Indiana University Woman to Receive Prestigious 2019 Indiana Torchbearer Award

Bloomington, Ind. — On Wednesday, September 25, 2019, Brandi Smith, Senior Assistant Director at the Career Development Center on IU Bloomington’s campus will receive one of seven Torchbearer Awards at a ceremony at the Indiana Historical Society, 450 West Ohio Street in Indianapolis. 

Smith is the founder of IU Women Rising, a program that promotes leadership and career development for women and helps to equip them with the tools they need to close the gender wage equity gap. Funded by the IU Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council and Well House Society, IU Women Rising has already been able to reach nearly 1000 women through education and advocacy programming, conferences, and salary negotiation workshops; all in the last year alone. Smith feels honored to be receiving such recognition for leading the effort to educate and empower women to advance in their career aspirations. When notified, Smith was ecstatic, stating, “Not only am I grateful to be recognized by the Indiana Commission for Women, I am also honored to be counted among women whom I have long admired and who have set the bar so high in terms of impact across the state and nation. I am truly awestruck and deeply appreciative.”

Hosted by the Board of Commissioners of the Indiana Commission for Women (ICW), this prestigious award recognizes women from around the state who have broken down barriers, overcome obstacles to women’s full participation, and have made Indiana a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Recipients of the award have overcome or continue to confront immense challenges with courage, perseverance, and compassion, and serve as inspiration for others. They demonstrate character, resiliency, and leadership, and have made significant contributions to their communities and to Indiana. 

After the ICW issued a statewide call for nominations, Smith was nominated for the Torchbearer Award by the City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women(BCSW). Founded in 1973, the BCSW works to ensure that women and men have equal opportunity to function fully and optimally as residents of Bloomington, and as equal participants in the economy, in politics and government, in education, in social development, in the system of justice, and in all other facets of life. Among other roles, the BCSW provides opportunities for leadership development and hosts a series of events in observance of Women’s History Month, including the recognition of outstanding local women with the Woman of the Year, Emerging Leader, and Toby Strout Lifetime Achievement Awards. The BCSW comprises members from across the community appointed by Mayor John Hamilton and the Bloomington Common Council.     

What: 2019 Torchbearer Awards

When: September 25, 2019

Time: 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. EST

Where: Indiana Historical Society, 450 West Ohio Street in Indianapolis

Admission is free; however, guests must register to attend at:https://bit.ly/2kaC15k

About IU Women Rising:  IU Women Rising is a pilot program of the Career Development Center funded by the IU Foundation’s Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council and Well House Society. The program promotes leadership and career development for women by serving Indiana University Bloomington students with the education and practical tools to close the gender equity gap through innovative outreach and advocacy programming. For more information or to schedule a presentation, visit: cdc.indiana.edu/iubwr

About IU Career Development Center: The Career Development Center is the gateway to career services on the Indiana University Bloomington campus, offering students a strong foundation for career development success. The center provides individualized career coaching for University Division students to cultivate self-awareness, career and major exploration, and marketable skills. For more information, visit: cdc.indiana.edu