Fred and Barbara Glass Contribute Major Gift to “For All Bicentennial Campaign”

IU Athletic Director Fred Glass Image: Mike Dickbernd

Indiana Athletics Release

NAPLES, Fla. – The Indiana University Varsity Club National Board of Directors announced today at its annual winter meeting that IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass and his wife Barbara have made a six-figure gift in support of the University-wide “For All Bicentennial Campaign.”  The major gift is in support of the recently IU Board of Trustees approved South End Zone Excellence Academy building that will enclose Memorial Stadium and will establish the Glass Family Student-Athlete Leadership Suite.  The gift will also name a men’s basketball locker in honor of lifelong Glass family friend Bob Clifford who passed away on May 11, 2016.  A portion of the gift will also go to support scholarships for students who participate in intercollegiate athletics.
 
“We hope that by publicizing this gift, others will be encouraged to contribute to the campaign for the benefit of all students participating in intercollegiate athletics at Indiana University,” said Bob Kennedy President of the Varsity Club National Board of Directors.  “Beyond supporting the campaign generally, I know that it was important to Fred and Barbara to support the Excellence Academy, which has been one of Fred’s passions, as well as to honor their long-time mutual friend Bob Clifford.  Their generous gift will focus on funding student athletic scholarships and developing student-athlete leaders.”
 
Established by Glass in 2010, the Excellence Academy is one of the most innovative and effective student development programs in all of intercollegiate athletics.  Focusing on the development of every student-athlete as a “whole person” through areas such as leadership and life skills, health and wellness, nutrition, and career counseling, the Excellence Academy ensures that students are developed as individuals during their academic careers and are then supported as they transition to the next phase of life.  The Glass Family Student-Athlete Leadership Suite will be housed in the Center for Leadership and Life Skills and will provide a venue for important student leadership programming and a home for members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).  SAAC is the recognized collective voice of student-athletes at IU as established by the Indiana University Bill of Rights, another innovation established by Glass.
 
“As a former SAAC President, I had a chance to see firsthand Fred’s commitment to developing student-athletes as servant leaders,” said outgoing SAAC President and Field Hockey player Nicole Volgraf.  “Fred and Barbara’s contribution will help all IU athletes become well-rounded adults who are prepared for success after graduation.  We cannot thank them enough for investing in our collective futures.”
 
Bob Clifford, a lifelong Glass family friend and 1981 Indiana University graduate, passed away on May 11, 2016 after a courageous battle with brain cancer.  A mutual friend of Fred and Barbara, Bob introduced the couple while they all attended IU together.  A lifelong IU basketball fan, Clifford struck a friendship with head men’s basketball coach Tom Crean who personally and greatly supported Clifford throughout his illness.  Clifford was often seen in the locker room and around the team prior to his death last spring.
 
For All:  The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign is taking place on all IU-administered campuses including IU Bloomington, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast.  The campaign will conclude in December 2019 to coincide with IU’s bicentennial year celebration in 2020.  To learn more about the campaign, its impact, and how to participate, please visit forall.iu.edu.