Creation of William Plater International Scholars Program Announced

INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI Offices of International Affairs and Student Scholarships have announced a distinctive new scholarship program to honor the career and accomplishments of William M. Plater, who will leave his position as executive vice chancellor and dean of the faculties in June 2006 to direct a new center for international community development at IUPUI.

The program’s uniqueness lies in creating a functioning, interactive cohort of domestic and international students who will engage in common activities and develop global competencies through international dialogue. These Plater Scholars will include both graduate and undergraduate students drawn from a range of IUPUI schools. They will be united by the common goal of bringing an international dimension to their degree programs through international engagement, experiences, and co-curricular activities. The resulting program will model the international networks so vital to the 21st century, advance IUPUI’s international learning across the curriculum, build global skills and networks for its participants, and serve as a powerful recruiting tool for domestic and international students alike.

The program will be comprised of three types of scholars: Once the program is mature (in its fourth year), the largest group will be a set of 40 undergraduates (both domestic and international) who receive campus-wide scholarships of $7,500 annually for four years, plus one-time funding for study abroad and a year’s residence in International House. These Scholars will be chosen through a campus-wide process. A second set of Plater Scholars (again both domestic and international, graduate only) will receive school-specific scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships. The amount of these awards will vary by school, and the Scholars will be chosen by each school. A third set of Plater Scholars will be international students involved in select exchange programs between IUPUI and partner universities outside the U.S., such as the program in Philanthropic Studies with the University of Bologna. This third set will be funded through the specific mechanisms that have been arranged for each such exchange. Al Plater Scholars, no matter their origin, will participate in common co-curricular activities such as lectures, films, roundtables, and performances. Beth Barnette, director of Student Scholarships, said, “We are pleased to be able to honor Bill Plater and to link this scholars program to his future work as director of the Workshop on International Community Development. This new Scholars Program will add a much-needed global dimension to the academic careers of our students. Plater Scholars will work collaboratively by participating in activities designed to advance the internationalization of our campus.” Susan Sutton, associate dean of International Programs, commented, “I am absolutely delighted that the campus has pulled together to create the William M. Plater International Scholars Program. The result will be a distinctive, innovative scholarship program that brings domestic and international students into dialogue with each other through a co-curricular program of activities. This will be a scolarship program with a strong programmatic element, which leads recipients into meaningful interaction with students from other countries.”

The Plater International Scholars Planning Committee is being coordinated by the IUPUI Offices of International Affairs and Student Scholarships. Over the next six months, the Committee will refine the parameters of the program, establish selection procedures for campus-wide scholarships, advise schools on school-specific scholarships, initiate a recruitment and publicity campaign, and devise a program of co-curricular and international experiences (both local and abroad) for the Plater Scholars. In developing this complex, multifaceted program, the Committee will seek broad input and consult widely.

At present, a small pilot cohort of Plater Scholars is planned for the 2006–2007 academic year, with full inauguration of the program in Fall 2007.