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A Seat at the Table: Tower Dining strives to create an inclusive mealtime experience for all

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

Let’s start with a personality quiz…  

When you visit the dining hall, are you:

(a) catching up with friends

(b) enjoying some solo time with a podcast

(c) cramming for your next test

Are you looking for:

(a) vegan options

(b) comfort food

(c) something adventurous

Whatever your answers, Tower Dining is here to make your experience all about you. 

Lora Popov is the General Manager of Residential Dining for Chartwells, the food service company behind all things campus dining. She’s a Tower Dining expert—not only does she lead the team, but she’s also eaten lunch there every single workday since joining Chartwells in 2021.

“Our number one focus is student satisfaction,” Popov said. “Anything we can do to make it a better experience or be there for the students, we’re going to do that.”

Imagine a space where students come together over colorful, delicious meals. Now, imagine a table where everyone has a seat regardless of their dietary needs or preferences. That’s the heart of Tower Dining: making sure every student can find something they love.

“We feed around 2000 people a day from open to close,” Popov said. “I think we offer a great variety for everyone.” 

The buffet area is the centerpiece, offering different dishes and sides daily. It always includes vegan and halal protein options alongside traditional meats. Popov shared that Tower Dining continues expanding its halal menu as more providers bring their businesses to Indianapolis. Ever tried halal chili? At last fall’s chili cook-off, one of Tower Dining’s chefs used halal beef to ensure everyone could enjoy the event together.

If you’re into made-to-order meals, Tower Dining’s stations offer personalized options:

  • Create Station: Daily fresh pizzas (including gluten-free crust on request) and grill favorites like burgers and chicken. Student faves? The apple strudel dessert pizza.
  • Chef’s Table: Stir fry and deli sandwiches your way. Occasionally, local restaurants host “station takeovers,” like the vegan nachos from an Indy eatery last year.
  • Innovation Kitchen: Pasta bar perfection, with gluten-free pasta and halal meats available. Watch your meal come to life exactly how you like it.

Transparency is also key at Tower Dining. For students with dietary restrictions, or anyone curious about their food, the Dine On Campus app makes life easier. Browse menus, plan your meals, and check out ingredient lists anytime. Popov says they keep it simple: fresh fruits and veggies are prepped daily, and balanced meals are always on the menu.

“We really try to offer nutritional, balanced options to every student who visits,” Popov said. 

But Tower Dining isn’t just about food. It’s about creating community. From dance-offs to cooking classes, to study sessions that end with waffle ice cream sandwiches, it’s a space where connections are built. It’s where new roommates share their first meal, study groups come together over late-night snacks, and club members bond over inside jokes.

The IU Indianapolis campus thrives on inclusivity, and Tower Dining is an extension of that spirit. Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite between classes or hosting a group dinner with friends, there’s always room for you here. Auxiliary Services and Chartwells are committed to making Tower Dining more than a dining hall—it’s a place where every student feels at home.

There’s always a seat at the table for you at Tower Dining. Come join us.

AUX interns represent the Nat at Olympic Trials

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

During the spring semester, Sawyer Skaggs and Via Keith carried Crimson Cards, like any IU Indy student. During the Olympic Swim Trials, however, they carried media passes. 

Skaggs and Keith are both Auxiliary Services interns. If you follow the Nat on Instagram or Facebook, you’re following Skaggs. He’s the sports media intern at Auxiliary Services, and his job includes covering local events, spotlighting student athletes, and marketing IU Indy’s sports facilities. Keith’s internship is a combination of social media and photography, so while her work can be found across Auxiliary Services marketing, she also takes photos for the Nat’s social media accounts. Together, they represented the Nat as media professionals at the Olympic Swim Trials in June.

“It was more than a swim meet,” Skaggs said. “It was like a movie.” 

The Olympic Trials were held at Lucas Oil Stadium, a mere half mile from the Nat. Following a press conference, the interns joined other media professionals for an early look at the facility. 

“We walked in to scope out the pool, and at the time we were the only ones in the stadium. It was really neat to have a first look at everything before it actually happened,” Keith said. 

On the first night of Trials, Skaggs had one goal in mind: promoting Indianapolis as a swim city with the Nat as its central hub. 

“Our audience is swimmers and swim fans, and that’s all the people involved with this event,” Skaggs said. 

Achieving this goal started with Keith’s photography. The photos had to be edited as quickly as possible to post the same day—and, often, the same hour. Skaggs wanted the Nat accounts to be the first to spread the word. 

“Something that I learned in this industry is that you have to post things right away to stay relevant,” Skaggs said. “I was posting all the major news that happened.” 

For Keith, the Trials were an opportunity to develop her skills as a photographer and build her portfolio for a future career in sports photography. 

“I was always challenging myself to get an action photo better than the last one,” Keith said. 

The Trials also had a sentimental impact on Keith. It took her back to the first major swim event that she attended alongside IUPUI alum Jacqueline DuBois. 

“They played this video with the song ‘Champions Never Die’ in the background, and the video was created from the Phillips 66 swimming championships a year ago, which Jacqueline and I were there for,” Keith said. 

Meanwhile, Skaggs found that one of the most exciting things about Trials was meeting new people, especially those within the sports media industry. 

“I talked to people from Sports Illustrated, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and some really big swim media companies, and made a bunch of connections,” Skaggs said. 

The only way to understand the scope of Skaggs and Keith’s experience that week is to visit the Nat’s page yourself. They captured world records. They watched swimmers rising up from the pool to discover that they were Olympians, had been for a whole second, and didn’t even know it. They watched those same Olympians achieve greatness at the 2024 Games, and then pointed to the TV and said, I saw them first. The impact was monumental. 

“After this weekend, I realized that being in sports media is what I want to do, whether photography, videography, social media management, or possibly the broadcast side like a camera operator or director,” Skaggs said. 

As a senior, Keith’s time at Trials and in her internship have accumulated into a unique and striking portfolio. But they’ve also been a confidence builder—a reminder that her dream career isn’t so far out of reach. 

“If I can do well at sports photography with the Natatorium and Carroll Stadium, then maybe I can shoot really high and dream really big and hopefully become an NFL sports photographer,” Keith said. 

With the Fall 2024 semester already upon us, Skaggs and Keith have stashed their Crimson Cards in their wallets again. They go to morning classes. They hang out with friends. But there’s still evidence of the incredible summer they had at the Olympic Swim Trials. Skaggs hangs his media pass on his backpack. Keith carries her drinks in a cup with the Trials logo. She says she got it for free on the first day, and it’s accompanied her all over the city ever since. The memories they made at Trials follow them everywhere—just as their job experience from Auxiliary Services will follow them into their future careers.  

Auxiliary Services offers a variety of marketing and communications internships. For more information, visit our website.

Let’s talk Olympics and the IU Natatorium

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

The USA team has earned 257 Olympic medals in swimming, leading the world in the sport. Last month, the best swimmers in the country—and the world—gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium to try out for the team. Since the city’s first Olympic Trials in 1924 (100 years ago!), Indianapolis has been a hub for both men’s and women’s competitive swimming. And, for the last 40 years, so has the IU Natatorium, due to its central location and impressive size. In preparation for the 2024 Olympic Trials, this article reviews the past trials held at the Nat and a few of the pieces of history held within its walls. 

Los Angeles, 1984

Nancy Hogshead poses with her Olympic medals.

Olympic Trials arrived at the IU Natatorium for the first time in 1984. Seven athletes who qualified here would go on to win three Olympic gold medals, including Nancy Hogshead, Mike Heath, Tracy Caulkins, Mary T. Meagher, Carrie Steinseifer, Rick Carey, and Rowdy Gaines. 

When Nancy Hogshead became the most decorated swimmer at the 1984 Olympics, The New York Times called her a loser. Back in 1981, the article claimed, Hogshead was so weary of her losing streak that she tried to quit the swim team at Duke University. Its narrative was one of an athlete doomed to mediocrity suddenly finding fame at the 1984 Olympics. 

But The New York Times got it wrong. 

Hogshead came forward with the truth years later. In the spring of 1981, she was jogging on campus when she was violently attacked by a man who was never found. The PTSD she experienced was so severe that she believed she would have to quit swimming forever. That spring, she left the Duke swim team. 

However, the team made a plan to help Hogshead return to the pool. Her coach offered her a scholarship and a place on the team for simply showing up to competitions. So the next fall she showed up. In 2019, she told The Guardian that she poured all of her rage toward her attacker into every swim stroke. 

This was the Nancy Hogshead that walked through the doors of the IU Natatorium in 1984, armed with a second chance and a lethal freestyle. First, she won a spot on the Nat’s Olympic Wall. Then, she won three Olympic gold medals and one silver medal, capturing the attention of the world. 

After that, she got a law degree. 

Those involved with the fight against sexual misconduct in sport cite Hogshead as one of the earliest and most prominent advocates for women in sports. Her work helped create and pass the 2018 Safe Sport Act. Her nonprofit, Champion Women, continues to protect and empower athletes everywhere from after school extracurriculars to the Olympic podium. 

When swimmers and divers compete at the Nat, the name NANCY HOGSHEAD hovers above them like a guardian. It reminds them that she was here—the attorney, Olympian, and survivor that is always working, even today, to make athletics a safe space for everyone who enters the pool.  

Barcelona, 1992

Janet Evans offers a thumbs up from the pool.

Less than a decade later, the Olympic trials returned to the Nat. 1992 Olympic gold medalists present included Nelson Diebel, Pablo Morales, Nicole Haislett, Mike Barrowman, Janet Evans, and Melvin Stewart. 

With her small frame and awkward swim stroke, ten-year-old Janet Evans was the girl everyone laughed at in the pool. 

For the freestyle stroke, most swimmers curve their arms inward. Janet straightened her arms and rotated them at a much faster pace, an unusual motion that observers called “the windmill.” However, while her peers made fun of her, coach Bud McAllister studied Janet’s freestyle technique. “The windmill” allowed her to have significantly more control over her speed in the water. It was also a better fit for her small build. 

So, instead of stopping the habit in its tracks, he encouraged her to perfect it as a technique. 

As a teen, Janet became a swimming star. She held three simultaneous world records in the sport before the age of 18. She first qualified for the 1988 Olympics at 17. When she entered the Nat to qualify again in 1992, she was already an Olympic celebrity. 

However, the 1992 Olympics ended with a difficult loss for Evans in the 400m freestyle, a close second after a substantial lead for the majority of the event. In interviews she expressed the difficulty of upholding the high standard set by her teenage self in 1988. 

She retired after the 1996 Olympics, where she passed the Olympic torch to Muhammad Ali. Life went on—she got married and had two kids. But something still felt unresolved. So, 20 years later, she returned to the pool, and in 2012, her kids watched in the stands as she attended another Olympic qualifying. 

And didn’t make the team. 

To this day, Janet Evans is known as one of the best distance swimmers in the world. She set seven world records and achieved four Olympic gold medals. Yet she never stopped reaching for more. It was as if once her full potential revealed itself—once Bud McAllister sat her down at ten years old and told her that everyone else was wrong about her—dreaming big was a habit she could never break. 

Janet Evans’s name on the Olympic Wall at the IU Natatorium pushes swimmers to achieve excellence on their own terms. Because, at the end of the day, passionate people aren’t there for the medal. It’s all for the thrill of the chase, for the excitement of progress and problem solving, and every new day they get to try again. 

Atlanta, 1996

Amy Van Dyken surfaces for breath.

The 1996 Olympic Trials were the second of three consecutive Trials to be held at the IU Natatorium. Olympic gold medalists who would qualify here included Tom Dolan, Amy Van Dyken, Brad Bridgewater, Beth Botsford, and Brooke Bennett. 1996 also saw the debut of the women’s 4 x 200 m freestyle relay at the Olympics. The first Olympic gold medalists in this event were from the U.S. team as well. 

For Amy Van Dyken, swimming was more than an athletic career. It was therapy.  

Van Dyken was diagnosed with severe asthma at 18 months old. At the age of six, her doctor recommended swimming to strengthen her lungs and better regulate her breathing. In an interview with CNN, she said that she was unable to swim the length of the pool until she was 12. 

However, swimming was a deeper commitment for Van Dyken than most people. Her health depended on it. So, she kept going and developed a love for the sport that took her all the way to the Olympics. 

Her first time at an IU Natatorium Olympic Trials was in 1992, where she just missed making the team. So, she tried again four years later and was recruited to compete in Atlanta, Georgia. In Atlanta, she became the first American woman to win four Olympic gold medals in the same year. 

Her victories that year were full of surprises. Her gold medal for the 100-meter butterfly was the first time Van Dyken had won that event in a major competition. And in the 50-meter freestyle, her final gold medal of the competition, the asthmatic swimmer emerged only once to take a breath. 

In the years following, Van Dyken became a sports media personality. Then, an ATV accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. She was told she would never walk again. But, just like in her childhood, Van Dyken refused to allow her circumstances to restrict her. 

For the second time in her life, swimming became Van Dyken’s physical therapy. She swam and exercised for hours every week. And, with the help of her doctor she was eventually able to take her first steps anew. She also founded a nonprofit, Amy’s Army, to help those with similar disabilities. 

Today, Amy Van Dyken’s name on the IU Natatorium’s Olympic Wall symbolizes strength. It reminds athletes that, with enough determination and resilience, their bodies can do amazing and surprising things. 

Sydney, 2000

Tom Malchow celebrates an Olympic victory.

The 2000 Olympic Trials were the last time the IU Natatorium hosted swim trials. The final team of Olympic swimmers on the Nat’s Olympic Wall brought home 15 Olympic gold medals. Medalists included Lenny Krayzelburg, Brooke Bennett, Megan Quann, Misty Hyman, Tom Malchow, Tom Dolan, Gary Hall Jr., and Anthony Ervin. In 2000, the Nat also saw a 15-year-old Michael Phelps make the Olympic team for the first time in his career. 

Tom Malchow was about to break the world record for the 200 meter butterfly. Then, they changed the rules. 

In 1996, a young Malchow claimed an Olympic silver medal for this category, defeated only by Russian swimmer Denis Pankratov. This wasn’t good enough for him. Malchow, like Amy Van Dyken, was severely asthmatic. Pushing his body to its limits and beyond was part of his daily routine. He often had asthma attacks during his training, but he always dove back into the water. 

He was on the cusp of breaking Pankratov’s record. However, following 1996, a new rule was established for all swim events. To even the playing field, swimmers were now required to break the water within 15 meters of the start of the event and after each turn. 

To Malchow, it couldn’t have been a bigger setback. 

Up to this point, the ability to swim long distances without taking a breath meant the difference between success and failure. Now, his goal of beating Pankatrov’s record—achieved at a time where this rule didn’t apply—felt impossible. 

However, for the next four years, Malchow continued to do what he did every day: kept training. And, on June 17th, 2000, at the Charlotte UltraSwim competition, he had his chance. He later said he could hear the crowd cheering him on to break the record. When Malchow finally surfaced, all eyes were on the time clock but his. He already knew. 

Two months later, he qualified for the 2000 Olympics at the Nat as a world record holder. 

In Sydney, he had a record to defend. He told the Chicago Tribune that he was dedicating his swim to Ryan Weggenman, his girlfriend’s brother who had died in a car accident. And, like clockwork—like the routine he had followed for his entire career—he won the gold. 

Tom Malchow put his name on the Nat’s Olympic Wall because he challenged himself like it was second nature. His name reminds swimmers to embrace the obstacles in their path. Now, 24 years later, the Olympic gold medal is only a small part of Malchow’s story. The important part, like it is for all of us, was what he overcame to get there. 

Paris, 2024

Welcome to Lucas Oil Stadium, transformed into the largest swim venue … ever.

This year’s Olympic Trials were held at Lucas Oil Stadium, but links to the Nat were everywhere. Of the swimmers who hoped to make the Olympic team, thirty-one were from Indiana University. Lily King, the world record holder for the women’s 100-meter breaststroke, and Blake Pieroni, a three-time gold medalist, are both IU graduates headed to Paris this week. 

There’s also something about Indianapolis that empowers young swimmers. Luke Whitlock, a Noblesville swimmer, is the youngest to make the team since Michael Phelps in the 2000 Trials. 

Other swimmers who qualified included Aaron and Alex Shackell, siblings from Carmel, Drew Kibler, a world record holder for the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, and Chris Guiliano, from Notre Dame. 

The Trials’ historic return to Indianapolis also marks a record number of Hoosiers on the Olympic swim team. If Indianapolis wasn’t considered a landmark in the swim world before, it certainly is now. And a lot of that is due to the Nat’s dedication to providing the best possible facilities for athletes from across the world. Because the Nat doesn’t just empower individual swimmers to be more successful. It empowers our entire city. 

As we go into the 2024 Olympics this week, these swimmers are the ones to watch. Seeing international Hoosier representation means so much to our communities, schools, and families, and we can’t wait to welcome them home after a job well done. 

Senior Spotlight: Congratulations to Marketing Coordinator Intern Jacqueline DuBois

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

When Jacqueline DuBois remembers her time as an intern, she imagines driving to the Starbucks on 13th and Capitol, ordering an iced shaken espresso, and opening her laptop to the Auxiliary Services social media pages. 

DuBois began her internship with an iPhone and a vision of what Auxiliary Services’s social media presence could become. Now, she leaves behind a creative team of three social media interns, two photography interns, and successful social media accounts for six separate units. 

“I got onto Aux in April of 2022, and I started building out what accounts would be made and how each account would look,” DuBois said. “A lot of planning happened in terms of building the social media channels.” 

Each unit’s social media accounts became unique reflections of how that unit served IUPUI students. DuBois remembers transforming the IUPUI Bookstore accounts from internal news to a bright and colorful feed dedicated to celebrating the products the bookstore has to offer. 

“For the bookstore, I wanted to start bringing in models from IUPUI to be able to showcase students on the page,” DuBois said. 

DuBois has featured IUPUI student models on the bookstore Instagram as recently as May 1st.

Another one of DuBois’s social media changes was an unexpected, but savvy, marketing technique: incorporating memes into the Auxiliary Services accounts. DuBois says that memes are a great way to boost engagement on a social media page as students share and repost them. 

“One of our best performing posts was that Barbie and Ken meme where she’s holding Ken,” DuBois said. 

DuBois posted this funny Barbie and Ken meme in July along with several others using the same template.

As Auxiliary Services’ social media presence grew, DuBois recognized a need for a team of interns to grow alongside it. She believes the best way to inspire creativity in marketing, regardless of the company or job description, is through collaboration.

“I like social media in terms of the creativity, but thinking about it as a 40 hour a week job, you have to always be creative, which is why I think it is important to have huge teams of creatives in social media,” DuBois said. 

Initially, DuBois was responsible for posting on all Auxiliary Services related accounts. However, she soon requested a second social media intern dedicated to the Center for Young Children and mascot social media. Following that was a sports marketing intern for the IU Natatorium and Carroll Stadium accounts. 

“When all the IU Indianapolis stuff started to get introduced and Aux began switching things over, I was like, we need to have more people on our social media and our creative team,” DuBois said. “That’s when we interviewed for the CYC and mascot intern, and I met Sawyer, who is our social media sports marketing intern, at a panel a year ago.” 

DuBois also suggested hiring photography interns to provide the Auxiliary Services social media with a more professional look. Now, Auxiliary Services boasts two photography interns who are able to cover events across all units. 

“I knew getting a photographer would step our social media up tremendously,” DuBois said. 

One of these photography interns was Via Keith. DuBois and Keith collaborated on posts for the bookstore and main Auxiliary Services social media accounts.

“Knowing and working with Jaqueline has been a great privilege,” Keith said. “She is very driven with an outstanding ambition in any work environment. I have loved being her co-worker as well as her friend.”

Keith took this photo of DuBois for the bookstore’s Instagram.

Along with helping to grow the Auxiliary Services network, DuBois spent her college years building her personal network. After entering college separated by masks and quarantines, DuBois feels she is making up for lost time with her community. 

“Since freshman year, I’ve grown to love being around people and surrounding myself with people that come from different walks of life and have different motivations and passions,” DuBois said. 

In the future, DuBois hopes to find a job related to marketing research. Her time at IUPUI taught her that, in addition to social media work, she is also a passionate researcher, writer, and lifelong learner. 

“Learning about why people do what they do, and why they make buying choices that they do, is so interesting to me,” DuBois said. 

Thanks to DuBois, Auxiliary Services’ social media presence has become more unique and compelling, and its creative intern team has become more collaborative, providing opportunities for future students to apply their learning through on-campus work experience. Auxiliary Services congratulates Jacqueline DuBois on her graduation and wishes her the best of luck in the future.

DuBois posted this meme during her final semester at IUPUI. It’s true. (Sorry not sorry.)

Senior Spotlight: Congratulations to Graphic Design Intern Ashley Campbell

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

As a graphic designer and 2D animator, of course Ashley Campbell has a favorite animated movie. It’s called Robot Dreams, released in 2023. She saw it last year at the Kan-Kan Theater. 

“It’s about a dog who builds a robot friend, and they’re living in New York in the 90s. It’s very cartoon-y and fun, but also really down to earth,” Campbell said.  

Since April of last year, Campbell has been Auxiliary Services’ graphic design intern. Her creativity spans across all branches of Auxiliary Services. 

“I help with general graphic design needs. Most of the time, that would be social media posts with the different Instagram accounts across Auxiliary, like the CYC and Natatorium,” Campbell said. “I also occasionally help out with print media we need designs for, whether that’s wall installations or flyers or any sort of paper needs.” 

Campbell’s design style is actually a lot like Robot Dreams. She has a gift for designs that make digital and physical spaces more welcoming. At Auxiliary Services, she is always innovating new ways to make everyday campus life joyful. 

“Auxiliary Services has so much fun to offer,” Campbell said. “I want to make it fun and welcoming for other students, whether it’s for one Instagram post or a larger window decoration.” 

Campbell cited Robot Dreams as one of her favorite animated films. The friendly and inviting art style is similar to the creative energy Campbell brings to Auxiliary Services.

You can find one of Campbell’s designs on campus in Hine Hall. It’s a window decal showcasing all the branches of Auxiliary Services. In collaboration with project management specialist Maggie Regan, this was one of Campbell’s first designs.  

“I thought that it would be really fun to make a collage board of all the different things that Aux Services encompasses. So I tried to make it like a corkboard, or somebody’s Pinterest collage,” Campbell said. “I put some little pins in there and Post-It notes.” 

As a computer graphics major, Campbell entered her internship with some design experience from past internships and classes. However, this window decal showcased her skills to the campus community for the first time. For Campbell, it was a reminder that a creative career was the right path. 

“To have my design up on a window after we finished, and being able to physically see what we had worked on being put up, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, wow, I am a designer,’” Campbell said.

To see one of Campbell’s designs in person, look no further than the first floor of Hine Hall.

As a student worker, Campbell recognizes the importance of these early career experiences. She enjoys connecting with other interns, especially those she might not normally meet in her classes. 

“There are so many student workers across all of campus, and it’s really nice, especially within Aux Services, to get to see how much we’re all working together while still studying and learning,” she said. 

After graduation, Campbell is planning to continue her internship at Auxiliary Services for the next few months and is considering a graduate degree in 2D animation.

“A dream job would be in the 2D animation industry,” Campbell said. “A miniseries or a TV show is where I would definitely see myself.” 

Maggie Regan has worked with Campbell for the entirety of Campbell’s time at Auxiliary Services. To this day, they continue to create designs together. In addition to window decals and social media posts, Regan says they have wrapped vending machines and designed logos. 

“Ashley has a very eclectic style. She really plays with texture and composition,” Regan said. “There’s an illustrative quality that I really connect with.” 

Regan says that watching Campbell improve and thrive as a designer through her internship at Auxiliary Service has been an exciting experience. 

“She’s always been so eager to work on things, and I’ve seen her confidence in her own work and executing an idea grow so much in the past year,” Regan said. 

Because of Campbell’s work. Auxiliary Services is a friendlier and more inviting place. During her internship here, her creativity has reached every unit, and it will continue to do so in the next few months she’s able to be here. Auxiliary Services congratulates Ashley Campbell on her graduation and wishes her the best of luck in the future.

A first-timer’s perspective on the Big East Championships and the IU Natatorium

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

Photo by Via Keith on day 2 of the Big East Championships. I was standing right behind her!

I think it’s safe to say that water and I don’t get along. I was the kid in summer camp who failed the swim test and had to sit with the counselors during pool time. Picture a highlighter-yellow “CAN’T SWIM” wristband, a dry suit, and no friends. When it comes to the pool, I’ve always been an outsider—until last leap day, when my sneakers hit the pool deck of the IU Natatorium to catch day two of the Big East Championships. 

I’d visited the Nat on high school campus tours, but the experience of a swim meet was totally new to me. My friend Via Keith, a photography intern at Auxiliary Services, showed me the ropes. I got a press lanyard with my headshot on it and wore a sweater I didn’t mind getting wet. On the evening of Thursday, February 29th, I met her by concessions, and we descended a flight of stairs that led us to the pool deck. 

If you’ve never been inside the Nat before, watch this video. Now, imagine that facility packed with screaming fans, bright lights, pom-poms, staff in business suits and polos, journalists with cameras and boom mics, and, of course, the swim teams themselves, sporting painted faces, rubber caps, wet hair, and Speedos. Everyone was shouting. The din rose all the way up to the vaulted ceiling, where a network of spotlights shone onto the pool lanes.

And then, as Via and I positioned ourselves next to the Butler University team, the swimmers took their marks for the first event. 

Eight gazes locked onto the lanes in front of them. Eight bodies crouched on the ledge between screaming fans and the glassy, impartial pool water. Then, as the starting horn blared, the swimmers leapt off the blocks as one, lingering in midair as they arched toward the pool in parallel lines like an unspoken athletic miracle. They splashed into the water. The pool reached toward a sky it couldn’t see. Eight muscular arms surfaced to grab for more—further—faster. And, just like that, the race was on. 

The fans were ecstatic. They shouted for swimmers to gain the lead, keep the lead, lose the lead. They pumped one arm side to side as if telepathically moving their athlete of choice through the water. Behind it all was the percussive splash, splash, splash, of legs and feet flailing for just one less second on the clock. 

Then, the eight swimmers reached the end of the pool and ricocheted off the back wall. The lead swimmer resurfaced first, then the others, and they continued in the opposite direction. Back and forth they went until the final lap, and then eight hands touched the wall and the crowd exploded. 

It was like coming home after high school homecoming the way my ears rang. Surrounded by focused media professionals, I stood cameraless with a huge grin on my face. The fans’ energy pushed the boundaries of the space, thundering with victory and fury, and I was one of them.

Beside me, Via snapped a photo of the fastest swimmer looking at the video screen to see her own face reflected back at her, discovering, several moments after everyone else, that she had won her event. 

“I always love their faces,” Via shouted in my ear.

In the down time between events, she explained the basics of the sport. Lanes were assigned based on the swimmers’ previous times, with the fastest swimmer in the fourth lane and the next seven alternating out to each side of the pool. Since we arrived around six o’clock, we caught the finals for the 500 yard freestyle, women first, then men. After that was the 200 yard individual medley, combining the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle strokes for 50 yards each. The swimmer that had just claimed the 500 free title was Allie Waggoner from Seton Hall University. 

She had since pulled herself out of the pool and was celebrating with her teammates a few feet away from me, wrapping them all in super-soaker hugs. 

As the next batch of swimmers lined up on the blocks, I felt a now-familiar thrill in my stomach. While I wouldn’t be taking a dip in the pool anytime soon, it brought me so much joy to watch these talented athletes doing what they loved in a space that was designed, brick by brick, to support them in their pursuit of excellence. IU Indianapolis did that, making our own Jaguar contribution to the success of other universities and the sport as a whole. The “Hoosier-hospitality” of it all warmed my heart. 

Last month, IU Natatorium director Ed Merkling told me that one of his favorite moments is seeing newcomers to the facility develop a sense of wonder for its vastness and significance in the world of swimming and diving. I get it now. I “got it” the moment my eyes first adjusted to the lights of the pool deck. The IU Natatorium gained a new swim fan last Thursday, and now that I’ve gotten my feet wet, I’m so excited to see more. 

After the 500 freestyle and 200 IM, I left the Nat to meet a friend after his evening math class. He waved hello, then wrinkled his nose. “You smell like chlorine,” he said. 

I grinned wide. “Yeah,” I said. “I was at the Nat.”

For more on this event, check out this photo gallery courtesy of photography intern Via Keith.

February Spotlight: Angie Hill

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

For the month of February, the Aux blog is highlighting Associate Vice Chancellor Angela Hill. From a position at the former University Place Hotel to her current leadership role, Hill’s professional journey has been an intersection of service, technology, and “ikigai,” a lifestyle she discovered through the two years she spent in Japan as a young adult. 

“They have a philosophy, a way of being, called ‘ikigai,’ and it’s about finding what it is that you love and putting it to work for you,” Hill said. 

Hill’s path of “ikigai” began with an early childhood interest in technology. 

“Back to fourth grade, my science projects were always electrical conduits. I always had that fascination, which is what drove me eventually to the audiovisual, technology, and telecommunications,” Hill said. 

With this passion in the forefront of her mind, Hill began her college experience with hopes of pursuing a career in the technology field. However, she quickly discovered a curiosity for foreign languages and cultures as well, particularly Japanese. 

“My undergrad was in telecommunications at Ball State University,” Hill said. “During my undergrad, I also minored in Japanese, and it was the learning of that language that actually took me to Japan after I graduated.” 

Hill’s two years in Japan allowed her to re-evaluate her career interests. Beyond her expertise in telecommunications and the Japanese language, Hill became certain of a third passion: serving others. 

“When I went to Japan, I did not know what I wanted to do. I didn’t set out to go into the university market or higher education as an auxiliary services professional. I knew I liked service and have always been one to serve, whether that be in hospitality or technology,” Hill said. 

 So, Hill returned to the United States and to school, earning a master’s degree in technology. To support her degree, Hill made the pivotal decision to accept a job on the IUPUI campus, though not initially in Auxiliary Services. 

“I started working in the technical services department, otherwise known as the AV department within the university hotel and Pawprint Center,” Hill said. 

As Hill’s first few years with IUPUI came and went, Hill watched the university, and her role within it, adapt. 

“The university wanted to expand more broadly and impact something different than just conferences, so I was given the opportunity to go into Auxiliary Services,” Hill said. “I started working on the hospitality side and the ‘back end’ of accounting and business, and from there it just grew and grew.”

Today, Hill describes her position as Associate Vice Chancellor as one in line with the passion that determined her path of “ikigai” years ago. 

“I serve a team of amazing service-oriented professionals who work hard every day to support the student success at the university,” Hill said. 

As IUPUI transitions into IU Indianapolis, Hill looks forward to the positive changes coming to Auxiliary Services. Her hope is to find new and creative ways to serve students, faculty, and staff as Indiana University’s strategic plan for 2030 unfolds. 

“For us internally, that’s what’s next: making sure that we are recognized for contributing to IU Indianapolis becoming that best urban research university, looking to create new programming and services that fits today and will take us to 2030,” Hill said. 

A Word from Angie 

Hill was excited to share her favorite moments from her career at Auxiliary Services. Below, she tells the story of a recent Auxiliary Services leadership retreat and the new developments they have planned.

 

Ed Merkling celebrates 30 years at the IU Natatorium

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

Ed Merkling is the director of the IU Natatorium.

Ed Merkling has worked at the IU Natatorium for 10,958 days, each one an outpouring of love, care, and attention to detail. 

This year, IUPUI celebrated Merkling’s 30th year of work with a dinner, ceremony, and short video constructed by the staff. Merkling’s career includes 19 years of coaching swim and eight years as director of the Nat. However, swimming has been a part of his life since childhood. 

“I grew up swimming competitively. I started at the age of six, and I swam club in high school all the way through age 18,” Merkling said. 

During his college years at Ball State University, Merkling worked as the student assistant aquatics director at Lewellen Pool. He discovered a passion for event planning and programming. 

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I love it,’” Merkling said. 

A few years after graduation—thirty years ago, in fact—Merkling got connected at the Nat through a friend and obtained a part-time position, then a full-time job. Ever since, he’s been committed to making the Nat a better place for swimmers and spectators alike. 

“As I’ve shared with my two kids, ‘Find a job that you love because you feel like you’ve never worked a day in your life.’ And that’s exactly what I feel,” Merkling said. 

Across his 10,958 days, Merkling has made a lot of memories at the Nat. When asked about them over a video call, his eyes lit up a little bit, and he began talking quickly as if eager to get the words out. His passion bled through the computer screen. 

“I refer to the Natatorium as the Yankee Stadium of swimming, and a lot of other people do too. There’s very few people in the US that can talk about the aquatic sports industry that has had the experience that we’ve had here in our facility,” Merkling said.

The Nat hosted the trials for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Merkling notes one specific swimmer who made the team that year: Kristy Kowal. Like all Olympic athletes who swam at the Nat, her name is hand-lettered on the wall behind the diving platforms. This occurred on the same day as the trials. 

“We had a calligrapher here who would go up on the lift and write their name up on the wall in calligraphy. Super talented artist,” Merkling said. 

However, there’s something unique about Kowal’s name on the wall. She is the only athlete with a tiny diamond placed in the middle of the “O” to decorate her surname. 

Kristy Kowal’s name is still on the wall of the IU Natatorium today.

“Kristy Kowal was the only athlete who went over to the calligrapher and said, ‘Thank you for doing that,’” Merkling said. “So he went back up and put a diamond in the middle of the ‘O’ in her last name. That was a neat moment.” 

In addition to the Olympic trials the Nat has hosted, one of Merkling’s favorite events was the international “Duel in the Pool” competition between the U. S. and Australia in 2003. The first of its kind, Merkling remembers a huge crowd at this competition.

“The deck was so packed I couldn’t even walk from my office down to the timing stand. I had to walk down the back hallway,” Merkling said. 

Merkling says he was starstruck by the athletes he saw competing that day. His job at the Nat allowed him a closer look at the best swimmers in both countries. 

“We pride ourselves on not distracting the athletes with autographs, so we don’t do any of that, but it was so cool to walk among them during that event,” Merkling said. 

However, Merkling’s favorite part of working at the Nat is the kind of memory that gets made every day: watching people enter the facility for the first time. 

“When somebody walks into the pool deck and has that first moment of realizing just how vast this place is, the look on their face reminds all of us just how special this is,” Merkling said. “Their eyes go wide.” 

Seeing this special sort of wonder on each new face reminds Merkling of the reason behind all his hard work. It renews his own passion for the Nat. 

“After working here 30 years, sometimes it’s like, ‘It’s just the Nat, I’m just going to work,’ but when you get to see that, you realize, ‘Ok. This is a special place, and we need to keep doing what we’re doing to make it special for all those people who are coming into the facility for the very first time,’” Merkling said. 

Merkling says he’s grown and changed as a person and professional over his 10,958 days. One of the first things he points to is the way his leadership skills have improved. 

“I spend a lot more time investing in the employees that we have. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a lifeguard or Katy, my assistant director, or the managers, I listen,” Merkling said. “I spend a lot more time listening than talking.” 

As for the next few years, Merkling says he’s focused on succession. He believes that a great leader is someone who sets their team up for success in their absence. 

“I want to leave it in a great spot, and I want to make sure that there’s somebody ready to go to take over in that spot,” Merkling said. 

One of the most evident things about Merkling is his love for the Nat staff. He believes that his 10,958 days wouldn’t have been as successful or memorable without their help every step of the way. Many of his colleagues, such as Katy Shreve, the assistant director, are approaching their own 30-year milestones.

“I have been super blessed to have such a great staff,” Merkling said. “Katy, Dave, Keith, Rachel—those people are as passionate about this facility as I am, and they’re a big part of the success we have here.”

For more on Merkling’s career and experiences at the Nat, check out this short video that the Natatorium staff made about him.

Welcome Lauren Julian, Director of Customer Experience

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

As the new Director of Customer Experience, Lauren Julian brings her passion for helping others and background in customer service to make Auxiliary Services a more welcoming place for students. Julian started in November and has since been working to meet new people on campus and learn more about the IUI culture.  

“My aim is to actively listen to our students, providing them with tailored experiences that support their requests,” Julian said.  

Within Auxiliary Services, Julian says she’s already made connections with others and looks forward to continuing learning about this community.  

“The transition into my new role has been great thanks to the awesome, welcoming team.  I am excited to meet the interns and work together to create an amazing and unforgettable experience for them,” Julian said.  

Julian comes to Auxiliary Services from a position as Director of Guest Services at the Indianapolis Zoo, where she worked for 12 years.  

“What I did at the Zoo transfers to my work here,” Julian said. Trying to create memorable experiences through food, gift shops, and staffing is what I hope to do at IUI as well.” 

In her free time, Lauren loves experiencing the natural world as well as taking steps to conserve it for future generations, such as upcycling materials from around the house.  

“Being outdoors is just where I’m happiest. Like John Muir said, ‘In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks,’ and I believe that is so true,” Julian says.  

Julian’s energy and passion shows in every area of her life, and it’s evident that she will bring the same qualities to her work for Auxiliary Services.  

“When I found this job opportunity to join IUI, I was so excited,” Julian said. “The idea of contributing my skills to such a great campus was so exciting, and I love the idea of working with Indiana University.” 

Center for Young Children’s STEM lessons go beyond classroom

Posted on by Maggie Hoppel

CYC students visit a local pumpkin patch just in time for fall.

Before engineers of the past could build rockets or sketch skyscrapers, they had to learn proper pencil grip. That’s where the Center for Young Children’s STEM preschool class comes in. It introduces students as young as four to science and art as a way of celebrating the wonders of our world.  

Taylor Gardner, one of CYC’s two STEM teachers, watches this firsthand from August to May.  

“Students in STEM aren’t just preparing for kindergarten, they are learning skills that go beyond the classroom,” Gardner said. “We are developing a sense of curiosity, figuring out how to ask questions, and more importantly learning what it means to think like a scientist so they can find their own answers.”  

This fall, the 2 STEM classes have been studying pumpkins. Gardner and Vikki Tucher, another STEM teacher, each read their classes the picture book Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell. The story is about a jack-o’-lantern that decomposes into a new pumpkin plant. Tucher says the classes are hoping to create a real-life replica.  

“We carved the pumpkin, placed him in a container with dirt, started an observation journal and now, we observe,” Tucher said. “Hopefully when we place Jack in the garden in our outdoor classroom, we will have new pumpkins next year.” 

Yes, you heard that right—the STEM program boasts an outdoor classroom in addition to the indoor classrooms. The kids spend at least 2 hours outside each day when the weather allows. Gardner adds that one of her favorite ways the classes have connected with nature is the “Bug Unit.”   

“The unit went on for 9 weeks, and during that time, we kept a praying mantis in the classroom as a pet,” Gardner said. “They had to catch bugs to feed it and do research to learn more about how to keep him healthy.” 

A child holds the praying mantis in Gardner’s Bug Unit.

Albert Einstein once said, “The greatest scientists are artists as well.” STEM at CYC doesn’t come at the expense of the art, but instead promotes a way of thinking essential in all fields of study. Tucher notices her students building a diverse set of life skills throughout the year.   

“STEM experiences create opportunities for exploring teamwork, creativity, focus, persistence, critical thinking, and communication skills, which build the scaffolding for lifelong learning,” Tucher said.  

The STEM teachers also ensure that the learning isn’t limited to the four classroom walls, incorporating numerous field trips into their lessons throughout the year.   

“We have made contacts in our community allowing us real-world application to some of the units we investigate, like visiting the urban gardens and the x-ray lab on campus,” Tucher said.    

On November 9th, the STEM program hosted an open house to educate parents about the program and provide the opportunity to enroll next year. Over refreshments, families experienced for the first time STEM’s welcoming environment for kids to create art and investigate the world.  

The STEM program’s students come from all over. But, together—learning from each other—something magical happens.  

“Students entering STEM start at different skill levels, some coming from other classrooms in the center or other preschools, some never having been in school at all,” Gardner said. “As we move through the school year, students become more confident, creative, and articulate.” 

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