A local alumni couple donated $568,148 to the IUS School of Business at a ceremony held at University Center North.

The donors, Judge Carlton Sanders and wife, Sue, both received their bachelor of science degree from the IUS School of Business, and they, as successful alumnus and alumna, felt obligated to give back to their alma mater.
“We realized how prestigious the School of Business is, and we wanted to make the best even better,” Carlton Sanders said.

“It’s our mother of learning,” Sue Sanders said.

The money — which is being matched by the Indiana University Foundation for a sum total of $1.1 million — has been earmarked for two specific projects:

• The Sanders Trading Lab — a relatively rare and unique commodity which will allow students to have hands-on, practical experience with stock trading and maintaining an investment portfolio

• The Sanders Speaker Series Endowment fund which will bring in a variety of speakers ranging from local small-business owners to CEOs of international corporations, Jay White, dean of the School of Business, said.

“These new additions to the school are growth multipliers, and they will be good for the campus as a whole with the potential to attract other donors, increase enrollment and boost alumni support,” White said.

“With the trading lab, we hope to get another $75,000 grant for students to create an investment portfolio and work with real money in a real-life trading market,” White said.

White said he believes the lab will teach basic financial literacy.

The school plans on taking an existing classroom being used by the School of Business and converting it to meet the needs of the finance lab.

White said the Sanders Trading Lab and Speaker Series should be operational by spring 2009.

Students and professors seemed excited about the donations and look forward to taking advantage of both programs.

“The new additions will be very helpful in bringing a practical application of lessons learned in the classroom,” Eric Shansberg, professor of economics, said.

The experience students will gain from these projects may help supplement their resumes after college. Especially for students who, because of extenuating circumstances, can’t participate in extra-curricular activities.

“Some students (full-time employees, mothers and fathers) don’t have time for an internship, and this could give them a way to get that experience without sacrificing their jobs or time with their families,” Robin Jordan, accounting senior and accounting club president, said.

Other IUS administrators were present to accept the donation, and they were thrilled with the continued growth that gifts like these bring to the school.

“Our reputation in the region is constantly increasing…and this sends a strong message that IUS is a campus that is on the move with quality,” Sandra Patterson-Randles, chancellor, said. The chancellor was instrumental in getting the Sanders’s donation matched by the IU Foundation.

New initiatives like these and the recent opening of dorms on campus is what Patterson-Randles called Growth with Distinction.

This donation is among several that the Sanders have given to IU Southeast.

In 2000, the couple donated $ 1 million to establish the Sanders Chair in Business — a position currently held by Uric Dufrene, associate professor of business administration.

In addition to their recent donations, the Sanders have been active participants in several different events and causes including the Indiana University President’s circle, IUS School of Business advisory council and alumni board, Community Foundation of Southern Indiana, Metro United Way Harrison County, LifeSpring Mental Health, Harrison County Hospital Foundation, and the Salvation Army to name a few.

The couple, upset with state and federal education policy, believes alumni play an important role in the constant improvement of higher learning.

“It’s disgusting the way they (state and federal government) handle education… and we feel it’s our duty as alumni to step up when the government fails,” Carlton Sanders said.

Both Carlton and Sue Sanders were impressed by the way IU Southeast has grown since they graduated.

“It has changed a lot since our days at Water Park. Now you seem to get the full university experience,” Carlton Sander said.

After graduating from IU Southeast, Carlton Sanders worked for the Capitol Holding Corporation and studied law at the University of Louisville where he earned his juris doctorate in 1976.

Sanders operated his own law firm and served as Harrison County Superior Court Judge for 12 years until stepping down from the position in 1997.

Sue Sanders worked for the Aegon Insurance Group, and its predecessor companies, for 40 years until retiring in 2000.

Sue Sanders said in today’s business world young women have every opportunity to succeed.

“Women are making great strides. They need to hang in there, get their MBAs and show everyone what they can do,” Sue  Sanders said.

By MICHAEL MARCELL
Staff Writer
mdmarcel@ius.edu