The Online Reflector

During the past month, the University of Indianapolis’ ninth and newest president has been getting accustomed to his new life in Indianapolis. President Robert Manuel hopes to make a smooth transition and has been spending his days engaging in the campus community.

President Manuel meets students and faculty in the lobby of Esch Hall during a meet-and-greet session after his introduction ceremony on April 18. Photo by Kelbi Ervin

Manuel has been involved in higher education for a number of years.
Prior to joining the UIndy community, he worked at New York University and then moved to Georgetown University to become associate provost and dean of the School of Continuing Studies.
“NYU is a very large private institution and wanted to educate people to be global citizens. Georgetown has the same mentality, but also had a faith tradition to guide its work,” Manuel said. “I wanted to be part of an institution that had both, and in the interviewing process, it was clear that UIndy had both of these components.”
Manuel moved from Washington, D.C., with his wife and three daughters Sophia, 11, Alexandra, 8, and Margaux, 5.
He said that he is excited that his daughters will have the opportunity to become immersed in the values that UIndy upholds.
“I’m looking forward to my kids’ having this experience. Part of why we chose to come to UIndy is because I want the values here to exist in my children’s reality,” Manuel said. “I want them to be intellectually curious and interact with a diverse community.”
He also is excited about the opportunity to make a difference. Manuel said he has used his experiences at NYU and Georgetown to help him accomplish his goals for UIndy.
“I’m excited to explore what role higher education plays in the human condition, as well as questions of its accessibility and affordability,” he said. “And I believe UIndy is poised to create answers to these questions.”
Just before the Manuel family moved to Indianapolis, they experienced some challenges that interfered with the move.
“The night before we left, a tree fell on our house. Everything was in boxes, ready to go, and we went to dinner. We came back and realized the whole roof had been torn off,” Manuel said.
Thankfully, Manuel said that there have not been any additional surprises since moving to Indianapolis.
Manuel said that the new first family of UIndy has enjoyed the diverse food options available in Indianapolis. On his Twitter account, he faithfully updates his followers about the latest restaurants he and his family have visited.
While students might view them as authoritarian figures or merely intellectuals, Manuel proved that presidents of universities have interests outside of academics as well.
“I really love photography,” he said. “Ten years ago, around the time Sophia was born, someone gave me a camera, and I realized through documenting my kids’ growing up that I love the artistic display of things in my life.”
Manuel said that he was never interested in photography prior to having children, but now he views it as a way for him to have documentation of the events in his life.
Manuel is also athletically inclined and was physically active in college.
He ran and swam, as well as participated in triathlons after he graduated.
He said he would like to make an athletic comeback and compete in a triathlon in the upcoming year.
“I’d love to know if any students are forming a training group,” he said.
Manuel said he strongly supports the values upon which UIndy was founded, and although his daughters are still young, he would love for them to attend. He said his girls are excited about the idea as well.
“They love the food in the dining hall, so I think they have already been sold through their stomachs,” he said.
Manuel said that overall he is thrilled to begin this new chapter of his life and that his main goal as UIndy’s president is to continue to uphold it values.
“UIndy creates transforming experiences for students,” he said. “It has progressed through the years but has always stayed true to its original values.”