The CEO of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, a renowned pediatric surgeon, and a senior advisor for the White House were among the recent recipients of the Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences’ 2023 alumni awards.
On September 28, this year’s recipients returned to campus and met with students, spoke in classes, and took part in a panel discussion and audience Q&A attended by more than 200 alumni, students, and guests. Moderated by the College’s executive dean, Rick Van Kooten, the hour-long discussion touched on a range of topics, including the award recipients’ time at IU and career advice they had for current arts and sciences students.
“I was so thrilled to host this panel discussion and felt truly inspired by the remarkable stories of success that each of our award recipients shared,” said Van Kooten. “It was an evening filled with invaluable insights and thought-provoking discussion, and I’m immensely grateful to all the students and alumni who attended. The enthusiasm and engagement from our community was just incredible, and I’m excited to witness the impact of this event on the journeys of our current students.”
Each year, the College of Arts and Sciences selects several alumni to receive two distinct awards: the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.
This year’s recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award were:
- Rick Fuson (B.A. ’75, Political Science), the CEO of Pacers Sports and Entertainment;
- Holly L. Hedrick (B.S. ’87, Biology), a pediatric and fetal surgeon for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and
- Phil Ponce (B.A. ’71, English), the Alexandra and John Nichols Contributing Anchor of Chicago Tonight, who previously served as the show’s longtime primary host.
The recipient of this year’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award was Morgan Mohr (B.A. ’17, Political Science, History, Individualized Major Program: Feminist Policy), who serves as a senior advisor for the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Gender Policy Council.
“IU gave me so much room to explore and to lead,” Mohr said during the evening’s panel discussion. “Through IU, I was able to attend a geology field school out west, I was able to go to a class in an Indiana prison, I was able to study abroad in London … and because of that, I was able to collect perspectives that have helped inform all of my work.”
Past recipients of the College of Arts and Sciences’ alumni awards include Michael D. Higgins, the president of Ireland; Sue Naegle, former president of HBO Entertainment; the Honorable Sarah Evans Barker, a trailblazing federal judge; actor Arian Moayed, who recently received an Emmy nomination for his role on Succession; and Asma Khalid, a White House correspondent for NPR and co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast.
“All of us were fortunate to encounter outstanding faculty,” said Ponce, reflecting on his time as a student at IU, “and I think if you’re exposed to faculty members like that, your world suddenly expands. To come to Indiana University, it really is like a universe of discovery, and it very much prepared me to encounter the world.”
Held in the Indiana Memorial Union’s Alumni Hall, the panel discussion was also broadcast online via livestream. A recording of the celebration and panel discussion is viewable at broadcast.iu.edu.