The UIndy Saga in the 21st Century

Curation of Oral History Narratives and Podcasts

Thanks for the diligent work of part-time employee Joshua Lane, who carried on the work of curation under the limited joint supervision of Michael Cartwright and Travis Miller, the remaining podcasts have been produced and are available on Spotify & Anchor along with the earlier narratives.  For the remainder of the academic year, the staff of the Office of Marketing & Communications continued to post audio-clips from faculty and staff of the university on the third Thursday of each month at 3 p.m. S

Works-in-Progress: Art Project #3

Students in photography courses taught by Sara Pfohl were given the opportunity to reflect upon and capture in writing a transformative UIndy teaching and learning experience. Then, they translated their experience into abstract designs. Art Project #4: Noni Brynjolson invited students in her class  to create an art project about one issue that was important to them. (see summaries on the UIndy Saga webpage) and Nathaniel Foley led a wider company of the campus

As of April 30, 2023, the programmatic portion of the grant has concluded. The summer of 2023 is being spent working through the tasks of reporting the results of our work and summarizing what we have learned for the campus community as well as the network of institutions associated with the Council of Independent Colleges. Retired administrator Michael G. Cartwright will be working as a volunteer this summer in collaboration with members of the Steering Committee to prepare the final report (due August 1, 2023).  

Celebrating the Completion of the Project

Shaheen Colleagues in the Arts & Sciences, Jonathan Evans, Katherine Fries, and Jim Williams are working with Cartwright to prepare for the Reception, which we have scheduled for 4-6 p.m. on Monday Sept. 11, 2023 in the Gallery of Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center.

Works-in-Progress: Art Project #1

Jim Viewegh's students completed portraits of Florabelle W. Wilson '49, who served as the librarian of the university of Indianapolis from 1971 to 1986. Art Project #2:  Students involved with Hullabaloo Press, working under the direction of Katherine Fries. Students crafted abstract designs based on campus locations through the process of relief carving and layered them in vivid colors revealing details and features of the physical campus that held personal or campus-wide significance. Art 198 Students composed text reflecting their experiences in handset wood and metal type and layered them in a typographic collage with the purpose of weaving the various collages together.

Oral History Gathering

A series of 12 recordings were made during the summer based on interviews conducted by Anna Moore '21, an Applied Sociology graduate student working under the supervision of the Project Director. In early September, Dr. Jim Williams moderated a panel discussion about the experiences of four members of the faculty in the Dept. of History and Political Science who have taught during the first two decades of the 21st century. 

On Founders Day (October), Project Director Michael G. Cartwright led a conversation with Alumni, Faculty, Staff and Students about One of these featured UIndy student Kendall Nichols, who served as the inaugural UIndy Student Poet Laureate, working under the supervision of Prof. Jennifer Camden. Several alumni also participated, including two members of the class of 1960 and another pair of UIndy faculty (Latham and Fries) who graduated from UIndy programs in the 21st century. During the remainder of the semester, Cartwright recorded a series of 13 podcast conversations with various members of the faculty in the Shaheen College of Arts & Sciences. 

The project came to an early conclusion as an indirect result of the financial crunch university administrators found themselves facing. The Office of University Mission was eliminated due to budgetary cuts effective the end of the fall semester, which in turn led to the decision of the Project Director to retire earlier than planned. The Steering Committee determined -- in consultation with the University's administration and the staff of the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education -- to conclude the work of the grant in the context of a one-year budget. Due to careful management of the funds, Cartwright et al were able to arrange for the curation of the project to continue during Semester II (January 1- April 30)

From Project Director, Michael G. Cartwright (hereafter MGC)

• The Steering Committee met on April 1. At that time, we reviewed and approved the work that Adam Fernandes ’22 had done for the Branding initiative. (Since then, Adam has completed “the storyboard” and related communications devices for use by the Director & Steering Com, for the UIndy Saga in 21st Century Proj.
• MGC continues to meet with faculty and administrators to explore various possibilities: Ted Frantz, Jessica Bannon, Christopher Moore.  In addition, he has been in contact with a few retired administrators and selected alumni about doing oral histories: Mark Weigand ‘78, Stanley Warren ’58 et al.
• Jeremiah Gibbs is working on a video invitation that will draw upon graphic designs featuring people from around campus.

Storytelling Initiatives

• MGC recorded conversations with Sr. Mary Luke Jones O.S.B. ’71 (May) and Prof. of English Literature, Dr. Jennifer Camden (June). Currently four podcasts are available at Anchor with links from the Web-page.
• On April 12, the first set of Colleague Story-Booth Conversations were submitted (Stephanie P. Kelly & Ellen W. Miller).
• MGC has been working with the Office of General Counsel to set up arrangements for curation of narratives (short-term and long-term) and is exploring prospects for oral histories to be collected from several current and retired faculty and administrators (e.g. directors of Writing Center).
• Applied sociology student Ms. Anna Moore ’20 will begin oral history interviews in May by doing a practice session with MGC. In sum: by mid-May we anticipate having samples of all three of the ongoing storytelling approaches available for people to explore on the web-page. And Cartwright is working closely with Jessica Bannon to make arrangements for undergraduate students in the Advanced Composition Classes to engage the campus Semester II, 2023.
• Alumnus Joseph Krall ’16 has tentatively agreed to do at least one Podcast Conversation with MGC in preparation for the Fall event.
• In sum: We have achieved one of our first objectives, which is to engage all sectors of the campus community during the first semester of the project.

Creative Arts Initiatives

• The UIndy Student Poet Laureate Initiative has been launched: The Indiana Poet Laureate is reviewing the applicant submissions. Jennifer Camden reports that there will be an announcement sometime during spring term.
• Students enrolled in ART 198 Letterpress and ART 185 Printmaking I, under the direction of Prof. Fries, are in the process of completing creative printed works that will be part of a larger printed quilt exploring the UIndy story through the themes of people and place. ART 185 Students crafted abstract designs based on campus locations through the process of relief carving. Art 198 Students composed text reflecting their experiences in handset wood and metal type. These parts will be combined with additional elements including a community call for contribution next semester. Elements of this process will be on display in the Multicultural Experience Space Student at the May 12 Open House.
• Art 200 Printing II students are completing several portraits under the direction of Prof. Viewegh, exploring the likeness and life of Florabelle Wilson. Selected paintings will be on display in the Multicultural Experience Space Student during the May 12 Open House event.

Coming Up

• Katherine Fries and MGC will host an Open House for UIndy faculty and staff on May 12 at which samples of storytelling and creative arts collaborations will be available to peruse. KF & MGC will also be available to talk about collaborations.
• MGC will be meeting with members of the Philosophy & Religion Dept. to discuss ideas for a “community conversation” that would take place Semester II, 2023. Target population: Younger Faculty in SCAS, but possible other groups as well.
• Conversations continue with the History & Political Science Faculty about possible community Conversation event in September.

From Project Director, Michael G. Cartwright (hereafter MGC)

• Since UIndy was notified about receiving the $40,000 grant on Nov. 30, 2021, the Project Director for the UIndy Saga in the 21st Century (MGC) has been working intensively to launch this venture. 

• Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Joshua Lane, Digital Storytelling Assistant, some of the early technical challenges have been conquered. 

• UIndy’s Webmaster, Kaye McClendon, worked with Cartwright and Lane to launch the UIndy Saga webpage in early March. 

• The Steering Committee for the project (J.Evans, K. Fries, J. Gibbs, and J. Williams) convened in December and has now met on four occasions to establish procedures and make decisions related to the launch of the project. 

Storytelling Initiatives

After the initial podcast, which focused on the alma mater and fight songs (January), MGC recorded conversations with UIndy storyteller alumnus Jim Brunnemer’ 66 (February) and Director of the Honors College, Dr. Jim Williams (March). 

Creative Arts Initiatives

• Katherine Fries ’07 & ‘11 has been meeting & working with various colleagues in the Art & Design Project to plan a series of activities associated with launching the UIndy Saga project. Rhonda Wolverton, Sarah Pfohl, Noni Brynjolson, Nathan Foley and Jim Viewegh. 

• An anonymous gift of $1,500 from a member of the Shaheen College of Arts & Sciences will make it possible to create a special opportunity for UIndy undergraduate students to contribute poetry about the UIndy experience as part of the UIndy Student Poet Laureate initiative that Prof. Jennifer Camden is launching.

• MGC met with Prof. Jim Viewegh’s Portrait Painting class to talk with them about the remarkable life of Florabelle W. Wilson ’49.

• Fries’ courses ART 198 Letterpress & ART 185 Printmaking are creating the initial elements for a Printed UIndy Quilt Installation that will be continued and assembled next semester. The UIndy community will be asked to contribute to the quilt once the initial elements have been printed.