PRESS RELEASE

Women of the Well House provide funding for 13 campus, community projects

KOKOMO, Ind. —Indiana University Kokomo’s philanthropic circle, Women of the Well House, has awarded grants to 13 campus and community projects, investing in initiatives that enrich the student experience and benefit the surrounding community.

Students in the School of Business will gain skills to mentor incoming freshman with a grant to fund a leadership retreat at Camp Tecumseh, said Ashley Leicht, visiting lecturer in business. She and Sarah Byrd, visiting lecturer in business, launched the peer mentoring program in fall 2024 with 18 mentors.

“The funding will allow us to prepare our mentors through this retreat,” she said. “The purpose is the strengthen the communication, teamwork, and leadership skills of our mentors, empowering them to bring these enhanced abilities back to campus to support incoming freshmen in fall 2025.”

The project was one of 13 led by faculty, staff, and students that received approximately $44,000 in grants from Women of the Well House. Additional programs funded by 2024 grants include projects to offer free artwork photography workshops, provide etiquette dinners to local high school students, continue ecological restoration projects, and offset the costs of international travel for IU Kokomo students.

Tara Scott, assistant director of development, said Women of the Well House has given about $229,000 to programs since its inception in 2017, benefitting not only IU Kokomo, but the surrounding community.

Additional projects receiving funding included:

2025 LEAD Conference: Gloria Preece, assistant dean of the School of Business and assistant professor of personal financial planning and marketing; applied for funds on behalf of the Women in Business (WIB) Student Organization’s flagship event. Grant funds will help support keynote speaker fees, interactive workshops, and student-led activities aimed at fostering leadership, professional development, and networking opportunities for participants. This grant will enable WIB to expand its reach, providing more students with the resources and experiences necessary to succeed in their academic and professional journeys.

African American Read-In: Sarrah Grubb, assistant professor of education, applied for a grant for the School of Education and the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library to promote the works of Black writers writing of their own experiences through the African American Read-In. The Read-In, supported by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), is a national effort. School of Education students who participate in the facilitation of this project will take this foundation of learning through their practicum experiences and enter local districts with a greater understanding of culturally relevant experiential instruction.

Artwork Photography Workshop: Carrie Baxter, art gallery coordinator, received funds to host workshops that will provide guidance and teach participants specific skills to benefit their current and future art careers. The first workshop will be a three-hour demonstration covering the best practices for photographing artwork and editing the images using image editing software on a computer. Long-term, they will provide career skills to artists in the community and at IU Kokomo. They will be free to attract current students, potential future students, and community members to the IU Kokomo Art Gallery and campus.

Bird Campus: After successfully becoming the first "Bird campus" in Indiana, Lina Rifai, associate professor of vertebrate biology, received funds for to continue collecting data on bird populations on campus. This project provides undergraduate research opportunities for students, close-up experiences for the community with wild birds and connects the campus further to the community. Rifai plans to add radio tracking technology as a research and educational tool, so students can be part of collaborative projects across borders with other researchers for better implementations of conservation policies.

Etiquette Dinners: Angie Siders, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management, received funds for Career Services and Admissions to continue hosting high school students for etiquette dining experiences. Last year they hosted all Madison-Grant High School seniors, and this fall added this year’s new cohort of debutante women. The grant allows them to host 100 additional students this year.

Green Horizons Initiative: Andy Tuholski, director of the Office of Sustainability and assistant professor of political science, received funds for The Green Horizons Initiative at IU Kokomo. The five-year project integrates ecological restoration with interdisciplinary education and community engagement. It aims to restore native ecosystems by eradicating invasive species, reintroducing native plants and trees, and enhancing biodiversity across campus. The project offers hands-on learning experiences for students through campus events, serves as a living laboratory for research, and engages the community through outreach and volunteer opportunities. By promoting long-term sustainability, the initiative contributes to the ecological health of the campus while fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.

Indiana University Kokomo’s Summer 2025 FIT Camp for Kids: Samantha Fouts, clinical assistant professor of nursing, received funding for FIT camp, a week-long summer camp led by nursing faculty, to teach children ages 6-10 about physical fitness and living a healthy lifestyle through play and activity. Nursing students serve as camp counselors who engage campers in activities focusing on fitness and healthy living, while earning college credit as part of coursework.

International Travel - Innovation Symposium: Minda Douglas, associate professor in fine arts, received funds for IU Kokomo students to travel with the Innovation Symposium Program to England. The grant helps defray costs of a stay at Harlaxton College.

International Education Week: Rene Semple, president of the International Student Organization, received funding to host an International Education Week event at IU Kokomo, aimed at celebrating cultural diversity and promoting global awareness among students and the broader campus community. The event will feature cultural performances, food, and educational workshops, encouraging cross-cultural engagement and highlighting the importance of international education.

IUK Education Abroad Denmark: Business Sustainability: Gloria Preece, assistant dean of the School of Business and assistant professor of personal financial planning and marketing, received funding for students participating in a School of Business trip to Denmark. The program will provide students with firsthand exposure to Danish companies and industries renowned for their sustainable approaches, offering valuable insights into how businesses integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. By participating in site visits, workshops, and cultural exchanges, students will develop a deeper understanding of global sustainability trends and their practical application in the business world.

Paraeducators Program Event and Mentoring: Sarrah Grubb, assistant professor of education; Tara Kingsley, interim associate dean of education and professor of education; and Christina Romero, associate professor of education received funding for an event welcoming a new cohort of paraprofessional educators. The program also has paraeducator mentors and will provide mentor training.

Textbook Affordability Enhancement Program: Martha Barker, assistant librarian and library collections coordinator, received funds for the Library to help with the textbook affordability initiative, a collaborative program with other academic units through the Textbook Affordability Working Group (TAWG). The grant will allow the library to provide more unlimited user online access licenses for required textbooks for students to use, to save costs over purchasing textbooks.  

Membership in Women of the Well House is open to women who make a $1,000 per year commitment. Each member has a voice in selecting projects to fund. To learn more or become a member, contact Scott at tarscott@iu.edu.

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.