Darwin McCallian makes $1.225 million gift to further student experiences and faculty excellence in the Scott College of Business

Darwin McCallian, a 1975 alumnus of the College of Arts and Sciences, has stepped up during the Be So BOLD fundraising campaign to support Sycamores for years to come.

McCallian graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Indiana State University. During his time as a student, he was regularly involved in campus activities such as Theater, Blue Berets, Tandemonia, Campus Revue, and Songfest.

In 1981, he received his MBA from the University of Baltimore. During his professional career, McCallian worked in various roles at the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Justice Department, and the Treasury Department before retiring in 2008.

“As a university, we are fortunate to have thoughtful donors and alums, like Darwin, who truly care about our students’ future. The Darwin McCallian Executive Leadership Forum Endowment and Darwin McCallian Endowed Professor of Business will be fundamental pieces of our experiential learning process while providing valuable resources to the next generation of business leaders. Indiana State University is sincerely grateful for this wonderful gift,” said Dr. Deborah Curtis, ISU President.

$225,000 of his gift will establish the Darwin McCallian Executive Leadership Forum Endowment. This forum will bring influential thought leaders to the Scott College of Business (SCOB) to share their leadership philosophy, business expertise, professional experiences, and career journeys with students, faculty, and the campus community.

“Through thoughtful collaboration with Dean Daugherty, we were able to create a forum that will significantly expand the traditional classroom experience, which is something I have been dreaming of since the 1970s,” said Darwin McCallian. “It is my hope that future speakers will be graduates of the Scott College of Business who had attended earlier forums when they were students and grew into well-rounded professionals in the business world.”

The remaining $1 million of his gift is a commitment in his estate and will establish the Darwin McCallian Endowed Professor of Business.  

“Establishing a professorship in business bestows a level of prestige that is unique and tremendously valuable for the college long-term, and the McCallian Executive Leadership Forum will bring influential industry professionals to campus that share their knowledge with our current students,” said Scott College of Business Dean Terry Daugherty.

In consort with the Darwin McCallian Executive Leadership Forum, this endowed position aims to raise the visibility and stature of Indiana State University and the Scott College of Business.

“As I look back on my education at ISU, it is apparent the professors I had impacted my success the most. I wanted to find a way to grant current students a similar experience, and creating the Darwin McCallian Endowed Professor of Business is my way of accomplishing that,” McCallian said. “This professorship enriches the student experience, brings visibility to the SCOB, and sets Indiana State apart as a university of choice for future business leaders.”

The Darwin McCallian Endowed Professor of Business will support faculty in the SCOB while allowing the Dean to honor or recruit a highly qualified faculty member to further promote Indiana State University’s excellence in instruction and research. 

“Because of Darwin’s generosity, the Scott College of Business will influence student success for generations,” stated Dean Daugherty. “Great business education involves an all-encompassing experience that happens both inside and outside the classroom, which is exactly his vision for this gift.”

Working together, both of McCallian’s endowments will enhance the student experience for Sycamores on a degree path in the SCOB.

“Darwin McCallian is a Sycamore to the core. He has continuously given back to his alma mater and is being bold in his support of Scott College of Business students,” said Vice President of University Advancement and CEO of the ISU Foundation Andrea Angel. “Darwin sees the importance of providing resources, like additional learning experiences and world-renowned faculty, to further enhance the education provided at Indiana State. His continued generosity is sincerely appreciated.”