Phyllis Yuhas leaves a lasting legacy to Ball State

Phyllis Yuhas

The Ball State family lost a dear friend who served the university as a professor, administrator, and benefactor. Dr. Phyllis Yuhas, 83, passed away on February 21, 2006. An ardent traveler, she had just returned from a trip to

India.

Dr. Yuhas, an emeritus professor of history, was one of the founders of international education at Ball State. In the mid 1960s, she organized the Office of International Programs. Her promotion of international studies influenced the creation of university programs such as the London and Australia Centers and exchange programs, international consortia, and short-term summer programs. As a charter member, she led Ball State into the International Student Exchange Program, the world's most prestigious exchange program that has opened the door to over 80 countries for local students.

To honor Dr. Yuhas' work in international education, her mother, Gladys Nelson, bequeathed more than $700,000 to create a charitable remainder trust (CRT) with which Dr. Yuhas endowed the university with the Phyllis Ann Yuhas International Scholarship Fund. Dr. Yuhas generously donated the annual income from the CRT to her scholarship so that awards could be made during her lifetime. Now, the principal of the CRT will be donated to the scholarship fund.

Born in Iowa, Dr. Yuhas was a graduate of Swarthmore College and received her master's degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.

A Muncie resident since 1953, Dr. Yuhas traveled the world to gain a better understanding of people and cultures. She frequently traveled with her mother, the first woman to serve in the Iowa General Assembly (1950-56). The two traveled together on extended trips throughout the Middle East, Europe, South America, and Africa.