Community Engagement and Public Service Activities

A series of public forums organized by IUPUC and the Mill Race Center focusing on current events of special interest to the Columbus community. Columbus Conversations is supported with an Innovate Indiana grant from the IU Council on Regional Engagement and Economic Development. 

Schedule of Events

All programs are 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Mill Race Center, Columbus

 Thursday, May 23 – Experiencing Our Town: In the Words of Women Immigrants in Columbus, Indiana. Ten Columbus women from Asia and Latin America will share their Columbus stories.  Their stories were featured in a public exhibit sponsored by the Heritage Fund and IUPUC.

Thursday, June 20 – Aging in Indiana: The State of Senior Services. Indiana currently ranks last in the nation for long-term health care services for seniors. Dan Mustard, Executive Director of the Mill Race Center, will address the challenges of providing health and wellness services to Indiana’s aging population.

Thursday, July 18 – Landmark Columbus and Exhibit Columbus. Richard McCoy, Founding Director of Landmark Columbus, will share his team’s vision for preserving and promoting the renowned design heritage of our community. He will also update us on plans for this fall’s Exhibit Columbus.

Thursday, August 15 – Perspectives on the Opioid Crisis. IUPUC faculty and local mental health care professionals will provide insight on the opioid crisis facing our community from a variety of perspectives.

Thursday, September 19 - Neuroscience and the Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder. IUPUC psychology professors Dr. Mark Jaime and Dr. Elizabeth DaSilva will discuss how their research in IUPUC’s Social Neuroscience Lab can someday make a life-changing difference for children on the autism spectrum and their families.

Thursday, October 17 – Talking Leaves Celebration. Local authors read their work at the 25th Anniversary Celebration of IUPUC’s student literary magazine, Talking Leaves.  Dr. Lisa Siefker Bailey and Dr. Katherine Wills, faculty members in IUPUC’s English program, will bring IUPUC and Ivy Tech students, alumni, faculty, together with community creative writers to read us their poetry and prose.