For his years of service and commitment to the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington as well as the university as a whole, Curt Simic was recently honored with the Founding Dean’s Medallion by Dean Mohammad Torabi.

Given to public health leaders at the Dean’s discretion, the medallion honors those who have made a significant impact in the field of public health. Medallion recipients are those whose careers and personal efforts have been dedicated to rigorous public health research, education, and practice by preventing disease, promoting health, and enhancing quality of life.

An alumnus of the IU School of Public Health, Simic planned to spend his career as a physical education teacher and coach. When he was selected to lead the IU Student Foundation during his undergraduate years on campus, his plans changed and he began a career in philanthropy. Simic’s career took him to the University of Tennessee, Yale University, the University of Alabama, the University of Oregon, and the University of California at Berkeley before leading him back to his alma mater.

In 1988, he found himself back on the same campus where his career started; this time as president of the IU Foundation. During his 20 years leading IU’s philanthropy efforts, the number of donors to the university nearly doubled and annual giving increased $200 million. This increase in financial gifts has allowed the university to fund more scholarships for students, provide additional support for research, and continue to recruit and retain top faculty, among other things.

In addition to working on the university’s behalf to increase philanthropy, Simic personally gave back to the School of Public Health in support of students pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Physical Education/Teacher Education program at the school.

“The impact of Curt’s legacy is felt daily within not only our school, but across the Indiana University Bloomington campus,” Torabi said during the medallion presentation. “I am proud to honor you with this Dean’s Medallion in recognition of your dedication and commitment to our school and the next generation of public health scholars and leaders.”