SPEA to serve as 'presenting sponsor' for IU Athletics seasons, games
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Demonstrating that academics and athletics go well together, the Indiana University Bloomington School of Public and Environmental Affairs is joining forces with IU Athletics.
SPEA will be a “presenting sponsor” of the entire 2014-15 IU men’s and women’s soccer and IU swimming/diving seasons. Additionally, SPEA will be a sponsor of select IU baseball games and will be a visible presence on the scoreboard all season at Bart Kaufman Field, home of Hoosier baseball.
“Our students, faculty and alumni are proud to be Hoosiers, and this new agreement takes that support to an even higher and more meaningful level,” said SPEA Executive Associate Dean David Reingold. “The soccer programs and swimming and diving teams are traditionally among the best in the nation, and the baseball team is a rising star with a large and loyal following. We want all of IU’s athletes and their supporters to know we’re enthusiastic fans.”
The partnership includes SPEA messages on the public address system during competitions; video and static signage around the competition sites; and opportunities related to each sport. For example, SPEA will sponsor announcements of new record performances at swim meets. At baseball games, SPEA representatives will have the honor of throwing the ceremonial first pitch.
“We’re excited to have SPEA as a partner of IU Athletics,” said Fred Glass, vice president and director of athletics. “One of my goals has been to integrate athletics into the rest of the university, and this is a major step in that direction. SPEA, with its top ranking and international reputation for excellence, is a perfect partner in our effort to make sure our student-athletes achieve success academically.”
Several prominent IU athletes have been SPEA students in recent years, including basketball standout Will Sheehey and soccer star Orianica Velasquez, who played for the Colombia National Team in the 2012 Olympics in London. SPEA professor Kurt Zorn is the Bloomington campus faculty athletics representative. SPEA’s partnership with IU Athletics furthers the school’s dedication to promoting excellence at IU.
About the School of Public and Environmental Affairs
SPEA was founded in 1972 and is a world leader in public and environmental affairs and is the largest school of public administration and public policy in the United States. In the 2012 "Best Graduate Schools" by U.S. News & World Report, SPEA ranks second and is the nation's highest-ranked professional graduate program in public affairs at a public institution. Four of its specialty programs are ranked in the top-five listings.
Related Links
SPEA 2013 graduate Orianica Velasquez, right, played soccer for IU and the Colombian national team. SPEA is serving as a "presenting sponsor" for the IU men's and women's soccer and swimming/diving seasons.
Media Contacts
Jim Hanchett
- School of Public and Environmental Affairs
- Office 812-856-5490
- jimhanch@indiana.edu