Indiana Black Expo

In hopes of drastically improving diversity enrollment and relations during the coming years, University officials used "IU day" at the Indiana Black Expo to attract potential students while celebrating its alumni's achievements Sunday. \n"This is the largest expo and gathering particularly of African-Americans in the whole state," said Anthony Scott, one of IU's organizers for the expo. "If we are as a University saying we are interested in diversity and underrepresented groups, then this is the place to come." \nDuring the 10-day summer celebration of the 36th annual IBE, Scott said more than 450,000 people have attended the conference in the Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome. \nWhile there has been a noticeable presence throughout the week with volunteers manning the IU booth, Sunday, which was "IU day," featured additional University-sponsored events including a special alumni event hosted by the Neal-Marshall Alumni Club. \nFormer IU basketball star Landon Turner was a special guest as part of the reception. Turner came to the expo to highlight some of the alumni's achievements as he promoted his new book and shared stories from the Hoosiers' 1981 NCAA Championship season. \n"(The alumni reception) held a multi-fold purpose," said IU trustee Clarence Boone, Sr., who was involved in organizing the University's events at the expo. "It allowed a forum for alumni to mix and mingle, but more than that it also welcomed and recognized the incoming scholars coming into various IU programs while allowing them to meet with the alumni." \nAttracting prospective students from around the state was one of the University's main goals during the expo. This objective was especially important this year as University officials announced in May that they plan to double under-represented minority enrollment by 2013. \n"We are making contacts now with students attending summer programs, junior and high school students thinking of applying and even students we may see (enroll) at IU the year after next," Scott said. "It is very important for them to see and hear from IU and learn about what we are trying to do here on campus." \nIn order to attract the expo attendees to learn and hear from IU, Scott said the University constructed a prominently visual booth that could be seen from around the convention center. Playing upon the "IU is Red Hot" theme, he said the booth featured towers of flames surrounded by a large circular sign. He added that he expected the attraction to repeat last year's success of being awarded the expo's best booth. \n"People are immediately drawn to it because it actually looks like real flames," he said. "When they get there they can see the 10 ways IU is red hot and can go online to see how to qualify for admissions as we can walk them through the whole process of applying for college." \nScott said another aspect that has helped IU's representation at the expo is the support from several individual units within IU. He said the school of informatics and University Information Technology Services played significant roles throughout the process. \nThis is the second year in which the University has been a major sponsor of the expo and has had the designated "IU Day." Also it is one of the first few years that all IU campuses have been represented, as this year Scott said about 15 faculty and staff members and 45 students volunteered at the expo from the various IU schools. \n"We are one IU," Scott said. "If an (in-state prospective) student decides not to go far away from home for college, then there is an IU for them. We work as one force, one front"