IUSA remembers, honors student

In memory of former student Mark Olley, who died in a boating accident on the White River July 3, the IU Student Association has created a scholarship in his honor.\nThe scholarship is worth $1500 and will be given to an IU student who is actively involved in making the campus or community a better place, said junior Bill Gray, IUSA president.\nFinancial need, however, he said, is not a requirement. \n"He was my best friend. I think that's perfect," said senior Laura Walda, roommate of and co-vice president with Olley in College Democrats. "That's what Mark did.\n"Mark was so incredible. He was involved in so many different organizations and worked hard in all of them to try to make IU and Bloomington a better place to be."\nMary Olley, Mark's mother, said Mark had been offered multiple scholarships to other schools, such as the University of Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis, but she wanted Mark to have the same experience she did at IU.\n"I had gone to IU, and I loved it, but I just knew from my time there, there was no better place," she said. "I told him, 'When you walk on the campus son, and you see the beauty of it and the people, you will find yourself there.'"\nA month after starting classes, Mark wrote a letter to his mother, telling her she was right. \n"Overnight I saw hidden factors," Mark wrote in the letter. "The people here are social, intelligent, creative and unique. I want IU. I want it now because of the diversity. I want it for the challenge. But foremost I want it for the community.\n"My new understanding only served to increase my yearning to polish off my rough edges over four years at IU by being involved and stepping up."\nThis urge to be involved, to promote change, was something Mark learned at home.\n"I've always told my kids, 'You've just got to step up a little,'" Olley said. "I want whoever receives this to understand that Mark felt that if you would just step up, you could improve even a community you weren't going to stay in."\nMark's mother, as well as IUSA executives, will be selecting the scholarship recipient for the fall.\n"(Mark) felt if Bloomington was going to be his, he had to find a place in the community, and make it better. Then he had to find a place in the University, and make it better," Olley said. "Whoever gets this scholarship will have to make a heartfelt promise to improve that community and university and do immeasurable service to themselves by doing that."\nMark had been involved in Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Habitat for Humanity; College Democrats; and IUSA among others.\n"When I heard about the scholarship, I thought about the kind of things he used to call and be excited about," Olley said. "He was very excited about student politics and being a member there. Even running in an election and not winning. He said there was such a spirit of community."\nGray said IUSA decided to fund the scholarship because Mark had been involved in IUSA in the past, and many students knew him.\n"Mark was such a wonderful and caring person, and he will be truly missed. It is only fitting that in Mark's memory the scholarship will go to someone who is helping to make the world a better place," Gray said.\nStudents are asked to drop off a one-page, 500 word essay describing how they have endeavored to do just that by July 27 in room 387 of the Indiana Memorial Union. Name, addresses, e-mails and phone numbers of the applicant are to be included. \n"I am humbled, honored, thankful," Olley said. "(Mark) always gave me great bragging rights, and this scholarship will just allow me to continue"