educational experience for pre-service teachers. The program recruits students who represent the current demographic of public schools across the state. The BEST program affords future teacher leaders the professional experiences they will need in order to be recognized as educators and leaders who are prepared to take on the ever-changing world of education. The program is comprised of components that provide scholars and other students in the College with leadership, professional development, community engagement, and experiential learning opportunities. Two themes are primarily embedded throughout the program, "Transforming Lives and Communities," and "Inclusive Excellence." BEST scholars will participate in local, state, national and global educational activities and programs throughout their ISU experience, culminating with the requirement of student teaching in a diverse cultural setting either abroad, in one of the Navajo Nation schools, or in a culturally diverse setting in the United States.
Indiana State University has earned a place on the President's Higher Education Honor Roll for Community Service every year since its inception.
The Randall and Nancy Minas Center for Investment and Financial Education was created thanks to a generous gift from ISU trustee Randy Minas and his wife, Nancy. The endowment fund they created has supported the operations of ISU's investment and financial education programs, the development of an electronic trading lab and provided numerous opportunities for learning and personal growth for students and faculty. It is housed in the Scott College of Business located in Federal Hall.
Indiana State University has been designated as a Tree Campus USA since the program's inception in 2008. The program recognizes colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals.
The Right Fit for You was a popular marketing campaign used by Indiana State University in the early 2000's.
Special coins are sent to faculty and staff who have procured external funding for research and creative endeavors.
Aerial view of a portion of campus around 2010 before Statesman Towers were razed.
In 2016, Indiana State University broke ground on the largest capital project in its history -- a $64 million expansion and renovation of the Health and Human Services Building (formerly known as the Arena).
The Women of ISU is an organization started by former First Lady Cheri Bradley. The group meets two times a year and donates gifts for women in need during the holidays and donations for scholarships for non-traditional women in the spring.
After being used primarily for storage for many years, Normal Hall underwent a $16 million restoration and expansion in 2015.
There's More to Blue strategic plan was launched in the fall of 2016 under the leadership of President Daniel J. Bradley. It is intended to build upon the successes achieved during The Pathway Success Strategic Plan which immediately preceded it.
Normal Hall opened in 1910 as the Indiana State Normal Library, the school's first free-standing library building. The structure was completely restored in 2015. In this photo, ISU's Sycamore Singers gather on the balcony to sing the alma mater as attendees look to see the restored dome for the first time. Now called Normal Hall, the building houses the University College.
The Indiana State University Foundation and Barnes and Noble partnered to open a joint facility in 2011. The 32,000-square-foot building houses offices and conference rooms for the ISU Foundation and the ISU Alumni Association and a Barnes and Noble college superstore, which occupies about two-thirds of the building. It features an expanded line of general reading, as well as textbooks and e-books, and a line of clothing and other ISU-themed products, and a Barnes & Noble Cafe. Meis Plaza is located outside of the facility.
Indiana State consistently ranks among the nation's top universities for its service efforts. In 2015, the Washington Monthly College Guide ranked Indiana State as the top institution in the country for its service category.
ISU students contribute more than 1.2 million hours of community service in Indiana and beyond each year.
Ornament featuring center of the Normal Hall dome was distributed to guests at the gala kicking of Indiana State's five-year Sesquicentennial Era celebration in 2015. The event, which included the unveiling of the newly restored dome, raised more than $200,000 to create an endowment for need-based scholarships.
The Princeton Review has recognized Indiana State as one of the best colleges in the Midwest every year since 2004.
Daniel J. Bradley served as Indiana State's 11th president from 2008 to 2018. Numerous accomplishments occurred during his tenure including historic enrollment levels; increases in retention, graduation rates and degree production; achieving national recognition for community engagement; development of new degree programs in high-demand fields; strengthened relationships with the Indiana General Assembly; more than $300 million in capital improvements; successful conclusion of the university's first comprehensive fundraising campaign; diversification of the student body, faculty, staff, and campus leadership; and major contributions to the redevelopment of downtown Terre Haute and the riverfront area. Cheri Bradley played an instrumental role in her husband's presidency through her outreach to students, advocacy for women, community involvement and exemplary service as an ambassador for Indiana State.
Indiana State University's Sesquicentennial Era marks the 150th anniversary of its founding legislation in 1865 through the 150th anniversary of the opening of its doors in 1870.
ISU celebrates its niche of providing high-quality education and experiences to a diverse student body.
These flags represent the countries other than the United States from which Indiana State students come at the point in time this artwork was created.
Indiana State's Mission Statement
Indiana State's Vision Statement