Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Holds D. Ames Shuel Academic Center Naming Ceremony
9/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Varsity Club
Sept. 13, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie presided over the naming ceremony of the D. Ames Shuel Academic Center at Memorial Stadium on Friday afternoon. Along with McRobbie and Shuel, IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass, Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services Kelly Noonan and sophomore men's basketball student-athlete Victor Oladipo spoke during the ceremony.
"This afternoon, we honor Ames Shuel, a distinguished alumnus of Indiana University, a successful businessman and a visionary leader," McRobbie said. "If you walk down the hallway of this magnificent facility, you will see the reasons that we are all here to celebrate this afternoon. Today we owe a deep amount of debt and gratitude to D. Ames Shuel and his family. For them, it is not enough to just watch a game or to watch a match. Their interest extends to students who give everything they have to make the grade in representing Indiana University through this new aide and support center."
"We are going from, by some measures, the smallest academic center in the Big Ten to one of the largest academic centers in the Big Ten," Glass said. "It's certainly tone with the most recent technology and latest teaching methods. It's probably one of the most balanced settings within the athletic campus, so it's really moved the ball forward for all of our student-athletes to be able to achieve academically."
Shuel, an Indiana graduate and proven business leader, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1958. Shuel purchased HP Products in 1964. The company began with a handful of employees and one delivery van and blossomed into a corporation with more than 400 employees in several locations in Indiana and throughout six states in the Midwest.
"It is an honor for our family to be connected in a small way to help our student-athletes and students as well to reach for excellence in their education," Shuel said. "IU has played a major role in the Shuel family and my children and our company are committed to continue to support IU. Not only in further education for the student-athletes, but to continue to help this university strive to be one of the greatest universities in the country."
The new D. Ames Shuel Academic Center, located underneath the east side of Memorial Stadium, helps Indiana University provide student-athletes with these essential resources. The 25,800-square-foot center occupies space formerly occupied by the IU Football staff. The center has dramatically expanded student-athlete access to computers, study areas, classrooms and offices for private sessions. The expanded facility ensures that all student-athletes get the assistance they need to make the most of their academic careers while attending Indiana.
"I feel very fortunate to be able to utilize this facility each day to help me work toward my goal of achieving academic excellence," Oladipo said. "The Shuel Center has allowed us to be united as 24 sports, one team, supported by advisors and tutors, and to truly gain confidence toward reaching our highest academic potential and earning Indiana University degrees."
Facility Highlights:
- 25,800 square feet of academic performance-enhancing space
- A modern computer lab with the latest information technology
- Dedicated tutoring and study space
- Staff offices for confidential sessions
- Casual study area and lounge
The new center also provides an intellectual and social community that contributes to the holistic development of student-athletes and stimulates camaraderie among all students throughout our 24 sports.
The Center was made possible thanks to the commitment of Shuel and other donors to the "For the Glory of Old IU" campaign, the first comprehensive capital campaign by the IU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. This five-year campaign raised more than $94 million in private support for new and improved athletic and academic facilities, endowment and ongoing annual support for student-athlete scholarships.
In addition to the highlights listed above, the center also added recognition installations throughout the facility that highlight our student-athletes' academic achievements.
Those include:
• Tichenor Award Winners
• Scholastic Achievement Award Winners
• Herbert Cup Award Winners
• Big Ten Medal of Honor Winners
• Spirit of Indiana Director's Award Winners
• Scholar-Athletes of the Month
• Rhodes Scholars
• Academic All-America
• All-Beta Honorees
There are also installations that highlight the IU Varsity Club and I Association. In the lobby some of IU's visionaries in academic excellence are also highlighted.
