The IUPUI BOSS Summer Entrepreneurship Camp is a one-week, hands-on opportunity for high school students to learn about small business ownership as a career, gain the confidence to start their own businesses, and earn investment funding too! The IUPUI BOSS (Business Opportunities for Self-Starters) Camp, is a partnership between the IUPUI Office of Community Engagement, IU Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis, and the IU Herron School of Art + Design in Indianapolis.

The 2023 BOSS Camp was hosted on the IUPUI campus from June 5 – June 9, with 24 students participating from four high schools:  Arsenal Tech, Crispus Attucks, George Washington, and Herron-Riverside. BOSS students ranged in age from incoming freshmen to graduating seniors.

At IUPUI BOSS Camp, IPS high school students learned how to vision, research, plan, market, price products, and budget for their business from Kelley School of Business faculty. Herron School of Art + Design instructors provided guidance on product design, branding, and prototyping products. Local small business owners and experts met with the BOSS students to share first-hand information and real-world advice.

According to Teresa Bennett, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community Engagement, “IUPUI BOSS not only teaches business skills; BOSS encourages students to think like entrepreneurs, community advocates, and problem-solvers – with the confidence to try (and sometimes fail) at new things. Our instructors, mentors, and community partners help the students realize that they can use their business ideas to build their neighborhoods and make lasting change in their communities.”

Recognizing that everyone’s journey is unique, BOSS Camp emphasized that business start-up skills, including creative problem-solving, critical thinking, responsibility, communication, teamwork, professionalism, and research, are transferable regardless of where their careers take them.

During BOSS Camp, students earn a salary stipend of $375 that they can use to invest in their business. They also had the opportunity to earn additional funding on Pitch Day by presenting their ideas to judges from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Fifth-Third Bank, IU Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis, and School of Business & Economics at IU East.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 IUPUI BOSS Camp Pitch! A special thank you to our funders and sponsors: Fifth-Third Bank, IPS Foundation, Governors Workforce Cabinet, IUPUI Office of Community Engagement, IU Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis, and Herron School of Art + Design in Indianapolis.

2023 BOSS Pitch Awards

First place ($100):  Katherine Bautista for her business: Charm & Shine, The Touch You Need

Second place ($75): Verenice Romero & Julissa Zuniga for their business: Sweet Delights

Third place ($50): Isabella Ochoa Vargas for her business: Shampoo Kitty Angel

Audience Choice Award ($100): Aisha Ahmed and Jakyra for their business: Jewelry Chic

Launched in 2019 IUPUI BOSS Camp is based on the successful BOSS initiative developed by Tim Scales, School of Business & Economics at IU East.

For more information, contact Teresa Bennett at tkbennet@iu.edu.

The month of June marks the preliminary competition for Miss Indiana held in Zionsville at the Zionsville Performing Arts Center – with one of IUPUI’s own in the running. Catherine Sellmer, currently holding the title of Miss Indiana South 2023, recently graduated from the School of Science’s Department of Psychology. Her on-campus experience saw involvement in the Women4Change at IUPUI student organization as a member of the Exec Board as well as the Honors College and ALDPES Honors Societies.

“What I love most about IUPUI is the professors. I have had many professors influence me during my time at IUPUI, but my biggest role model is Dr. Kroupa,” said Sellmer. “I had the opportunity to TA for her class, and I learned so much from her.”

Such pageantry has been a part of Sellmer’s life as far back as the 7th grade, when she competed in her first Miss America Organization [MAO] competition – though such a road was paved with self-discovery and a need for community.

“I wanted to do it but didn’t know what to do. I had danced growing up, but at this point, I had not danced competitively in about 4 years. I shoved the idea of competing to the back of my mind. However, one day during my sophomore year, I saw an ad for Miss Collegiate Indy, saw I wasn’t doing anything that weekend, and decided to compete. I loved the experience and connected with two amazing women.”

Despite outdated stereotypes and connotations of vanity, what Sellmer speaks to the most is the community engagement at the core of the competition.

“What some do not know is that the Miss America Organization is one of the largest scholarship organizations for women in the country. Candidates are not evaluated based on outer beauty, but rather on the differences they make in the community. And that’s what really drew me into MAO. When I was 16 years old, I started to share my eating disorder recovery story on Instagram. When I was first diagnosed, I felt so alone because I knew no one else with the same struggles. By sharing my story, I thought I would be able to change others’ lives and encourage them to choose recovery. I even hosted two body positivity workshops with a friend in high school. It was through the Miss America Organization I was able to gain the confidence to expand this initiative.”

Sellmer’s story has grown to encompass a brand all its own entitled Great at Any Weight and she has participated in two Girl Scouts of Central Indiana events, partnered with IUPUI’s Office of Health and Wellness for National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and hosted talks with the parents of Indianapolis Public Schools students about warning signs of eating disorders.

“Winning the title of Miss Indiana would mean a variety of things to me,” says Sellmer. “I know that with this title, I would be able to encourage people to be resilient. Eating disorders are a prominent issue in America, with almost 29 million individuals struggling. I want more people to know that they do not have to struggle alone. That they can seek help. Most importantly, I want them to know that they are more than their eating disorders.”

As a representative of the city and the legacy of impassioned IUPUI students, Sellmer is excited to take to the stage June 14-16 in Zionsville. Learn more at: missindiana.org.

The summer is upon us. While classes and finals have come to a close, and caps and gowns paraded across ceremonial crossways into a world beyond the university, the true pulse of the community is anything but stagnant. Explore the full scope of what the city has to offer this summer with these fifteen exciting entries:

• June 3 – The 2023 Earth Day Indiana Festival: Taking over Garfield Park on Saturday, June 3, enjoy a beautiful day in the park with over 110 exhibitors, live music, food trucks, and a beer garden. Learn more.
• June 5 – B&O Trail Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: The B&O Trail is one of the premier trails in the Indianapolis Metro Area, running west from Speedway through Brownsburg, organizers have stated their desire to take the B&O Trail West to the Indiana State Line. With recent grant funding through the Indiana Next Level Trails program, the trail’s Haughville/Fairfax connector to Speedway will officially have a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 5 at 4:30pm. Learn more.
• June 8 – 57th The Strawberry Festival: Christ Church Cathedral has a long-standing tradition of raising money with sweet, summery berries. The First Annual Strawberry Festival was held in 1965 and has since become a staple in the community with more than 95 percent of its annual proceeds going directly to local, national, and international not-for-profit outreach groups. Learn more.
• June 10 – 2023 Indy Pride Parade: Lasting nearly two hours with over 140 floats, vehicles, and walking groups, the Indy Pride Parade has become one of the largest parades in Indianapolis and a testament to the hard work of the community to ensure our equality and celebrate Pride starting at 10 am on Mass Ave. Learn more.
• June 18 – Le Ball En Couleur: Indiana Pride of Color and Indy Pride bring back Indianapolis’ first Juneteenth celebration designed explicitly for LGBTQ+ Black/African Americans (and their allies) to affirm, celebrate, and reconcile their queer and black identities. La Ball En Couleur (The Ball in Color) is a celebration of the ballroom community that pays homage to its culture that started in the 1960s that happens at 7pm at The Vogue. Learn more.
• June 16-18 – Madam Walker Legacy Fest: Join the Madam Walker Legacy Center this summer for Legacy Fest! As a means to celebrate Black Excellence during Juneteenth weekend, scheduled events include a gala, a series of concerts, and the always exciting Block Party on the Ave. Learn more. 
• June 17 – Juneteenth and Jazz Community Celebration at the Eiteljorg: Come celebrate Juneteenth at the Eiteljorg Museum with performances, activities, food, and more! The museum will host a free day in honor of Juneteenth starting at 11am that is in partnership with the Sankofa Movement group which teaches black history through live performances that portray famous African American men and women. Learn more.
• June 17 – 6th Annual Juneteenth Festival and Parade: The 6th Annual Indy Juneteenth Celebration will take place on June 17 at Military Park starting at 10 am. This will include a parade downtown that will lead to a large festival with over 200 vendors and 20 food trucks from all over Indiana as well as live performances by dance academies, theaters, and local bands. Learn more.
• June 17-18 – Talbot Street Art Fair: With over 200 artists from across the nation, this juried art fair continues to be ranked as one of the finest fairs in the country. The fair is located in the picturesque, historic Herron-Morton neighborhood on the near northside of Indianapolis between 16th & 20th on Talbot St. starting at 10am. Over 60,000 visitors come from near and as far, as 100 miles away, to view the artwork of artists from across the country. Learn more.
• July 8-16 – Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration: Summer Celebration is Indiana Black Expo’s largest event that showcases Black Culture in Indiana. As a pillar of the state for over 50 years, IBE has gone on to cement Summer Celebration as one of the largest cultural events of its kind with an amazing array of entertainment, arts, dance, food, film, business, and more. Learn more.
• July 21 – Str8 Up Frederick Douglass: Rhythm, Rap, and Jazz: As hip-hop exploration of the life and legacy of this prophet and freedom fighter, Str8 Up Frederick Douglass features original content, music, and dance inspired by his words and determination. Six artists under the direction of Founder and Artistic Director Deborah Asante with the Asante Art Institute of Indianapolis use their creativity to campaign for a brighter future for all. Learn more.
• August 4 – Indianapolis Black Documentary Film Festival: Showcasing documentaries about the African American experience that inspire socially conscious cultural discourse. Now in its fourth year, the dynamic group of collaborators has proven its commitment to fostering an appreciation for documentary films by maintaining a platform for filmmakers to share their work as catalysts for meaningful dialogue. Learn more.
• August 19 – September 5 – IndyFringe Theatre Festival: The 2023 IndyFringe Theatre Festival is a three-week celebration of the arts in Downtown Indy. With 285 performances by over 400 performing artists across 6 stages, the IndyFringe Theatre Festival remains one of the most vibrant and vital arts events in the Midwest. Learn more.
• August 25 – IU Health Momentum Indy: A two-day cycling celebration of bike races, bike rides, food, music, and family festivities in downtown Indy starting at 3:30 pm at Chatterbox Jazz Club. Serving as the 9th stop of the American Criterium Cup, professional cyclists will give it their all to take the podium at the 13th annual Indy Crit. Learn more.
• August 30 – September 3 – BUTTER: A multi-day fine art fair that centers on the care and economic viability of Black visual artists nationwide. It commits to finding unrepresented artists nationally, keeping significant space for Indiana-based artists, and working with galleries at all layers of the industry. Learn more.

From major historic holidays like Juneteenth and Pride Month celebrations to vibrantly singular events only found here in Indy, you can’t go wrong participating in any or all of these wonderful community events. Visit IUPUI’s own events calendar for more at: events.iu.edu/iupui

After receiving dozens of scripts, drama jurors have selected six plays for OnyxFest 2023 – The first and only theatre festival in Indiana exclusively showcasing Black playwrights.

Sponsored by the Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI (A.R.T.I.) in conjunction with IndyFringe, OnyxFest Fall 2023 is scheduled for November 2 – 5 and November 9 – 11. Plays will be staged at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre and the IUPUI Campus Center Theater.

OnyxFest Executive Producer Vernon A. Williams said playwrights chosen will be funded for production costs that include royalties, venue for rehearsal and performances, marketing and promotion, production development, make-up, costume, set design, and video recording as well as stipends for actors, technicians, directors, and stage managers.

Williams said, “Planners are excited about the proliferation of interest in and recognition of Black Theatre in Indianapolis.” The plays chosen are as follows:

FALL 2023

• “TIGONIE” by Levi Frazier Jr. A man whose checkered past comes back to haunt him. A tale of regret, repentance, and reconciliation. Religion and hypocrisy surface.
• “ALL THINGS CONSIDERED” by Nattalie Gordon. A thirty-something Black artist who is healing from childhood and unconventional relationship wounds.

• “5 MOODS OF BLACK ANGUISH” by Josiah McCruiston. Spoken word, prose and sermonettes explore the pain and glory of a people with unconquerable spirits.
• “THE HEART OF A MAN” by Ardre Orie. An all-male cast stage production that reveals the sometimes-harsh truths on dating, marriage, sexuality, domestic violence, and love, from the male perspective.
• “RIGHT BEHIND YOU” by Deborah Patrick. Generations of women reflect on contrasting experiences as the elder of the family is dying of COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic.
• “BABE” by Delores Thornton. Based on a true story about how therapy helps reveal the buried truths of an 82-year African American woman who reaches inner depth of self-realization.

For information, visit onyxfest.com or https://arti.sitehost.iu.edu/.

About A.R.T.I. (Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI):

The Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI (ARTI) is a program of study offered by the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, the School of Education and the IUPUI Office of Community Engagement using a multidisciplinary approach to “edutainment.” ARTI was developed to document and artistically reflect the history, cultural life, and politics of peoples of the African Diaspora. As a public arts initiative, ARTI has a deep commitment to and focuses on artistic and community engagement. The Office of Community Engagement and the Schools of Liberal Arts and Education are supporting this proposal because it advances the idea that learning in the arts is invaluable at all stages of life, and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life may advance civic engagement while also creating a college and career pathway.

About IndyFringe: 

The Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival (IndyFringe) founded in 2005 is a place, an event, a movement, an incubator for new talent and a magnet for imaginative and thoughtful people. IndyFringe established OnyxFest in 2011 to counter the lack of diversity both on stage and in audiences of Indianapolis theatre. The annual festival is a vehicle to expose theatergoers to new and emerging Black playwrights. IndyFringe is best known for the annual IndyFringe Festival that transforms Mass Ave in downtown Indianapolis into a vibrant, eclectic and exciting festival avenue.