In my more than 37 years at IUPUI, the physical landscape of IUPUI has been dynamic! Many new buildings — the Education Social Work Building had just been completed the year I started — and many changes to the milieu that IUPUI inhabits.
University Conference Center and Hotel (now Tower and Hine Hall) had not been built and neither had the Campus Center nor the research buildings on Walnut Street. Neighboring organizations have grown up around the campus with the construction of NCAA, NIFS, and Eiteljorg. Similarly, residential and retail buildings have cropped up in abundance in our midst. IU traded a huge parcel of land with Health and Hospital Corporation so they could build a beautiful and modern new facility for Marion County’s county hospital while we came to possess a critical piece of land and some re-usable buildings. (One of them houses my current office!)
I was recruited from the School of Business (it wasn’t the Kelley School then) where I was in charge of the evening MBA program as my original job, to campus administration. My background was in student personnel, but, intrigued by the opportunity to attend one of the nation’s finest MBA programs literally down the hall from office, I completed my MBA. I literally consumed the product that we provided our students, and, as it does with our students, it changed me. I learned an overarching business sense to decision-making that made me qualified to assume an administrative leadership position.
The term today would be “lean in” — take charge of things that seem to have no one in charge of them and leave them better for your efforts. That was the launch of my career at IUPUI.
Emily Wren, Campus Facility Services Director
Executive Vice Chancellor Howard Schaller enticed me to apply by talking about all the physical and programmatic developments that he expected in the future. Dean Schaller told me that IU is short of administrative personnel, and therefore, you can reach out and help with pretty much anything you want. The term today would be “lean in” — take charge of things that seem to have no one in charge of them and leave them better for your efforts. That was the launch of my career at IUPUI and Dean Schaller’s words stayed with me as my charge.
Another incredible opportunity was provided to me when I was nominated to participate in the Lacy Leadership Development Program. This is a year-long program, managed by the Chamber of Commerce that seeks to develop community leaders. That was life-changing for me. Community leadership was a way to blend my professional life and my spiritual values. This coalescence catapulted me into non-profit board work where I met wonderful like-minded people and found meaningful, much-needed volunteer leaders.
I have had the privilege to work on very important strategic projects. I worked with the original designers for White River State Park. I was deeply engaged in developing the legal-fiscal relationship when IU Health was created from IU Hospitals. I led the efforts to contract with, at that time Indianapolis Power & Light, to begin providing us chilled water when we ran out of capacity. I was engaged in all aspects of the real estate “swap” between IU and Wishard and the transition of ownership of the facilities. But my sense of accomplishment is greatest for the growth and change of the facilities organization that I inherited in 1990. I have been blessed with great people to help lead our organization into excellence.
Story courtesy of:
Emily Wren
Campus Facility Services Director
