It’s better for students.

In all that we do, we do it for students. What we found time and time again was that pathways to pre-professional programs were confusing to students. We were competing against ourselves to prepare the best and brightest minds for health-related professions. Prospects didn’t understand where degrees in
health and exercise sciences could take them, but together, we are now helping students find the right plans of study for their futures. Similarly, degree offerings were clarified with the name change to the Department of Tourism, Event, and Sport Management.

Since the new school’s inception, our professional and advanced- degree programs are better aligned through clear and consistent messaging to student prospects, both internal and external.

This fall, we have 1,565 students enrolled. Of those, nearly 30 percent represent minority populations. Most of our students are from Indiana, representing 84 counties. The remainder are from 22 states and eight countries. Nearly 350 students are studying advanced or professional programs. Sixty-seven percent of SHHS students are female, and 72 percent of incoming students this fall have a 3.0 or higher G.P.A.

It’s better for health-related research funding.

IUPUI SHHS stands out as a competitive school in the areas of health and life sciences. Already, the synergies between faculty and their research interests around health are paying dividends. Faculty are better able to leverage our health and life sciences school classification for governmental research dollars in a way that was previously not possible.

I’m pleased to share that grant-related expenditures are at an all-time high, achieving $2,309,814 during 2018–19. This means the research productivity of our faculty is increasing. Of that, we’ve recovered nearly $600,000 that will benefit our school, which will provide new opportunities for students to study at a higher level through investigative undergraduate learning and graduate-level assistantships.

It’s better for our community.

Indianapolis is our classroom, and our efforts to forge deep community partnerships that provide unparalleled experiences for student learning and career preparation have never been stronger. Sport and event management students, for example, are immersed in community-based learning from the first day of classes until they graduate, working with world-class sport and event facilities. Through our institutes, students are providing innovative solutions to industry partners. They graduate with a career advantage as a result. On the sciences side, our students are within walking distance of unique clinical experiences that position them for future professional success.

Combined, our students are working with 400-plus community and clinical partners. They invest more than 114,000 hours annually in the Indianapolis community conducting research, honing their practice, fulfilling internships, and volunteering. They do this through classes, clubs, institutes, clinical rotations, and well-established service-learning programs.

Our community extends beyond our borders. Students participate in study abroad opportunities in the Caribbean as well as Europe. SHHS faculty are cultivating international opportunities in Europe, Africa, and China, which will expand research, teaching, and learning.  

We’re off to a great start.

The remainder of this report provides a snapshot of where we are—a benchmark to measure future growth and impact. 

You will see that the School of Health & Human Sciences is positioned to grow due to the relevancy of our health, wellness, events, and sports management programs as well as our transparent pathways for students to pursue healthcare careers.

We’re poised to increase collaboration and resources internally and externally, enabling us to strengthen research and community impact.

I invite you to join us as we embark upon this journey. Together with you, our potential impact increases, and our possibilities become endless.

Thank you for all you have done for our previous schools, and for what you will do going forward with the School of Health & Human Sciences at IUPUI.