Bringle and Hatcher Showcase celebrates civic-minded individuals

Each year, the IUPUI Center for Service and Learning recognizes campus and community engagement efforts of students, faculty, staff, and community partners at the annual Bringle and Hatcher Civic Engagement Showcase. Formerly known as the Robert G. Bringle Civic Engagement Showcase, the event was re-named this year to honor the leadership and over 25 years of service of Dr. Julie Hatcher, the recently retired executive director of the center. Even though the name of the event has changed, the spirit remains the same, and this annual display of student success still proudly highlights the achievements of community-involved students. 

The showcase is comprised of two main events: the Civic Engagement Poster Showcase, where student, faculty, staff, and community partners demonstrate their community engagement programming, research, and scholarship; and the William M. Plater Civic Engagement Medallion award ceremony, where graduating undergraduate and graduate students receive medallions in recognition of their service in and with the community.

The posters ranged across many different topics and issue areas, as well as IUPUI schools and departments. One particular project presented at the showcase entitled “Advice and Advocacy in a Civil Practice Clinic” was run entirely by individuals from the Robert H. McKinney School of Law. The posters also demonstrated the value of collaboration in community engagement; one of the posters presented entitled “Engaging Older Adults with Technology through Intergenerational Service Learning” was a project that involved individuals from the School of Social Work and Computer Information and Technology. 

The winners of the Plater Medallion are those who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to their communities during their years at IUPUI. The medallion was named in honor of IUPUI’s former executive vice chancellor and dean of the faculties from 1988 to 2006, Dr. William Plater, a strong advocate of civic engagement during his career.

One of this year’s medallion winners, Akash Khanna, says that the symbolism of the medallion was what stood out to her most from the event; she is inspired to be a better leader by the efforts of those around her and by the example behind the medallion.

Another medallion winner, Macy Pohl, says that the showcase and award ceremony allowed her and other undergraduates to learn how they, as future professionals, can use research to impact their communities. She says, “To see all the other individuals, coming from all parts of the world, supporting and directly giving back to the Indianapolis community was both inspiring and truly moving.”  

The Bringle and Hatcher Civic Engagement Showcase honors the students, faculty, and staff who put their time and effort into changing the world around them for the better. The Center for Service and Learning commends every individual who commits themselves to the improvement of the Indianapolis community, and they hope to continually promote the work that these individuals exemplify.