University of Indianapolis: Notable Alumni Shaping the World

The University of Indianapolis (UIndy), originally founded in 1902 as Indiana Central University, boasts a rich history of producing influential figures across various fields. Known as Indiana Central College (ICC) from 1921 to 1975, UIndy has consistently fostered an environment of academic excellence, nurturing talented individuals who have gone on to make significant contributions in their respective domains. This article explores the lives and achievements of some of the university's most notable alumni, highlighting their impact on sports, arts, politics, business, and beyond.

A Legacy of Greyhound Greats

The University of Indianapolis's athletic teams, the Greyhounds, have a long and proud tradition. The University of Indianapolis baseball program started in 1925. Several former UIndy athletes have achieved prominence in professional sports, demonstrating the university's commitment to athletic development.

George Crowe: From the Negro Leagues to Major League Baseball

George Crowe was the first former Greyhound to make it to the Major League level. George Daniel Crowe was an American professional baseball player who appeared in 702 games in the major leagues as a first baseman and pinch hitter between 1952 and 1961. Crowe's journey to the majors was preceded by his time with the Negro National League's (Rochester) New York Black Yankees in 1947 and 1948. Before joining minor league baseball in 1949, he also played professional basketball.

David Logan: A Global Basketball Star

David Kyle Logan is an American-born naturalized Polish former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the University of Indianapolis before playing professionally in Europe, Israel, South Korea and the NBA G League.

Brad Brownell: Leading Clemson Basketball

Bradley Robert Brownell is an American college basketball coach at Clemson University. Prior to coming to Clemson, he held the same position at Wright State and UNC Wilmington. He is coaching his 15th season at Clemson, where he is the winningest coach in school history.

Justin Haire: From Greyhound Catcher to Ohio State Coach

Justin Haire is an American college baseball coach, currently serving as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. He has held that position since the beginning of the 2025 season. He was catcher at Bowling Green and Indianapolis prior to his coaching career. After one season as a pitching coach at Sterling College, he moved to Ouachita Baptist where he remained as an assistant for three seasons. In 2008, he arrived at Campbell as an assistant to Greg Goff, and was elevated to head coach upon Goff's departure after the 2014 season.

Adrian Moss: Professional Basketball Player

Adrian Moss is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Windsor Express of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). Born in Centralia, Illinois, he played high school basketball for Franklin Community High School. Following his graduation, he committed to IUPUI to play college basketball. After his sophomore season at IUPUI he transferred to the University of Indianapolis, where he played for two more seasons.

Walter Spencer: Canadian Football Standout

Walter Spencer is a former professional Canadian football linebacker. He was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the third round of the 2004 CFL Draft. He played college football for the Indianapolis Greyhounds.

Andrew Werner: Major League Pitcher

"We always joked in Indy that we'd sign for a Snickers bar. You never know who's watching." - Werner, Andrew.

Arts and Culture: UIndy Alumni on Stage and Screen

UIndy's commitment to a well-rounded education is evident in the success of its alumni in the arts. From acclaimed actors to award-winning journalists, UIndy graduates have made their mark on the cultural landscape.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Adam Driver: From UIndy to the Star Wars Galaxy

Adam Douglas Driver is an American actor, recognized for his collaborations with auteur filmmakers. Driver made his film debut in J. Edgar (2011) and played supporting roles in Lincoln (2012), Frances Ha (2012), Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) and While We're Young (2014) before gaining wider recognition for his portrayal of Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequel trilogy (2015-2019).

Irene Dunne: A Hollywood Legend

Irene Dunne was a renowned actress of the Golden Age of Hollywood, known for her versatility in both comedic and dramatic roles. While information directly linking her to the University of Indianapolis is not present in the provided text, her presence on lists of notable alumni suggests a connection to the institution. Further research would be needed to confirm the nature and extent of her involvement with UIndy.

Katie Stam: Miss America 2009

Katie R. Stam Irk is an American beauty queen from Seymour, Indiana, who was crowned Miss America 2009.

Erika Celeste: Award-Winning Journalist

Erika Celeste is an American journalist who has worked in radio, print, and television since 1992. She has won two Tellys, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and several AP Awards.

Leaders and Innovators: UIndy Alumni in Politics and Business

UIndy alumni have also distinguished themselves in the realms of politics and business, demonstrating the university's ability to cultivate leadership and innovation.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

John Kuan: Taiwanese Politician

Kuan Chung, also known by his English name John Kuan, is a Taiwanese politician who was president of the Examination Yuan of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2014. Born in China Years 1940-.. (age 85).

William Raspberry: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Columnist

William Raspberry was an American syndicated public affairs columnist. He was also the Knight Professor of the Practice of Communications and Journalism at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University. An African American, he frequently wrote on racial issues.

Rebecca Fromm Quintana: Managing Director at CBIZ

Rebecca Fromm Quintana served as Principal at Somerset CPAs where she is now the Managing Director for CBIZ. She is a CPA and has been in public accounting since 1998. In working with national and local accounting firms, Fromm Quintana gained extensive experience in auditing for-profit, medium-to-large, public, and privately-held companies. Fromm Quintana has also consulted on initial debt offerings.

Jeffery Mitchell: Chief Revenue Officer at IGEL Technology

Jeffery Mitchell is currently the Chief Revenue Officer at IGEL Technology. Known for his strong combination of strategic vision and operational excellence, Mitchell has driven growth, innovation, and strategic partnerships in areas such as Mobile Device Management, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, and Digital Employee Experience. Before joining IGEL, Mitchell held CRO roles at Aisera (I-zera) and Nexthink. He has also served as a senior vice president at VMware, where he led its rapid expansion into End-User Computing and drove sales at AirWatch, which was later acquired by VMware.

Debra Ross: Executive Vice President & CFO for The National Bank of Indianapolis

Prior to retiring in June 2024, Debra Ross was the Executive Vice President & CFO for The National Bank of Indianapolis for 31 years. Additionally, Ross was instrumental in establishing accounting and financial policies that resulted in successful audits and regulatory filings.

Jeff Whorley Jr.: Port of Indiana Commissioner

Jeff Whorley Jr. Whorley has deep experience in financial services with a particular emphasis on products and services related to higher education funding. Whorley’s early career was spent in government where at age 25 he became one of the two youngest chiefs of staff on Capitol Hill. In January of 2022, Whorley returned to government service when Governor Eric Holcomb appointed him to the Port of Indiana Commission.

Harris: Supply Chain Management Expert and Author

Harris holds a Doctorate in Counseling, a Master’s in Multimedia, and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Composition, and Music. In addition to his expertise in supply chain management at Harris & Ford, Harris is the founder of several related ventures, including an export-import company, All Points Global, and H&F Logistics. Beyond the business world, Harris is a published author. He has written and self-published a self-titled Study Bible and has completed additional works. His dedication to leadership and service extends far beyond his professional responsibilities-he has served on the University of Indianapolis Alumni Board of Directors and the National Business Advisory Council.

Academics and Research: Shaping the Future of Knowledge

UIndy's commitment to academic excellence extends to its alumni who have made significant contributions to research and scholarship.

Patricia J. Bauer: Cognitive Development Expert

Patricia J. Bauer is Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Psychology at Emory University. She is known for her research in the field of cognitive development, with a specific focus on how children develop their earliest memories and how their memory is influenced by parents, peers, and the environment around them. Her research has explored the phenomenon of childhood amnesia and how social, cognitive, and neural changes relate to the development of autobiographical memory.

A University on the Rise

The University of Indianapolis continues to evolve and expand its reach. The main campus is located on the south side of Indianapolis at 1400 East Hanna Avenue, just east of Shelby Street. The campus straddles the Carson Heights and University Heights neighborhoods of Indianapolis. The university's colors are crimson and grey.

Campus and Facilities

From the 1960s through the 1990s, the most prominent physical feature of the campus was the central parking lot which was framed by a quadrangle of buildings. In 1998 the University of Indianapolis hired Odle McGuire Shook to re-purpose the 5.2 acres into green space and later named the area Smith Mall.

Academics

The University of Indianapolis offers 90+ undergraduate majors leading to either a bachelor's degree (four-year program) or an associate degree (two-year program). Students may also enroll in several pre-professional programs and over forty graduate programs.

For fall 2014, UIndy received 5,313 freshmen applications; 4,486 were admitted (84%) and 830 enrolled. For enrolled freshmen, the middle 50% range of SAT scores were 450-550 for critical reading, 460-560 for math, and 440-540 for writing.

As of Fall 2015, the student body was 63 percent female and 37 percent male. states and 68 countries are represented among students on campus. Nine percent of undergraduates and nearly seven percent of graduate students are international students. Overall, 25 percent international and minority enrollment.

Student Life

The Reflector is the University of Indianapolis's student newspaper. The student-run serial publication has over 100 years of uninterrupted reporting on campus and today operates in print and online.

WICR (88.7) is an 8,000 watt, Class B public radio station at the University of Indianapolis that broadcasts to listeners in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. It is a campus radio station.

WIX (UIndy TV) is a student television station. Students produce news and entertainment programming for distribution on campus cable channel 5 and on the Comcast and Bright House Networks in Marion County, Indiana.

Etchings Press is the UIndy's teaching press and publishing laboratory. Students produce Etchings Literary and Fine Arts Magazine bi-annually, which celebrated its 30th birthday in 2018. The students also judge the Whirling Prize each fall for books published in the past two years that respond to the contest theme and publish three books each spring through Etchings Press' Chapbook and Novella Prize.

Athletics

The University of Indianapolis's athletic teams are known as the Greyhounds and participate in Division II of the NCAA. All 25 of the teams compete in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The school's highest finish in the NACDA Directors' Cup was 2nd in 2023-24.

The mascot is a greyhound named Ace that is depicted in a statue in Schwitzer Student Center and represented at athletic events by a costumed mascot. Since 2019, UIndy has also had a live mascot, a retired racing greyhound named Grady.

The university's song, called simply the "U of I Fight Song," was written in 1975 by James M. Stanton, at the time an Indiana Central senior.

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