Indiana University Foundation

That's the Way
They Do It In New York

How do you teach your children
to give back? Throw a party.

That’s what Sharon Golden Brenner did. And in doing so, she gave her time, her energy, and her savvy to Indiana University and the Parents Association Advisory Board.

A native New Yorker, Sharon was a long way from her daughter Maryssa, who attended IU but has since graduated. And like any parent, she was concerned about how her daughter would fare so far from home.

“The Parents Advisory Board and (then) Dean of Students Dick McKaig were a tremendous reassurance,” she says. The advisory board is a group of parents of current IU students. It functions as a think-tank for the dean, raising concerns or offering ideas for ways to improve student life. And with its partner, the Parents Fund, the dean of students is able to implement many of those ideas, such as lights for a darkened sidewalk or a 24-hour on-call physician.

Sharon had an idea for how she could help. She would host events in New York to introduce McKaig, IU, and NYC-area parents to each other.

“It was just an inspiration,” notes Sharon. “Everyone was so pleased that IU and Dean McKaig would make the effort to come out and meet them.”

For parents, it was reassurance. For IU, it was an opportunity to bring these parents into the university community. And for Sharon, it was an example for her daughter. And it worked.

“I’m very proud of my mother,” says Maryssa, who now works for INsider NYC, a private concierge and event company. Maryssa is also a founding member of Generation NXT, an organization for socially conscious young men and women who wish to effect change in the world. The members use the talents to further a variety of charities.

“My mother really instilled in me the importance of giving back,” adds Maryssa. “We’re holding events in venues that attract young people, to encourage them to get involved.”

In that way, inspiration continues to be passed on, from mother to daughter to the world. And that’s a chain that IU, the Parents Association Advisory Board, and the Parents Fund are happy to be a part of.

Want more information on the Parents Fund? Contact Dave Spencer at 812-855-4569.

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