The Faculty Medal of Distinction is awarded annually by the faculty of the IU School of Liberal Arts to an undergraduate student who has made outstanding contributions to the liberal arts community in the areas of scholarship, leadership, and service.
The Faculty Medal of Distinction is presented to the recipient during the annual Faculty Assembly Awards ceremony.
The faculty of the IU School of Liberal Arts nominate students based on:
- academic accomplishments, including excellence in multiple disciplines, project participation, or other awards.
- meritorious participation in extracurricular activities, including contributions and leadership.
- other considerations, such as community engagement related to their academic pursuits, other accomplishments that speak to their excellence as a student, or other activities and accomplishments that support the university’s overall mission.
Tara Callahan is a first-generation student with significant work obligations that they expertly balanced with multiple programs of study.
Tara double-majored in Communication Studies and Medical Humanities & Health Studies with minors in Medical Sociology and Public Health. They also participated in a summer study abroad program in Poland and maintained a 3.96 cumulative GPA.
Tara worked as an ePortfolio Studio Coordinator for the Institute for Engaged Learning. In this capacity, they supported more than 50 IU Indianapolis professors, including a dozen from the School of Liberal Arts, to integrate ePortfolios into their courses. They also developed 20+ Google Site templates and another 10+ WIX templates as part of their duties.
One faculty member noted, “Tara's digital expertise is not merely technical: it is pedagogical, strategic, and visionary.”
After graduation, they will pursue their long-time interest in health equity by working toward a Master of Public Health degree.
