Meet Marie Mackintosh, Vice Chancellor of the IU Indianapolis Office of Workforce and Community Engagement.
Vice Chancellor Marie Mackintosh shares her vision for connecting students, employers, and community partners at IU Indianapolis.
“When I think of community engagement, I think of all of the work a university, an anchor institution like IU Indianapolis, does in the community,” said Marie Mackintosh, the new vice chancellor of the IU Indianapolis Office of Workforce and Community Engagement.
IU Indianapolis has long played a role in connecting education, research, and community partnerships across the city and the state. As the university continues to strengthen those connections, Marie Mackintosh is stepping into a new role focused on aligning campus assets with the needs of students, employers, and communities.
This office builds on the university’s longstanding Office of Community Engagement, expanding its focus to include workforce and business engagement.
“Our campus already has a very strong foundation in community engagement, and we’re proud that this work has been recognized again with the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification,” Marie said. “Building on that foundation, my office is focused on amplifying workforce and business engagement as a key part of supporting students, employers, and communities across the region.”
Building connections that expand opportunity
Much of her recent work has focused on engaging employers across Indianapolis to help create pathways to good jobs and long-term opportunity. “I’ve been focused most recently on engaging the employer community in Indianapolis to create good jobs that lead to economic mobility for those underrepresented in Indy,” Marie said.
She describes her work as helping organizations align their efforts so students, employers, and communities all benefit.
“I’ve spent many years working as a change agent on education and workforce issues tied to economic and social mobility across Indianapolis, across the state, and even nationally,” she said. “I’m proud of the systems we’ve built that work better together so students, employers, and communities all benefit.”
Why IU Indianapolis—and why now
IU Indianapolis represents a unique opportunity to bring together research, talent development, and community partnerships. The university’s R1 research designation, long-standing commitment to community engagement, and role in preparing students who remain in Indiana all contribute to its impact across the state.
“What makes me most excited about being at IU Indianapolis in this moment is that it is an R1-designated research institution with a long-standing commitment to community engagement,” she said.
Listening and learning in the first 90 days
“The first 60–90 days are about listening, building trust, and putting the right systems in place,” Marie said.
During her first several months in the role, she is focused on building relationships and understanding how the university’s many assets already connect to the broader community. She is meeting with faculty, staff, and students across campus while also connecting with employers and community partners across the region.
“I’m spending time across campus to understand the full range of assets we have, including student talent, faculty expertise, research, labs, centers, and existing partnerships, and how those assets are already connecting to the community and business,” she said.
Creating clearer pathways for employers and partners
“One priority is creating a clearer front door so external partners know how to engage the university and how that engagement connects to talent and research,” Marie said.
Another priority is helping people across campus see how their work contributes to a larger system of partnerships and opportunities. “So we’re leveraging all of our assets, not working in silos,” she said.
Connecting students, employers, and research
Marie describes her role as helping translate between the needs of employers and the work already happening across the university. “That means encouraging employers to invest early and often in talent at IU Indianapolis through internships, projects, and real-world problem solving, while also amplifying the ways faculty and staff already see employer partnerships strengthening teaching, research, and student outcomes,” she said.
Employers are often focused on their future workforce and staying competitive within rapidly evolving industries. At the same time, faculty and students are engaged in learning, discovery, and research that can shape those industries.
Her goal is to bring those priorities together in ways that create meaningful opportunities for students and real value for employers. “When those connections are intentional, students gain experience and clarity, employers gain talent and insight, and the university’s work has greater reach,” Marie said.
Workforce engagement as part of community engagement
For Marie, workforce engagement is a natural extension of the university’s long-standing commitment to community partnerships.
IU Indianapolis collaborates with neighborhoods, nonprofits, healthcare systems, government agencies, and businesses across Indianapolis and beyond. Workforce development builds on those existing relationships by connecting education and research with opportunities that support students and the broader economy. “Workforce engagement doesn’t replace other forms of engagement,” she said. “It builds on them.”
By aligning education, research, civic partnerships, and talent development, Marie believes IU Indianapolis can deepen its impact for students, communities, and Indiana’s economy. “Our goal is to collaborate well across campus and with partners in the community so that our work supports students, employers, and the long-term success of the state,” she said.
To learn more about the Office of Workforce and Community Engagement, visit our website. Let’s advance impact together. Partner with IU Indianapolis.
