It has been a year of transitions for IUHPFL. Loni Dishong, who served as Managing Director for 9 years, resigned and transitioned to new endeavors in August 2023. I stepped into the role of Director in mid-September; it has been an exciting and busy few months. I feel fortunate to have this opportunity to lead a program that I dearly love and that I believe offers a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience for Indiana high school students.
I want to recognize the accomplishments and leadership of my predecessor as well as her generosity in assisting with my transition into the Director position. During her tenure, Loni oversaw impressive expansion of IUHPFL programming and led numerous important initiatives to broaden participation in IUHPFL. Loni also guided IUHPFL through the immense challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read more about Loni’s work and accomplishments in her own words later on in this newsletter.
In the pages of this newsletter, you can read about Summer 2023, see pictures from all of our sites, and take in an overview of program accomplishments last year. Looking ahead to Summer 2024, we are excited to currently be reviewing applications from students hailing from more than 50 different Indiana high schools and 26 Indiana counties. We must say, it is an accomplished, diverse, and unique group of students! We look forward to welcoming our new IUHPFL cohort soon. Preparations are also underway to welcome the 2024 IUHPFL Instructor teams, who will undergo intensive training and preparation throughout the Spring semester to get ready for next summer’s programs. We are grateful to have a mix of returning and new instructors, Indiana high school teachers and IU-based instructors, who bring wide-ranging experiences, remarkable energy, and an incredible commitment to IUHPFL students and the program’s mission. Finally, last month IUHPFL welcomed a new Program Coordinator, Anneliese Toumey, who has hit the ground running. You can get to know Anneliese in a subsequent section of the newsletter.
As IUHPFL continues to rebuild, from pandemic-related closures, we are excited to think about ways to balance the tradition and core values of this amazing program with innovations and new opportunities that will extend and deepen the impact of IUHPFL on students’ lives. Stay tuned in 2024 for updates, new initiatives, and the adventures of our next summer’s group.
With gratitude and excitement for the future,
Megan Solon
