Lilly Foundation gives $1 million to establish a school of public health at IUPUI

Indiana University received a $1 million gift from the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation to support plans to build and establish an accredited school of public health at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis.

President of the Lilly Foundation Robert L. Smith said he believes the gift will play a role in creating improvements in both health and economics.

The new school would bring together faculty from the School of Medicine, the School of Public and Environmental Affairs as well as from other schools in support of health programs such as the IU Simon Cancer Center.

IU President Michael A. McRobbie said the partnership between the University and the Lily Foundation will expand externally funded research to be the foundation of accredited public health programs both in Indianapolis and Bloomington.

A formal plan for the school will be submitted to the IU Board of Trustees.

G. Marie Swanson, IUPUI associate vice chancellor for public health and professor and chair of the Department of Public Health, said the school will fit the needs of students and alumni as well as begin research collaborations. He added that the new school will lead efforts to improve the health of Hoosiers.