Ceremony honors IU Foundation

An audience of about 100 people came together at 1:30 p.m. Friday to celebrate the rededication of the IU Foundation's home, Showalter House and sat captivated by the clear soprano melody filling the air.\nAs IU alumnus Cynthia Watters breathed life to composer Leonard Bernstein's "Dream with Me," the audience paid homage to the many dreams realized in the name of IU's philanthropic endeavors.\nThe dedication ceremony marked the culmination of several years of careful design and construction by Bloomington architect William A. Browne and Worster Construction. Originally built in 1974 to honor 23 years of service by Grace Montgomery Showalter, the foundation's first woman to sit on its board of directors, Showalter House has since expanded to almost double its original size, according to a press release.\nThe release said that private giving to the Foundation exceeds $100 million a year and that it receives money from more than 100,000 donors.\nWith IU President Myles Brand presiding, ceremonies began with an invocation by IU Student Foundation vice president and senior Gayle Wolski. Formal remarks by Brand followed, in which the IU Foundation was touted as the "bedrock of Hoosier values" upon which IU's legacy of excellence rests.\nBrand then detailed IU's long history of private giving, beginning in 1829 with its first President Andrew Wylie's appeal for books to increase the fledgling Main Library's collection. Former Chancellor Herman B Wells was also cited, as was Bryan's call to continue the "glorious fight for the cause forever." This appeal was indeed realized by the Foundation's close partnership with the University in ensuring continued support for professorships and endowed chairs. Because of this continued commitment to philanthropic excellence, Brand said we may "look to the future with great confidence."\nBrand then introduced Foundation president Curtis Simic who, for the past 12 years, has "reaffirmed the partnership" between IU Foundation and the University. Citing the staff of the Foundation as "dedicated, loyal and effective fund-raisers," Simic referred to the incredible success of the foundation's income matching program, which swept the University's philanthropic success status from near the bottom of Big Ten schools to its present position.\nAfter Simic's remarks was a special presentation by Alan Gilman, vice chairman of the IU Foundation board of directors. Announcing "A building comes alive only because of the people who inhabit it," Gilman extended personal recognition to the foundation's staff, presenting a plaque on behalf of the board of directors to be displayed in the new building. Gilman also accepted the honorary key to the building on the board's behalf from William A. Browne, president of Ratio Architects.\nBrowne said the new building "reflects the importance and stature sympathetic of university architecture." Studying such architecturally eminent institutions as the University of Wisconsin and the University of Illinois, Browne said the design team sought to exceed the benchmark of excellence established by those fixtures. Keeping the original landscape intact, Browne said the new extension features a curving center court representing the arms of the Foundation, "embracing the alumni." The arch and entryway lead to a reception hall providing views to the rear terrace; offices extend on either side.\nSimic said local materials were also used in construction to ensure the architectural consistency across campus.\n"The use of local limestone and the look of the building are designed to bring it into harmony with the architecture of the campus," Simic said. "The additional space enables us to bring most of our Bloomington staff back together, which makes us more efficient and effective in our operations"