Office for Women Pacesetter Award
The Office for Women Pacesetter Award was created in 2004 to honor and recognize Indiana women leaders who exemplify “initiative, courage, perseverance and excellence” in their chosen field or endeavor. The first award was presented in 2004 during our “Back on Track” reception introducing our new director of the office to the campus. Appropriately, the first award went to Sarah Fisher, professional racecar driver who competed in the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 and was the first female team owner to win an IndyCar Series race. Other winners have included Dr. Ora Pescovitz, former CEO of Riley Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine and Peg Brand, former first lady of Indiana University and Professor of women’s studies in Bloomington and at IU Indianapolis.
To celebrate our 20th anniversary on campus in 2016-17, we revived the “Pacesetter” award and honored central Indiana women who have made our community a better place through their leadership.
We honored five women whose initiative, courage, perseverance and excellence convey the strength of character and the qualities of leadership that make them a “pacesetter” or someone who set a pace or clears a path and models a way for others to follow.
Our 2017 award winners were Tamika Catchings, Olympic Gold-medalist and former Indiana Fever player; Betty Cockrum, CEO, Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky; Miriam Acevedo Davis, President, La Plaza; Mari Evans, Poet and community activist (posthumous); and Rabbi Sandy Sasso, Beth-El Zedeck congregation and Women4Change.
Pictured (L to R) are Chris Phemster, accepting on behalf of his grandmother, the late Mari Evans; Kathleen Grove, Director, Office for Women; Rabbi Sandy Sasso; Stephanie Mathews O'Keefe, CEO, International Women's Forum, keynote speaker; Miriam Acevedo Davis; Tamika Catchings; and Betty Cockrum.
