Area news, events and people

2021 NEXGEN leadership program underway

Southern Indiana Leadership’s 2021 NEXGEN class began Jan. 12, 2021.

NEXGEN is Southern Indiana’s award-winning youth leadership program that was added in 2014 to the programs. Open to any high school junior in the Southern Indiana region, the program’s objectives provide experiences for young leaders of the community to encourage their future success.

The 2021 class includes 65 students from Jeffersonville, Rock Creek, Silver Creek, Providence, New Washington, Renaissance Academy, Community Montessori, Christian Academy, Clarksville, New Albany, Charlestown and Floyd Central.

“It’s 2021, so let’s bring the fun even if virtually, even during a pandemic and social unrest, this is an exciting opportunity to bring these young leaders together to help them shift and grow into our future business owners, politicians, professionals and innovators,” said Anne Gardner Darku, LeadershipSI Director of Programs.

The first day offers students a discussion of financial literacy. Speakers included, Bryan Wickens, Administrative Vice President/General Counsel, MAC Construction; Meredith Clipp-Rodriguez, Executive Director, Catalyst Rescue Mission; Ian Williams, CEO, President & Co-Founder, Reconcile Consulting; and Dr. Erin Yetter, University of Arizona.

At a glance, the students received three key pieces of advice: 1. Pay yourself first — put money into your savings account every paycheck; 2. We are not all starting from the same place. We do not have the same opportunities, and 3. Always, always, ALWAYS stay within your means!

“Understanding money can be one of the most challenging aspects of early ‘adulting,’” said Darku.

The students who participate in the program benefit from:

• Increased awareness of self and strengths as a leader.

• Increased awareness of the vastness of our community through business exposure, including corporate, small business, non-profit, civic and government.

• Developing a real-world view of life after high school through financial literacy and business etiquette.

• Opportunity to network with the Southern Indiana region’s business leaders.

The NEXGEN program also benefits the community because:

• Students are encouraged to look at the community as a place to live, work and play after high school, college or trade school.

• Students are better prepared to deal with finances and have demonstrated their ability to give back to their community with their time, talent and treasure.

• Students are engaged and actively involved in the community. The class will have two more virtual meetings on Feb. 2 and March 4, all leading up to an in-person graduation on April 13.

The class members include:

• Charlestown High School: Aarelyn Johnson, Alyssa Moore, Kaleigh Swisher, Amanda Upton, Trinity Weatherbee, Alex Wright

• Christian Academy of Indiana: Logan Boyd, Yunsuk (Chris) Lee, Barry Warner

• Clarksville High School: Trinity Alford, Kylie Cain, Selena Maldonado, Jackson Mullins, Summer Neal, Leila Sidahmed,

• Community Montessori: Sarah Connerly, Rowan Meier, Peyton Sparks,

• Floyd Central High School: Megan Carey, Aleena Cora, Ella Doddridge, Caroline Essex, Karli Neathamer, Molly Ritchie, Kendall Shourds

Jeffersonville High School: Yucita De La Paz, Rileigh Dethy, Corinne Dilger, Addison Duran, MacKenzie Fountain, Liliana Gonzalez Chavez, Lily Haire, Paige Means, Lauren Monroe, Abbygail Napper, Zoe Ottinger, Adalaid Rose Scott, Aiyana Scott, Kiefer Wiese

• New Albany High School: Shelby Brown, Katherine Daniel, Emily Gilkes, Connor Harris, Samantha Haub, Kaleb Kruer, Piper Prince, Abby Moutardier, Joy Robinson, Lilly Worrall, Savannah Zamorano

• New Washington High School: Emma DeCamp, Grace Ellison, Jordan Standiford,

• Providence High School: Abby Shavers, Ella Tichy

• Renaissance Academy: Angelina Ortensie

• Rock Creek: Ashleigh May, Jenna Rogers, Maggie Wimsatt

• Silver Creek High School: Madison Allen, Sarah Elder, Emma Graves, Ella Morrow, Emme Rooney, Sydney Sierota, Jacy Stricker, Jacqueline Sweat

Jackson State University Honor’s List

Nearly 30 percent of Jacksonville State University’s undergraduates made the Honor’s List for their outstanding academic performance in Fall 2020, despite the struggles of studying during a global pandemic. Local honorees included:

Lexie Libs of Floyds Knobs, President’s List, Exercise Science/Wellness Major

Courtney Glotzbach of New Albany, Dean’s List, Undecided-Management Major

Macie Garrison of Sellersburg, President’s List, Applied Electronic Engineering Major

Nearly 2,300 of the university’s roughly 7,750 undergraduate students were named to the Dean’s or President’s List.

To be named to the President’s List, a student must earn a perfect 4.0 GPA while attending full-time. Students earning a GPA of 3.5-3.99 while attending full-time are named to the Dean’s List of their respective schools.

JSU kicked off the Spring 2021 semester on Jan. 12.

Lincoln Memorial University Dean’s List

Christian Graf, of Memphis, was placed on the Dean’s List at Lincoln Memorial University for the fall semester of 2020. To be on the Dean’s List, the student must be a full-time undergraduate and have a 3.5 or higher, grade-point average for the semester. More than 600 undergraduate students were named to the Dean’s List.

Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is in Harrogate, TN.

IU Southeast School of Natural Science creates new scholarship

IU Southeast received a generous gift to the School of Natural Sciences from Mark Holloway in honor of his late wife and IU Southeast alumna Teresa Blessinger.

The $1 million gift will create the Teresa Blessinger Memorial Scholarship for IU Southeast School of Natural Sciences students.

“We are very grateful for this tremendous gift that will provide more scholarship opportunities for our students in the School of Natural Sciences,” said Vice Chancellor for Advancement Betty Russo. “Philanthropists like Mark Holloway and his late wife make it possible for us to continue our mission to prepare our students to be productive citizens.”

Teresa Blessinger grew up in Corydon and graduated from IU Southeast with a Bachelor of Arts in biology in 1977 and from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1981. She was an anesthesiologist at Baptist Health in Louisville for 30 years and passed away in September 2017.

Blessinger credited going to medical school to the faculty she had at IU Southeast. She intended to be a medical technician; however, one of her professors encouraged her to aim higher.

“My wife was an exceptional undergraduate student at IU Southeast, and her instructors and her academic counselor almost forced her to take the Medical College Admission Test,” said Holloway. “She always attributed those professors at IU Southeast to making her aim high as a reason for her success.”

Mark Holloway recently retired as the chief investment officer for Stock Yards Bank in Louisville, where he worked for more than 30 years. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky and an M.B.A. from Bellarmine University.

“I know how difficult it is to get through college when you’re financially strapped,” he said. “I hope that this will allow students the peace of mind to know that as long as they maintain certain academic standards and have the need, they don’t have to worry about paying for their education. Because this gift is going to the School of Natural Sciences, I hope that these scholarships will produce some of the doctors of tomorrow.”

K of C pickup Fish Dinner

Knights of Columbus, 225 E. Market St., Jeffersonville, will sponsor a pick-up-only fish dinner, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 22 at the K of C Hall.

The menu will include fish, green beans, macaroni and cheese, potatoes and gravy, slaw. Cost, $8 per person. A large portion of the proceeds will be given to charity.

Master Gardeners

Sunnyside Master Gardeners would like to thank the community for its continued support of the virtual programs through the pandemic. The monthly meetings will be suspended until further notice. Please check website https:///sunnysidemg.org and facebook for updates and gardening tips.