Nancy Smith and her husband, Bill, recently gave the university $50,000 to initiate the Thelma Hiatt and Martha Wickham Excellence in Leadership Award to honor two life-long friends and mentors.

The awards will provide financial assistance to students participating in the four-year Excellence in Leadership Program sponsored by the Office of Leadership and Service Programs.

Students in this unique undergraduate program participate in workshops to develop self-esteem and time management and decision-making skills.

Preference will go to students who have completed their freshman year in the program and will be participating another year.

Nancy Smith met Hiatt and Wickham at Ball State as she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and Spanish in 1970 and a master's in psychology in 1971.

"I have always admired the leadership Thelma and Martha demonstrated on campus and in the community," Smith said. "I personally have benefited so much from their efforts to encourage and foster leadership qualities in their students."

Hiatt, a native of Burlington, spent 29 years at Ball State, first as director of women's housing and later as director of residence halls. In 1969 she was named director of international student programs.

Hiatt is an alumna of Ball State Teachers College, earning a bachelor's degree in 1934 and a master's degree in 1952 in business education. She did additional study at Teachers College, Columbia University and Northwestern University. She taught high school in Crown Point and Hammond before returning to Muncie.

Martha Wickham, a native of Findlay, Ohio, is a graduate of Wittenberg College and Ohio State University and did graduate work at Columbia University. She taught home economics in Ohio and Michigan.

Wickham came to Muncie in 1945 to direct Ball State's home management house. She was director of women's activities, 1946-59; assistant dean of women students, 1959-61; and assistant dean of students, 1961-70. She was the associate dean and the sponsor of Panhellenic when she retired.

Both Hiatt and Wickham retired from Ball State in 1976 and reside in Muncie, where they still keep in touch with the Smiths.

Nancy Smith, who received her Ph.D. in psychology from Indiana State University, is a licensed psychologist. Bill Smith, a retired Chrysler executive, is now chief operating officer and president of Guide Corporation in Anderson.