by Barbara Goodwin
WHEN MARY LUE RUSSLER began working at the University of Southern Indiana—then Indiana State University-Evansville (ISUE)—back in 1969, it wasn't for money, because there wasn't any. The old three-story brick schoolhouse wasn't an ideal location either. But the people working there had heart.
Its employees had a vision and worked tirelessly on behalf of the students. Russler felt it was providing a need for the community. She never expected to work there for more than 20 years, much less help establish one of the first scholarship endowments with funds primarily raised by and from employees.
As secretary for USI's founding fiscal officer Byron Wright, Russler worked at a small table across from Wright, whose desk was a door balanced over two filing cabinets. One of Russler's secretarial duties involved purchasing, which would lead her to form an administrative assistant's organization for the University. "Since all our expenditures had to go through Indiana State University's Business Office, I got to know the secretaries there and found out they had a secretaries' club," she said. "I thought it would be beneficial to the staff here so I got permission to start a club."
Russler wrote the club's bylaws and constitution at home, sitting on her front porch. Simply called the Secretaries' Club, it became the first official clerical and support staff organization at ISUE.
When the office staff moved to the new campus, club officers were elected and the bylaws and constitution were approved. The University's new Secretaries' Club decided to focus on improving its members' secretarial skills through education, fellowship and fundraising for scholarships.
Members of the Club threw themselves into developing fundraisers, including a community-wide card party and style show. A decade of steady work enabled the Club to award two $300 scholarships annually.
"At that time, some of the students who came to ISUE worked full-time, supporting a family, so college education was a luxury. We wanted to help them be successful." - Mary Lue Russler
Looking to the future, members moved toward channeling their fundrasing work to establish a perpetual endowed scholarship fund. "My husband, Bob, and I had started our own endowed scholarship at USI. Working in the Foundation Office later in my career, I learned the benefits of making monetary contributions into an endowed fund, where the investment earnings could be used for annual scholarship awards," said Russler. On February 28, 1989, the Club deposited its first contribution of $1,389 into an endowment. They set a goal to raise $5,000 in five years.
The Club doubled its fundraising over the next two decades, gaining serious entrepreneurial skills, most notably with their iconic annual apple butter sales. This three-day, all-hands-on-deck event was held at the Outdoor Education Center. Volunteers cored, peeled and cut up 30 bushels of apples. Taking shifts at copper pots over bonfires, they stirred the apples and spices with long wooden paddles. The jars of freshly made apple butter were sealed and sold to waiting customers at the University's Fall Open Houses.
It was a successful small-batch experiment that lasted several years. A wildly popular, labor-heavy event, the apple butter making was just one of many fundraisers and bake sales that brought the Club closer to its goal of creating a lasting endowment. The closing out of the 20th century ushered in many changes and challenges for the Club. Most of the original members retired but in their three decades of existence, left a legacy to support students in their educational journey.
The next generation of Club members integrated technology into their fundraising. A silent auction was established in the 1990s and would eventually be a virtual auction that is still held yearly. Club members cast a wide net in gathering gifts. In addition to locally donated products, they also offer opera, ballet and theme park tickets. "Last year, we raised $3,400 in sales from the online auction and working concessions at a USI Men's Basketball game," said Julie Minnette, current President of the USI Administrative Assistants and Associates Club, formerly the USI Secretaries' Club.
Through decades of community spirit, the organization has proven that small efforts—when fueled by passion—can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Beginning with humble bake sales, the Administrative Assistants and Associates raised more than $38,000, showcasing the impact gifts of employees and others. In the 36 years the Club has been in existence, it has opened doors for many student scholarship awards for generations to come.
USI celebrated the inauguration of its fifth President, Steven J. Bridges '89 M'95, on October 16 with a ceremony held at Liberty Arena, Home of the Screaming Eagles. This momentous achievement is the culmination of a career both built on purpose and built on numbers.
