The word is Momentum

Over the past two weeks, my conversations with industry and community leaders have followed a familiar pattern. When they ask how IU Indianapolis is doing, I share that we are growing across the board and that we serve more than 22,000 students. The response is often a surprise at our size.

That surprise grows when I describe our momentum: Beginner classes increased 10% in 2024, another 10% in 2025, and 12.5% this year. And the momentum extends well beyond enrollment. As an R1 university, we are exceeding the external funding threshold, expanding doctoral enrollment, and translating research into innovation. Invention disclosures nearly doubled this year, from 14 to 26. Congratulations to our School of Dentistry for leading the way.

People are also excited when I share that our momentum is strengthened by Indianapolis itself—not only our expanding campus footprint including the STEM Lab Building, The JIM, and IU LAB, but also BioHeartland, the sports ecosystem, the Statehouse, museums, monuments and memorials, and the cultural assets and the communities whose history and legacy shaped our campus, including Indiana Avenue and the Madam Walker Legacy Center.

The flywheel is spinning. In just the past two weeks, the School of Science received $6.4 million in federal research funding: $2.9 million to Professor Christine Picard for a National Insect Innovation Facility and $3.5 million to Assistant Professor Kelleher and her team to advance care for children with neurogenetic conditions. Kudos to both teams!

Service is equally ingrained in our DNA. As the recent United Way Bruncheon reminded us, people do not care how much we know until they know how much we care, and our campus cares deeply. We care to serve.

Taken together, these stories show that IU Indianapolis—still only two years old, yet built on over fifty years of a culture of excellence and service—is moving forward with agility, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to serve our community, city, and region.