Spring 2011

Six IUB Reunion Sights You Don’t Want to Miss

Our guide for what’s (relatively) new on campus.

This June, members of the Class of 1961 will gather at Indiana University Bloomington for their 50th class reunion. They’ll reconnect with old friends, relive great memories, and find out what’s new at IU.

For these and other reunion-goers, or for anyone who hasn’t visited IU Bloomington for a while, we offer this quick guide to some of the newer sights on campus.

You’ll notice many changes, but all of these campus stops have a point in common: gifts from IU’s alumni and friends. Both large and small, these buildings (and statue) and so much more of Indiana University are made possible thanks to donors who find that particular something to support.

For alumni celebrating milestone years, such as members of the Class of ’61, a gift to IU is a special way to commemorate your class anniversary. Whatever your passion, honor your time at IU with a gift. You’ll help make IU even better.

IU Cinema
IU Cinema

IU Cinema

The nearly 300-seat IU Cinema serves as an exhibition space for IU film courses, film festivals, and campus cine-clubs, as well as offering an ongoing program of new and classic movies. Housed in the renovated University Theatre (around the corner from the IU Auditorium), the cinema features state-of-the-art projection equipment. From time to time, silent films are shown, accompanied by an equally state-of-the-art pianist or pit orchestra from the Jacobs School of Music. And thanks to friends like Jay and Jane Jorgensen, an outstanding lecture series helps make the IU Cinema a truly educational experience.
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Henke Hall of Champions
Henke Hall of Champions

Henke Hall of Champions

Bedecked in cream and crimson, the Henke Hall of Champions celebrates IU’s athletic heritage, thanks to the generosity of Steve and Kathy Henke. Here you can read about Hoosier greats from various sports. And you’ll be inside the North End Zone, an addition to Indiana Memorial Stadium. It connects the east and west sides of the stadium and houses offices and training facilities for the football program. Yep, the stadium is a horseshoe now.
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Simon Hall
Simon Hall



Simon Hall

Scientists will tell you that the best science comes from working together. Members of the Simon Family gave scientists a home for collaboration. In this new facility behind the department of chemistry building, 220 researchers from various fields rub elbows and collaborate on research projects. You likely won’t get to peek inside the macromolecular crystallography facility. But the striking architecture and unique approach to scientific teamwork make the building something to admire. It helped earn Simon Hall the R&D Magazine 2008 “Lab of the Year” recognition.
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Cook Hall
Cook Hall

Cook Hall

The future of IU basketball, men’s and women’s, is bright thanks to Cook Hall. Physically connected to Assembly Hall via an underground tunnel, Cook Hall serves as basketball headquarters, with a sophisticated venue in which the Hoosiers can practice, train, and condition. The 67,000-square-foot, multilevel facility also features the Pfau-Shine Legacy Court, an exhibition space that chronicles the history of Indiana basketball. Bill and Gayle Cook named the hall in honor of employees of the Cook Group, a global leader in medical devices and supplies founded and based in Bloomington.
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Auer Hall
Bess Meshulam Simon Music Library and Recital Center

Bess Meshulam Simon Music Library and Recital Center

If you were a Bloomington native 50 years ago, you may have attended University High School here. More recently, the building housed the School of Education. Today, thanks to members of the Simon Family, it has been renovated and expanded to serve the renowned Jacobs School of Music. The technologically advanced Cook Music Library has a collection of over 600,000 items and is a leader in digital recordings. After checking out some Brahms (literally!), you can visit the 4,000-pipe organ in nearby Auer Hall.
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Herman B Wells Statue
Herman B Wells Statue

Herman B Wells Statue

In the Old Crescent, near the Well House, a familiar face greets you. Seated at a bench tucked among beautiful flowers, a statue of beloved former IU President and University Chancellor Herman B Wells extends a hand to visitors. In fact, it has become a tradition for parents of incoming freshmen to shake Herman’s hand in the hope of bringing their young Hoosiers good luck. Feel free to do so yourself, as a little luck never hurt anyone. The statue is the vision and inspiration of Robert and Sara LeBien, who rallied donors to honor Wells.
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