CELLebration Stories

From Good to Great: President Jerry Israel Added “Excellence” to UIndy’s Vocabulary

President Jerry Israel led the University of Indianapolis as it engaged in a strategic plan that would change the course of the higher education institution. In his words, it was time to go from “good to great.” Two important Centers emerged from that work. With both now nationally renowned and thriving, President Israel details how their long-term impact comes from demonstrating UIndy’s excellence.

Investing in Innovation: Sara Cobb Details the Grant That Gave CELL to Indiana

Sara Cobb has been with CELL since the beginning. Well, before the beginning, actually. She served as Vice President of Education at Lilly Endowment when the foundation received a grant proposal for an innovative approach to education reform for Indiana in 2001. Inspired by the possibilities of this unique idea, the Endowment awarded a $15 million grant to the University of Indianapolis and a new organization soon to be known as CELL. That initial funding served as a catalyst for statewide education transformation—a movement still benefiting students today. Having supervised more than 8,000 grants, Sara Cobb knows better than anyone that investments in education pay off. 

Higher Goals for Higher Education: Beverley Pitts Sees Vision for UIndy and CELL Become a Reality

When a new president takes the helm of a higher education institution, they ask an important question: what will be the impact of this university 100 years from now? Dr. Beverley Pitts became president of the University of Indianapolis in 2005 and envisioned an institution not just educating students but benefiting its city and communities across the state. She did not have to wait long. That same year CELL expanded beyond the borders of Marion County to take its education transformation work statewide. The new era meant it was time for the small, private university to think even bigger. While 100 years is still a long way off, Dr. Pitts feels confident that CELL and UIndy’s impact will stand the test of time.

Big, Bold, and Innovative: Christine Marson Details Why CELL Shows What’s Possible in Education

Perhaps no one has seen CELL through as many lenses as Christine Marson. The organization is part of her family legacy, provided a training ground as she pursued a master’s degree in philanthropy, and served as a strategic partner during her early career. As she lived through all the hard work her mother put into founding CELL back in 2001, she had no idea of the impact the organization ultimately would have on her own professional life. Now one word consistently comes up as Christine reflects on CELL’s 20 years: grateful.

A Mayor, a Model, a Movement: David Harris Praises the Power of CELL’s Partnership

When it comes to a landmark year for education transformation in Indiana, look to 2001. Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson became the first and only mayor in the United States with the authority to grant school charters. That same year, the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning launched. The Indianapolis Mayor’s Office and CELL quickly became partners creating groundbreaking, award-winning charter school work with the eyes of the nation watching. David Harris directed the charter school initiative inside the mayor’s office at that time and calls having an organization like CELL “divine good fortune.” But the real good fortune was for the students and families who benefited from those new learning opportunities—a still growing movement impacting lives two decades later.

A Boost for Business: Dan Peterson Sees the Economic Imperative of Education Reform

Why would a global medical device manufacturing company support local education redesign? Because what is good for students is good for business. Dan Peterson understands that educational investments today create tomorrow’s workforce—and his company needs the best. That is why Cook Group has been a longtime advocate of introducing innovation to education with Dan leading the charge. His connection to CELL started in 2005 with a simple idea that would transform what he thought possible for schools. The model was New Tech and the time was right. 

The Best of Both Worlds: Janet Boyle Bridges the Gap Between K-12 and Higher Education

They say good educators leave their mark on lives, not just whiteboards. You can find Janet Boyle’s mark all over CELL for more than a decade. But Janet would be quick to tell you that the organization has left a lasting impression on her as well. At CELL she found a job that aligned with her passion for education service and offered a wide pathway for pursuing unique ideas. That space where creativity meets necessity sparked innovative new initiatives in a time of transition—many evolving into some of CELL’s most impactful work. Yes, Janet Boyle is an important part of CELL’s history, but also a visionary of its future. And she isn’t finished yet.

Coming to the Table: Nancy Sutton Serves Through the Power of Partnerships

Ask Nancy Sutton, “What’s the big idea?” and she’ll have one. Always. But she is not someone who just generates lofty notions. She’s the kind of person who charges forward, breaks down walls, changes mindsets, and gets buy-in to make those ideas a reality. Few people can claim they have changed a state’s educational system for thousands of students. Nancy can say that about two states. She was one of CELL’s first employees. The legacy of her big, seemingly impossible ideas still serve CELL—and schools across Indiana—today.

Perfect Timing: Dr. Suellen Reed Looks Back on Indiana’s Education Evolution

They say timing is everything. Dr. Suellen Reed would agree. Indiana’s first female and longest serving Superintendent of Public Instruction led during a significant period of change for the state. With 16 years in office, she had time on her side, but not just in being elected to a historic four terms. She timed her work perfectly as well—leveraging years of bipartisan cooperation, advancing technology and classroom standards, and seeing the possibilities of a new, untested organization called CELL. Education in Indiana looked different before the influence of Dr. Reed, making her the perfect person to reflect on this unique time of transformation.

Taking a Chance: David Dresslar Turns Encore Career into Lasting Legacy

David Dresslar is a lucky guy. Multiple points in his life and career defy the odds. Yet he will tell you one of the greatest chances he ever took was replying to a help wanted ad in the local Indianapolis newspaper in 2003. What started as a way to have a meaningful role in retirement turned into a new career full of more than a decade of rewarding moments. Dave’s CELLebration story proves some of the best things happen in the second act.

Experience Is the Best Teacher: Deb Sachs Brings Innovation to Education Through Mentorship

An early CELL project that began in 2001 and served a few hundred Indiana teachers now has informed 20 years of Deb Sachs’s work in education. Across those two decades she has had a hand in developing some of the country’s most innovative teacher preparation programs impacting thousands of Hoosier students. Deb Sachs proves that a simple idea can foster years of innovation.

Connecting the Dots: Marcia Capuano Identifies a Key Component of CELL’s Success

CELL labels itself with three C’s: convener, catalyst, and collaborator. But ask Marcia Capuano and one “C” is missing. For her, CELL is all about connections. A reconnection made at a retirement party that led to a new chapter of serving Indiana schools. One conference uniquely connecting people from across the state around the possibilities of education innovation. The alignment of a career and a Center of Excellence both deeply connected to the work of improving educational opportunities for students. Marcia Capuano shows just how important the power of connection is to CELL’s work.

A Broad Idea with Big Goals: Lynne Weisenbach Reflects on CELL’s Early Days

What started as a strategic “Center of Excellence” has become Indiana’s epicenter of educational innovation. An organization with the acronym CELL—life’s building block—now has 20 years of bringing the right people to the table to replicate big ideas that benefit students, teachers, and communities. Lynne Weisenbach, the first executive director and author of the infamous name, reflects on CELL’s beginning and the initial moves that would reshape education in Indiana.

From Classroom to the Community: Todd Hurst and CELL Address Workforce Needs 

A chat that creates a new connection. The discussion that challenges the status quo. A talk that sparks the imagination. One conversation can change everything. Just ask Todd Hurst. 

A CELL workshop first inspired Todd as a high school teacher. Soon after he joined the organization and applied his classroom experience to the statewide push for K-12 education and economic alignment. Those community-based conversations went far beyond just talk. They produced advanced learning opportunities, new career pathways, and attractive 21st-century job opportunities throughout Indiana.