Ceremony to honor IU's best

Get ready to blow out the candles. IU will celebrate its belated 184th birthday Saturday. The annual Founders Day ceremony will recognize the achievements of outstanding faculty and honor students Saturday. \nIU President Adam Herbert will preside over the meeting, with the board of trustees, faculty and students also present. Faculty awards will be given during the ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Mellencamp Pavillion. Students will receive certificates following the ceremony, which is free and open to the public.\nIU sophomore Jessica Monahan, who has been invited to prior ceremonies but was unable to attend, hopes to attend this year. \n"Not that many people get invited," she said. "It's a really great honor, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as a student." \nIn order to receive an award, students must have an overall grade point average of 3.5 or better during at least one semester in the spring 2003, the summer 2003 or the fall 2003. \nAs a student with a GPA of 3.594, Monahan was invited to the ceremony because of grades, but she will also march in the procession wearing a faculty robe, sit with the faculty and attend a dinner -- she teaches a beginning bowling class at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.\nAlong with numerous students, 19 faculty members and two doctoral candidates from IU's Bloomington, Indianapolis, South Bend and Richmond campuses are to be recognized with awards in outstanding achievements. \nThe distinguished professor award, a prestigious honor elevating a teacher to a higher status, will be given to four professors this year, three of whom are from the Bloomington campus. Music Professor Timothy R. Noble, biology Professor Loren H. Rieseberg and history Professor David P. Thelen will be honored.\nOther awards honor exceptional teaching, research and service. Awards will also be given to exceptional teaching in part-time and international areas. About 10 awards will be given out for faculty members nominated by committees, their colleagues and students.\nBill Elliott, director of university ceremonies, described the ceremony as public recognition for students and faculty used to the classroom.\n"It puts them in the spotlight," he said. "It acknowledges them in a ceremonial and public way in front of their colleagues and peers."\nFounders Day is a ceremony remembering IU's foundations, but also congratulating students who have successfully developed a "habit of excellence" that keeps these foundations alive. The day marks the growth since 1820, when IU began with just 12 students, to today, with a record 94,212 students enrolled in the 2004 spring semester at eight statewide campuses, according to www.homepages.indiana.edu.\nMonahan recognizes the traditional importance of Founders Day.\n"It's nice to know the history of the school you go to and be honored," she said.\nIn the past, Founders Day was celebrated Jan. 20 or close to the day, which is the actual date of the University's founding in 1820. The ceremony's date has changed from time to time, accommodating the weather of February and March. The last Foundation Day, as it was called in the past, was held in 1924.\nMonahan said the biggest reward for her academic achievements is still yet to come.\n"The greatest thing will be when you get the big cheese," she said. "College is like a rat maze, and the big cheese is your diploma."\n-- Contact staff writer Danielle Gingerich at dgingeri@indiana.edu.