Inspired by research on women’s philanthropic power, Laurie Burns McRobbie founded Women’s Philanthropy at Indiana University in 2010 and established the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council, which serves as the governing council of Women’s Philanthropy at IU. WPLC members advise the IU Foundation on programming and activities designed to engage alumnae and friends to areas of passion within Indiana University.

At the heart of the Women’s Philanthropy program are annual grant awards that support students, faculty, and staff across all of IU’s campuses. The WPLC reviews and awards applicants whose projects advance the work of IU, with an emphasis on women’s leadership, improving public health, providing global experiences to students, STEM initiatives, and increasing opportunities for diverse populations. Since the first grant cycle in 2012, the WPLC has awarded 107 grants totaling more than $1,000,000 across IU’s campuses.

For more information, visit the Women's Philanthropy Website.

Indiana University’s first ladies have not often been the subjects of much historical attention, but they have been valued and instrumental contributors to the development of the university and especially to its character and spirit. They also serve as a lens through which we can see the evolution of women’s roles since IU’s founding nearly 200 years ago.

First Lady Laurie Burns McRobbie has developed a presentation about her predecessors, a version of which has been published in the Indiana University Alumni Magazine.

First Lady McRobbie continues to gather information about the remarkable women who have served as “partners in the presidency.” If you have a recollection to share, please e-mail at firstldy@indiana.edu.

As an adjunct faculty member in the School of Informatics and Computing, Laurie McRobbie helped co-found Serve IT, which provides local nonprofit organizations with technological services.
Read more about Serve IT »

Center of Excellence for Women & Technology

Current Memberships

• President, Board of Directors –  Indiana Conference for Women
• Member, Board of Governors –  Riley Children’s Foundation
• Commissioner— Indiana Arts Commission
• Advisory Council Chair— Serve IT,  Luddy School of Informatics and Computing
• Founding Chair—Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council,  Indiana University Foundation
• Advisory Council Chair— IU Center of Excellence for Women and Technology
• Board Member— Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County

Past Memberships

• Board Member— Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship
• Past Chair, Partners Executive Committee— Association of American Universities
• Secretary of the Board— Society of the Friends of Music, IU Jacobs School of Music
• Board of Visitors— Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, IUPUI
• Board Member— Middle Way House, Bloomington, Indiana
• Board Member— Wonderlab, Bloomington, Indiana