A Letter To Indiana Academy Alumni
Dear Academy Alumni,
Do you remember the difference the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities made for you? I do. It was a big decision to leave home and live at school at age 16. I was a member of the inaugural class and saw the Academy at the beginning. It amazes me that we now have over 1700 alumni. It means the class of 1992 and I were in high school a surprisingly long time ago. They called us the “Pathfinders”. I am not sure we thought we were on a path 1700 students would travel. I write now to give you some Academy news and ask for your help.
Last year as the school celebrated the 15th incoming class, an executive committee of Academy alumni, faculty and staff was formed. The major goal of this committee is to secure the future of the academy and ensure that this opportunity remains available to all young gifted Hoosiers. We established an initial goal of raising $150,000, and I am pleased to report we are half way there!
The Academy has always aimed to provide educational opportunities for all gifted students of Indiana. For the first time, the Academy must begin charging students $1500 a year to offset budget cuts. In addition to these fees, many Academy students have special opportunities offered to them but lack the necessary funds. The burden of these extra costs has fallen on the faculty and staff of the Academy. College application and interviewing costs, summer educational programs, purchase of needed equipment, and facility improvement are not items in the Academy’s budget. Talk to anyone at the Academy and you will hear the pride of great accomplishments and also great resource needs.
To learn the latest news and make a gift to the Indiana Academy, check out the Academy Website at www.bsu.edu/academy/. Then head to the Academy Alumni Association website (www.iasmh.net) and join up to keep informed of Academy events and reunions. Help us update the alumni database, as we are missing contact information for many alumni.
The Indiana Academy changed the direction of my life. I believe all Academy Alumni can say that about their Academy experience. I invite you to get involved again in the support of the Academy and ask that you take a moment and give to the Special Development Initiative.
Sincerely,
Drew Ramsey, M.D., Class of 1992
Co-Chair, Indiana Academy Special Development Initiative
Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry
Columbia University (212) 518-6718
caaramsey@yahoo.com