Indiana State University Newsroom

A long standing partnership between United Way of the Wabash Valley and Indiana State University has received statewide recognition.

Indiana Campus Compact has selected the local United Way to receive its 2015 Outstanding Community Partner Award.

"United Way of the Wabash Valley is very excited to receive this award," said Troy Fears, executive director. "We work with many partners in our local community but none more extensively than Indiana State University. From the students to the staff, ISU has a campus-wide movement to help the community succeed. They play a vital part in our community and we are excited to play a small part in partnering with them to live United."

In nominating United Way for the award, Jessica Starr, program coordinator for Indiana State's Center for Community Engagement, highlighted just some of the many initiatives on which the United Way partners with university students, faculty and staff:

• The Healthier by 2020 Program that brings fresh food to low income neighborhoods via a mobile market, helps families learn to prepare healthy meals, sends healthy food home with Vigo County schoolchildren on free and reduced lunches and sends Indiana State students to the Vigo County YMCA for programs to get people moving and exercising

• The annual United Way fundraising campaign in which two Indiana State administrators serve each year as campus co-chairs, faculty and staff serve on funding committees, faculty develop curriculum around the needs and special projects of United Way agencies and student organizations form relationships that lead to long-term volunteer experiences

• Sycamore Technology Solutions, a student-managed and operated company that addresses the technology needs of agencies while providing students with real-world experience

• The 2014-15 United Way campaign kick-off that included the world's longest high-five line, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records

"Recognition by Campus Compact of our partnership with United Way of the Wabash Valley is further proof of how the Indiana State University community makes a difference in people's lives every day," said Dan Bradley, university president. "Together, the university and United Way are helping students develop a lifetime commitment to serving their fellow citizens."

More than 1,500 Indiana State students provided service to United Way agencies last year.

Indiana Campus Compact, a coalition of college and university leaders dedicated to service-learning uses its annual Community Partner Award to recognize long-term relationships that provide meaningful solutions to community problems. This marks the second time an Indiana State partner has received the award. Spectrum Industries was recognized in 2010.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Events/Events-by-Year/2014/World-Record-for-longest-highf/i-NM6MfbF/0/3X/09_02_14_united_way_world_record_high_five-5297-3X.jpg - The World's Longest High-Five at Hulman Center Sept. 2, 2014 was just one reason for United Way of the Wabash Valley's recognition as Indiana Campus Compact's 2015 Community Partner of the Year. (ISU/Tony Campbell)

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Events/Events-by-Year/2014/YMCA-Exercise-Science-Students/i-2s8Nk7t/0/3X/YMCA_Exercise_Science_Students_4_3_14-22-3X.jpg - Latham Small of Rockport, a junior exercise science major, works with Vigo County YMCA members April 3, 2014 as an experiential learning component of an Indiana State University class. The efforts of students to get more people moving and exercising is just one reason United Way of the Wabash Valley received Indiana Campus Compact 2015 Community Partner of the Year Award. (ISU/Sam Barnes)

Contact: Jessica Starr, program coordinator, Center for Community Engagement, Indiana State University, 812-237-4492 or jessica.starr@indstate.edu

Writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu