IU Northwest’s Center for Urban and Regional Excellence cuts the ribbon on new center
Indiana University’s presence in Northwest Indiana began more than 100 years ago when extension courses were offered in Lake County through a partnership with the then-Gary Public School System.
While those courses have changed and are offered in new ways today, IU Northwest’s Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE) continues IU’s fundamental mission by serving as a public resource for all; personifying IU’s 2030 pillars of the university’s strategic plan — Student Success, Transformative Research and Service to State.
On Monday, April 7, 2025, the CURE center was officially unveiled to the community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by key stakeholders from Indiana University, government officials and more.
“IU Northwest is deeply committed to the third pillar of Indiana University’s strategic plan, which is engagement that enhances the quality of life for all Hoosiers,” IU President Pamela Whitten said. “The Center for Urban and Regional Excellence really embodies that commitment.”
The centralized CURE space, located in the John W. Anderson Library, is the central hub that hosts everything the center offers — including Adult Education, non-credit professional development and lifelong learning opportunities for people of all ages; Senior University, which provides real-world learning opportunities and skills to individuals ages 55+; Reading Skills programs; the Community Garden; Kids College; and so much more.
CURE’s two-person team — director Ellen Szarleta and assistant director Amanda Smith — and their work aren’t limited to the confines of the space, however. They’re constantly out in Northwest Indiana, hosting conversations and classes, meeting with public officials and discovering new ways to serve the community’s needs.
“There are two branches to CURE,” Szarleta said. “One is the outreach and engagement side, and the other is the partnership side. … In our community, these needs were identified long ago. This work is part of our public mission as a university.”
For more than 20 years, CURE has officially existed in one way or another. One just has to attend one of the dozens of classes offered monthly — ranging from smartphone utilization, gardening, homeownership, computers and everything in between — to see its impact.
The Center even has a Senior University Steering Committee and Garden Advisory Board to gauge its members’ interest to ensure it’s offering relevant content throughout the year.
“The most important thing over the last 10-12 years has been the community’s commitment,” Szarleta said. “Their interest and commitment to finding ways that we can collaborate and grow together. The real impact CURE is having is building up a long-term relationship so we can look at the complex problems we are faced with in Northwest Indiana.”
One of CURE’s biggest collaborative research projects was with the Lake County Board of Commissioners, where it identified more than 7,000 “churner properties,” parcels that would constantly go through the Lake County commissioners’ and treasurer’s sale numerous times, and helped prompt legislation in 2023 that led to the passing of Senate Bill 157.
Other projects have included working with now-Gary Mayor Eddie Melton in developing a plan for President Barack Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper Initiative,” hosting K-12 conversations, working with the Humane Society, environmental groups and more.
Szarleta said CURE’s next partnership is working on a food desert project in the region and continuing to work alongside Gary through its “Love your Block” program, which “provides mini-grants to support resident-led solutions for cleaner, safer and more vibrant communities,” according to its website.
“Ellen has been a pillar in this community for many years,” Melton said. “Ellen is the doctor who helps us ‘cure’ a lot of the social issues that we address in this community. When it comes down to bringing this community together, her and her team are instrumental in every single way.”
It’s not easy work, and it’s certainly not your typical 9-to-5. Szarleta thanks Smith’s leadership in offering more courses and the outstanding IU Northwest students and community partners they’ve worked with over the years, because, without their help, Szarleta said CURE would not be able to accomplish what it has.
At the end of the day, Szarleta, who’s been at IU Northwest since 1999, says she and Smith keep coming back because they know the work CURE does is vital.
“We have passion,” Szarleta said. “Passion goes a long way because we can see the results in the community, and we know that it’s meeting a need.”
