[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 78 (Thursday, May 11, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1019]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           MARTIN UNIVERSITY

                                 ______


                        HON. ANDREW JACOBS, JR.

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 11, 1995
  Mr. JACOBS. Mr. Speaker, Martin University is the oldest University 
in Indiana primarily devoted to the education of African-American 
students.
  What follows is a richly deserved editorial about the University 
which was published in the Indianapolis News in April 1995.
              [From the Indianapolis News, April 13, 1995]

                         A Pillar in Brightwood

       Thanks are due those community leaders who have made the 
     inner-city Brightwood area a little brighter. What has 
     happened there is an example to the nation of how local 
     institutions can make a difference in their communities.
       In 1987, Martin University moved its main campus from 
     College Avenue to the Brightwood address of 2171 Avondale 
     Place. The low-budget, nondenominational school came to the 
     neighborhood at a time when families and businesses were 
     moving out.
       ``The primary reason we moved to Brightwood is because the 
     vacated buildings, including the beautiful St. Francis de 
     Sales Catholic parish, became available to us at a great 
     price. The revitalization in the community is a by-product,'' 
     said Martin's public relations director, Pat Stewart.
       Martin University still has four buildings at the original 
     College Avenue campus. And in 1988, the university opened the 
     Lady Elizabeth. Campus at the Indiana Women's Prison for 
     inmates there.
       The main campus in Brightwood comprises nine buildings. The 
     university's move has provided a unifying entity for the 
     community, which was divided in the 1970s when I-70 was 
     constructed. The neighborhood also suffered from a loss of 
     residents who moved to the suburbs.
       Martin University has offset some of these changes.
       Besides making good use of old buildings, the 84 faculty 
     and staff members educate and train people who may not have 
     similar opportunities elsewhere.
       The institution serves 520 students from all over 
     Indianapolis, most from minority and low-income back-grounds. 
     Approximately 150 students reside in the Brightwood 
     neighborhood.
       The university offers more than traditional academic 
     courses.
       Senior citizens and children may attend computer classes 
     and summer school programs, and all residents may attend 
     seminars about economic and political empowerment.
       The university also runs a health clinic were university 
     staff, students and Brightwood residents who aren't students 
     can come for counseling and medical services. And it holds 
     clothing and food drives to benefit people with various needs 
     in Brightwood.
       The school doesn't stop there, however. Recognizing the 
     need to broaden the experiences of the people it serves, it 
     provides artistic and cultural events for residents. Among 
     those activities, it has hosted the Carmel Symphony Orchestra 
     and holds an annual Martin Luther King Jr. 
     celebration. [[Page E1019]] 
       ``Caring about this community isn't an afterthought of the 
     university. It's in our mission statement.'' Sister Jane 
     Schilling told News reporter Judith Cebula. She teaches and 
     serves as vice president at Martin.
       The Rev. Boniface Hardin, founder and president of this 
     university, deserves commendation for the vision he has for 
     his university and community. His goal of serving others and 
     seeking to make them successful is the cause of success in 
     his efforts.
       One of the most impressive aspects of Martin University is 
     its financial foundation. The money comes through tuition, 
     private donations and foundation grants.
       At a time when welfare plans are being debated to death, it 
     is refreshing to see dedicated individuals responding to 
     urban problems with so little dependence on government 
     remedies.
Vol. 141


WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1995

No. 78


House of Representatives